Being and Becoming Revised

Josh, the other day you made a comment in one my posts about my time here and how I was spending it. You asked about me about what happened to "being and becomming." I appreciate your words, even though they seemed a little harsh to my ears, because they made me think. What am I doing here? From my parents and other folks here I am always being asked about my future. "What are you going to do with your life Richard?" On the wall of a room in North Carolina hangs my communication degree, and what is it doing for me? What I am going to do when I get home? It's gig time, what t-shirt am I going to wear? Questions like these are really important I know, and I run them through my mind constantly.

But a few days ago I came to this realization. I have these two different worlds that I exist in. Each of these worlds have their own set of goals and priorities, friends and what not. In America I have there are these goals I have regarding work and starting to pay off student loans and creating a new life for my self after college (not in Berea). And originaly when I came to Bolivia study I was still apart of that world. I new when I was going to go home and things were more definite.

However upon deciding to stay and live in Santa Cruz, I created this new world for myself. The goals I have here don't apply to my life in America. Here I have a jobs teaching english both privately and most recently at the Instituto Superior de Idiomas. With this work in place, one of my goals is completed. I also have this goal of serving those in need, and this is fufilled through my work in Juan Latino and working with other Baha'i youth in a local colegio. I also have friends here, and I am part of a social structure. I suppose that for my time here I am very fufilled.

I really don't know yet what I am "being and becoming" yet Josh, all I can tell you is that my time here has had its ups and downs, but my experiences here have and continue to change me physically and mentally all for the better. Perhaps I will discover my purpose here tomorrow, or maybe the day I get on the plane to leave. Until then I am just going to be. And probably get smaller too.