The Job Search Begins

Whew, I've made it back to the States after a chaotic final few weeks in Naples and the usual 20 hours of travel! In my effort to leave on a positive note, I spent much of my remaining time there "closing out" my life -- saying good-byes, clearing out my things, and trying to transition my teaching jobs into the hands of American and British acquaintances. After my decision to leave, it was somewhat difficult to take the appropriate time and energy to do this sufficiently; however, despite the usual challenges, I feel at peace with my departure.

Less than 24 hours after landing, I had already begun a full-scale attack to find my next job and plan my career future. I am incredibly excited about what the future may hold, and look to my experience in Italy to only bolster my ability to get a job in the international field. In fact, (although I do not feel at liberty to speak too openly about exactly what I want to do because I am still exploring that myself), one thing I am certain of about my future job in that it is in the international arena. My life-long interests, education and experience lead me to believe that this is the proper fit of me. So, I am currently looking at international jobs in the private and non-profit sectors.

Shameless Self-Promotion: Many of the job-search books I have consulted emphasize the importance of networking in the job search process, so I am shamelessly asking anyone and everyone I know for help. If you have any ideas, know anyone, etc. that may help me gain employment with an international company or organization, please let me know! You can do this by emailing or calling me (if you have my contact info) or commenting on this blog (comments go straight to my email account).

Big Announcement on Andrea's Future

In two weeks, I will be completing my second three-month stay in Naples, Italy. After much thought and prayer, I have decided not to return to Italy after my trip back home in October but, instead, to stay in the States and look for employment. Although I am sad to leave my friends (and especially my boyfriend) in Naples, I am certain this is the best decision and am excited to get back the good ol’ U.S.A.

Many who have followed this blog are aware that my time in Naples has been challenging. I am proud of the things I have accomplished here (acclimating into a new and different culture, beginning to learn a new language, making a decent profession for myself) and do not regret my decision to give it a try, but I feel very strongly that God is telling me it is not the place I should be now. Most importantly, although many people (Italians and expats) assure me it is perfectly fine to live and work here illegally, I refuse to do that any longer; however, getting the proper paperwork to stay is a long, cumbersome and confusing process. It requires someone really be committed to making Italy their home, which I am not. I have never completely liked it and career opportunities (especially in Naples) are extremely limited (if you don’t want to settle for teaching English).

I will cherish the time I have spent in Italy, but I look forward to saying arrivederci to Italy and stepping back on American soil!

(The picture above was taking on the island of Capri last week, where Mohamed and I attended a wedding as English-speaking witnesses.)

Short Trip to the Amalfi Coast

The Amalfi Coast is truly a place of beauty and splendor just 1-2 hours from Naples. People from all over the world flock to this area just east of the Sorrentine Peninsula to catch glimpes of towns clinging to steep cliffs or nestled on the water between lush, green mountains. The town of Maiori hosts a coastline of prestine beaches, colored with beach umbrellas and recreational boats. While towns like Amalfi and Positano seem to attract more foreign tourists, Maiori is a bathing resort for local Italians.

In our last attempt to embrace the spirit of vacation (and before I start back to work full-time Monday), Mohamed and I took a short trip to Maiori last week, where we met up with our friends Bruno and Patty and their children. Bruno and Patty have a boat, which gave us an opportunity to enjoy breathtaking views of the coast from the water and endulge in some beachtime on a secluded, rocky beach close to Amalfi.

I got some great pictures of the trip! You may view them at http://www.andreasodyssey.shutterfly.com/.