How I work
Part of my journey here in Thailand has been about self-discovery. In this time, I've realized that teaching is my true calling and I feel truly blessed to have this laid-back environment to explore my own teaching style and to create my own classes. Lately, I've also realized that I function best as a person when I'm busy.
We've had tons of holidays this semester and while I enjoy the breaks, I always find myself getting restless. I attribute some of this to the fact that I'm living alone for the first time in my life. Suddenly "getting coffee with friends" becomes "getting coffee alone" and going to the market becomes a highlight of the evening...the chance to interact with real people! Cooking for one is just not worth it, though sometimes I cook and bring the leftovers to school the next day. Another reason I haven't been maximizing my free time is because I've been saving every spare baht for our airfare to America. Thailand is super-cheap but as in everywhere else, if you want to do something fun, you gotta shell out some cash. Also, Otto seems to have to work on every holiday no matter what. So much of the time, I stay around Chiang Mai but find myself wandering aimlessly. This had started to end now that I'm building more of a friend-base in Chiang Mai. Now, while Otto is working, I end up doing yoga, having brunch and walking around with some friends.
So the purpose of this blog is not to complain about being bored but to say that I've realized that when I'm working, I'm much more active in other areas of my life. When I have a day off, I always procrastinate and never end up doing very much. However, when I'm working I find that I'll come home and do yoga, scrapbook, meet up with people. I just feel more energized. I don't by any means want to work a 9-5 office job, but I'm happy with my schedule. My classes are from 8-2 and then I have afternoons and evenings as free time. Sometimes I worry about how I will adjust if and when I have to go back to the real world. But I'll have to cross that bridge when I come to it. For now, I'm happy to be spending time with my students and to have found a good balance of work and play.
We've had tons of holidays this semester and while I enjoy the breaks, I always find myself getting restless. I attribute some of this to the fact that I'm living alone for the first time in my life. Suddenly "getting coffee with friends" becomes "getting coffee alone" and going to the market becomes a highlight of the evening...the chance to interact with real people! Cooking for one is just not worth it, though sometimes I cook and bring the leftovers to school the next day. Another reason I haven't been maximizing my free time is because I've been saving every spare baht for our airfare to America. Thailand is super-cheap but as in everywhere else, if you want to do something fun, you gotta shell out some cash. Also, Otto seems to have to work on every holiday no matter what. So much of the time, I stay around Chiang Mai but find myself wandering aimlessly. This had started to end now that I'm building more of a friend-base in Chiang Mai. Now, while Otto is working, I end up doing yoga, having brunch and walking around with some friends.
So the purpose of this blog is not to complain about being bored but to say that I've realized that when I'm working, I'm much more active in other areas of my life. When I have a day off, I always procrastinate and never end up doing very much. However, when I'm working I find that I'll come home and do yoga, scrapbook, meet up with people. I just feel more energized. I don't by any means want to work a 9-5 office job, but I'm happy with my schedule. My classes are from 8-2 and then I have afternoons and evenings as free time. Sometimes I worry about how I will adjust if and when I have to go back to the real world. But I'll have to cross that bridge when I come to it. For now, I'm happy to be spending time with my students and to have found a good balance of work and play.
posted by Jen @ 4:09 AM
1 Comments:
At 5:39 AM ,
Hilary said...
i miss cooking with you! you would love it here--i cook a huge meal at least once a week with either jenny or sharon (and i used to cook with lili but she has fled for california en route to thailand).
you'll be a-ok in the "real" world, and remember that thailand is just as real or unreal as any other place.
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