New job & new opportunities

While I was home in August, I got a job offer from a school in San José called Politécnico Internacional.  I was hoping there would be full time hours, but I got a part time schedule emailed to me and decided to take it, in hopes of maybe picking up more hours or subbing classes when I got back to Costa Rica. It turns out the school is great, and a lot more organized than Maximo, although there is still a "Tico time" way of dealing with things...I didn't officially sign my contract until the second week of classes!  Overall though, I love working there.  The students are awesome and my fellow teachers and both academic directors are great as well.  The pay is better per hour than Maximo too, but only working part time has been a little challenging, as it's very difficult to save money since everything is so expensive here. The commute is also taxing. I think I've spent half my time here on a bus!!!

Sunday marked a year in Costa Rica, and it really got me thinking. No matter how much I love Costa Rica and my job here, I know in my heart that not everything that glitters is gold.  A year here has been the biggest decision that I've ever made...but I know there are other opportunities that I can take advantage of, and I've come to the realization that maybe I need to explore those.  In order to be able to save money, I took an online teaching position part time, recommended to me by Bridge.  It pays $10 an hour and I think it's going to be really fun! I'll get to meet people from all around the world and apply what I know as well as learning new skills I'll use in my in person classes. The best part about it is that I can teach no matter where in the world I happen to be. After three months, I could switch to a real full time job (40 hours a week), but I would get to teach in my pajamas! 

Right now, the option that I'm considering is to go home for Christmas, come back to Costa Rica for three months, then go back to the U.S. for the summer (until September).  I could work full time teaching online and be able to save money, while still taking occasional weekend trips outside of the Central Valley. I'm really wanting to teach somewhere new, so I think in the spring I'll interview for a school in Cuenca, Ecuador.  I would have to return to the States if I got this job anyway, since I need a visa to teach there and the closest Ecuadorian consulate is 4 hours away in Las Vegas. There is also the school in Liberia, but I don't want to be disappointed if it doesn't work out, so I'm going to have a Plan B this time.

15 years

July 1, 1996 seems like just yesterday...I can't believe how fast the time has flown.  Through this journey, I've met so many amazing, inspiring people who have changed my views on living with a disease.  I really hate that word, disease...it makes me feel like I should be living in fear all the time.  In 15 years of living with Type 1 diabetes, I'm not scared.  I have a relatively normal life & I try to not let diabetes get me down.  Of course, like anyone, I have bad days, but the good days outnumber them.  I hope someday there will be a cure, but until then, all I can do is live my life.  Yes I have diabetes, but in a weird way I feel blessed.  Blessed to have an amazing family & great friends to help guide me along the way.  If nothing else that's positive can come out of these last 15 years, at least diabetes has given me strength, courage, determination, and will.  It's made me realize that even with a diagnosis, there are worse things in life.  It's made me realize that the world doesn't stop, and without those four qualities, I think circumstances could have been a lot different.
My best friend said it best tonight...I told her that today was my 15 year anniversary and she asked me what I was going to do to celebrate.  I hadn't ever thought about celebrating a diagnosis of a disease...but now that I think about it, I think everyone should.  Katie then said that it was crazy that I'd had diabetes for that long since we've known each other for a decade.  Stopping to think about that really put things in perspective too.  She said that even she forgets I have it sometimes...not because I don't talk about it (I'm more than willing to talk about it) but because I manage it and try my best to take care of myself.  That means the world to me.  I don't want to be treated any differently than anyone else, just because I have diabetes.

Finally, if I had any advice to give to fellow diabetics, whether they're struggling with management or newly diagnosed, I would say don't give up.  With all the technology out there, there's so many different options for care.  Most importantly, stay up to date, and do what your body says and try to follow doctor's orders.  Get a good endocrinologist, and most importantly, have a positive attitude!  I know this can be hard, but I believe attitude has a lot to do with how you manage your diabetes!!!!