This adventure came about very unexpectedly. I had heard of a program where teachers could work overseas and experience a new culture while earning their living. Because this sounded so interesting, I called to ask for more information. The next thing I knew, I was driving to Miami for an interview with the Director of a South American school. The rest is history! I arrived in Valencia, Venezuela, in August, 1995, fully aware that I did not speak one word of Spanish. Veteran teachers at the International School assured me that everything would work out with my students, but I must admit that I had my doubts. Imagine the first day of school – I couldn’t understand my students, and they couldn’t understand me!
However, I spent three wonderful, experience filled years in Venezuela where I totally fell in love with the people and their culture. I made great friends at school and I was practically adopted by my student’s families. My lack of language only slowed me down a little and I learned that a smile and a good-hearted try at communicating works in almost every situation. I used the local bus system, shopped in the street markets, employed a maid who spoiled me rotten, and had massages twice a week – it was a great life!
Luckily, I had students who were fast learners and after just a few months, my kids were fluent in English, although they came from around the world and spoke several different native languages. I will always remember showing the old “Heidi” movie which is a story set in Switzerland. In one scene, it is Christmas and the characters are singing Silent Night in German. Suddenly my Flavia started singing the song in Italian. Borja joined her in German. Next, Estela from Brazil sang in Portuguese. Quentin, from Paris, sang in French, several were singing in Spanish, and I, of course, in English. It was such a lovely moment in time and it touched my heart so much that (as every student I have ever had knows) my kids said, “Get the tissue box!”
My opportunities for travel had been dormant for a few years at this point, but suddenly that began to change, and I used every minute of my vacation time to travel. In those three years, I spent a Christmas in Scandinavia, returned to the states several times, and covered most of South America. I got to see Machu Pichu in Peru, I adored Ecuador where my bad Spanish worked beautifully in the native craft markets, my friend and I backpacked Bolivia where we got caught in a bus strike, I boated to the floating Uros Islands in Lake Titicaca, celebrated Carnivale in Trinidad, and visited Aruba and Curacao, which added a European flair to my travels. One spring break, I turned into the “Queen of the Brazilian Amazon” when I traveled down the river with eight young men who spoke only Portuguese! I also explored Venezuela extensively: hiked the rain-forest and climbed a mountain (with a very bad knee) to see Angel Falls, the highest waterfall in the world, stayed on a ranch in the Llanos, loved mountainous Merida (although I was robbed while visiting there), enjoyed the beautiful beaches, sailed the coastline, and experienced Margarita Island and Los Roques, (where I am sure I acquired several skin cancers from the tropical sun). Imagine all of this adventure for the “alta gringa!”
I had such a positive experience with working overseas, I decided to conquer another continent! My next destination was Istanbul, Turkey, where the atmosphere was very exotic and totally different than South America. I worked in a bilingual school and met some nice people there, both local and from other countries. By now, I knew I had no talent for language and it was certainly apparent when I tried to learn Arabic! But again, I managed, and people seemed to go out of their way to help.
Istanbul is absolutely beautiful and I walked miles and miles as I explored it. Unfortunately, there was a serious earthquake which had an impact on my school and for a time it was closed. I used the down-time to travel and spent time in the countryside of Turkey, where one day I had a lovely Turkish bath but later found out that the bathhouse was for men only! I loved visiting Greece, Romania, Bulgaria and Egypt. Imagine riding a camel in the shadow of the Sphinx or eating Greek food in a taverna near the Parthenon, or climbing the hill to see Count Dracula’s castle. I was able to do all that and more! However, it wasn’t all easy. Once, I got stranded in Bulgaria and ended up hitchhiking to Greece. I was rescued by two Greek brothers (Nikos spoke English) who were traveling in a pickup truck with their Bull Mastiff dogs. We (dogs too) shared space and stories while they drove me over 100 miles out of their way to my destination of Thessaloniki. What can I say about such universal kindness?
I was never able to return to my school in Istanbul, so just before Thanksgiving in 1999, I flew back to Florida. Terri and her family were living in South Florida, so I decided to sell my house in Orlando and relocate there. Not only did I have a new home, but I found myself pursuing a completely new venture. A friend introduced me to a job in sales, and suddenly I was selling Nextel phones and Motorola two-way radio systems! Did I know anything about those products? No, but I learned. After a year of good sales experience (and earning my very own Amateur Radio license KG4VWT), I was offered a job with AT&T, selling Business Systems.
During this era, I was able to travel to Ireland (where I kissed the Blarney Stone!) with my old friends, Phyllis and Dick, and to spend a beautiful Christmas in Poland with my good friend, Oriana. I also took an amazing trip to China where I traveled with my dear friend, Jenelle, who was working there at the time. I have wonderful memories of these trips and my experiences with these special friends.
The corporate world of AT&T was an excellent opportunity and learning experience for me. I enjoyed it and was quite successful, but there was something missing. When I started thinking of my clients as tall children, I knew it was time to go back to school!
Read the next chapter: About Me – Now & Next? and Just the Facts…
