Moving Across the World for a Year During a Global Pandemic

 Moving somewhere far away in general is pretty scary, especially when its on the other side of the world, you don't know anyone there, you don't really know the language and oh yeah theres that global pandemic going on. It's easy to get overwhelmed at the idea of what i'm going to be doing in just a week now. Although my fear and anxiety is kicking in high gear right now, I know this is the right time for me to be moving abroad. My plan for so long has been to experience as much of the world as I can outside my small bubble of central NY. Everyone had plans for after graduating to begin their career but I rather put that off for as long as I can to be honest. I don't want to be stuck in the same place my whole life just living to work, I recognize that is a privileged  stance to have but traveling doesn't have to be extremely expensive at the same time. Anyways, I decided after college I would have a plan to move abroad for at least a year. I'm not going to say Israel is my favorite place in the world and that's why i'm moving there. I'm moving there because it might become my favorite place and because I know it'll be the experience of a lifetime and help teach me who I am and who I want to become in this world. How do I know what I want my career to be if I haven't have the experiences of seeing all the options available for me? 

In Israel I'll be teaching English which is not necessarily something I had planned on doing but who knows it may change the course of my career. Plus I think the impact that teachers have on children is sometimes the most profound thing in their lives, to have this impact on at least one child would mean a lot to me. The connections and relationships alone that I will form with the other fellows, the students, my mentors and new friends will be worth the trip I think. I'll also be living right next to the Mediterranean Ocean which is pretty amazing from a Central New Yorker who grew up going to overcrowded fake lake beaches with algae infested lakes waters. The landscape and climate will be almost opposite of what i'm used to. From a wet Temperate Deciduous Forest to a hot and dry desert. I might miss the experience of seasons but I'll be happy to leave winter behind me and go to the beach in the winter. Israel is also 7 hours ahead of EST, quite literally my life will be turned upside down but this is what I need right now. 

The pandemic did come at an unfortunate time for me, I worry that it'll hinder my experience but at the same time I feel lucky and grateful to even be able to go. These past months have been full of unknowns when it comes to the program, for a long time I was unsure if we'd be able to go. But our program was granted special permission to enter Israel on account of it being so important to the country's school system. Although it is not an ideal situation to being moving across the world I know this is the right time for me to go. Especially with America slowly going downhill, I've been unhappy with America for a long time it feels but it's coming to a breaking point with the state it is in right now. And although I am running away from, it is okay because i'm doing to on behalf of self-care and inner growth. I'd rather experience a COVID in Israel than America right now. 

I definitely want to keep my blog updated on this new journey in my life and record it for my own reflections. I'll reflect on the culture shock, teaching in Israeli schools, the program itself, food, traveling and so much more. Stay tuned to be on this exciting journey with me! 

A picture I took of the beach while in Tel Aviv: