Nicaragua: A time to every purpose

Amidst a conglomeration of the uncertain events which collectively contribute to this experience called life, we can always count on two daily occurrences: the dawning of a new day and the setting of a tired sun. 

Each new sunrise is a clean slate of potential and opportunity...

  

...Each sunset a reflection of life transpired.

In our respective lives, I hope that each setting sun may carry satisfaction and not sadness. I hope we are fulfilled with where and how we have trod, and not frightened by that which is to come. Mostly, I hope we recognize the beauty in each chapter closing and each consequential new beginning. 

My Nicaraguan sun is setting, and it's time to announce my recently-determined dawn. In these past two years, I have put thoughtful consideration into what should come next, and in that consideration, I have acknowledged the following:

- The field of education has a limitless capacity for human development.

- I like teaching.

- Not all education systems function equally. 

- Intellectually-stimulating environments are nice.

- My passion involves language learning.

- I would like a job where I can be based in the U.S., but have the continued opportunity to explore new places across the globe and understand different cultures, meanwhile inspiring other minds to embrace their curiosity, investigate old thoughts, and defend new ones.

Based on these criteria, my crystal ball revealed to me that I would do well teaching university-level Spanish in the future. Therefore, I decided to spend a painful amount of hours of studying for the GRE, revise application essays and personal statements a countless number of times, and take a chance at higher education so that I will eventually have the credentials to be a university professor. Throughout this whole process, I decided that I would only "do the grad school thing" and pursue this dream if someone else would fund my education.

So, here's the good news: higher education has decided to take a chance on me. I have accepted a spot in the Spanish Graduate Program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and will be heading back to school this fall. I'm certain that all of the sunrises and sunsets that have brought me to this point have all played a non-coincidental role in the sunrises and sunsets which lie on the horizon ahead. 

Fun fact: The somewhat spectacular sunrise and sunset photos featured in this post were taken this past weekend by yours truly.