I guess one of the advantages of not being married nor having had children is that rather selfishly I really only have myself to think about. My life decisions affect just little ole me which gives me the freedom to make radical changes. So 6 months ago I decided to change my life. I handed in my notice from my office job, gave up my apartment and moved back home and embarked on a quest to find out what it is I wanted to do for the rest of my years on this planet. When I announced this news to friends and family the consensus was that I was very brave but I didn't see it like that at all. There is nothing brave about gambling when you have nothing to lose. A little scared and anxious from time to time? Well yes as I spent many a sleepless night wondering what would become of me but stubbornly I kept a positive mind and believed all would turn out well in the end. I was in a position where I could pretty much go anywhere and do anything. I had no ties, very few financial commitments and some savings which bought me the most valuable of commodities.....time.
Ironically when you have numerous choices available to you, making a decision is nigh on impossible. The world is not only your oyster, it is a fairground of whirling merry go rounds and speedy rollercoasters. Knowing which ride to jump on and get the most enjoyment out of without too many stomach churning moments is akin to choosing lottery numbers that if you pick incorrectly you miss the jackpot!
For the first few months I concentrated on writing. Without the pressures of a stressful job to occupy the space in my head, my mind was free to wander and tap into an imagination that once unleashed threw out idea after idea to the point that I was writing three books at once! The writing continues today but I have sensibly chosen just one book to finish and to date I am a fifth of the way through. However, there is no guarantee that I will be published and as the months roll on and my savings dwindle I had to look for another fairground ride to jump on.
Some years ago I qualifed to teach English as a foriegn language but personal circumstances at the time prevented me from embarking on a teaching career. The idea had crept into the back of my mind again about a year or so ago but I had ignored it's niggling presence, my own fears at the time refused it to be anything but a pipe dream. Now with the changes that I had made I decided to look in to this again. I tested the waters and volunteered to participate in two English Immersion Programmes in Spain and Poland. Whilst this was not strictly teaching in a classroom setting it did involve certain elements which required patience, understanding, quick thinking and enthusiasm. Most importantly it re-ignited my passion to teach. I had hit the jackpot and spent the following weeks applying for numerous teaching jobs across the globe. My lack of experience went against me and I heard nothing from most of my applications. Thankfully after a few refusals and frustrating periods of radio silence my perserverance and positive thinking paid of.
On Sunday 18th December, 6 months after I quit my job and 10 years after I returned to the UK, I am boarding a plane to Moscow where I will work, teaching English to Russian folk before being shipped out to Siberia to continue to teach in a new school. The only Russian word I know is Vodka....but hey I always like making things difficult for myself and I'm sure it won't be long before I've learnt the words for "it's f***ing freezing here"!
I've always wanted to visit this once Imperial Land. It's unobtainable, out of reach existance gave it a mystical quality that has always fascinated me. My life long ambition is to travel on the Trans-Siberian Express but I never in a million years thought I would work in the country responsible for its creation.
Where this fairground ride is taking me, I've no idea. How fast it will go and the thrills and spills it will bring along its way remain to be seen. One way to find out is to follow my new blog which will chart my life in Russia. I hope to bring to you a little piece of Russian culture, food, travel and people as you join me in my journey of discovery over at In search of a Russian Oligarch
The Modern Day Spinster will be taking a back seat for now and who knows should I find my Russian oligarch or even Russian prince (aim high) then our beloved Spinster can climb off her soap box and hide herself away. I want to thank all those who have taken the time to read my posts on here and especially those who took the time to leave encouraging positive comments. I hope to see you over at my new blog very soon.
Take Care
GEM
xx
