Once upon a time, a 22-year-old was living the dream in Portland, Oregon. Then, she left the dream for even bigger dreams.
College: Check
Sweet marketing job: Check
Awesome work environment with even better bosses/coworkers: Check
Big window desk looking into Downtown Portland: Check
That’s where it gets weird. I decided to ditch it all and move to Asia without a job. Yep. I’m moving to Thailand to teach English. Am I crazy? That’s certainly what the little angel in a business suit that sits on my shoulder is saying loud and clear. Goodbye awesome fun hip job, goodbye fantastic bosses/mentors and wonderful work environment. Goodbye inflatable shark that floats around the office that is one more reason my job is awesome. Blame it on the regret model.
What will I look back at in 10 years and regret not doing? I only know this, and it’s enough: I certainly will not regret moving to Thailand.
Teaching in Thailand has been on my mind for years. I was spoiled as a sophomore in college and got to live in Salzburg, Austria with 40 fantastic souls for a year. The travel bug bit hard, and I spent that year exploring the playground called Europe with my best friends. Much growing and learning ensued that year. But now I’m ready for another adventure. While I’m not enriching the minds of the youth (but probably learning more from them than they learn from me), I’ll be knocking out at least 8 countries on my list. Cambodia, Vietnam, Indonesia, Laos, Burma, Malaysia all made the cut. I’ll be in Southeast Asia for at least 14 short months. Let’s get this show on the road.
Why Thailand? I have no idea. Something about Thailand is speaking to me. I keep telling myself that they probably don’t actually make Pad Thai in Thailand like my favorite food carts in Portland, but yet the magnet still pulls me in. I’ll have to find another favorite mildly exciting American-taste-bud friendly noodle dish. Just kidding, bring on the weird, delicious and unpronounceable!
Here’s the plan: my boyfriend and I are packing up and moving on out. Goodbye little apartment in cool Southeast Portland. Hello Chiang Mai! Here, we’ll get certified to teach English, tuk-tuk around and eat some strange animal parts. Oh, and find job.
Here goes nothing.
