In case you’re curious…
What am I doing, again?
I get the confusion. One minute I’m posting about the wonders of the PNW and then next I’m wheeling through the streets of Copenhagen. And the country-hopping doesn’t stop there! I had a blast during my Scandinavian detour, but I’ve made it to my final destination: Budapest, Hungary.
Late this spring, in one of those classic “what am I doing with my life” fits common to those of us coming to the end of a gap year, I applied to a small, Portland-based program I’d heard about from an old classmate called CETP . And now, fresh faced and freshly TEFL certified, I’ll be living in Budapest for the next year, teaching English to preschoolers and finally living that city life I’ve dreamed of. I have loads of feelings about this life change, but as of now I’m just excited for all the traveling opportunities that will stem from living in Central Europe!
For the past week or so I’ve been living in a hostel with the other first-year teachers as we prepare for this year of unknowns. It’s been hard to catch my breath in the midst of that heady mix of new friendships and endless opportunities that comes with beginning a year in a new city. And there’s rarely been a dull moment as we’ve been taking crash courses on Hungarian culture and language (Lord, help me) during the day and exploring the ruin bars and restaurants of Budapest at night.
There’s already been more than a few bumps in the road, but it’s easier to push through when you know where you’re supposed to be. Now that orientation is behind us and the first day of school is tomorrow (gulp) it’s time to settle into my apartment, refine my lesson plans, and build a life in this great city.
My life as an expat starts now!
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