A New Beginning

I grew up in the city. Piercing horns and constant wrecks were a daily part of my life. I got so used to it, that I remained unfazed whenever something out of the blue occurred. Everyday was the same old, same old. Got up, went to work, got home, slept, repeat. Just like every other citizen of Chicago, you seem to deal with the struggles and take each day one step at a time. My job is just as slow going; I’m an assistant algebra teacher at Campton High. Amusing, as a job being a teacher was the last thing I had planned for myself, let alone in algebra. Who knew. However, I seem to be doing a good job, getting constant praise from my mentor and compliments from my students. Seems nice, right? Just, something’s missing. The fulfillment I thought I would get, being grown up, in my 20’s, a job and apartment of my own... It’s not as exciting as I’d imagined it to be. Being children, we often overlook the big struggles we may face as we age. I thought of myself being successful-don’t get me wrong, I’m supporting myself fairly well with what I’m given-although, certain individuals have different perspectives on what this successfulness really means. Some believe it means to be wealthy. Others, like myself, think it pertains to the quality of life, your happiness, and enjoyment of living. Sure, sometimes I wish I had more to spend, more to make, as maybe that would mean I could get the fulfillment I had always wanted as a child. That’s why I took the new job I had just been offered. The catch? It’s across the world, in a minuscule town located to the south of England. I had never even traveled out of the United States before, and I was about to leave everything I had known, to chase the imaginary successfulness I hoped to gain.

Hopping on that plane was terrifying. I was saying goodbye to the only existence I had known, and saying hello to one I didn’t even know I wanted to enter. Spoiler alert: I did it anyways. I arrived in England many, many hours later. I was exhausted and couldn’t even think straight, so I took an Uber to my new apartment, which I then remembered had a roommate. From what I could remember, her name is Amanda, and she works at a strawberry field. Seemed odd, but I didn’t comment. Instead, I murmured a small hello and collapsed into my bed. It wasn’t as comfy as the one I had back in Chicago, but I fell asleep immediately. As morning approached, I felt the grogginess set in. Might I add, I am definitely not a morning person, and my whole family can vouch for that; as can my new roommate, Amanda. I brewed a cup of coffee in silence, as I had usually done at home, and sat at the small table. Although, the quiet didn't last long. Amanda flung the door open, grabbed a can of yogurt, and said something inaudible before rushing out of the door. Peace settled once again, and I was able to somewhat enjoy the morning in a new country. After coffee, I started to unpack the little items I had brought along. A picture of my mother, a necklace from my grandmother, and a ring from my sister. My family lived in Georgia, so Chicago was quite a drive for them. This resulted in me only seeing them once every couple of months, if that. Now that I have moved to England, I expect to see them even less. Sometimes, phone calls really just aren’t enough, but if they’re all you have, it will just have to do. With that, I picked up the phone and dialed a number I had memorized since I was a child. A familiar voice chimed, “Hello, Anna! It’s so nice to hear from you. How is England, is everything fine?” I smiled and responded, “Hi, mama! I am settling in just fine, it‘s very cozy here, and my roommate seems nice.” Of course, I had lied a bit about that. In fact, I really didn’t like Amanda much, at all. Plus, I had only seen one backroad of England, and even that was a blurry memory already. But, I didn’t want her to worry, so I did my best to cover up the truth. Once you move across the country, it’s hard to go back. I could feel her smile through the phone as she said, “Good, good! I was just about to go run some errands, so I will call you later.” Before I could say goodbye, she had already hung up, and was probably out the door already. She was always a busy woman. Speaking of busy, I realized I was late for work. They wanted me in as soon as possible, and I had no choice but to agree. I quickly got into my uncomfortable, ill-fitting clothes and hurried out the door. My uber just pulled up as I walked outside. He greeted me and drove fast, sensing I was in a hurry. Finally, I saw where I would be working for many years to come. A ranch. It was called Lazy Dudes Ranch, and it was going to be a bit of a change from my original teaching job. I stepped outside the car and coughed by the sudden smell that overwhelmed my nose. It smelled like dung and hay. I walked towards the entrance and tried to get someones attention, but no one seemed to notice me, so I grabbed a broom and started sweeping the hallway of the office. “Can you come help with the horses?” A man asked. I turned around and smiled, putting the broom down and following him to the barn. I noticed that the smell was relatively worse here, but I tried putting that aside once I saw the horses. “We need to turn out a couple of them to their pastures, and clean their stalls,” He nodded towards a bay nearest to me, saying, “you can start with that one.” I grabbed the halter hanging on the stall door and slid it over the geldings head before leading him outside. Memories overwhelmed me from when I was a kid. I remember volunteering at a nearby stables every Saturday, enjoying the smell and the bruises and the excitement of working with such large animals. I got so caught up with the memories that I didn’t realize I was already at his pasture. I opened the gate and led him inside, slipping off his halter and watching him trot over to the hay pile. A sense of happiness rushed over me while I worked through the day, and it was already time to leave before I knew it. I gathered my stuff, said goodbye to my coworkers, and left for home. That night, I slipped into bed with a new feeling. It wasn’t satisfaction, not yet, but I felt like I finally had a purpose, a purpose that I enjoyed doing.