Life plans

I have had quite a few of those “what am I doing with my life” moments since arriving here. Most of them are answered with certainty and a smile; however, the job front seems to get more and more uncertain.

A few weekends ago, Adolfo, a friend and I had a long discussion about this. What my friend called a therapy session with a few bottles of wine. I confessed that I’m a little bit lost.

I originally got into this line of work because I wanted to help create better citizens of the United States; citizens who were worldlier and culturally competent. Young people who would return from their experience and be inspired to continue learning languages, or learn more about migrants, the incarcerated, or poor in their own country and do something to make the situation better.

I knew exactly why I was doing my job.

I am less sure of what I am currently doing.

They had several suggestions but they boiled down to one – they think I should teach. I was always sure I didn’t want to teach. Now I’m less sure of that.

In fact, I’m a lot less sure about most everything related to jobs. One of the things I told my friend was that in the States, I knew what the options were and where. I knew what the paths were to reach the goals I had. Now, I don’t know what all the options are, or where they are, or even how to get to them and I seem to have lost track of my professional goals.

Some people think I should teach, other people mention writing a book. I am viewing both these options with a romanticism that I just don’t think is very realistic.

My current job is ok and I am fine for the moment, but I can’t see my future there and it doesn’t help that everyone has a Plan B in case of getting fired. I feel like I should be getting my Plan B together.