Mariposas

Well, I must be honest.  This is my first true blog... ever.  It's rather intimidating.  Course, maybe everything is feeling intimidating right now.  I guess I'll start by explaining why I've started a blog.  If it's a good blog, you can blame my Aunt who encouraged me to start a blog to document the beginning of my travels.  If it's bad, then you can blame blogger for encouraging a lot of useless writing. ;-)

It all started last year when I became restless... again.  It happens every 2 years or so... I always feel this insane desire to move somewhere else once I've gotten a good solid life under me.  I guess that's my crazy side... which oddly enough is also the reason I still don't own a couch or any other major furniture.  Luckily, I'd already set down some good groundwork with my manager and she'd been looking for a new opportunity... away from Rochester.

It began with New York (as most of my rumormonger friends are aware)... but that quickly fell apart... and that's when I learned to keep my mouth shut about any possibilities.  It took a solid 2-3 months for the "So... I heard you were moving to New York..." comments to stop.  Next was the possibility of going to India... I researched this one a little bit... even chatting with some people who had gone to India for IBM.  But that one also fell through... luckily it was a tight-lipped disappointment.  One day my manager came to me and asked what I thought of Mexico.  Having two setbacks under my belt, I was wary.  However, inside I was jumping up and down.  I went to Guadalajara in February to help train some financial analysts down there (and to scope it out).  I felt pretty comfortable with the idea and after several months I accepted an offer to move down there for 2 years and work for IBM Mexico.

So... that's my news.  I'm moving to Mexico.  It still sounds weird when I say it.  I've had to keep it under-lid for quite a while, but it's been officially announced in Mexico and I'm less than two months away from moving... so I now feel comfortable sharing it publicly.

It's been a year in the making and quite honestly it's been a bit exhausting at times.  Squeaks of joy, tears of frustration, a lot of indecision and probably a few happy jigs have brought me to this point.  I'm excited and also scared out of my mind.  I'm sure many of you can relate.  I am excited for this new chapter in my life and for the opportunity to live internationally.  I just hope I don't die from a drug cartel (just kidding mom!!! ha ha ha).