Musings on Life and Love

When I worked at the University of Kassel in Germany, my boss had a poster in our office that said: “Hier und jetzt zufrieden sein”.  I liked this poster and I found myself staring at it whenever I was contemplating a tricky problem.  I didn’t know what it meant, but it didn’t matter.  I liked the way the words felt when I said them.  It was months before I looked up the translation and discovered what had accidentally become my motto:

“Be satisfied here and now.”

My name is Amy and I’m a fiercely proud Rhode Islander currently living in Santiago, Chile.  I left my beloved home state after high school and I haven’t looked back, resulting in sometimes simultaneous feelings of adventure and wistfulness.  I found my way to Musings because I was looking for answers, and now I’m contributing because I still don’t have the answers, but I like being part of the conversation.  I have an MA in Higher Education management and I hope to use it someday.  For now, my days are filled with English teaching, mountain biking (i.e. falling) and playing with my spectacularly uncoordinated dog, Messi.

I moved to Chile because my partner is Chilean, and I wanted to understand his culture and history.  I’m glad I did, because the experience hasn’t so much broadened my horizons as it has cracked them right-wide-open.  It’s challenging, but I love it- most of the time.  There are some days when I feel like I have a neon sign above my head, flashing the word “GRINGA”.

I spend my time over-thinking the future, reminiscing about the past and trying to be satisfied here and now.  And making a fool of myself en español.