From Hurricane Maria to Teaching in Spain

This is the story that explains what motivated me to apply to the CIEE, so get ready and grab some popcorn because these 1,000 words start my journey. 

It was August, I had just graduated collage and was working as an assistant manager in a frozen yogurt store. I loved my job, it was near my hometown in Puerto Rico and I had just gotten promoted and a raise. Best of all, I planned to travel to Europe and my job was very accepting and supportive. I know, I was lucky. I had all these plans and dreams and it all seemed to be panning out until…

September 20, 2017 happened!

Hurricane Maria is known as the worst natural disaster on record to affect Puerto Rico. We were left without water, electricity and communication. Many problems surged after the hurricane, but in everybody’s minds the question of recovery lingered, how long will it take to recover? Because of this many, many, many Puerto Ricans left the island in search of better opportunities. I was one of the few people that still had a job, but the islands recover pace was very uncertain and unstable.  

After a month I decided to start applying to different positions and search for new opportunities. My mind was set on change. After applying to some jobs a friend of mine, Alicia, who was currently living in Spain and teaching with the CIEE told me about the program. She explained how the CIEE offers paid teaching positions to university graduates who are looking for a cultural exchange and new opportunities. It all sounded amazing and perfect at the time, so I thought “why not”? I could travel, get paid and gain international work experience. SIGN ME UP!

​As the days went by, I was applying for CIEE and a new opportunity came knocking on my door. Literally! Without even searching for it, I found a new job with a great opportunity to grow in a new field, right in my hometown, so I took the job and forgot about the CIEE application. The work I was doing in my new job was very motivating, I impacted communities, helped youth and even gained experience in my field of study by co-hosting a radio program, but... something changed.

Around the end of April, I was really frustrated with my job and my life, I was feeling like the only thing I did was go to work and go home. That was my life and all I could think about was “this is how I’m going to spend my 20’s?” I couldn’t help but ask, "I have no major responsibilities and no kids, so why am I confining myself to a 9 to 5?" Don’t get me wrong, I loved the work I did at my job and I was grateful for it, but something was missing in my life.

After a few days, I remembered about the CIEE application and decided to check if I was still on time to apply. Unfortunately, the due date had passed. That broke my heart a bit and I regretted not being able to apply when I had the chance, so I decided to go to bed and forget about it.

When I woke up the next day I was sent an email and it said, “DUE DATES EXTENDED”. I had a week to finish the application.

I don’t know if big brother was watching, because that was such a coincidence, but hey, if you’re watching big brother, thanks. I immediately started to work on finishing the application. I wanted to give it my best try, so much so that in two days I finished everything and submitted it. I felt amazing, like I had accomplished a long lost dream. Even if I didn’t get accepted I was happy because I was able to try and give it my best.

A week had passed and I wasn’t really thinking about the application. I thought it was going to be at least a month before I heard from CIEE. That day, I went to work as normal and when I got home, I decided to write a bucket list. Nothing that I wrote was in order, except the number one thing, “Live in a different country” and I kid you not what happened next was unbelievable.

As I was saving my bucket list, I decided to send it to my email. I started to open my email as usual and it slowly but surely loaded, and loaded, and loaded... When all of the sudden it finished loading and I saw an email from the CIEE and it said, “Hello Cyd Marie! Congratulations on your recent acceptance into the Teach in Spain Basics + TEFL Academic Year - 2018 program!”

What?! I jumped up and down, I couldn’t believe what just happened. I was excited, confused, in shock, amazed and so overwhelmed with all these feelings. Can you believe it? Writing your bucket list and your number one thing coming true! I was going to move to a different country, work and gain new experiences. I wasn’t really expecting to get accepted so my first thoughts were “Do I accept? Do I tell someone? Do I just keep this to myself for a bit?” Obviously, I decided to accept and with the not telling anyone well, I’m Puerto Rican, so that didn't happen.

That day, I told my parents and as time passed, I told my family. After a couple of months, I told my job and now I’m telling the world, as my journey begins. I now write this and there is less than a week before I leave my beautiful island, chase a goal and discover a new path.

From September 20^th 2017 to September 20^th 2018 so many changes happened in my life and to be honest if Hurricane Maria hadn’t happened maybe I wouldn’t be where I am today. Of course, I’m not happy the hurricane happened, it caused a lot of suffering and many lives were lost, but thinking of my particular story, the hurricane didn’t stop me, it just empowered me.

The hurricane empowered me to make new choices, search for new opportunities, take risks in life and not be afraid to do so because, everything happens for a reason.