Building Igloos

2-11-08

After much thought, I've decided that after Peace Corps I am going to move to Texas and start a band. A degree in music has given me the technical experience and my years at the Detroit Symphony Orchestra have given me the management experience needed to succeed. What's even better, my little brother has expressed interest. Family groups are so hot right now. Just think of the past success rate – The Jackson 5, The Jonas Brothers, Mary-Kate and Ashley, those kids that sang the 'mmmm-bop' song. Seriously – it will be awesome.

So what are you going to do with your future?
THE FUTURE. A.k.a. the scariest words in Peace Corps at the moment. It's not just that I'm not sure what I want to do; it is that I'm clueless. I honestly thought that after two years here I would have an idea. I thought that something would jump out at me and send me in the right direction. For awhile it made sense not to focus on the question. Just give it some time, right?

Later I convinced myself that I would research the next time I had Internet. Ha! I forgot how to spend time on the Internet. The first time I seriously started to look I got hives. That may have been from the gas stove that was heating the apartment just behind me, but I'm convinced it was the stress of where to begin. I've googled "the perfect job" and then in desperation, "the perfect job for Emily." I did get to take a fun quiz after the first search. It told me I was a loner and should look into something that avoided people. Right. Who takes these quizzes anyway?

For awhile I persuaded myself that I would move to Kauai with my oldest brother and….well it was really just the Kauai part that got me thinking, but now that people aren't taking vacations to tropical islands that would probably be a bad idea, seeing that there are no jobs. Plus I would only have gotten work in the tourist industry. I've never been a waitress and I've never worked in retail, so that kind of screws me. (I know, what did I do before I got a real job?)

Now I face the uncertainty of the future with a serious aversion to the Internet (and possibly people) and completely unsure of what I actually want to do with myself. So what have I decided the best course of action should be? Give up trying to figure it all out. Not that I will stop searching and asking questions, but it always works out in the end and it is pointless to stress about it in the mean time.

So for the next 10 people that ask what I will do on my return to the homeland, my plan is to move to Alaska and start and igloo building company. A lot of people are looking for cheap housing at the moment and I made some mean snow forts as a child. Plus I can use the myth that Ukraine is like Siberia and that will give me some credibility. Right?