“Don’t cry because it’s over…smile because it happened” -Dr. Seuss
Leaving Prague…the people, places, culture, sounds, and even smells all made it an amazing place to live and work. I write this post as I reflect on the 1 year since I originally arrived in Prague and began my TEFL course. A lot has transpired since then and while I ended up leaving the Czech Republic this summer, the decision was certainly not easy.
If you had asked me 2 years ago where I saw myself, I would have never said living and working half way across the world. Well, the future is ours to create and that is what I did. Even as it could be viewed as a wild trajectory off the career path I had originally chosen out of college, I knew it was the right move.
As Ralph Waldo Emerson once said: “Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail”.
We each need to choose our own path to follow. While sometimes that path is one pre-determined by many other external factors, for others, they decide they do not want that, and blaze their own trail. So, instead of listing reasons for my leaving, I want to impart lessons I learned:
- Follow your passion and desires. I am confident you will not regret it.
- Everyday you’ll encounter new challenges and problems to solve, but you’ll feel the truest sense of freedom knowing you, and you alone, are responsible for your success or failure.
- Change is a part of live. Getting out of your comfort zone on a semi-regular basis helps you grow and does not become a burden for which you base your decisions on.
- Take time to reflect on what you have tried and accomplished. You’ll end up with a satisfied feeling.
- My “life experiment” in Prague was 1 year. I used to think that was a long time but over the course of a normal male life (in the US), it’s only 1.27%*
- Looking back, you will be more disappointed at the things you did not do rather than the things you did do.
Upon my own internal reflection, the experience changed my attitude towards life, views, and what I want to do with my life. No, not all my questions have been answered but I feel as though I gained clarity in a sense of what life should mean to me instead of one prescribed by others.
I have never had such feeling of freedom and exploration before: the sense of truly living. As many fellow expatriate’s can attest to, it is hard to sum up in words the feelings. Life is a journey and while I have my sights on several different opportunities that would allow me to continue this journey of exploration, education, and self-development, I know travel will always be an integral part of it.
Prague: You taught me immeasurable lessons about life, love, and living. It is a city I will always hold near and dear to me and one I will never forget…I will be there again.
So for now, it’s not a goodbye, but I’ll see you later
*Source: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/life-expectancy.htm (78.8 years)
Travelnues 