The Next Chapter...

I am moving my blogging to another site.

Follow along http://arediscoveredlife.wordpress.com/

Every day is an attempt to understand what makes Candy happy. What makes me tick? What is it that excites or motivates me? I used to be happy exploring as a travel nurse. Being able to go all over this huge country living, working and exploring used to motivate me and excite me. Now? All I can think of is leaving....the next trip, the next adventure, how can I travel longer, where can I go.

In retrospection I have noticed that I am much more willing to brave the elements and explore on my own when I am out of my own country. I feel less inhibited when no one around me speaks my language. I am happy to be wandering aimlessly amidst the locals when I am an outsider. I'll sit comfortably for an afternoon at a local cafe and watch the people pass by and think about where they are going or watch them carry on with their daily lives, watching them work or play. I love to engage in conversation or share a knowing smile or laugh at something going on. Why is it that I feel like I 'fit' better where I don't belong?

Here I sit in Chicago.....

No motivation to do much of anything. There is tons to do and see but I feel lost and alone. I don't have the motivation to go on my own. I long for someone to share it with. I'm lonely.

So, what is my motivation? Leaving.....going somewhere new......the feeling of an aircraft taking off.....the unusual sights of a new culture.....the smells of food unknown....not understanding the voices surrounding me......not knowing what to expect. This is my motivation. My desire. The 'puts a smile on my face' moment.

February 11, 2011

What's significant about this? I'm leaving....going somewhere new....going to feel the airplane take off....transporting me to a new culture....with new smells....new sounds....new voices....not knowing what to expect!! There is a smile on my face just thinking about it. It's one of my moments....

The date/time-frame was set months ago. My plans have changed multiple times. Travel partners have come and gone for various reasons. Finally, I decided to plan it on my own. I picked a place I could travel alone. Decided that it was useless depending on others to travel with me. Besides, this was about me. Me being motivated. Bringing the smile back to my face.

So, where am I going? South America. It was decided after a friend mailed me a wedding invitation for Playa Del Carmen at the end of March. I needed to be somewhere that i could easily travel to the wedding. This is the person that inspired me after all!! (see profile)

Once I decided to make the leap alone, I was discussing it with a friend and she has decided tto join me. Teresa and I will be traveling together.....I've very excited. We are spending 7 weeks together in Bolivia, Peru and Ecuador. Following this, Teresa will fly home and I am onward to the wedding in Playa Del Carmen. I'm very happy to be included in such a special day for a special friend.

I keep running through the finances, the timing and everything else and I really want to extend the trip and spend some time on my own. i am tryiing to figure out how to add an extra month after the wedding to travel in Central America. I would like to try to settle into a place for at least 3-4 weeks and see what I think about living as a local in a culture so unfamilar to me. I want to see if it will bring the 'puts a smile on my face' moment.

I'll keep you posted......

So, I really want to get to where things are today and my upcoming plans......

But, first things first! Providence!

Providence was interesting. On arrival at the location of my new apartment I was a bit, ok I was a lot intimidated. It's a very run-down neighborhood and didn't appear to be a safe part of the city. I went ahead and took a peek at the apartment, was reassured by the maintenance guy that it's a safe place and fell in love with the loft type apartment. It was beautiful. If only it was in a different part of town....

Trinity helped me settle in and we explored the city a little. We were both worn out from the road trip and decided that neither of us was up for a whole lot of exploring. Too soon, she had to leave and I started work.

Working at Providence VA was a great experience. The crew there is awesome! Love those nurses and will miss all of them.

Unfortunately, I was working 8 hour night shifts and hated them. I used to having several days a week off to go explore and I was just exhausted working 5 days a week. So, I didn't do hardly anything of note during my time in Providence...it's sad, there is so much to see and do in the area that I feel like I truly missed out. (Insert feeling sorry for myself, here)

I did meet some great people and feel like I made some life-time friends so all is not lost.

Thanks to the crew at Providence for all the fun after work drinks and making me feel welcome.

If your interested, there are a few more Providence pictures HERE.

Highlights:
- Quatro Fromagio Pizza at 0200
- My Loft Apartment
- The Night Shift Crew!!
- Afterwork Drinks!

I planned to stay with my friend Lisa so I could have foot surgery in April after returning from New Orleans with Mom and Dad. Just a quick run-down of several months of much of nothing...

April 15th: Surgery
April 24th: Charlotte born
April 25th: interviewed and got position with VA Travel Nurse Corp
May 20th: Second Surgery
June 20-29: Phoenix AZ for Orientation with TNC

Most of April to June was spent sitting around on my ass trying to recouperate from surgery. I had a great time visiting with Lisa, getting to know my new Grandbaby, Charlotte, enjoying time with both the kids Corey and Trinity and generally feeling useless.

Trinity decided to take a road-trip with me to my newest travel assignment with the VA TNC in Providence, RI. We had a great trip. My camera was broken but Trinity got some great photos along the way...she has yet to share them with me though! I'll have to get her busy on that. We were disappointed by Hershey, PA but enjoyed all of the covered bridges in PA.

I'm not certain that I'm ready to be a Grandma......

....but, I had fun (much to my Son's dismay) pretending to be one!!