Drank the Kool Aid

Hey there.

Tonight was the Inlingua "Kick-Start 2009 Bowling Party" (official name, btw) which was my first real "work party" and I must admit, I loved it.

I am so happy with my job. I mean, I don't think it is something that I want to do for the. rest. of. my. life. or anything, but I have really flexible hours, cool, weird international coworkers (of which only the American men are better bowlers than me. Booya, Germans), a good amount of job satisfaction and, well, I'm paid pretty well. So, I guess I'm pretty lucky.

One of my coworkers invited me to go with her and her husband to Brussels with them on a road trip, and I weirdly think I am going to take her up on it. It would only be a weekend, so I think that even if it was awkward it wouldn't be too long, but the chances of it being awesome are pretty high, I think. They lived there a few years ago so they know the ropes, have some friends, and speak a little flemish, as well. And I really feel like that's the most awesome way to see a place: with someone who can share it with you as a home.

Anyway, I guess the real reason for this post is the fact that another coworker, who applied last week for a different (and much larger) masters program here in Freiburg last week, got her official acceptance letter today. Which is so awesome. But I am waiting for word on mine (which is a bit of a bitch, because Tulane is impossible to get in touch with and I don't even know if they have sent my transcript yet. I talked to the head of the program about it and he said that wasn't too big of a deal, as long as he would get it soon. but that was a week ago, when I assumed it was coming "any day now") Like always, the waiting around (and checking my emails and mail box obsessively and having crazy dreams about a pseudo-hazing process leading to an acceptance letter) has made me anxious, and I have been sort of worried about a "back-up plan."

I do really like Germany. But if I am not going to study here, I don't know that I really want to stay here. I mean I could, and I suppose I would be perfectly happy, but I guess I want to have the feeling like I am still moving forward with something. But, it is an option, and an ok one at that, to sign a full time one year contract with Inlingua and just work work work work (and be taxed taxed taxed taxed by the German government) but like I said, that seems a little stagnant.

I could capitalize on the fact that I am a certified ESL teacher and go anywhere in the world as soon as my rent contract is over in the end of March. This sounds like the cool, spontaneous, exciting back up plan, but is probably a lot less "planned" than the word "plan" involves.

There are a few other Master Programs I am interested in, so I will certainly look into that, as well. Maybe I will study International Studies in Vienna? or wait a year, and do Public Diplomacy at USC? Though somehow those programs both seem much tougher than the one I am applying to now, so maybe that's wishful thinking.

Better safe than sorry, I suppose.