Category: Work

Don’t Forget Nicaragua

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I arrived in Granada, Nicaragua in September 2014 via chicken bus. Walking those beautiful, oppressively hot streets in the middle of the day with all of my worldly belongings on my back, I had a feeling this place would change me.

I can say with certainty now that it did. It was there that I met and fell in love with my now husband, and made friends that have become family. It was there that I grew confident in my practice of travel and teaching. It was there that I faced down some of the ugliest realities of white privilege and the legacy of colonization; where I had the experience of being the visible minority; where I fought tooth and nail with deeply ingrained and overt sexism, struggling with my place and role in it all.

It’s there that I first took the stance of activist teacher; and of the importance of instilling self-esteem in students; in helping them to know and understand that they have power and that they can make a difference.

So who would I be if I didn’t use what space I have to make you aware, single reader, that the city hall in Granada has burned down, that the country is in chaos, and that as a result, hundreds have lost their lives and tens of thousands have lost their jobs? Continue reading “Don’t Forget Nicaragua” →

On Teaching and Travel

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A lot of teachers travel. The best teachers love to learn. Travel draws those kinds of curious personalities.

It doesn’t hurt that a perk of the job is a few extra weeks off a year than most. I’m tempted to go on an aside here about how teachers earn more than those weeks off in overtime worked during the school year… but I’ll resist. Continue reading “On Teaching and Travel” →

3.5 Years Later, Shut Down Again

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During the last big government shutdown in 2013 I was working for the NPS as a Park Ranger. As a direct result of the shutdown I decided to leave the NPS and switch careers completely. Continue reading “3.5 Years Later, Shut Down Again” →

Where I’m From

Published on by Mariana5 Comments

Recently I celebrated my one year Melbourne-versary – that is, the anniversary of my arrival in Melbourne one year ago. I came into this adventure hopeful, but unsure as to how I would cope living so far from home, and how I would do with this giant unknown. Over the last year however, Melbourne has completely won me over with her special southern charms. I’m all settled into life down under these days. Continue reading “Where I’m From” →

[Featured Post] A Long Distance Love Story

Published on by Mariana16 Comments

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The first picture Tom and I ever took together at Playa Maderas, Nicaragua

The first time I met Tom we were in the living room of the house I had just moved out of in Granada, Nicaragua. I had been in the country for about a month already, but had been in Granada volunteering with La Esperanza for only 2 weeks. The house had four bedrooms shared between 16 volunteers from all over the world. Living there was a great way to meet people, but my nerves were a bit frazzled by the party-like atmosphere and the ever-growing pile of dirty dishes in the sink. So as soon as the opportunity arose, I moved out to a smaller house a few blocks away. Continue reading “[Featured Post] A Long Distance Love Story” →

2016

Published on by Mariana2 Comments

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How has 5 months gone by so quickly?? 5 months with no new content on this blog. It turns out moving and getting to a know a new job, city, and country takes a lot out of you. Continue reading “2016” →

Greetings from Melbourne (Finally!)

Published on by Mariana9 Comments

Beautiful Melbourne from across the bay
Beautiful Melbourne from across the bay (super low-quality photo thanks to crappy cell phone zooming!)

Well, in my last post I did say I needed a break – and here I am 2 months later finally getting close to feeling myself again. Continue reading “Greetings from Melbourne (Finally!)” →

I Graduated! Where I’m Moving Next

Published on by Mariana6 Comments

My cheering section on that happy day
My cheering section on that happy day

I did it!

To be honest, it hasn’t really sunk in yet. Graduate school is the hardest thing I’ve ever done. The combination of an extremely rigorous course load and my incompatibility with New York City did not look great on me. Continue reading “I Graduated! Where I’m Moving Next” →

This is What Happens When Your Best Friend Visits New York

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If you’ve been keeping up with this blog, you’re probably pretty well-versed on my feelings about my current residency in New York City (Not caught up? You can read all about that here and here). It’s easy to get lost in the negatives of a place like this, but nothing is better for refocusing on the positives than playing tour guide for visitors. Continue reading “This is What Happens When Your Best Friend Visits New York” →

Warming Up to New York City

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Almost a year ago now I wrote my first post on what living in New York City was like for me. In summary: I find this city to be a constant struggle. Continue reading “Warming Up to New York City” →