Thankful!

Thanksgiving is here once again. I was trying to think of something creative to write about this year. 3 years ago I wrote a top ten things I was thankful for. 2 years ago I was living abroad for the first time and wrote a comparison. Last year I wrote about the top ten moments of the past year that made me Thankful. What to do this year?

Five Things I should be Thankful for, but am sinister about:

1. The fact that where I go next year is decided. I'm anxious about it because I still have no job, it's not really where I want to be, and there are so many unknowns. I'm used to the unknowns, but usually those unknowns don't rely quite so much on another person. 

Reason why I should let go and just be thankful: I found love. And it is crazy amazing, and sometimes it makes it hard to breathe, and even though I've been super crazy clingy, stressed to the core version of myself for the last 2 months my boyfriend still loves me and communicates with me, and pushes me to be the better version of myself. 

2. Difficult students, and a large classroom. More often than not I find myself frustrated with dealing with highly energetic little boys, students who are way behind, and students who need to be pushed further. 

Reason why I should be thankful: I am learning new things everyday. I am becoming a better teacher, and setting new goals. 

3. Living in Jakarta. This city is slowly killing me from the inside out. I have lost many things I loved about myself. My passion for live music, my desire to learn more about food and beer, my love for nature. 

Reason why I should be thankful: I know who I am now. And in the future I can enjoy getting all those little parts of me back. I'm going to be so strong. Including my stomach which has just begun yet another cycle of severe pains and constant trips to the bathroom.

4. My student loans. Weighing me down, and stressing me out constantly. $42 grand to go. 

Reason I should be thankful: I have an education. I've paid off 18 grand in the last 2.5 years, and spent another 5 grand on my education. I've done this while traveling the world. These loans are one reason why I left the states in the first place. Hopefully with another 4 years they can be gone. 

5. Missing home and my family. All of them. Somedays I would give anything for a week just walking the streets of Tirana and drinking espressos and eating quofte. Or to head to a Monday night concert at 331 and a Tuesday morning walk to Stone Arch. Or midnight pizza fries and bloodies, or running into random people from my past. It is so strange.

Reason why I should be thankful: I have homes and family and friends all over this vast world, and as opportunity arises I will get to visit them. 

So there you have it. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!