Why I Am Moving to Europe:

...To travel is worth any cost or sacrifice. I am loyal and constant in my love for travel, as I have not always been loyal and constant in my other loves. I feel about travel the way a happy new mother feels about her impossible, colicky, restless, newborn baby--I just don't care what it puts me through. Because I adore it. Because it's mine. Because it looks exactly like me. It can barf all over me if it wants to--I just don't care.” - Elizabeth Gilbert

From the time I was a pre-teen, I was transpiring plans to travel to Italy. I was dead set on that goal. Some decade and change later, I was trying to fall asleep in the aisle plane seat (huge mistake because my head bobbled around without any surface to rest on). Considering the fact I have always been an anxiety-ridden, struck by fear gal... that moment of boarding the plane is so clear in my mind. Its so clear because regardless of any anxiety I had been feeling, I was so certain in my core that this was my true self desired. My anxiety-ridden self is not my true self. Anxiety is that troll under the bridge, trying to scare you with outrageous threats and steal everything you have while you try to cross over. I crossed over anyway because I recognized the threats were idle.

I struggled a lot over the past few years on figuring out what I want to do and what my true purpose(s) may be. As it says in the Gilbert quote above, I am loyal and constant in my love for travel. No matter what meditations I did, what books I read, what new job I thought would make me happy; my mind always came back to travel. The second thing I have always recognized about myself is my desire to cultivate some type of work that will benefit others. My entire adult career in the States has been dedicated to sales and making corporations even more money. I am not only starting to feel guilty for that, but I am starting to feel empty. I do not want my life to be dedicated to a job. I want a job that is going to stretch me and shape me into a more whole person.

I have been accepted into a program to obtain my TEFL and teach English overseas in Prague, Czech Republic!

This is a perfect way for me to earn some income, fulfill myself, not only immerse myself in a new culture, but have the opportunity to travel to other places.

I do not have approval from some family members in this decision. There are quite a few people who may be confused, not supportive, or out right think I'm crazy. I am a serial people pleaser - I have spent too much time making decisions to avoid a confrontation or for the sake of someone else's feelings, but at my own expense. I have to again cross that bridge, no matter who may try to throw stones in my way. I am standing firm in this decision because regardless of the outcome, this is what I know I have to do right now.

This blog is going to be dedicated to my preparation, arrival, journey throughout, and one day (maybe) transition back home. My hope is that this adventure will not only culturally expand me, but help me grow spiritually, emotionally, and mentally. Stay tuned :)