All that B.S.aside, there have been some cool things happening lately. I had a great summer, most of which I spent with my fair maiden who is the prettiest in all the land. However, I got to do what few have achieved after graduating college: Getting back a summer vacation. Don't get me wrong, teachers have a sweet gig, but few of those who aren't teachers ever get their summer vacation back...period. Timing was nice I guess with my contract ending and having another job that pays well on the weekends. I worked on my ping pong skills, planted a garden, and polished my stand up act. How we all grow up to accept a life where there is maybe two or three weeks vacation during the whole year makes me want to hurl my lunch all over Wall Street's front steps.
How does all of this relate to SAguru and my love for travel or anything international? Well, a lot. Due to this down time, I had the opportunity to plan to try many different things. I am 24, but have not been locked down in any career type job yet. Now, one might say this can be a positive or maybe a negative. Negative because I'm missing out on the job security and good pay. Positive because I'm free to start fresh. My way of seeing it is a little bit of both. Knowing that this day of reckoning would come, like when Morpheus knew Neo would come to save the human race from the Matrix, I planned ahead.
Last spring, I applied to teach English in Spain for a year. At the time it seemed harmless. Who knew where I would be in a few months, Spain is a place I always wanted to go back to, and if I had no other job offers in this stinky economy it could be a decent option. However, when I found out I got it things played out a bit different. Not only did I get assigned to the south of Spain (nicest part in my opinion), I got assigned to the city of Cordoba, one the great cities of Andalucia. I couldn't have been happier with the placement, working 15 hours a week and enjoying the warm weather, food, and all the other staples of Southern Spain. But there was a beast lurking in the shadows unbeknown to me that wanted to pounce on my dream and rip it to shreds. This beast has been a threat to humans from all nations throughout history and is know by his most common name: bills. Yes, bills, or financial obligations if you will. The 700 Euros per month would not be enough to support me living in Spain along with paying my student loans and other obligations I have here back home.
So the moral of the story is as we get older it becomes harder and harder to escape the chains that imprison our wanderlust. For me, one of the things I cherish most is the ability to get up at a moments notice and set out on an adventure. That to me is true freedom. I understand that we all have to earn our keep and nothing that is worth something comes easy, but it still pains me to say goodbye to the olive rich and soul warming land that is Spain, due to a large monthly payment for my student loans. If I have any advice to give, it would be to minimize your debt (maybe you should check out community college, cmon it's not so bad) as a young person and save as much as you can. That way, when the world is knocking at your door, you don't have to pretend like you're not home.
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