How Did We Get Here?

Friendly disclaimer: This is A's first post, and in typical fashion, it is quite verbose.

As we wind down our time here in Fort Wayne, many people have asked, "How did you learn about this opportunity?" or "What makes you want to do this?". For me, these are two different questions with two different answers. Let's start with the second one first.

What makes you want to do this?

This is an important question. But it's answer is equally important to me. When I tell people about my story, some are perplexed, others are in awe, and others rejoice in its novelty.

I've always believed that everything is training for the next thing.

Growing up in rural Texas as part of a broken family with a hard-working single mom has shaped me. Living in several states and a couple of different countries has shaped me. Enjoying people of a variety of backgrounds has shaped me. But my faith has built and anchored me. It has been my constant for these past thirteen and a half years. Upon embarking on my first adventure to Morocco as a young, single man in the summer of 2005, my naivete was transformed into a life-changing experience that would forever prepare me to live a life unique to me, my matchless bride I met in Morocco, and our priceless children that would follow.

After meeting in Morocco, quickly becoming best friends, and pursuing a forever-long bond together in marriage, my wife and I knew we would return overseas, but didn't know when. For many years, we have both known we are "wired" to live internationally. She has known since the age of ten and I have known since I was about twenty-one.

Now is the time.

For many reasons:

1. We feel as though we have accomplished our primary goal of building relationships with our family. Since we are from Michigan and Texas and met while in Morocco, it was important to us to spend time with and get to know our family as a married couple. So we've spent time in Portland, the Austin area, and now Fort Wayne to be near our family. We are so encouraged and beloved by each of them and are continually thankful for them. But now we feel like it's time to make a "selfish" decision for us.
2. Our kids are still young. At five and three-and-a-half years old, their roots are not deeply planted. If they were older, I think it would be a bit more difficult to make such a drastic change. Of course we will miss our close friends here in Fort Wayne, but will be able to keep in touch online and when we visit during the summers.
3. We continually want to be in a frame to do whatever we are asked to do, wherever we are asked to do it. We have thoroughly enjoyed our time in Fort Wayne. Specifically for me, I have worked with incredible people at Fort Wayne Community Schools and would do it all over again if I got to take a mulligan. I have grown so much, both personally and professionally, largely due to refinement from my colleagues and friends.
4. We're simply wired this way. Some may relate to these wise words: "Does the clay say to him who forms it, 'What are you making?'".

How did you learn about this opportunity?

I'm not sure why, but I'm always surprised that so many people either never considered teaching overseas or never thought it possible. I have also encountered people who had considered in the past, but never acted on it for a variety of reasons. For people who know us, they're not surprised when we tell them of our next "adventure". For us, it's not as much of an adventure as it is the foreshadowed next chapter. (For the kids, though, it will certainly be a new adventure.)

When Kattie and I first ventured to Morocco, we had to ask our families and friends for a lot of extra support. This time, with a family, we are in a different stage of life. For those of you interested, there are literally thousands of opportunities to work in a school setting overseas. Some might think we're going overseas through the U.S. Department of Defense, but that is not the case. In fact, the U.S. Department of State recommends many American and International schools for Americans living abroad to send their kids for their schooling. A list of schools "at post" can be found on their Office of Overseas Schools website.

Many of these schools begin searching for applicants to fill vacancies at the end of each calendar year, but I began doing my "homework" in October. Initially, we wanted to go back to our beloved Africa and even explored the possibility of returning to Casablanca, Morocco, but there were no vacancies for me. With so much instability within many African countries, we thought it best to shift our focus to more stable countries, preferably in an Arab culture we enjoy so much. I started looking at Dubai and Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates, but noticed that many schools hire teachers through international recruiting fairs. So I registered for the closest one located at the University of Northern Iowa, taking place in early February (for more information, visit here). Through registering for the fair, a few schools were interested in me: one in Saudi Arabia, one in Cairo, Egypt, one in Hong Kong, and Awsaj Academy in Doha, Qatar. I Skype interviewed with the school in Hong Kong and Awsaj prior to the fair and they both wanted to offer me an initial two-year contract. Since our desire is to be in either Africa or the Middle East, we accepted the offer without even having to attend the recruiting fair, which turned out to be great since the winter weather was brutal this year.

It has been quite a journey these past several months preparing to leave, but we have learned many valuable lessons we would never have learned otherwise. If the learning curve will be this steep with moving back overseas, I'm excited! It means I'll get to embrace further refinement and growth as we submit ourselves to becoming better versions of ourselves daily.

As I reflect on life, regardless of circumstances, everyday frustrations, and frequent letdowns, I can always consider what is pure and beautiful, always hoping in the everlasting condition of being in the "right frame".