Taiwan or bust!

Last week I got an e-mail with a one-word subject that sent me into a tizzy. The subject was Congratulations! and it came from the man who interviewed me for the Teach in Taiwan program. I never knew how much impact one word could have on me. My hands immediately began shaking, my eyes started to tear up and I could only verbalize three words...Oh my God! Hard to believe that I, of all people, was rendered speechless. I didn't realize just how much I wanted this position until I had those reactions.

I've been spending the last week sharing the good news. My life has been on hold since I started the interview process. It was difficult to commit to things for the summer and early next fall because I just didn't know where I would be. Now, I can finally say yes or no. The uncertainty is gone. I AM going to Taiwan for a year. I'm ecstatic.

I am having my moments of anxiety. My school district denied my request for a leave of absence. I'm teaching in a top-notch district and in a wonderful school. My co-workers are fantastic and I wonder if I'm crazy for giving that up. However, when I think of all I stand to gain, my doubts begin to disappear. The entire staff is so supportive about this, as well as my family and friends. It's scary moving to a new town, let alone a new country. I know I will never regret it though. Once I'm there, I'm sure the anxiety will begin to melt away. I mean, how can I be anxious in a country that is 85% Buddhist?

I have so many preparations. I want to work on learning some Mandarin Chinese before I leave so I can at least ask where a bathroom is (you know that's essential to learn). I need to figure out what to take with me and what to store (including where to store it). I have to plan for my finances...mainly the debt I need to continue paying down while I'm gone. I also need to decide if I want to sell my car and furniture.

Because I won't have a job waiting for me when I return, I realized my options are wide open for me when my time in Taiwan is finished. I could stay another year. It seems that many of the teachers who were part of this program were offered a job for a second year. I've also heard positive things about teaching at American Schools for the department of defense. I've always wanted to live in a big city so maybe I'll come back to the states and just move to Chicago, Philly, Atlanta, New York or someplace else that's bigger than Columbus. There are so many directions I can go. It's a good thing I have a little more than a year to make a decision.

At this point, I'm just really excited and can't way to discover all that this new adventure has in store for me.