High Dive

From time to time, I have a reoccurring dream where I’m climbing to the top of a perilously high diving board perched on the edge of deep, wide, sparkling, swimming pool void of any other swimmers. With each step that I climb, my heart flutters harder and faster with nervous anticipation, my hands grow shaky and my smile broadens.

When I reach the top and start the long, scratchy walk to the edge of the cerulean board I feel a sense of accomplishment swell inside me. I feel brave as I stride, although my jitters have not left my side. I get to the end of the plank and I feel immensely vulnerable and anxious. I stand there feeling the sun kiss my bare shoulders, squinting up the sky and wondering, pondering, questioning. Finally, after a few moments of self-reassurance and feeling the love and support of my pocket people (those I keep closest to my heart) swirl around me in the form of the morning’s breezes, I take a deeeeeeeeeep breath, bounce and jump.

Traveling the world has been a dream of mine for a long time. A pipe dream. It was something I talked about, but sort of never thought I’d realize. I have had the privilege of traveling as a young child and adult as my father’s job came with that perk. By the time I graduated high school I had been to Hawaii, Florida, California, The Bahamas, New York, Mexico, Aruba, Scotland, Ireland, England, France and Spain. This past summer, I had the great fortune to travel to eastern Europe, visiting the Czech Republic, Austria, Hungary and Germany. I remember saying to my mom and dad that vacationing in these places was nice, but I relished the idea of submersing myself in a culture for longer than a week or two.

This past January, I started climbing that diving board ladder in real life. I began the process of hunting for a teaching job abroad. A New Year’s Resolution to check off my list. I researched and applied to several destinations through a fabulous website www.eslcafe.com and got an e-mail back from Footprints Recruiting for a job in the United Arab Emirates — Abu Dhabi.

My first instinct was to Google world maps and verify that I did, indeed, know where this country was. The Middle East. God. Was I crazy? Did I have a death wish? Was it as terrible there as everyone made it seem?

I am about to find out. Ready or not, I am at the edge of my high dive, about to dive into the biggest adventure of my life: teaching English to Muslim children in capitol city of the UAE, Abu Dhabi. Eyes are closed and I'm jumping :)