I did it! Living One year in Myanmar

September 18th, 2014 Greece: A resignation, my luggage, a ticket for two months, five books, my notebook and my camera. Gate 9 in El. Venizelos airport.

December 12th, 2014 Myanmar: I am in an interview in a school for the English teacher position. Chances to hire me are not many, not only I don’t hold Teacher’s degree but also, I am not an English native speaker. When we had almost finished the interview, the director asked me if I have something to add.

And this was my opportunity.

"You probably have professional teachers, candidates, with more experience. However, I am willing to follow any seminar or training to be more efficient for this position and for the children. I am thrilled to the potential of working in that position in your school and I will do my best. "

To be honest your passion for children is noticeable.” Director said, and I am not sure if this was for good in the Asian culture.

The following day I received the mail that was saying

“You are selected for the position of core teacher in our school”

And this is how the story goes.

January 5, 2015

I arrived in Myanmar for the second time, but this time I was holding my one-way ticket.

We are already in day 270! I brought "you" from zero and we made it 270!

5 months being a teacher in Myanmar. Would you expect that? No... Me neither!

But "we" did it!

We tried, and we did it!

June 7, 2015

I arrived in Greece. My ticket is again for two months, but this time on the other way back. How can I include 270 days in one status?

There were nights sitting in my room, listening the chanting from the pagoda next to my home and the frogs that during the nights they are so loud (at first, I thought this sound was cow... honestly!) and I was trying to realize my new life wondering “And now what?”

That life gift doesn’t fit into some random words.

There are nights where you fell desperately the need to be back in your home, in the place where you grew up with your family. There are moments where you want to share a funny line, but it is only funny in Greek. And some others where you feel “jealous” of your close friends when they you receive pictures with them gathering and drinking beers. And how can you bridge up the 4 ½ hours difference and the 15 hours you need to be there. It is another daily routine...

Now you realize that here it’s only you and yourself. And moments when you ask yourself “Can you do it?” this is the answer. We can do it! When I found the most disgusting insect in my home, one of my biggest fear, the fight was between me and that thing and I had to do something. In other words, it was me and my fears. But see ... I beat it. And somehow, I overcame this fear.

And finally, you may not be able to fit all these stories into a Facebook status, you may not be able to share your experiences but there will always be part of yourself and part of your luggage on your way back home. And it’s the first time that I have not many clothes in my luggage. I have my books, my memories and notebooks filled up with thoughts...

Today, I am so excited to come back to my home and to meet a bunch of friends. How much happy and gratitude I feel for that...

The “Poulaki” who helped me to top up my Skype account when I needed and she was sending good morning every day, my “Dimitrouli” that she encouraged me every moment I had second thoughts for my resignation, my “Michalito”, he winked to me and he said "Cool, just do it!" and he offered me a speaker to listen my music on my travels. Tonight, it plays the songs “it's a new dawn, it's a new day, it's a new life for me ...”. My “Savvopoulaki“ always "believed in me and my tenacity", my Soy, with her silence she made me feel the difficulty of my decision but this was the best for me my “Vivianaki“, she always listens of how I feel and she always advise me to listen my inner voice, my “Grivaki“, she believed that she would see  me in two months but I knew that this won’t happen, though I didn’t know anything I was just feeling so, my “Triantaki“, she had no answers to my fears but she is always a good listener, my “Orestakos“, he always made me laugh when I was not in a good mood and of course my “Maliaristo” she said the best ever line when I was struggling to take the decision “Listen Maro, the universe does not give a shit what you will do, imagine how tiny you are in this universe, just do it and if you need something I am here..." and she was!

And the list with friends could be longer...

And it could be longer with people that made me feel pissed off and thus they encouraged me to try it harder to find new opportunities. Though they tried to change my mind, though they didn’t believe that much in me, though their fears didn’t let them see clear my own needs, they brought me closer to my decision. Closer to something new, to something bigger, to something valuable.

And the journey continues and every day you learn something new for you and your limits, for people and our diversity, for a new culture and a new perspective.

So, let the universe brings what it is to bring... Sometimes it knows better...