As I write this, I'm laying in bed feeling inspired. This is not uncommon. I often feel the intense push to accomplish something, anything, but lack the specific inspiration to think of what exactly I want to do. Tonight, I decided to channel my inspiration into starting my new blog. I'll likely mostly use this blog to talk about my (swiftly approaching) life as an au pair in Germany, but I think I'll also use it to write about anything else I feel passionately towards. For those of you who know me, you know I feel passionately about many things, and I'm not afraid to share those opinions. Brace yourselves.
In t-minus 55 days (can that be right?!) I'll be on my way to Germany, yet again, to start the newest chapter of my life. So far I've led a very exciting life. I was born in the Marshall Islands and lived there until I was 10, when I moved to Alabama - I think of this as my first real experience with culture shock. I moved to Mississippi for college. During college, I spent a month studying French in Quebec, Canada and another semester studying German in Mainz, Germany. Travel has always been a priority to my parents, largely due to the great distance between my nuclear family and my extended family throughout my life (my mom is from Connecticut and my dad is from Wisconsin, yet they met in Hawaii), and I'm grateful for the adventurous spirit it instilled in me. Without that spirit I wouldn't be sitting here writing this. Though I kept a blog for both my study abroad sessions, I believe this blog will be different. In Quebec and Mainz, everything was an absolute novelty. I often wrote about my observations, experiences, and thoughts with such amazing curiosity. I don't feel that I was in either place long enough to have the chance to tire of it. Not that I think I'll grow tired of my next adventure, I just think things will become commonplace in my new life. Anyways, this blog will certainly chronicle my life over the next year. Buckle up and get ready for the ride!
Being an au pair will provide a whole host of problems, most of which have yet to cross my worried mind on this idle Wednesday. First and foremost, I'll be actually living with a German family. I'll become part of their family, integrate into their daily lives, help take care of their children, and hopefully become their friend and ally. It sounds daunting already - in the best way possible. I have met these people, virtually at least, and I'm confident that I made the best decision in choosing them. They seem like warm, kind, honest people. Despite this, I'm still absolutely frightened to meet them in real life. What if they hate me? What if our personalities are so fundamentally different that we can hardly stand one another? (I doubt this will be the case, but I feel as if I should consider it). And then there's the children. They're only 4 and 1, but still, they could hate me too. I imagine it will take them a little while to warm up to me. I guess I should stop worrying about this so much. They picked me as much as I picked them, so they must also have a good feeling about me... I just have to keep telling myself that.
I could go on and on, but I think you get the point: I'm freaking out about this. All I can do now is wait and see what the future holds, no matter how impatient I am!
