Pilgrimage of Artemis
The Leap
I've officially decided to leave in June for Nepal.
I plan on going with a program called Volunteer Community Development Nepal. Through them I get to go live in a monastery for a few weeks, during which time I will be teaching English and art classes. :-) Its stationed in Katmandu and fairly near to a lot of World Heritage sites and temples (which I looove). Its a bit pricey but its an experience, and I need something to wake up my mind and shake me up a bit. Working at the casino lately has made me a bit jaded about the world. haha.
This then brings me, to what led to this....
Since graduating last May, my life has taken some interesting, and difficult twists and turns. It all began my last day of classes, when I tentatively asked my anthropology professor how I could learn more about the Pequot War. He invited me to come check out the Mashantucket Pequot Museum, where he and other students were working on several archaeological digs. I excitedly accepted and a month later I was getting a tour around the museum. When we got to one of the sites, already a crowd of students and workers were down in the dirt at an old Pequot fort. I immediately saw Nate, covered in dirt, who crept out of the unit when he saw us approach. We spoke briefly, as he was the professor's son, and learned he was leaving for Armenia in a few days. I was disappointed he was leaving, but immediately intrigued. When I left that day, I saw a strange trail of roses leading from the museum. I took it as a sign that something important had occurred. I knew I was on the right path.
I enjoyed immensely working as an archaeologist and met some amazing people, along with Nate. I was very excited when he returned from Armenia, and I continued to speak with him occasionally. It wasn't until he offered to carpool with me every morning that things with him began to pick up. We started dating towards the end of the summer.
Unfortunately in the fall, after 6 months of working, the museum budget was cut drastically and I lost my job as an archaeologist, and overtime so did all of the other new hires. I was left with no prospects though I was lucky that I had saved enough to get by. It was a long dark fall and winter, applying to jobs that didn't reply, and trying to pass the time with my creativity. I made all my Christmas gifts, including my new obsession, making feather inspired jewelry. This eventually became my small business, Feathers of Artemis. I now have a website on etsy.com, feathersofartemis.etsy.com. I also began writing a novel, which I continue to work on, mostly with Nate's encouragement.
Two months ago I finally got a job as a hostess at the Summer Shack in Mohegan Sun. While not an ideal job, it was a job, and I was happy to finally have an income and could also expand Feathers of Artemis. A month later I was also hired at Horizons to work at a group home for special needs adults in Willimantic. I work with several special needs adults, many of whom need 24 hour care. Its a bit more difficult than I expected, and I do not know how long I will be able to work there, as many of the issues hit close to home, but I hope in time the job will feel fulfilling.
As for now, I have two jobs, one small business, a book in the works, a couple paintings, and am hoping in June to get time off work to volunteer in a Buddhist monastery in Nepal where I can teach English while learning more about Buddhism. I hope that once again I am choosing the right path
I plan on going with a program called Volunteer Community Development Nepal. Through them I get to go live in a monastery for a few weeks, during which time I will be teaching English and art classes. :-) Its stationed in Katmandu and fairly near to a lot of World Heritage sites and temples (which I looove). Its a bit pricey but its an experience, and I need something to wake up my mind and shake me up a bit. Working at the casino lately has made me a bit jaded about the world. haha.
This then brings me, to what led to this....
Since graduating last May, my life has taken some interesting, and difficult twists and turns. It all began my last day of classes, when I tentatively asked my anthropology professor how I could learn more about the Pequot War. He invited me to come check out the Mashantucket Pequot Museum, where he and other students were working on several archaeological digs. I excitedly accepted and a month later I was getting a tour around the museum. When we got to one of the sites, already a crowd of students and workers were down in the dirt at an old Pequot fort. I immediately saw Nate, covered in dirt, who crept out of the unit when he saw us approach. We spoke briefly, as he was the professor's son, and learned he was leaving for Armenia in a few days. I was disappointed he was leaving, but immediately intrigued. When I left that day, I saw a strange trail of roses leading from the museum. I took it as a sign that something important had occurred. I knew I was on the right path.
I enjoyed immensely working as an archaeologist and met some amazing people, along with Nate. I was very excited when he returned from Armenia, and I continued to speak with him occasionally. It wasn't until he offered to carpool with me every morning that things with him began to pick up. We started dating towards the end of the summer.
Unfortunately in the fall, after 6 months of working, the museum budget was cut drastically and I lost my job as an archaeologist, and overtime so did all of the other new hires. I was left with no prospects though I was lucky that I had saved enough to get by. It was a long dark fall and winter, applying to jobs that didn't reply, and trying to pass the time with my creativity. I made all my Christmas gifts, including my new obsession, making feather inspired jewelry. This eventually became my small business, Feathers of Artemis. I now have a website on etsy.com, feathersofartemis.etsy.com. I also began writing a novel, which I continue to work on, mostly with Nate's encouragement.
Two months ago I finally got a job as a hostess at the Summer Shack in Mohegan Sun. While not an ideal job, it was a job, and I was happy to finally have an income and could also expand Feathers of Artemis. A month later I was also hired at Horizons to work at a group home for special needs adults in Willimantic. I work with several special needs adults, many of whom need 24 hour care. Its a bit more difficult than I expected, and I do not know how long I will be able to work there, as many of the issues hit close to home, but I hope in time the job will feel fulfilling.
As for now, I have two jobs, one small business, a book in the works, a couple paintings, and am hoping in June to get time off work to volunteer in a Buddhist monastery in Nepal where I can teach English while learning more about Buddhism. I hope that once again I am choosing the right path
