RARRRRRRRRRRR
What the fuck am I doing????????
I love being an expat in so many ways....the challenges, the discovery, and let's face it...the sense of mild superiority ("My life is way cooler than yours") but I am just. not. feeling it right now. All the things that I find appealing right now are just not expat things, and the few that ARE i can find locally. I want to be in a new city, discovering things, and as I said before, Houston is pulling right now. Here's the perks:
1) MAJOR: several friends already there, one of whom is ACTIVELY pulling for me to come. It's so heady to be wanted.
2) wide range of ESL jobs (ok, even though none have contacted me yet for an interview) - I love teaching, and I'd really like to do it in a multicultural environment for once.
3) goth scene....dying everywhere, yet thriving here. Even the "classic Friday" at Numbers tends towards goth. Something about the south preserves the scene?!
4) kink scene. OVERWHELMING kink scene. 33,000 members in the area. (In contrast, all of Colombia has 5,000, and all of Ecuador has five HUNDRED.) Events, groups, munches, parties (WEEKLY parties!!!), opportunities galore to meet some fun players
5) one of the most international, multicultural cities in the US. Foooooooooood from EVERYWHERE.
5a) close to Mexico = lots of Spanish = continued progress in my learning. Conversation partners will be easy to find
6) a Trader Joe's that already expressed interest in hiring me (more good people!)
7) friendliness everywhere!
8) connections in the live music and social scenes....I'll have an in at all kinds of events. (Crystal Castles and Pet Shop Boys both coming soon!)
9) Roller Derby! Active league! I could volunteer! Go to matches! LEARN TO PLAY
10) mild winters. Ok I hate heat, but I think I hate cold more. I get SUPER depressed in the winter. And summers are easier to fuck off someplace else (like Xela or Medellin!) and work or study for a while
11) low cost of living, probably the lowest for a major US city. Cheap, cheap rent. Cheap groceries. Cheap gas.
(ok yes, I'll have to get a car. It might actually be nice. I think I can handle that change.)
12) insanely friendly people. So not used to that, after Korea.
Other things that are just American perks: wide access to foods of all kinds. To clothes that FIT ME. Effortless mailing service/online ordering. TRADER JOE'S. Close to family (3.5 hours to Philly is pretty sweet.) Easy banking, therapy, doctors, dentists. Easy to move my dog.
I WANT THINGS TO START TO HAPPEN. Please cross your fingers for me that I get a job there soon. And oh lord, if you want me to move there, send me a hearse. Amen.
I love being an expat in so many ways....the challenges, the discovery, and let's face it...the sense of mild superiority ("My life is way cooler than yours") but I am just. not. feeling it right now. All the things that I find appealing right now are just not expat things, and the few that ARE i can find locally. I want to be in a new city, discovering things, and as I said before, Houston is pulling right now. Here's the perks:
1) MAJOR: several friends already there, one of whom is ACTIVELY pulling for me to come. It's so heady to be wanted.
2) wide range of ESL jobs (ok, even though none have contacted me yet for an interview) - I love teaching, and I'd really like to do it in a multicultural environment for once.
3) goth scene....dying everywhere, yet thriving here. Even the "classic Friday" at Numbers tends towards goth. Something about the south preserves the scene?!
4) kink scene. OVERWHELMING kink scene. 33,000 members in the area. (In contrast, all of Colombia has 5,000, and all of Ecuador has five HUNDRED.) Events, groups, munches, parties (WEEKLY parties!!!), opportunities galore to meet some fun players
5) one of the most international, multicultural cities in the US. Foooooooooood from EVERYWHERE.
5a) close to Mexico = lots of Spanish = continued progress in my learning. Conversation partners will be easy to find
6) a Trader Joe's that already expressed interest in hiring me (more good people!)
7) friendliness everywhere!
8) connections in the live music and social scenes....I'll have an in at all kinds of events. (Crystal Castles and Pet Shop Boys both coming soon!)
9) Roller Derby! Active league! I could volunteer! Go to matches! LEARN TO PLAY
10) mild winters. Ok I hate heat, but I think I hate cold more. I get SUPER depressed in the winter. And summers are easier to fuck off someplace else (like Xela or Medellin!) and work or study for a while
11) low cost of living, probably the lowest for a major US city. Cheap, cheap rent. Cheap groceries. Cheap gas.
(ok yes, I'll have to get a car. It might actually be nice. I think I can handle that change.)
12) insanely friendly people. So not used to that, after Korea.
Other things that are just American perks: wide access to foods of all kinds. To clothes that FIT ME. Effortless mailing service/online ordering. TRADER JOE'S. Close to family (3.5 hours to Philly is pretty sweet.) Easy banking, therapy, doctors, dentists. Easy to move my dog.
I WANT THINGS TO START TO HAPPEN. Please cross your fingers for me that I get a job there soon. And oh lord, if you want me to move there, send me a hearse. Amen.