Category: Languages

it was the End and Beginning

The taste of disappointment. The gut-wrenching fear that my whole life might
crumble.

These things used to haunt me like a ghost. Until I realized that I
truly had no control over the circumstances around me and suddenly I was

free…

It started as a decision
to quit my job. A job which was well paying, had potential for growth and was in a
field which on the surface seemed as though it fit into the puzzle pieces of my life. But the jigsaw pieces were forced and if you looked closely the puzzle
was always incomplete. I needed a career which was challenging and stimulating whilst 
 encouraging growth. Stagnation and predictably
 did not match with my appetite to learn and grasp new ideas. So, in one
of my less eloquent moments I stated,

” I have something to tell you”.

As I sat in the car after riding the train back from work.

“I quit my job,”

I held my breath for a moment. Waiting for him to
tell me he was proud of me. Thinking back now, I realize that was another
slightly delusional fairy tale moment I was clearly living in. Especially since
I knew how extremely practical/risk averse he was and quitting my job without
another job lined up was the equivalent of a practical person’s worse
nightmare. Thus, it was the end and beginning of many stages of my life, but I
knew in order to do it right it was all or nothing. So, I started over and fell
back in love and lust with writing and the cognitive process of language acquisition. I facilitated lessons, developed curriculum, coordinated with content creators, managed tutors and linguists. 
And I explored the role of culture, identity and student learning preferences and how they intertwined to create a dynamic and unique learning experience. I unlearned, relearned, taught and explored. 

It was a sad ending. It was a beautiful beginning, and I was slowly becoming a Language and Education Enthusiast.

Just wandering in the woods (again)…

T: You don’t care enough that’s why you don’t have a blog.

C: No, I just don’t have any extra time!

T: You’re not doing anything just wandering in the woods.

C: Well, I don’t want to spend my down time doing anything.

From that moment forward, I couldn’t get the pestering thought out of my mind. Why had I stopped writing? It was my passion, my joy, my form of expression, it was never a burden. I had simply forgotten the feeling of creating and learned to live without it. I was moving through life, checking off boxes and going through the motions. Fulfilling every obligation and ignoring everything else. So, this is day one of many of Wanderland reflections/blog/journal or creations as I return home from the place that I instantly embraced as home away from home. The question I keep returning to is why did I fall in love with this country. So, I close my eyes and replay the highlights of my time there. And I remember feeling at peace, a sense of freedom, the warmth of the sun, the familiarity of mountain peaks and the crisp chill in the air. Learning new words as I passed a sign and listening to a store clerk repeat a sentence 2 times …agau sin gas? and the constant sound of music and chatter which often faded into background noise this was my routine. Waking up with the sense that a mini adventure awaited me as I navigated my way on the metro, trying to remember how to say “how much does this cost”, and exploring a few new blocks seeing if I could communicate a bit more or recognize one or two more words. Santiago was special because I truly had moments where I wandered, discovered and learned quietly and confidently. I loved every magical moment. Chao Chao Chile until next time mi amor….