Doha hmmmm?
If someone asked me a year ago where my ideal place to live overseas was my list would have gone something like this.....Spain, Italy, Paris, Budapest, Japan, and Thailand. Not in a million years would I have ever thought that my life and career journey would lead me to a place called Doha halfway across the world. What is Qatar anyway? Where is Doha? What are the people like there? Do I have to cover up even though I'm not Muslim (out of respect of course)? Yep I asked the same questions!
And then something hit me....and I realized accepting this offer means that I will be working and living in Middle Eastern countries for the next two years. What will this mean for me as a relatively young African-American, Native New Yorker who has never lived anywhere else in her entire life. Although this would make some people panic, I did quite the opposite after receiving the offer! Instead I thought about all the amazing travel opportunities, educational connections/networks, and expats that I would encounter there. So what do I look forward to most about packing up my entire life, leaving family and friends, and leaving every single thing that is familiar and comfortable to my current existence? CHANGE !! I am looking to discover something new and excited about myself. I am looking forward to spreading my wings, learning about other cultures and immersing myself in their religion, their way of life, and their young children's minds.
My overarching goal is to grow as an educator and embrace the possibilities that the United States doesn't have all the answers in Education. To take in the fullness of life, and let go of "myself" as I know it in the process. To invite transformation for the sake of growth, improvement, and new possibilities. To live.
This is my new mantra: Do One Thing at a Time (thanks R. Bertsche The Happiness Project) I think it is fitting for my new journey.
