Life After College

Alright my dear family (and friends), that want me to add to this blog, this is where I'm at: Life after college. First of all it's amazing, especially when you go gallivanting off to Hawaii with two amazing friends, (so close I’d call them family). Not only do I get to wake up to their lovely faces and enthusiasm, but I get to see the ocean and eat tropical fruit right outside my window. My favorite so far would have to be the bananas, especially when they’re fried. They're lovely things that Rachel has grown quite accustomed to making in the mornings. A tablespoon or two of coconut oil and some diced bananas in a pan, and out come delicious nuggets of goodness. Definitely a great way to start out the morning, especially when Rachel continuously wakes me up with her enthusiastic energy for working out. We've got three different types of workout days, tossed in with some running on the side. We’ve got arm day, (can't lose that climbing muscle), butt day, (because of course), and you can't forget leg day, (because you just can't).

I've grown quite fond of living on an island, especially this magical thing we call island time. Meaning we rarely know what time it is--or the date-- as we often leave our phones elsewhere. The biggest thing I've realized about living in a place without easy access to internet or really even electricity is that we don't resort to our computers or phones in our downtime. We often sit together and hang out, talk, stretch, or read. We're all in the moment together. With computers it's so easy to be everywhere at once, but now we just enjoy our time in the now, with the people we're with.

Between swimming In the ocean, discovering waterfalls that exist in our backyard, cooking with weird exotic vegetables, fixing our car, and getting my butt handed to me waitressing (I got a part time job at a local restaurant), I've learned a lot being here. Unfortunately, one of the things I haven't learned (yet), is surfing. I was able to go with my sister in Oahu, but it's been a bit harder to find a board than I thought, especially one that will fit on top of our 92 Nissan. It is  still on my list though. Hopefully my next post will be full of surfing tips and pictures of me flailing around in some waves.

However, as this amazing adventure continues, big life decisions loom in the distance; and this is where I reach part two of my post. What happens next when we leave this beautiful tropical island? Being 22 and done with college is not only a beautiful thing, it's terrifying. The world is my oyster. After growing up and going to school for the last 18 years of my life, the sudden realization that that's over is overwhelming. I'm lucky to have a plethora of options my life can take, but it's stressful to say that I literally have no boundaries. I find myself flying through life altering options like a fine dessert menu. Something sounds amazing and I think I've decided what I want to do, until I read the next option and find it equally as tantalizing. Why is it we feel like we need to know what it is we want to do with the rest of our lives right outside college? This is a question I keep asking as I find myself putting so much pressure on all my decisions. Is it because we have become accustomed to too much structure? Since the age of five we’ve been put into school, and year after year we’re taught that summer is the time for freedom, as the other nine month are planned out for us. Now, out of school for the first time in 18 years, and being exposed to so many options, im finding it hard to latch onto one.

I've been thinking about this a lot lately because I was recently offered a job teaching first graders in Tanzania. An amazing opportunity where I would get to immerse myself into a new culture for an entire year. But here's where the panic sets in...I would start in January. Two more short months and I could be living in Africa and I have to make the decision soon. But then there’s South America. Ever heard of Pucón? It’s in Chile and apparently it’s the “mecca for adventure sports” (surfing, climbing, skiing, rafting…).  Living somewhere where I could teach english and learn Spanish would be amazing. Which lead me to Colombia, where I know a lovely woman who’s been helping me get connected with some schools, and has even offered me a place to crash for a bit. I feel like a dog chasing squirrels if squirrels where my career options. Lets just say i’m going through a bit of a quarter life crises here.  Anyways, there’s my spiel, as they say keep it classy, hang ten, mahalo and aloha, until next time, yours truly,

-Tam

The school sent me a picture of the kids
I would be teaching. You know, just to make it
that much harder. 

My possible classroom.