And So It Begins...

Welcome!! Big changes are on the horizon and I am loving every minute of it! In August, I will be packing up my life and moving somewhere completely unexpected: Abu Dhabi, UAE. To start at the beginning - living abroad has always been something I've wanted to pursue but it just never ended up working out. When I first started looking for teaching jobs (over a year ago... goodness how time flies!), I applied through a program called Teach Away, which helps teachers pursue their dreams of teaching abroad. One thing lead to another and I ended up pursuing a teaching career in my hometown. Luckily, I got a job here and have spent my first year teaching in the second grade - my dream!

A few weeks ago, I received a call from Teach Away about a job they wanted me to interview for - in Abu Dhabi. I had heard of Abu Dhabi but I wouldn't have been able to locate it on a map at this point! In case you are like me, here is a map to help you locate the UAE:

I did some research with my parents and decided that I should interview and just see what happened! Little did I know... this possibility was becoming more and more of a reality every day. I began to picture my life in Abu Dhabi - looking up landmarks I wanted to visit, researching the language and the culture, and spending hours on the school's website reading everything I could! As my interview approached, this "possibility" was something I couldn't imagine not being able to do.

Long story short - I got the job and feel beyond blessed and thankful to have this once in a lifetime opportunity!! I can't believe I will be moving to this beautiful place in 6 months!!

In this blog, I will keep you updated on the preparations and process of moving to the Middle East, my experiences teaching and living in Abu Dhabi, and my travels/adventures in the UAE! Check back soon for my next post - the lovely "To-Do List"!

Love,

RLD