We're Moving!

So... Brian and I are moving to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. 

Are you excited?  How do you really feel about this?  Are you crazy?  Why?!?

We have gotten some interesting reactions from people when we tell them we're moving.  The answers to these questions really depend on the day of the week.  There are some days when I am just so excited to start this adventure and some days when I'm scared to death of leaving what I've always known.  I've lived in Louisiana my entire life, in my little South Baton Rouge bubble.  This is going to be quite a change!

One of the things that I love about people from Louisiana is how closely they hold onto their roots.  They love their heritage and embrace their culture and believe that nothing is better than what's at home.  I feel all of these things too, but I've always had this drive and desire to see the world and experience something different.  Traveling to Thailand for a month in 2011 helped me to see that while Louisiana was definitely my home, I thrive in other cultures as well.

 

I fell in love with the kindness of the people, the ornate temples, the various modes of transportation especially tuk-tuks, the delicious food, the baby elephant that I fed for $0.30 each night as it walked down the road, the odd-looking but incredibly sweet rambutans, the Pepsi out of a plastic bag (just like in The Hangover 2!), and of course, the beautiful scenery.  From the high-rises of Bangkok to the jungles of Phuket and everywhere in between, I enjoyed every part of my trip there (well, not including the bathroom situations)... and it left me wanting more.  The job I've held for the last seven years as an ancient world history teacher has left me yearning to actually see the places I have taught about.  the pyramids in Egypt, the Parthenon in Athens, the Colosseum in Rome, the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, the statue of David in Florence.  All of these places were only accessible to me through pictures.  Our move to Saudi Arabia will make visiting these places a reality for me.  

Though I am incredibly sad to be leaving Baton Rouge, my friends and family, my job, my house, the incredible food, the solidarity you feel when you hear someone yell Geaux Tigers, and everything else I love about this place, I am truly excited to see what the future holds and all the new things we'll discover.