Lightning Beyond the River in The Stuff That's Not Interesting But Is The Most Interesting Stuff I'll Write

I left quarantine on a Thursday, the next Monday morning I started training at my new job.

That whole process was mind-blowing to me. I had my choice of five different positions. The one I wanted most implied that they were going to go with another candidate because they were closer to the area, so I signed a contract for my second choice. The next day, my first choice school contacted me and offered the job. I politely told them that I was no longer available so they came back with a 25% salary increase, but I had already signed the contract so I still was unavailable.

It was just the start of the truly head-spinning experience that has been my time in Bangkok. I was originally not supposed to start teaching until October 1, but the teacher I was replacing had a Covid-related medical emergency and had to stop down, so I was starting immediately (hence the Monday morning training). It’s Saturday now, and I just had my first full week of teaching.

I officially canceled my flight back to California yesterday and signed a contract for a very lovely apartment overlooking the river halfway between the school I am teaching at and downtown Bangkok.

I look around and see that I did it, and I feel quite overwhelmed. There’s been so much go! go! go! that I haven’t really had a moment to stop and look around. China’s new policy outlining online teachers who aren’t currently within Chinese borders meant that I started work just in time since I technically lost that job last week. Tomorrow are my final classes with my Chinese students. If I were still in America, I would have just lost my only source of income and been forced back into retail or some other part of the private sector.

Instead, I’m in my condo on the 28th floor of a high rise, watching lightning in the distance past the river. I’m still overwhelmed, but mostly because it’s a feeling of “what now”…