Blog #3 The Road to a Job.

Is the recession still out there? Ignorance is bliss and I am not going to let negativity and statistics affect my attitude to finding a job. I interviewed at a great school last week and meet with my old principal for some mentor-ship. My hopes in obtaining a job as a teacher in a great school are still there but after I was not offered the job today I started to fall into a soup of reality. I have to pay my cell phone bill, pay for food and transportation and self-up-keep and I need health insurance. I started to think of all my possibilities and the qualities of all my jobs that I liked and disliked. I made a list of the things I enjoyed, was good at and did not like.

I decided to expand my application pool and look into higher education jobs that I qualify and have the qualities that I enjoy. Yes, maybe it’s not the long term dream but I have to be creative and realistic. I also have to be confident that I can have a managerial position in education so I submitted 4 applications and also looked at unemployment- which could be another blog. Once I was done submitting applications and started to feel sorry for the way my day went, I got up and walked to the gym. I got myself a member and now I’m on my way to losing those 10 pounds that don’t need to be here anymore!

Blog # 2 I need a place to live!

First thing is first- I need a place to live!! Soon after I arrive to NYC by good friend Nicole sends me a text that she wanted to meet up with me. She has been subletting my apartment and we briefly exchanged emails a few weeks ago in which she told me I could get my apartment back in February. I was thrilled when I heard this news; I no longer think I live in a huge, cold, overpriced studio. I now think that I am lucky to have my personal space and it’s in a safe and great location. All I have to do is get some great curtains and a TV and it’s the equivalent of a penthouse. It’s amazing how your perspective changes once you are living out of a suitcase.

I met Nicole and we had a great time in one of my favorite restaurants in Bay Ridge. Cebu is a place you need to eat an amazing steak salad or something. This isn’t a food blog but try going there. After a few mimosas and catching up I had to ask, “Are you going to move out?” She had a blank stare and I felt like I was in trouble but when you expect the worst, nothing can ruin it. She ended up laughing and saying of course. She hasn’t found a place but so far I can still move in February 3. 26 days until me and my fabulous studio are reunited! I have 4 months left until my lease expires but I think I might sign up for another year. Just glad I am not homeless.. now how will I pay my rent?!

(That's my sweet apartment 110 dressing up during Halloween)

Blog # 1 What happens after Eat, Pray, Love?

Ever wonder what happens after you quit your job, take a leap of faith and travel? I'm not sure what happens to everyone. Perhaps some get married, or open a fabulous business, write a travel-blog, become enlighten or even change the world. This is what is currently happening to me. I am back from a 7 month adventure in the Dominican Republic.

It all started in 2012. The new year started off with me dancing in one of my favorite wine bars wearing a sexy black dress. I was on top of the world. After the party was over I laid my head to sleep in my very cute 1st floor studio apartment. I was looking forward to returning to a great job in which I had great coworkers, great benefits and upward mobility. Single, sexy, and independent- the world was at my fingertips. So why would I leave all of this?

Well that’s how I write about it now. My real thoughts were that I was living in a huge studio and I felt alone, I didn’t have anyone to kiss during the ball drop, the dress was too tight and I hated my job and the events that were waiting for me to plan. Let's fast forward to February 2012- my younger sister gets engaged, my older sister gets preggers, my little brother gets married and my life continued to revolve around twitter. I took a long weekend and went to DR for my brother's wedding. Once I arrived to NY I decided to quit my job, leave my apartment and move to Dominican Republic to teach.

I spent 3 months in Santiago, DR where I stood with my grandparents and taught at the local university and 4 months in Santo Domingo where I taught at a private high school. This sums up a big part of my eat, pray, love experience. I also ate a lot of great food, I didn’t pray but I wrote on my journal and was able to tap into myself a little deeper were part of my journey. I also took dangerous public taxi's alone, jumped off a cliff at a river without knowing how to swim, went to some nice beaches, went to concerts and met many people. The bigger part of love experience was the love that grew between my family back home and me. But the blog is about my now and not a travel blog.

It has been 5 days into 2013 and while I am grateful for 2012 I also have to accept reality. I am jobless, sleeping with my mother, and overweight. So now what? Was this big risk worth it? What is my backup plan? What does life have planned for me? Well I’m going to blog about it.