The journey begins . . .

So when friends suggested I create a blog chronicling my upcoming move overseas, being a fairly private woman, my initial response was, "Are you crazy?!"  In this age of too much information I was not a fan of people posting every move or decision they were making, as they were making it.  It doesn't leave a whole lot to talk about when you actually see that friend in-person.  However, someone whose opinion I trust, recently explained that it may actually be fun for people to read who like to travel or wish they could travel.  So, here I am and I hope you enjoy what you read (or at least pretend to enjoy it).  I would also like to mention that I am not the most grammatically correct writer (diagramming in English class was a nightmare for me), so I apologize in advance for my less than stellar writing skills.

I would like to start off by saying that I've been overseas before, backpacking either by myself or with a few friends.  That lasted about six years, was combined with summer jobs and working/living in Beaver Creek, Colorado.  Some of my more memorable experiences were catching an ice hockey game in Czech, watching turtles lay eggs on a beach in Central America, people watching in Italy, night fishing with a few locals (and just me!) for lobster in the Galapagos Islands and drinking at a bar in the middle of the Amazon that ran on a generator.  Needless to say, I've enjoyed myself.  Now that I am finished with school (for now, at least), I am ready for the next adventure!

Recently, I was offered a teaching job overseas in the Middle east.  I will be living in Abu Dhabi, which is located in the United Arab Emirates on the Arabian Peninsula.  Although I've heard mixed reviews on the teaching experience, I am going into it with an open mind and sense of adventure.  I have, however, heard wonderful stories about the region and all the cultural experiences that come with it.  It appears to be easy to travel to/from and is a more progressive area in comparison to some of it's neighbors (yes, I can drink and drive and I do not have to cover up).  This blog is also a nice tool because through my research, I found that there were not a lot of resources or blogs for Americans.  My hope is to help or guide those that have some interest in traveling overseas.

My plane tickets and visa arrived today and I figured what better time to start my (very public) journal of this next adventure.  I leave August 4th, so wish me luck!