& so the adventure... continues?

Honey, I'm home! 

Well, I guess home is a relative word. When you've spread pieces of your heart in so many different places around the world, it's hard to determine where home really is. There's a term hiraeth, which is the idea of having a deep nostalgia and longing for something, specifically one's home. 

This word has really resonated with me since the first time I heard it, and it's the idea behind it that has led me to continuing my search for home by applying to teach abroad again this upcoming year. Next stop on our itinerary? We're heading to MADRID, SPAIN!

That's right, I'll be trading baht for euros, tuk tuks for the metro, pad thai for tapas, temples for churches, and my limited knowledge of the Thai language for my slightly less limited knowledge of Spanish. It's going to be a big change in so many ways, but I am so ready to immerse myself in a place all brand new.

I'm writing this post just a few hours before my flight to Spain departs, and I'm trying to sum up my thoughts and feelings about leaving for another go around.

I'm sure nervous is the first word that people would assume might come to mind. But honestly, I don't feel scared at all. Moving across the world? Been there done that! However, I definitely feel anxious about certain aspects of it. I look back to how much I loved my Thailand experience and how significant the people there became to my life. It's hard to imagine starting over again and rebuilding those strong relationships with new people. It makes me wonder why I was so okay with giving up the familiarity and comfort that I experienced over in Asia, for a completely clean slate in Europe. I guess because of the idea that life begins at the end of your comfort zone. If we never push ourselves further, just for the sake of comfort, we may miss out on so many things and experiences that are waiting for us. 

When we as humans have to face change, we think of it as scary and intimidating. But, we forget to consider that it's also inevitable. If we start to see it as something we can't avoid, then we can start to see it as something good. We don't have to go through it, we can grow through it. My life changed when I went to Thailand, and was thrown countless new norms that took so much time to assimilate to. My life changed when I came back home, and had to reintroduce myself to my typical way of life, even when it felt like something I didn't claim anymore. My life will change again when I get to Spain, and I'm immersed in a brand new culture that will challenge me in ways I didn't know were possible. 

But, I'm good. I don't feel nervous, or scared, or intimidated. I feel ready. To continue on this grand adventure of teaching around the world and finding my hiraeth. To fall in love with more places and people that cause me to leave parts of my soul everywhere I go. To discover the wonders of a new city that I can add to my list of places that I'm lucky enough to call home.