Three weeks ago I rang in the new year in Mallorca, two weeks ago I stood by my best friend as she married the man of her dreams in Sweden, last week I took my parents out to dinner as a thank you for putting me up (and putting up with me) in Spain, and this week I celebrated my (temporary) return to the United States with a lock down and escape drill at my new place of employment (oh right, because school shootings are a common occurrence in this, the “greatest” country on earth). Happy new year to me.
I’ve been ‘on my way’ to Lebanon since September, but somehow I’ve ended up in Boston, Massachusetts teaching Spanish at a school for privileged rich kids. I seriously have no idea how that happened.
Since being ‘in transition’ has become my new normal, I’m trying to counteract my weariness of living out of a suitcase with gratitude for the amazing ways in which God provides for me. For one, I get to live in New England, my favorite part of the country. There are certainly worse places to end up. For another, I get to live with relatives whom I really like. Relatives who also happen to attend and work at the same school as I do, making the transportation question a non-dilemma.
For many years I’ve been in love with Concord, Massachusetts. It has got to be one of the most idyllic towns in the country; quintessentially New England and just so so beautiful. And I get to drive through this town every day on my commute to and from work. How lucky am I?!? Side note: I’ll be upfront and say that if I a manage to find an eligible bachelor who stands to inherit a home in Concord (because no one can actually afford to buy one) and is willing to marry me, I would chuck the whole Lebanon thing without thinking twice because, I mean, I have priorities.
Apart from a 10-week stint in New York City in the fall of 2015, it’s been almost a decade since I’ve lived Stateside. As I conversed with a new colleague this past week about what kind of tea she likes, it dawned on me that I really have been gone a while. Several of the tea brands she mentioned I’d never heard of. Also I’d forgotten what a huge deal sports is here. Like if you are wearing a certain team’s logo close to Super Bowl time, they let you board the airplane first. That kind of thing just doesn’t happen anywhere else. And if I couldn't afford to buy organic, I’d be stuck with eating high fructose corn syrup and partially hydrogenated oils. Luckily American private school pays more than Swedish public ones.
Speaking of which, I’ve got a pretty sweet set up. Small classes, well behaved students, a very welcoming teaching staff, a ridiculously nice facility - I’m feeling very spoiled. I also get three weeks off from work in March to do whatever I please. I can finally go to those ‘middle states’ I’ve never had time or money for on previous trips to the U.S. Things could definitely be worse.
Yes, I’ve decided to be grateful for this ‘detour’ and prolongation of my ‘in transition’ phase. The Lord hasn’t stopped being good to me just because he’s taking me in the opposite direction of where I want to go. I’ll get there, and in the meantime I have a lot of new things to enjoy. Happy new year to me.
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| In Mallorca |
