My title is exactly right. Well, for the most part. I, personally, think I am doing a good job of waiting. Me being who I am, I am doing REALLY well. You'll get to know me... I like to know what to expect & be prepared. Things are completely out of my hands right now & I HATE that. HaHa!
I still haven't told my friends & family about this blog yet. I want to be certain that things are going to happen before I present this & be a complete failure in their eyes. Another part of who I am. This blog is going to be a huge step for me. I'm not so used to be completely open about things for EvErYoNe to see. But, it will be great for my friends and family stateside. :) I think I can do it for them. :)
I have an appointment at the doc tomorrow so I can get my medical clearance (again). I'm expecting my background check to be returned within the next 2 weeks. I HOPE IT GETS HERE IN TWO WEEKS! I need it to get here.
I'm kind of just wasting a little time right now & venting a little bit. I'm back at the ranch right now. Obviously, I am just in the waiting phase & there isn't much I can actively be doing right now aside from selling my stuff & saving money. I added a site you can go to if you want to see where I'll be:
Click here for the website of the city I will be in. It's in Spanish, so you'll have to translate the page... but this is where I'll be! <3
I really need to get refreshed on my Spanish. I'm going to start the Rosetta Stone stuff for at least an hour a day beginning on July 1st. I have GOT to get prepared. I don't feel like I'm fluent. I don't feel confident AT ALL in my speaking abilities, so I need to PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE... & hope that the people of Spain are patient. :)
I'M MOVING TO SPAIN IN 3 MONTHS!!!
Me
Monday, June 27, 2011
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Been awhile, so....
I've neglected my blogging responsibilities lately. :) I apologize to my (non)readers. :)
I am anxiously waiting for my background check to return to me. I know it's going to be another couple weeks, but I sure wish it would just get here already. I receive monthly "newsletters" from the program. They waited until THIS month to put all the information on there about the Apostille and all that crap. Why would they wait until THIS month? That seems silly. People need more preparation time. Oh, and from what I hear... Spain is notorious for being "late" or delayed... they take their merry time... NOT going to be easy for this girl to handle. :(
I DID receive an e-mail from "Spain" as I say. I had sent them a message wondering when I would be required to be there. It stated October 3rd. In a sense, that makes me feel a little more comfortable that things will be completed in time. It's still all going to be very last minute (which I HATE), but I have a little more faith that it'll get done. I sure hope so.
I'm still just working diligently to put money aside and to sell all my "crap." I have collected a LOT of stuff over the years. It's really ridiculous, really. Kind of annoying, too. HaHa! But, one man's junk could be another man's treasure, right? I'm hoping so!! I think we are going to plan a garage sale for the end of July. Hopefully, that'll get me a little cash flow. I don't expect a lot, but any little bit helps at this point. Finances are still a real concern for me. I want to be able to have a really good cushion when I go over there. I just don't ever want to be short. I don't want to run outta money, haha! Plus, my intention is to stay over there through the month of June. My great friend (and brother from another mother), Clint Massey, is going to come over and see me so we can do the traveling of Europe thing. I'm HOPING to get my real little brother, Garrett, too, but I think that's probably a long shot since he's now a ranch owner.
I think that's all for now... I am going to just be doing the waiting thing for awhile, but I'm sure I'll be back to vent soon... :) 'Till then...
I am anxiously waiting for my background check to return to me. I know it's going to be another couple weeks, but I sure wish it would just get here already. I receive monthly "newsletters" from the program. They waited until THIS month to put all the information on there about the Apostille and all that crap. Why would they wait until THIS month? That seems silly. People need more preparation time. Oh, and from what I hear... Spain is notorious for being "late" or delayed... they take their merry time... NOT going to be easy for this girl to handle. :(
I DID receive an e-mail from "Spain" as I say. I had sent them a message wondering when I would be required to be there. It stated October 3rd. In a sense, that makes me feel a little more comfortable that things will be completed in time. It's still all going to be very last minute (which I HATE), but I have a little more faith that it'll get done. I sure hope so.
I'm still just working diligently to put money aside and to sell all my "crap." I have collected a LOT of stuff over the years. It's really ridiculous, really. Kind of annoying, too. HaHa! But, one man's junk could be another man's treasure, right? I'm hoping so!! I think we are going to plan a garage sale for the end of July. Hopefully, that'll get me a little cash flow. I don't expect a lot, but any little bit helps at this point. Finances are still a real concern for me. I want to be able to have a really good cushion when I go over there. I just don't ever want to be short. I don't want to run outta money, haha! Plus, my intention is to stay over there through the month of June. My great friend (and brother from another mother), Clint Massey, is going to come over and see me so we can do the traveling of Europe thing. I'm HOPING to get my real little brother, Garrett, too, but I think that's probably a long shot since he's now a ranch owner.
I think that's all for now... I am going to just be doing the waiting thing for awhile, but I'm sure I'll be back to vent soon... :) 'Till then...
Sunday, June 5, 2011
The day after "Grrrrr"
I nearly came to tears on multiple occasions yesterday. I'm still really frustrated about all of this, but my intention is to get up tomorrow morning (It's a Monday) and head to the station to get a new set of finger prints mailed off. Just in case, I guess. I'm hoping that tomorrow I will also hear from at least one of the countless people I have e-mailed and they will have some sort of assistance for this girl.
I really am unsure of if the timing will work out. I knew this was not going to be a cheap trip, but I also did not anticipate all the extra spending I am encountering. I'm not excited about it at all. And I'm kicking and fighting to keep my head above water as it is. Imagine how difficult this is going to be when I get to Spain (IF)!
I enjoy having this outlet. I am able to talk about it with some good people, but sometimes I want to keep talking and just keep venting & I don't want to sound like a broken record to these people. So, HELLO, BLOG!
Alright, I am going to the lake today & I WILL have a good time... tomorrow, the madness begins again...
I really am unsure of if the timing will work out. I knew this was not going to be a cheap trip, but I also did not anticipate all the extra spending I am encountering. I'm not excited about it at all. And I'm kicking and fighting to keep my head above water as it is. Imagine how difficult this is going to be when I get to Spain (IF)!
I enjoy having this outlet. I am able to talk about it with some good people, but sometimes I want to keep talking and just keep venting & I don't want to sound like a broken record to these people. So, HELLO, BLOG!
Alright, I am going to the lake today & I WILL have a good time... tomorrow, the madness begins again...
Saturday, June 4, 2011
F*%king Frustrated! Grrrrr!!
Well, I'm a bit frustrated if you can't tell. I have been working SO hard on making sure I have all my shit in line for this whole Spain thing. I'm about to pull my hair out & scream as it is, but I just keep getting more shit to worry about. I'm f*%king frustrated!!
So, in order to apply for this program (in November of 2010), I had to have an FBI background check. No big deal, I understand. I was told this background check would suffice when I apply for my Visa along with a medical clearance I received from my doctor at the same time. Well, now that I have my letter saying I have been hired, etc, the next step is to start the Visa application. Well, I need to make sure I have all my documentation in order to apply. I'll be coming from 3 states away, it's not like I can just run home real quick & grab something if I forget it. Well, apparently I CANNOT use the original FBI background check OR medical clearance. I must have them dated within 3 months of applying for my Visa. Well, that's going to take 4 to 6 weeks in itself to apply for!! I would have to wait for that & THEN get it approved by the Apostille (whatever the fuck that is) before I can even go apply for my Visa. THEN, I have to wait another 4 to 6 weeks to get my Visa done... If you're keeping track, that's about 3 months if it takes the full time expected... I am supposed to leave this country in 3 months!! I can't book my flight to Spain until I have Visa in hand. This shit is getting so ridiculous, it's to the point that I am about to give the fuck up & say fuck it. I don't want to deal with this. I knew it would be a lengthy process, but I was not prepared for this. It is taking all I have not to break down in tears at work right now. This fucking sucks. I apologize for the language. It's just how damn frustrated I am. I don't know what to do & the worst thing is... NO ONE is replying to my e-mails or calls to answer my questions. I'm seriously ready to give up.
So, in order to apply for this program (in November of 2010), I had to have an FBI background check. No big deal, I understand. I was told this background check would suffice when I apply for my Visa along with a medical clearance I received from my doctor at the same time. Well, now that I have my letter saying I have been hired, etc, the next step is to start the Visa application. Well, I need to make sure I have all my documentation in order to apply. I'll be coming from 3 states away, it's not like I can just run home real quick & grab something if I forget it. Well, apparently I CANNOT use the original FBI background check OR medical clearance. I must have them dated within 3 months of applying for my Visa. Well, that's going to take 4 to 6 weeks in itself to apply for!! I would have to wait for that & THEN get it approved by the Apostille (whatever the fuck that is) before I can even go apply for my Visa. THEN, I have to wait another 4 to 6 weeks to get my Visa done... If you're keeping track, that's about 3 months if it takes the full time expected... I am supposed to leave this country in 3 months!! I can't book my flight to Spain until I have Visa in hand. This shit is getting so ridiculous, it's to the point that I am about to give the fuck up & say fuck it. I don't want to deal with this. I knew it would be a lengthy process, but I was not prepared for this. It is taking all I have not to break down in tears at work right now. This fucking sucks. I apologize for the language. It's just how damn frustrated I am. I don't know what to do & the worst thing is... NO ONE is replying to my e-mails or calls to answer my questions. I'm seriously ready to give up.
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Just received new info!
Well, I just received new information about my trip! I say "trip" like I'm going on a vacation. Not the case. I'm going on an adventure... a journey... a whole new life. I expect this will bring changes to me that I never expected. Mostly good, I hope!
Anyway... I received my letter from Spain yesterday. I will officially be moving to Valdapenas de Jaen. Please excuse that things are not punctually correct... I still don't know how to accent my letters. Ooops. Better get that figured out, I suppose. Anyway, my city is a small city from what I can figure out. There's not a whole lot about it out there, but I've only skimmed. It is in a more mountanous area. From looking at a map, it isn't more than a few hours to the coast, though. BONUS! I really can't wait to see the coastal cities... I can't wait to see anything, really. :)
Now, I'm working on getting my Visa application process started. Talk about a headache. It seems as if I have to go to Chicago to do it myself. Not once, but TWICE. It cannot be done via mail; I have to be there in person. A trip like that is not cheap. And I have to do it twice. Damn. I have made my appointment to have my "interview" in order to apply. 10 minutes. That's how long it is supposed to be. 10 minutes. I have to pay all this money to get to Chicago & it will take 10 minutes. Ridiculous. I'm searching for other options, but as of now, it looks like I will be taking a road trip to Chi-town in a couple weeks. Bring it on, I guess!
The letter didn't give me nearly enough information. Not for this girl, anyway. This girl likes to PLAN! I mean, you should see the lists I have all over my apartment. I have been doing research of flying vs driving to Chicago. I've made lists of things I want to sell. I have an itenerary for the summer on what I want to get accomplished on a weekly basis. Some people may think I'm crazy, but it's the only way I can sanely prepare for such an experience. Anyway, the letter didn't tell me anything about the orientation seminar we are supposed to have prior to starting school. It didn't tell me what age group I was going to be teaching. It gave me no information about places to live, etc. I have done some e-mailing to see if I can get some answers, but no luck yet. Keep your fingers crossed. It's killing me enough that I can't book my flight to Spain until I have Visa in hand... And that won't be until August. I LEAVE IN SEPTEMBER! I just don't like this disorganization. I may have a messy apartment or car at times, but I am an organizer at the core. HaHa... I just want answers! :)
I don't have internet at my place, so I try to sneak away & get some Wi-Fi access on occassion. I really enjoy posting on here because it allows me to say things that I may not have anyone to say it to at the time. The blog has to listen to me. It can't ignore me or shut me out, haha... and it doesn't talk back!! The best part! Don't get me wrong, I have people here that are willing to listen to me & actually like it (believe it or not), but sometimes I feel like a broken record. This is where I can come to avoid that feeling. :)
Alright, I have to go to work. I will check back in soon. Bing Bing Bing
Anyway... I received my letter from Spain yesterday. I will officially be moving to Valdapenas de Jaen. Please excuse that things are not punctually correct... I still don't know how to accent my letters. Ooops. Better get that figured out, I suppose. Anyway, my city is a small city from what I can figure out. There's not a whole lot about it out there, but I've only skimmed. It is in a more mountanous area. From looking at a map, it isn't more than a few hours to the coast, though. BONUS! I really can't wait to see the coastal cities... I can't wait to see anything, really. :)
Now, I'm working on getting my Visa application process started. Talk about a headache. It seems as if I have to go to Chicago to do it myself. Not once, but TWICE. It cannot be done via mail; I have to be there in person. A trip like that is not cheap. And I have to do it twice. Damn. I have made my appointment to have my "interview" in order to apply. 10 minutes. That's how long it is supposed to be. 10 minutes. I have to pay all this money to get to Chicago & it will take 10 minutes. Ridiculous. I'm searching for other options, but as of now, it looks like I will be taking a road trip to Chi-town in a couple weeks. Bring it on, I guess!
The letter didn't give me nearly enough information. Not for this girl, anyway. This girl likes to PLAN! I mean, you should see the lists I have all over my apartment. I have been doing research of flying vs driving to Chicago. I've made lists of things I want to sell. I have an itenerary for the summer on what I want to get accomplished on a weekly basis. Some people may think I'm crazy, but it's the only way I can sanely prepare for such an experience. Anyway, the letter didn't tell me anything about the orientation seminar we are supposed to have prior to starting school. It didn't tell me what age group I was going to be teaching. It gave me no information about places to live, etc. I have done some e-mailing to see if I can get some answers, but no luck yet. Keep your fingers crossed. It's killing me enough that I can't book my flight to Spain until I have Visa in hand... And that won't be until August. I LEAVE IN SEPTEMBER! I just don't like this disorganization. I may have a messy apartment or car at times, but I am an organizer at the core. HaHa... I just want answers! :)
I don't have internet at my place, so I try to sneak away & get some Wi-Fi access on occassion. I really enjoy posting on here because it allows me to say things that I may not have anyone to say it to at the time. The blog has to listen to me. It can't ignore me or shut me out, haha... and it doesn't talk back!! The best part! Don't get me wrong, I have people here that are willing to listen to me & actually like it (believe it or not), but sometimes I feel like a broken record. This is where I can come to avoid that feeling. :)
Alright, I have to go to work. I will check back in soon. Bing Bing Bing
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Getting Prepared...
Hello friends & family... Or strangers, I suppose. I am getting ready to change my life pretty drastically. Drastically for me, anyway. I have accepted a position to teach English in Spain for a 9 month period. If all goes well, it could become something more long-term. Nothing is certain, but I'm keeping my options open.
Right now, I am doing my best to prepare for this new adventure. It's not easy & there is a lot of stuff that I need/have to do. From small things like saving money to bigger things like selling my car... I have a lot to do in about a 3 month time period. In addition, I am still anxiously awaiting the arrival of more information about my city and school details. I need all of this so I can go to Chicago and get my Visa application process started. It's going to be a busy summer. (Expensive, too)
You are probably reading this much later than what it is dated. I have decided, for now, that I just want to write this down as a method of therapy for myself. In time, I will pass on the information of where my blog is. I hope that you will read and enjoy all of my entries. I promise to do my very best at keeping it up to date and thorough. I know I would want to know every little detail about my friends or families adventures, so I will attempt to do my very best to do the same for you all. (all 2 of you, I'm sure, haha!)
Please comment on my entries... ask questions if I'm not adding enough details. I want input on how to make this the best outlet & information station for all of you in the states following me. I will do my best to post pictures, as I'm sure there will be many.
So, let me be honest... I am really, really nervous about this trip. Don't get me wrong, I'm excited as hell to do something so amazing, but I am also very nervous that I am doing it alone. I know it's the choice that I made and I will stick to it because that is what I do. I stand behind my decisions. A part of me would sure love it if I had a good friend making this trip with me. Someone to share in the experiences and excitement that will, undoubtedly, come my way, but alas, I am venturing out on my own. And I'm venturing OUT OUT... not just to a new city a few miles away... SPAIN. It's still kind of surreal to say. I'm nervous, but I'm very excited. This will be my greatest adventure yet, I am confident in that.
Many of you know that my biggest concern was my dad in making this decision. I will always be a daddy's girl & I don't ever want to be too far away. But I think he knows that I have always wanted to see what this big 'ol world has out there. I know he never imagined me moving to a place as far away as Spain, but I'm trying to keep in mind that it is not that long of a time period in the grande scheme of things. Dad, I know you are reading this and know that I, too, don't want to get too far away from you, but this is just something I have to do for me. And like you said, I don't want to regret not going somewhere in my future. It will be a good adventure & once I am safely back here, I think you'll be really excited for me. (I promise that I will not permanently move to Spain... I'd miss you too much) ;)
I think the name of this blog is pretty obvious to anyone who knows me. I want to always maintain my roots... my work ethic, my country values, etc. But I also need to spread my wings & fly. I need to see what's out there if only to take a glimpse and return home.
This entry is really scattered, I know. I apologize. I'm kind of typing it as thoughts pop in my head. My world is about to change, so I guess it's fair to be a little scatter-brained. :) I'll end this entry with that. Again, I know that most of you will be reading this much later than this posted date. Right now, I just need an outlet for myself. Soon enough, you'll all be up to speed & you can see where my head's been the whole time. Thanks for reading! <3
Right now, I am doing my best to prepare for this new adventure. It's not easy & there is a lot of stuff that I need/have to do. From small things like saving money to bigger things like selling my car... I have a lot to do in about a 3 month time period. In addition, I am still anxiously awaiting the arrival of more information about my city and school details. I need all of this so I can go to Chicago and get my Visa application process started. It's going to be a busy summer. (Expensive, too)
You are probably reading this much later than what it is dated. I have decided, for now, that I just want to write this down as a method of therapy for myself. In time, I will pass on the information of where my blog is. I hope that you will read and enjoy all of my entries. I promise to do my very best at keeping it up to date and thorough. I know I would want to know every little detail about my friends or families adventures, so I will attempt to do my very best to do the same for you all. (all 2 of you, I'm sure, haha!)
Please comment on my entries... ask questions if I'm not adding enough details. I want input on how to make this the best outlet & information station for all of you in the states following me. I will do my best to post pictures, as I'm sure there will be many.
So, let me be honest... I am really, really nervous about this trip. Don't get me wrong, I'm excited as hell to do something so amazing, but I am also very nervous that I am doing it alone. I know it's the choice that I made and I will stick to it because that is what I do. I stand behind my decisions. A part of me would sure love it if I had a good friend making this trip with me. Someone to share in the experiences and excitement that will, undoubtedly, come my way, but alas, I am venturing out on my own. And I'm venturing OUT OUT... not just to a new city a few miles away... SPAIN. It's still kind of surreal to say. I'm nervous, but I'm very excited. This will be my greatest adventure yet, I am confident in that.
Many of you know that my biggest concern was my dad in making this decision. I will always be a daddy's girl & I don't ever want to be too far away. But I think he knows that I have always wanted to see what this big 'ol world has out there. I know he never imagined me moving to a place as far away as Spain, but I'm trying to keep in mind that it is not that long of a time period in the grande scheme of things. Dad, I know you are reading this and know that I, too, don't want to get too far away from you, but this is just something I have to do for me. And like you said, I don't want to regret not going somewhere in my future. It will be a good adventure & once I am safely back here, I think you'll be really excited for me. (I promise that I will not permanently move to Spain... I'd miss you too much) ;)
I think the name of this blog is pretty obvious to anyone who knows me. I want to always maintain my roots... my work ethic, my country values, etc. But I also need to spread my wings & fly. I need to see what's out there if only to take a glimpse and return home.
This entry is really scattered, I know. I apologize. I'm kind of typing it as thoughts pop in my head. My world is about to change, so I guess it's fair to be a little scatter-brained. :) I'll end this entry with that. Again, I know that most of you will be reading this much later than this posted date. Right now, I just need an outlet for myself. Soon enough, you'll all be up to speed & you can see where my head's been the whole time. Thanks for reading! <3
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