September 25, 2011

My Ideas to Travel & Work Abroad with My Family


My life long dream has been to travel and live abroad. I have always wanted a job that allows me to work and afford living in other countries. Specifically, I'd love to live anywhere in Western Europe but I could settle for... basically anywhere else that's relatively safe. Taiwan? Japan? China? Somewhere in South America or how about Russia. I'd even go to CANADA... And because I'm getting desperate I would even like to work somewhere else in the United States. California would be awesome! But since that's unrealistic because of the cost of living, I'd consider Colorado, Wyoming, Florida, Vermont, Tennessee, New York, Texas. You should be able to tell that I really don't care where I go. I love exploring new places and meeting people with different points of view on life. Yes, I could do that all in Michigan. I love Michigan by the way. But there are not any super tall mountains here. I've hiked all over the Porcupine Mountains and while I loved it, I want to go higher. There are beautiful Great Lakes that I have explored many times, but I want to see new waters. There's not any BIG cities here, and I've already been to the important ones anyways. I just want to go somewhere, just because. I have had an inner drive for "GOING SOMEWHERE" my entire life. Maybe it has something to do with my mom moving me around all my childhood? I don't know. [I've gone to 8 different schools before college. Then 3 more adding on college experience.]

My ideas on how to travel and work abroad consist of the following career paths.
  • Teaching English... finding work contracts through the schools directly, hiring a nanny or bilingual daycare center (big cities only), or enrolling Miss A into local schools when she's of age. Many schools will give you a living stipend, and/or include the cost of tuition for a child's school if you teach English there. Both Bill & I could teach English.
  • Foreign Service Officer... This is my dream career. I am taking the Foreign Service Officer Test October 6, 2011 but it's really hard for me to find hope & optimism that will help convince myself that I MIGHT be able to pass it. This would cover everything my family & I need to work as a world representative of the United States. It would be easy traveling because we'd be cared for. The job would be much more demanding, but it'd like that and it'd be worth it. 
  • Master's School Abroad... I'd have to get into a program that gives me a decent scholarship and work placement. This way I could have direct connections to work abroad once I finish my Master's Program. 
Am I being selfish? My fiancé has always known my passion for traveling. When we first started dating on December 21, 2004, I was already saving money and enrolled into a Study Abroad program through AFS to complete my junior year of high school in Belgium. We have been dating for about 6.5 years [with some breaks] but I have told him over and over the kind of lifestyle I wanted to live. And he still proposed to me! SOOOO... IDK. I tell him my ideas of what we can do all the time. It's mainly me doing all of the work too and he has stopped listening to me. I don't know what to do besides feel lost. I'm looking for a local job now in some kind of social work setting. Maybe if I build up a skill and complete a Master's program first, THEN I can work abroad in that field...

My mom moved to Texas with me when I was 3 years old for less than a year. I remember living there briefly but I am happy to have lived there. I am happy to have moved all over Michigan. I wish she moved me to other states or countries when I was little. I would LOVE to have learned different languages and cultures so young. I don't know how much I would have loved it when I was little but I wouldn't know anything else so it'd be fine. I don't think there is anything wrong with traveling often for work with children. I think it's a privilege.

I'm just a little depressed is all. I don't want to be stuck, just because it's easier... I am a highly motivated person who likes to do things above and beyond. I don't know why. I don't know how to stop myself from thinking/feeling this way. It'd be easier if I could just be content staying here, close to home for the rest of my life. I don't know if that's possible though.

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Thanks for reading!
xx Monica xx

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