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Hey all, was looking for advice about moving and came across this website and thought I could get some opinions.
First, a little background information. I'm a 20 (21 in a 1.5 months, actually) year old college student in Illinois hoping to become a teacher. My dad was in the airforce before he retired, and from 2001-2005 we lived in Albuquerque. From the minute we drove over the border, stayed the night in Tucumcari, and watched my first NM sunset at 13 I fell in love with NM. The following years served to cement this feeling even further. However, in 2005 (my junior year of high school), we moved to Illinois. I originally thought I'd just finish up my remaining year of HS in IL and then move back to NM. Unfortunately, at the time one major motivator for me to do that was the fact that I had a girlfriend back in NM (lol high school relationships). When the relationship inevitably ended, I decided to follow my parents' advice and at least go to college in IL where I could save money, live at home, and get a good education. I decided to do that for several reason- the primary being family. The couple years in IL before my dad retired were pretty stressful for everyone (my dad mostly, because of his job), and I thought I could show my appreciation for all he went through (i.e. working this job so we could have money for college) for us kids by at least sticking around for college.
All in all, college has been pretty cool. I've really enjoyed spending more time with my family, and things are much better than when I was originally entertaining the thought of moving to NM. Now the only problem is that the tables have turned. Everyone else in my family is content, but I'm not. All through college I've realized that, despite the fact that I love my family and friends, I'm not really "home". I've tried to just be content living here, but it hasn't worked. I've made friends, gotten several jobs, enjoyed school adn family, but this just isn't where I'm "meant" to be. I've been able to keep the itch to move back under control the last few years, but the closer I get to graduation the harder it gets. I'm at the point where I know I should move back, but am unable to get around the "how".
As I said, I'm finishing up my junior year and hoping to be a teacher. I've got one more year of college to get through and then a semester of student teaching. Add on another semester before I can get a job and relocate, and I've got two or so more years here that I THINK I can get through without going crazy Of course, the problem is actually getting back.
First, finding a job. Honestly, I'm not sure how to do this from a distance. I know sending in applications is an important, but being out of state gives me a pretty huge handicap in finding a job. I could take some time and just go out there in person to make a better impression, but that all costs money.
Second, the family. They know I want to go back, and they seem to accept it, but I'm pretty sure they don't necessarily LIKE it, which I understand. I know they'll support me in whatever I do, but I hate having that small feeling that I'm betraying them by moving away. It's most definitely all in my head, but still.
Third is more elusive. Mostly it's driven by fear. What happens if moving back isn't the solution to my discontent? I think (and hope) that it is, but there's always that "What if?". Maybe I should just get a job here and try to make things work? My gut tells me that it's not the right thing to do, but common sense and logic says it is.
Anyways, that's where I stand right now. I've still got time to figure this out, but I need to start thinking about it. I'm looking for any advice, suggestions, thoughts, or comments. Thanks in advance
Small edit: I'm also a little nervous about living so far from home on my own. I lived by myself for a year, but under differenent circumstances. I'm not sure how I'd take living 2000 miles away with little/no support system. I think I could do it fine (I'm pretty resilient after all this moving), but there is that doubt as well.
Thank you very much for the thoughtful post... you are obviously a very thoughful individual and the post you made was a very refreshing read.
Anyone who has lived in Albuquerque - or NM in general - and has any sense of imagination, poetry, romance, history, and beauty typically find themselves in a quandry when faced with greater/different opportunities outside of the state. Your father, for example, being in the military has probably made your life growing up semi-nomadic in nature and the displacement that military dependents are very different that most people who are blessed to have lived in the same place for most of their childhood existence. Your father, because of his job, displaced your life during a period of most peoples' lives are formative - your high school years. Periods of many firsts: first car, first love, first kiss, etc. And having been forced to go through that move must have been very difficult for you, otherwise you wouldn't have made this posting.
Now with that being said, I'm going to play devil's advocate for a moment, using my life as an example: I am going on 40 years old now, I myself am in the US military, and my career is winding down. I left Albuquerque almost 20 years ago to join the US Navy (I wanted to help out in the "bomb Saddam" movment of Gulf War I) and I decided to make the navy a career.
Now hear me out on this: your life is brand new, it's just starting. It's fresh, it's impressionable. You have dreams, passions and goals. Why waste it going back to a place that you have been to, to a place that you have experienced and have such great memories to associate with, but without a proper foundation of life experiences to truly put what makes Albuquerque so great into context? Your life is so WIDE OPEN now, and making a (somewhat) arbitrary return to Albuquerque based upon teenage memories is based upon faulty logic. Albuquerque will always be here, and will always be here to welcome you back when and if you decide to return.
I take this from my own experiences, having seen and traveled a great deal of the world, both on my own dime and for the sake of my job. The potential exists that you may return to Albuquerque and find yourself in a rut and in due course of decisions made in one's own lifetime (starting a family, buying a house, etc.) you might be in a position that it might be more difficult to leave. But you are in a unique position: the world is your oyster. There is so much to see, there is so much to do. Don't get too infactuated by one overriding desire - I have made similar decisions in my life and have come to regret it (partially) because my life has been so enriched by my experiences and when I return to Albuquerque, I won't have a faulty foundation of fickle teenage memories to fall back on.
Your decision is your own. But Albuquerque is only one place and you can go ANYWHERE.
Have you considered applying for DoDDS? A collegue's wife is a teacher for them, and trust me the work opportunities are endless if you are willing to go for it.
Mudman: Thanks for your honest advice, what you said certainly makes sense. Just out of curiousity, what would your reaction be if I scaled up my area of interest to all of NM? The southwest? West of the "central states (ND, SD, Nebraska, etc.)"? Mostly I'm trying to get away from the things that really drive me nuts in IL (weather, geography, lack of outdoor activities) rather than get back to "the way things were before", so I would definitely consider expanding my area of interest.
Interesting you should bring up DoDDS schools. We moved around a lot prior to living in NM, and I had 2 year of experience with them in Incirlik, Turkey. While living overseas was fun as a kid, I don't really feel the itch to go out of the country at the moment, and I really wouldn't mind seeing what the U.S has to offer. Interesting side note, however: my brother is joining the Air Force, so if he lives anywhere really interesting I'll at least have somewhere fun to visit...
I looked into Teach for America a while back to see what they had to offer, but I didn't feel I quite fit their expectations as far as motivation and lifestyle. The idea of teaching in a remote, high-need area still appeals to me, though, so I'll keep that in mind.
Anyways, thank you very much for your comments. You're certainly right about me having a great position to do whatever I want, and I'll think it over. Just out of curiousity, where have you been stationed? Here's my list so far.
Philippines (born there)
Montana
Florida
Turkey
Colorado
Alabama
New Mexico
Illinois
Also, thanks to everyone else who has posted for their support! The overall consensus seems to be for me to get out and live, which is encouraging. Now I just need to decide if I want to be dead-set on NM or a little more liberal.
The overall consensus seems to be for me to get out and live, which is encouraging. Now I just need to decide if I want to be dead-set on NM or a little more liberal.
I would say got out and live while establishing your career.
To me, my job was more important to me than my location to an extent.
DoDDS? My children received part of their education from DoDDS (Which is basically/briefly the school system for children of military while stationed overseas.) We knew a few DoDDS teachers. I always felt it was a good oportunity for teachers.
Unless you just want a job in ABQ as a teacher where you can settle down and do that your whole carreer. There is nothing wrong with that. It just depends on the individual.
Let us contemplate the situation: 21 years old with degree in education and uncertain about where to go?
Prescription: Get a mid sized motorcycle, good riding cloths, small tent & sleeping bag and debit card with a couple of thousand dollars. Ride around a lot until you find a place to settle. See lots of places.
All too soon you will be locked into a 40 year grind to retirement. Don't start too soon.
Let us contemplate the situation: 21 years old with degree in education and uncertain about where to go?
Prescription: Get a mid sized wagon (more room, lower insurance), good riding cloths (check), small tent & sleeping bag (check) and credit card (check) with a couple of thousand dollars (check). Ride around a lot until you find a place to settle. See lots of places.
All too soon you will be locked into a 40 year grind to retirement. Don't start too soon.
Hell, don't start at all!
Sounds good, but I'm still working on the car. Sounds like a plan for the summer before student teaching, though
P.S. You forgot the Bob Seger CD collection.
Last edited by AbqTeacher; 05-11-2009 at 11:25 AM..
Just out of curiousity, where have you been stationed? Here's my list so far.
Philippines (born there)
Montana
Florida
Turkey
Colorado
Alabama
New Mexico
Illinois
Interesting... here's mine:
San Diego, CA 1991
Oak Harbor, WA 1991-1993
Pensacola, FL 1993
Millington (Memphis),TN 1993-1994
Brunswick, ME 1994
Jacksonville, FL 1994
(back to) Oak Harbor 1994-1999
Norfolk, VA 1999
Sigonella, Sicily (Italy) 1999-2002
Kaneohe Bay, HI 2003-2006
Okinawa (Japan) 2006-2009
Manama (Bahrain) 2009-2011
Deployed on USS Nimitz in 1993 (Persian Gulf/SE Asia)
Deployed to 5th Fleet (Persian Gulf) 1995
7th Fleet (Japan) 1997
7th Fleet (Japan) 1998
7th Fleet (Japan) 2003
5th Fleet (Persian Gulf) 2004
Not to mention the 40 or so countries visited throughout the last 20 years, some for my job - some on my own dime - yet admittedly it is easier to travel while stationed overseas than when living stateside.
I'll be retiring in early 2011 after finishing out my time in Bahrain.
It's been a good run.[/quote]
Oh, and I forgot to mention... I bet it was cool being stationed in Turkey... a few years ago I made a trip to Istanbul that was awesome. I envy your experiences...
Interesting... here's mine:
Oh, and I forgot to mention... I bet it was cool being stationed in Turkey... a few years ago I made a trip to Istanbul that was awesome. I envy your experiences...
Turkey was amazing. Thankfully, my parents took advantage of it as much as possible, so we traveled all over the country. Hell, one time we flew down to Egypt for a week-long cruise down the Nile. Even though moving around was a pain in the %@$, overall it was a great experience and I got to see way more stuff than your typical American kid.
Turkey was amazing. Thankfully, my parents took advantage of it as much as possible, so we traveled all over the country. Hell, one time we flew down to Egypt for a week-long cruise down the Nile. Even though moving around was a pain in the %@$, overall it was a great experience and I got to see way more stuff than your typical American kid.
Also, that list is impressive. Any favorites?
Just a quick reply...
My favorites?
Rome, Vienna, Cape Town, Xi'an (China), Tokyo, Shanghai, St. Petersburg (Russia) to name a few. Life's too short... TRAVEL.
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Of course, the problem is actually getting back.
