04 January, 2011

A New Year & A [Possible] New Direction

Well, this entry is long overdue, eh? I managed to just skip right through the holidays to the new year. The holidays were nice, and (lo and behold!) white on Christmas day, which was lovely. However, I am glad that the busyness of the holiday season is beginning to settle down. I have been housesitting for some friends this week, so I haven't been spending much time at the camper. It's a nice confirmation, though, to be staying in a pretty luxurious house with a great many amenities (home theatre, anyone?), and to realize that I much prefer living in my camper to staying in these fancy digs. Can I get an Amen for following my bliss?? (Ahem .... AMEN!!)

Today Sister and I did a little clearing work. She took a first round of stuff to Goodwill, and she helped me load up some donations of my own from my Durham storage unit. Then I loaded up as many boxes as I could carry from the Durham unit, and took them to the storage units I have here. I proceeded to do some more organizing and consolidating of boxes. I have a big bag full of donations already and many more to come. Oh, and Dad and I emptied out my storage unit in Morrisville last week, so things are getting pared down at a pretty good clip. I can't wait to be done with it. It continues to feel so good to relieve myself of these things that no longer serve me. While I definitely still struggle with regards to sentimental attachments to some of my belongings, I try to remind myself that letting go of the object does not equal a dismissal of the memories associated with it. And, of course, the really important things will remain in the [ONE] storage unit that I keep.

So, now that I am beginning to get settled in my camper, and am getting rid of my excess baggage, so to speak, I find myself presented with a new and exciting opportunity. This is an opportunity like I've never had before, and like I've only dreamed of taking. And it's even more drastic than selling all my stuff and moving into an old camper. I may have an opportunity to move to Micronesia. Yes, that was Micronesia ... as in The Federated States of Micronesia ... island chain in the Oceania region of the Pacific.

My Dad has been offered a job there. Post retirement, he continued to send his resume out to opportunities that seemed interesting. A gig with the government of Micronesia was one of those. And after months of email correspondence and skype interviews, he has been offered the job. He and my mom (after many a long family meeting) are pretty sure they are going to go. (They are just awaiting answers to a few logistical questions they posed ... especially relating to Micronesia's regulations regarding bringing pets to the island.) This job is just a two year stint, so I think that makes it easier for them to take the plunge. It also helped that my sister and I expressed interest in going with them. (Yep, we're one of those families that actually likes hanging out together.)

When they told us the news, my immediate reaction was, YES! I'LL GO!! That was shortly followed by a big bout of fear and a chorus of reasons why I should stay here. That was then followed by my inner voice reminding myself that I have been yearning for travel, adventure, and excitement for ages; and I have been desperately wanting to get out of town for ages; and that now would be the perfect time to do something like this because I have no solid ties that are holding me here ... other than my family, and they're going to be where I'm going! So, I am once again whole heartedly grasping the notion that, if given the opportunity, I am moving to Micronesia. I might not stay there for the whole two years ... in fact, it's likely that I wouldn't. What I imagine will happen is that I will stay for a while, and then use Micronesia as a jumping off point for further travels. I mean, I'd be so close to Bali, Australia, Thailand, Hawaii .. not to mention any number of little islands. I get goosebumps just thinking about it.

But .. it's not official yet. Dad's still awaiting answers to his questions in order to make his totally final decision. And then I will still have to figure out when I would plan to go. It would be after mom and dad go, since they will be better equipped to figure out the housing and job situations once they're there. (It's my understanding that housing can be difficult to come by in Micronesia.) I will, however, keep you all posted on the progress of this new opportunity.

It's really amazing to me how when we make the first step toward living the life that will be most fulfilling to us, the Universe swoops in, takes us under its wing, and helps us soar into Living. Viva La Dolce Vida!

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