I Traveled to Remind Myself I Could do Anything I Wanted
Greenheart Travel hears from people all the time about why they want to travel, why they want to teach abroad or work abroad. Sometimes it’s a desire to see the world, or it’s a mysterious pull to “just go”, and sometimes it’s a need to start fresh, to rekindle confidence and curiosity. Here’s Alessandra’s story.
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I chose to teach abroad in Thailand about six months prior to separating from the US Air Force.
Life at that point was not easy—I had been through a lot. I knew that as soon as I got out, there was no way I could go directly to a regular 9-5 job in the USA. I needed a break, something to make me feel alive again, and especially something to remind me that I could do anything I wanted, anywhere I wanted, with whoever I wanted in the world—a feeling that I hadn’t exactly had since joining the Air Force almost ten years prior.
So, when I was finally released in November 2021, my first and really only “job” application was to teach English in Thailand. I had spent four of my active duty years in Europe working for NATO, so I had already felt as though I had “conquered” Europe. Asia, Australia, and Africa were untouched territory at that point. I chose Thailand specifically because I knew virtually nothing about it, which would prove to be a very necessary challenge for myself on a daily basis.
What I was searching for—inner peace, calm, and most importantly, self-confidence and self-assuredness—came in the form of 77 big-hearted Thai pre-teens, beautiful travel opportunities, and lifelong friends. What I was able to achieve in my little town of Songkhla, Thailand healed my brain and my heart and helped me jumpstart my next career as a Registered Behavior Technician, and eventually a Board Certified Behavior Analyst. While I now get to work with kids on a daily basis, I will never forget my “OG” kiddos from Anuban Songkhla! 😊
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Thank you Alessandra for sharing your story. We are glad to hear your travel helped you and jumpstarted your career. Sending you our thoughts and support!
If you are looking for something to refresh and restart your life, travel for a change with Greenheart Travel.