Past few Weeks

I feel SO neglectful for not having posted in a while.  Life has been busy and amazing and there is a lot to share including some BIG news...

In my last entry I stated that my next would be an answer to the following two questions:

#1: What do you really want to get out of life?

#2: What can you offer the world that no one else can?

I am going to use my artistic license to postpone this answer because I arrived home in Pennsylvania from an amazing road trip on February 18th and so many big things have happened in the past two weeks that I need to write about!

The road trip my friend Justice and I took was phenomenal and so many great things happened on the trip. On our first day, Friday, February 10th we made stops in Charleston, West Virginia, where we saw the Capitol building and scored loads of free food at a college fair that was occurring; Lexington, Kentucky, where we checked out the city, read up on some horse-racing history, and ate at a great burger joint with amazing service, Sawyers Downtown; and Fort Campbell, Kentucky, where we caught up with my friend Ryan who is stationed there until his service in the army is done in September.  

On the second day, Ryan, Justice, and I drove to Nashville, Tennessee, and spent the day and night there. We checked out the Capitol building, a Tennessee war history museum, and Music Row.  We had a great night going out on Music Row, hearing different bands and DJs play; and meeting up and going out with three of Ryan's friends from the army.

On Sunday, the 12th, we made a stop in Birmingham, Alabama, where we got some amazing soul food at Mrs. B's on Forth and experienced true southern hospitality, and then headed towards our final destination, New Orleans, Louisiana.  (Below: Meatloaf, Macaroni, Candied Yams, Corn bread, and Sweet Tea from Mrs. B's.)

New Orleans is where the true magic happened and where I learned of some awesome and exciting news that I will share in a moment.  The city is unique and unlike any other American city; it truly does seem to have some sort of mysticism and magic about it.  I loved the French/Spanish architecture, the cajun and creole food, and the music lacing through every street. I could write for hours about the beauty of New Orleans and my experiences there, but the purpose of this entry is really to share some news and a story about how the news I have to share came to fruition.

On Wednesday, February 15th, Justice and I took a trolly ride up to the Garden District of New Orleans.  There we checked out Audubon Park, Tulane University, and Loyala University. While on the two college campuses, we walked around checking different buildings out, grabbed a bite to eat, and thanks to Justice's gift of gab, talked to many, many strangers.  One person in particular named Madelyn, was playing her guitar on a hill on Loyola's campus.  Justice and I sat and listened to her play a great original song and we then chatted with her about the university, the city, and the powerful energy about it all.  We had an insightful conversation about interacting with people and music, but some conversation points that affected me the most dealt with the "magical" qualities of the New Orleans.  Justice and I had only been in New Orleans for 4 days at this point and it had truly sucked us in.  Madelyn agreed that it is a unique city with so much to offer and that it, as she explained, seems to be run and dictated by fate and destiny.  She stated that in New Orleans, you always seem to "be at the right place at the right time and meet the right people at the right time." It is hard to me to put this experience into words and to explain what I felt, but something inside me understood the magnitude of what she was saying.

Here is where I take a break in the story to explain some other relevant details, which will make what happened after Justice and I parted ways with Madelyn seem so amazing, and has confirmed for me the power of the inner voice within myself, or my intuition.  

Before leaving for New Orleans, I found an advertisement for a teaching opportunity in China through an organization called China Project Hope.  I sent them my resume and cover letter and heard back from them asking for a laundry list of material to send them including an application form that I was sent to complete.  I called the Chief Operations Officer, Dr. Johnson, and asked for clarifications about some things because I had to send my material within 48 hours to be considered for the job in time.  Dr. Johnson told me once they received all of my material (via e-mail) they would review it and call me back within a day or two to set up a Skype interview if I was qualified/considered a good candidate.  I sent my material in on February 7th. I really wanted this to happen.  I left for New Orleans on February 10th.  I hadn't heard back from Dr. Johnson yet.  Disappointed, I let it go.    

Flash back to New Orleans, Wednesday, February 15th.  Justice and I say goodbye to Madelyn and thank her for her music and for sharing her deep thoughts.  We begin to walk away from Tulane and Loyola university, which are connected, and we head towards downtown New Orleans.  Something inside myself cannot go ignored.  The conversation with Madelyn about something higher being at work seemed to have unlocked something within myself, and for some reason I was being told to call Dr. Johnson.  I distinctly remember this feeling and saying to Justice, "I just had an intuition that I need to call Dr. Johnson."  I didn't ignore this intuition, and I grabbed my phone from my pocket and made the phone call.  Dr. Johnson answered and I greeted him stating, "Hey Dr. Johnson, it's Dave Brown, I was just calling you to see if you've reviewed my application or if you have moved on with the application process."  He sounded excited to hear from me, but told me he hadn't ever received my application.  I was confused.  I told him that I had sent it to the same e-mail address that he had sent me my application packet from.   That's when he realized the mix-up.  On the application, a different e-mail address was listed as the address to send my completed application, transcripts, reference letters, passport photocopy, and pictures of myself to.  He checked his other e-mail address and he did indeed have it.  What he then told me blew my mind.  "I am glad you called, our final review of all applicant is taking place in 40 minutes.  We will review your application at the meeting and call you back later if we'd like to set up a Skype interview."

40 minutes.  If Justice and I had not taken the trolly, had not checked out Tulane and Loyola, had not initiated conversations with strangers, had not talked to Madelyn, then I do not think I would have had the intuition to call Dr. Johnson.  I began to realize the weight of what Madelyn said about being at the right place at the right time.  Fate or something higher seemed to be at work here.

But it gets better.

I expressed my excitement to Dr. Johnson and was really relieved to hear that I was not counted out yet.  I told him that I was on vacation and unable to check my e-mail, so another reason I was calling was to make sure he had not contacted me through e-mail.  He asked where I was and I told him New Orleans, to which he stated, "Oh! New Orleans!  That place will suck you in, what an amazing city."  I exclaimed that I loved it and he said he did too and told me that he had lived there for 6 years.  "Awesome!" I replied.  "Yes it was a great time, I studied at Tulane University; really enjoyed it" he said. 

I looked at Justice with wonderment and amazement in my eyes, I then looked behind me and saw Tulane University, only a football-filed length away.  "I am at Tulane University right now!" I said bewildered.  Being at the right place at the right time REALLY made sense now.  Dr. Johnson and I wrapped up our conversation and he told me he would call me later to set up a Skype interview if they were satisfied with my application material.

I was beaming, so much so that I asked Justice to take a picture of me to preserve this moment:

Later that evening when Justice and I were back in New Orleans, we were walking and I was saying to him that I had a really good feeling about China Project Hope and that I thought I would get an interview.  While stating this, hands in my pockets, my phone began to buzz.  I puled out my phone and on the display screen it read "Dr. Johnson."  Justice said "are you kidding me?!"  The coincidences continued.  Needless to say, Dr. Johnson told me they would like to set up an interview.  That interview occurred on Sunday, February 19th, and I am now GOING TO CHINA!  I leave on March 20th and return on June 5th (unless I stick around longer...I have a 6 month visa).

I am still so in awe of the situation and feel so lucky and blessed.  I also have been fully taking stock in what my heart and gut are telling me and learned first hand the power of intuition.  

Some other cool things that have been happening:

• While in New Orleans, Justice and I pool hopped at a hotel in the French Quarter and met some awesome people there, including some Cirque Du Soliel dancers on the Michael Jackson Immortal World tour.  We got to see them cause every jaw to drop in some bars as they danced and an acrobat, Thomas, was super generous and hooked us up with tickets to see the Michael Jackson Immortal show!  This is another instance of being in the right place at the right time. The show was great and it was a real pleasure meeting them.  You can see their dance crew in the video below.

Below: Displaying my ticket and guest pass :)

• Justice and I saw 3 Mardi Gras parades.  During one we had a contest to see who could collet the most beads.  I won't share how we acquired them all.  Just kidding.  But seriously.  

• On Friday, February 17th, Justice and I left New Orleans at 3am and drove for 21 hours back to Pennsylvania. I arrived at my parent's house at exactly 12:00am on February 18th, my brother's 21st birthday.  I quickly showered and headed to the bar he was at and surprised him.  My mom and aunt even came with me to the bar and stayed for it a bit and it was a blast.  Later that day my brother and I saw a matinee Philadelphia Flyers game. We scoped out and moved into some nice ice-level seats too:

• In a previous blog I mentioned that I was going to sign up for a TEFL course.  That course took place this past weekend in New York city and it was truly inspiring and fun.  I am also bewildered at how this has all worked out, because I signed up for this course before I had even seen the advertisement for the teaching position in China, and the way that signing up for the TEFL course came about was very coincidental and it seemed to be a sign that it was something I needed to do (read my previous post mentioned above to hear about that).  

• While in New York City I also got to see Justice perform two stand-up shows and hang out backstage with some comics, which was fun and gave me some insight into the world of stand-up comedy.

• I visited my good friend Mark in Kutztown on Tuesday, March 6th, and we sang "Summer Girls" by LFO and "Semi-charmed Life" by Third Eye Blind at Karaoke night at a bar called Shorty's.  Unbeknownst to us, there was a competition going on...and we won it!  We are now in the running to win at least $500!  We need to be at the final round to compete against other winners; at first I thought I wouldn't be able to make it because my flight to China was planned to be on March 14th, but now I am leaving on the 20th...Hmmmm, doesn't it seem like things happen for a reason?  It will be interesting to see how this plays out--I'd have no problem with visiting Kutztown again before leaving for China, especially if it entails earning some extra spending money while doing something I love.  

Until Next time,

Adios!

What Do You Want? What Can You Offer?

Chris Guillebeau, creator of the website The Art of Non-Conformity, has been a huge inspiration for me.  I have been exploring his website and revisiting passages of his book The Art of Nonconformity and it has really inspired me to chase some of my dreams.  I agree with many of Chris Guillebeau's beliefs that materialistic things are less important then our actual experiences and that traveling is the best way one can invest in his own development as a person.  Chris fights against the status quo and conventions.  He believes that people do not need to "settle" for tradition 9-5 jobs or live mundane lives.  The universe is waiting for us all to carve out our niche!  I am excited to pick up my chisel!

I recently read Guillebeau's internet manifesto"A Brief Guide to World Domination"and two questions that he poses have made me think deeply, and I believe they are questions that we should all consider and attempt to answer.  Guillebeau states that "the two most important questions in the universe" that those who want to live remarkable or unconventional lives need to ask themselves are:

#1: What do you really want to get out of life?

#2: What can you offer the world that no one else can?


I have thought deeply about these questions recently, and they are certainly not new ideas for me to ponder.  I have always been dedicated to my purpose, it is what lead me to become a teacher, but I feel that I WANT something more then just a traditional teaching career.  I remember my dad telling me that "the world is your oyster." I've always wanted to experience as much of that oyster as possible, but while doing so or in the process, offering everything I have to give to the world.

My next entry will be an attempt at hashing out some of these questions.  For now, I am road tripping to New Orleans and seeing some of the South on the way :). It's always nice to get away from the computer. See you back sometime after February 18th.

Next Step

In light of my recent life changes, many people have asked me, "what will you do next?"  My only solid, confirmed plans thus far are to receive my TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) certification and to go on a road trip to Kentucky, Nashville, and New Orleans with my friend Justice on February 9th until the 17th (I want to be back in time for my brother's 21st birthday on the 18th).  Otherwise, I plan to enjoy the spring-like weather we have been receiving in Southeastern Pennsylvania, catch up on some personal reading, exercise/play sports that I enjoy, and reflect.

I have received similar advice from some educators and others who do not know me well: "Go look for another job!" A lot of people who I have talked to have said that right now is when lots of long-term sub positions open up in schools and that I would be able to land a job for the remainder of the year.  This would be nice, but I am in no rush.

I read (before resigning) a very inspiring post by Scott Dinsmore, creator of the website liveyourlegend.net.  The post was titled "The One Thing You Must Do the Moment You Quit or Get Fired (Finding Your Purpose 101)." In his post, he explains the stress and shortsightedness that people experience when they leave a job and how many people freak out and immediately start searching for new employment.  Many of the sentiments he expresses in this article have influenced me or are tenets I already agreed with.  I view my current situation as an amazing experience to truly take a deep breathe, sit back, and reflect on the bigger picture and what I truly want out of life.  This is not a time for me to over-stress myself by immediately searching for a new job.

I became a contracted teacher at age 22, straight out of college.  Teaching was/is what I want to do as a career, but I have such a wide range of interests, passions, goals, and dreams.  I was blessed to receive a job out of college and to gain valuable and meaningful experience, but I had always expressed some regrets to my close friends and family about not having experienced some other things that I felt would make me a better teacher and person.  I have always wanted to teach and live abroad, and I am now taking a step towards that goal by taking a weekend TEFL course in New York City on March 3rd and 4th.  I have also always had an interest in The National Civilian Community Corps and I have almost completed my application for a September (2012) to August (2013) commitment.

Very interesting side note about what lead me to sign up for the TEFL class in New York:  A friend of mine, Andrew, who I went to Peru with last summer recently got his TEFL certification.  I have been thinking about earning a certification because I have always wanted to teach English as a foreign language abroad.  I text-messaged Andrew to ask him about the process he had to go through to get his certification.  He was out on a run with his mom and his phone was at his house.  While he was out running with his mom, they brought up my current situation and they agreed that I should get my TEFL certification.  When he got home, he saw my text.  He called me and told me to come over to talk about everything and he mentioned how it was such a coincidence because he and his mom had just been talking about me being a good candidate for teaching abroad.  Long story short--he showed me the process and his mom and I had a great discussion about teaching abroad, something she did in Peru when she was 26 which lead to her meeting her husband, which ultimately lead to the conception of her son, Andrew.  All of this in some way connects to me having a life changing experience with Andrew in Peru in the first place and to signing up to take a TEFL course myself.  Funny how the universe works.

I have other ideas about the future, but one thing is for sure:  This world has so much to offer and I believe I have so much to offer this world.  I want to get out and experience this world, get to know it more; I now realize there is a window of opportunity to do so now while I am still young.  Ultimately, whatever experiences I endure outside of the classroom will make me more of a multifaceted educator when it comes time for me to re-enter the classroom.  I always felt that the best teachers were the ones who hadn't spent their whole lives in high school and college classrooms.  I was complacent with a stable job but afraid that I would never have the guts to go do other things I dreamed of.  We as a society place too much emphasis on the conventional paths of receiving jobs and climbing ladders to the next steps.  We only get one shot at this life. I am glad that I will now have the opportunity to explore some different paths.

For now, I am going to continue to reflect on what I want for myself and what I have to offer.  I am excited for the next steps.

"There are two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle." – Albert Einstein

Time For New Things

 I woke up stronger than ever.
Driven by big waves of fire.
To run and yell all the way.
Nothing can hurt me today.

There's a magic inside.
Just waiting to burst out.
The world is a goldmine.
That will melt tomorrow.

I just can't recognize myself.
Tears of joy run all over my face.
My sensations reach the limit.
Nothing can hurt me today.

There's a magic inside.
Just waiting to burst out.
There world is a goldmine.
That will melt tomorrow.

Living for, living for a thrill...
Just waiting! Just waiting!
Just waiting! Just waiting!
Just waiting! Just waiting!
Just waiting! Just waiting!
Just waiting! Just waiting!

Back in the Swing of Things and Some Positive Changes

I am less than two weeks into the routine that I almost forgot had once existed of waking up, going to work, teaching, driving home, eating a snack or early dinner, spending some time listening to music or reading online, grading papers or planning lessons, winding down/reading, and going to bed to do it again the next day.  It feels nice to be back into a routine, but it is important to keep things fresh, to keep setting goals, and to keep my mind and body active.

I have taken some steps to complete many of the goals I have set for myself during the summer and I am very satisfied with the results that I am noticing and how I feel mentally and physically.  Last year I used to wake up at 6:00am and hardly have time to shower, get dressed, eat, and leave for work.  I would arrive about 20 minutes early, but I still often felt rushed.  For the past week and a half I have been waking up no later than 5:30 and I have been taking my time to complete my morning procedures: breathing and taking in the morning, doing push-ups, leg-raises, stretching, showering without needing to rush, getting dressed calmly, eating while SITTING down, and spending a few minutes envisioning the day, setting my goals, and thinking of what I need to accomplish.

I have found that waking up earlier adds lots of peace to your life because it provides more time to reflect and collect your thoughts.  I have also had time to commit to things like exercising and stretching, which I previously made excuses for not doing due to lack of time.

Whenever a person wants to make a change in his or her life, it is important to make changes in small steps, not to drastically change everything.  It is hard for a smoker  or a drug addict to just quit and never look back; they need to take steps to wean off.

 I feel that this "small steps"approach has been magnificently successful in my life, specifically in two areas of my life: nutrition/health and my spiritual/mental well being or sense of purpose.  For over 4 years I have become health and wellness conscious and one of my top priorities is making sure I lead a healthy and purposeful lifestyle.  On the healthy end of things, I made small steps 4 years ago by eliminating soda and most sugary drinks in general, as well as not using extra salt or putting mayonnaise or dressings on sandwiches.  These things become second nature, and soon I began eating breakfast everyday, providing myself with the necessary energy to start my day.  There have been many steps in between, but today I am at a point where I read labels, manage my plates well, am nutrient conscious, and try to avoid things like high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oils, meats containing sodium nitrite, and any products with growth hormones or excessive preservatives.  I also eat plenty of fruits and vegetables and take daily vitamins, and I have only been sick 2 or 3 times since over a year ago when I began teaching professionally and interacting with over 100 kids each day.  Not too bad for a guy who had mono twice in high school and consistently found himself with nagging colds.

From graduate classes I've been taking, information I've been provided from friends, and from articles I've found independently, I have learned a lot over this past year about nutrition and have really made some significant life changes.  This may be something interesting that I can speak about in the future, since I find it so important to be healthy and to live a high quality life (both now and in the future).

My spiritual or mental sense of purpose has developed a lot over this past year and there is much to be said about this; too much for me to get into currently (since I have made a personal commitment to post a blog once every two weeks), so I will save it for a future blog, but it is something that has greatly interested me and an aspect of my life that has exponentially been developed.

For now, I will end this blog with a stolen quote from someone who has greatly influenced me recently on the mental and peace-of-mind front, Richard Carlson.  He ends his book Don't Sweat the Small Stuff...and it's all small stuff, with the definitive statement:

"Treasure Yourself."

Remembering Inspiration

Tomorrow is my first day back to school.  I am excited and looking forward for the new year.  I love change; it keeps life fresh and exciting and I also love the feeling that I am more confident and prepared to be an effective teacher. 


Below is an e-mail that I wrote back in April during parent-teacher conference week.  I am extremely grateful to be where I am today and to have a job in a scarce market, especially because I know many good people who will make great teachers one day who are struggling to find work.  




Mr. Leventhal (Leventhug),

I just got home from parent-teacher conferences, and some parents relayed powerful messages to me from their kids.  This reminded me of how important it is to thank those who have inspired you and to tell people how much you appreciate them. Sorry that this is five years late.

My mom told me she ran into you at conferences a few months ago.  She told me you showed her where I spent most of my time during English class--the hallway.  She also said she informed you of what has been happening in my life.  I am about to finish my first year of teaching English at ********** High School and it has been a life changing year with plenty of ups and downs and corkscrews-but ultimately it has been one of the greatest experiences of my life, and I feel so fortunate and lucky to have found my niche doing something that I love and something that I find purposeful.

I cannot attribute exactly where I got the idea that I would make a good teacher or enjoy teaching as a profession-but I do know who inspired me the most: you.  I always felt that my personality was valued in your classroom.  I felt comfortable and knew that I could express myself; I think I really needed that in high school.  I learned so much about subjectivity and I began to really value approaching life with an open mind, and I was influenced by your equanimity.  I learned so much by having the freedom to explore, and I personally felt that school should always be like that.  I started envisioning myself as a teacher, but it was only a fantasy.

You also gained my respect by putting me in my place when it was needed.  I sometimes had to be told that I was wrong or that I had stepped out of line-and I appreciate that more now than I did then, but it still helped me to have a better sense of myself and to learn who I was and what I believed was right.

When it was time to go to college I knew that I had to step it up and grow up.  I realized that my dream was achievable; I set a goal and never looked back.

I have learned this past year that teaching is much harder than it looks and it is very demanding.  Summer has a new meaning.  But I also realized that the allure of teaching--the idea that you can make a difference in someone's life--is so rewarding.  I have never felt as high in my life as the moments when I have impacted a student and receive positive feedback--or any moment when a genuine connection is made in, or outside of the classroom with a student.

I also learned how important it is to show people that they've connected with you or made a difference.  Thank you Mr. Leventhal.  You are an amazing teacher.

Sincerely,

-Dave Brown





I am so thankful for the life I was given and for those who surround me and have helped and influenced me on this journey.  

Rooted.

My time off from work has come to a close; I have been home from Colorado for the past two days and I have worked the past two days as well.  My first summer off as a teacher has been refreshing and rewarding, and there is so much energy in me for this up coming school year.

Summer break was much needed and there is so much to write about my trips, but I will save that for a later time.

For now, I am writing to offer myself some personal peace of mind.  This summer I cleared my head, felt at peace, felt engaged with the world around me, and felt satisfied and confident with my life and my state of equanimity.  I have over the years developed a very calm and reflective disposition, partially due to my different traveling experiences and gaining different perspectives, partially due to books that I have read, and partially due to maturing in general.  I have learned that the obstacles in our lives should be looked at as opportunities to succeed, and that we should solve problems immediately if possible.  If there are no solutions to certain problems, then forget about them.

Today I felt stressed and overwhelmed from meetings and thinking about planning for the new subjects that I will be teaching this year.  I found myself thinking way ahead in time and wondering what I would be doing in classes a month from now, if I would finish all of my graduate work, or if I would have time to read all the novels that I will be teaching along with the books that I plan on reading for pleasure.

Then I realized, thanks to Richard Carlson's book Don't Sweat the Small Stuff...and it's all small stuff, that one's thinking can create a snowball effect.  The more I thought about everything that is on the horizon, the more I felt overwhelmed.  I have lessons to plan, books to read, graduate work to complete, and my personal life to worry about.  Will I complete or be able to handle all of these tasks?  Yes.  Will I have time to breathe?  Yes.  Will I have time to be happy and return to my summer-like state of zen?  Well, I will definitely be happy.

Humans are amazing in that we have the power to completely manipulate reality.  Our perceptions create our reality.  We have the capability to slow down and enjoy the little moments and to not fret over our "problems" and daily obstacles--but some of us choose to be stressed and busy.  We have the option of choosing to be calm and collected.  It is not helpful to worry or be stressed about things that are accomplishable.  If there are things that we cannot handle or have no control over, then there is no sense in worrying about them.  My current stresses are all positive and manageable; they will serve the purpose of shifting me back into gear.

Will I remember the things that stressed me out today one year from now?  Sometimes you need to stop and reflect about the bigger picture.