I'll be leaving for the United States tomorrow hoping to mop up some business in my home country, the most important being my eye care. I'm worried about the changeover in Peking, so I'm only packing carry-on stuff. I have 50 minutes between flights, and my last changeover in China took 4 hours before I even got to the gate. We'll see. I'll land in Washington, D.C., then travel to Ohio, then back to D.C., then to Poland on Jan. 17. In Poland, the priority will be finding a place for me, Joanna and Phuong to live. We'll see how that goes as well. Interestingly, after I accepted the Poland job, the University in Ecuador contacted me for a Skype interview about teaching in Cuenca. It was a job I was very interested in. But once the White Monkey makes a decision and commitment, he usually sticks to it. Poland it is. I used a cheap ticket site on the internet called Kiwi, and my one-way ticket from Washington, D.C., to Katowice, Poland, cost $292. The flight stops in Edinburgh, Scotland, and Amsterdam -- Kiwi says I will need a transit visa in Scotland, Amsterdam and Poland. But these are EU countries and I'm an American citizen, so I'm just going to show up visa-less and hope for the best. I really don't want hassles on this trip because I'm stressed enough about a new job, new locale and not being with Phuong and Joanna. Once I'm in Poland, I assume I'll start work right away, get the necessary paperwork for Phuong, and return to Vietnam to bring everyone to Poland, provided I have an acceptable place to live. Then I'll get back to work, which I'm really looking forward to. Joanna is a very common name in Poland, like John in the U.S., or Nguyen in Vietnam. So our move seems like a natural thing to do. Really, we're trying to do what's best for our daughter, so we think this is the right thing to do. Wish us luck.
I didn't need any luck to finish my tennis career in Vietnam with five straight victories, including a 6-3 win over a tired and disinterested Tai that may have pushed me to the No. 1 ranking. The WTA is tallying the points. I beat Phuong twice on Sunday, 6-4 6-4, but I was physically exhausted afterwards and I'll need some time off to recover. Once Phuong's serve gets a little more consistent, the White Monkey will consider retirement. She hits deep and runs down every ball. She's a real competitor. And she's young, compared to the White Monkey, so it's just a matter of time before she takes the top ranking in our rivalry. And then there's the tall and physically gifted Joanna waiting in the wings ...
I finished my blog "book": The TEFL Tales of The White Monkey, by putting together my blogs and selecting some photos. We're getting it printed locally and I'll take a copy to the U.S. for my friend Ron, who may go completely off the grid and into the wild. I don't think anyone would publish my "book" and no one has approached me for the film rights. But it was kind of fun for me to look back over the last 6 to 7 years when I was putting it together. I currently have 30,330 blog page views, so I'm semi-proud of my blog. And of course, thank you Phuong for helping put the book together and getting it printed. I can't do anything without this woman.
Best wishes on Poland, John!!!
ReplyDeleteWhat an interesting life! I dream about starting my life this way. Stories like yours really motivate and inspire me to press on. All the best in Poland! How do I get a copy of this book?
ReplyDeleteJohn love your stories. Best of luck in Poland and getting family there. I have a friend who left Poland at 18 and lived in the States since early 80s. His name is Janusz Sidor and visits few times annually. Perhaps he could help you settle there. Let me know where you be staying. I know he love to help. Love ya and wishing you the best. When the book is published I want to buy a copy. Take care. Travel safe. Eric
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