Friday, March 16, 2007

doesn't anybody stay in one place anymore?

Well, I don't. In two weeks I'm leaving Albuquerque. It's been five and a half years. I hated it when I first moved here. I wasn't used to such a wide-open, treeless space, it was way too hot, and the eternal sunshine was frustrating. (I know that's weird, but I'd been living in the Great Lakes region, and each rare sunny day is like a holiday to the point that college girls will lay out in bikinis if the temperature rises above 50. So for me the sunshine was less "what a beautiful day!" and more "I can't believe I have to sit inside ALL DAY. What a waste.") Anyway, now I like it. (Well, most of it.) But I've been treading water the last two years or so, knowing that what I moved here (grad school/archaeology) is not the thing for me, and it feels good to have made the decision to move on to something else.

You may be asking yourself, what is that something else? Well, even if you aren't, I'll tell you. I'm moving to Japan for a year. I'm going to teach English and experience a new culture and eat a lot of vegetarian sushi. Before I go, I'll be spending about a month at my parents' house in PA, since I won't be coming home for the holidays. I'm very excited and a little scared. I've never lived in another country (or even been to one, besides Canada and Mexico), I don't speak any Japanese (well, I can count to five), and I'm allergic to fish. Plus, I hate moving. But still, I'm looking forward to it.

Anyway, in the spirit of closure, I give you Six Things I'll miss about New Mexico (in no particular order) (I tried to make it five or ten but six just felt right)
1. Green chile and cheese on everything, fantastic salsa, breakfast burritos... well, all the food really
2. the mountains--besides the hiking and the snowboarding and the amazing views while you're up there, it's so great to look up from a traffic jam and be reminded of the sublime.
3. the dry air. I hate humidity.
4. Albuquerque Stitch n Bitch, although it's not like I ever get a chance to go anymore
5. the relaxed dress code--I swear, dressing professionally is going to be harder than not speaking the native language, I've gotten so used to jeans being acceptable pretty much everywhere.
6. my friends. Good peeps. I hope I have visitors in Japan. (Although I'd rather they finish their dissertations first. Priorities, you know.)

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

aww crap. does that mean to visit you in japan i have to take the GRE's, go to grad school, pass my masters, get accepted to a doctoral program, and finish a dissertation? because then i am NEVER visiting you

Anonymous said...

whoa!!! This is awesome, but surprising, news! We'll miss you... are you coming back to ABQ when you are done?

Ramona said...

OMG Japan! So this means you actually have to start writing in this blog more often to keep us posted on all your new adventures.

Cari said...

Katie: Yes. Yes, it does.
Carole: I don't know yet... I'll miss ABQ, and especially my SNB pals!
Ramona: that's the plan! I've just been busy trying to excavate the many layers of crap from my apartment, get all necessary dental appointments, etc.
Sorry I missed you girls last night--I got there at quarter to ten!

Jody said...

Wow! I'm so excited for you! I'm glad I got chance to meet you while our paths crossed in Albuquerque! PA girls are the best!

I know you'll have a great time in Japan - my hubby spent 6 years there when he was a kid and loved it! You won't want to come back!

Definitely keep us posted on your adventures! Take LOTS of pictures and have FUN!