New beginnings

Two weeks into 2013 it is time for both reflection and also to look to the future. Although in reality little may change between the end of one year and the next, it is the symbolism of a new year that holds the allure that leads people to celebrate. It is a celebration of the passing of one year, and the promise of what the new year may hold. 

In reflection, 2012 was definitely a mixed bag for both the world as a whole and me as an individual. It started for me with what seemed like a great opportunity as I had decided to take a CELTA English teaching course in January for one month. The staff at the language school had forewarned me as to the stresses and the intensity of this undertaking, so I somewhat knew what to expect, but still didn’t quite realise how tough the course would be. 

The month-long course was extremely stressful and it felt very good to get through. There was a great sense of relief and also satisfaction being able to pass. It definitely felt like a real achievement and seemed to set me up well for a good year ahead in 2012. It felt like I had some direction again, as I planned to return to Romania (where I had been for six months in 2011) to teach English.

Unfortunately due to circumstances, I did not end up going back to Romania and began teaching English in Canterbury. It was somewhat enjoyable as I had some nice students and the language school that I was teaching at was very pleasant. The work was inconsistent though and didn’t last long. I also began to realise that perhaps TEFL teaching was not for me, as I began to find lesson planning very tough. 

I decided to persevere there and started looking for different places to teach both in the UK and abroad. I managed to get a position to teach at a summer school in Canterbury over the summer with teenagers but I didn’t really enjoy it much. I found kids much tougher to motivate than adults. This put me of TEFL teaching and has meant I have had to reconsider my options for the future as this is not a long term career plan for me.

On a more positive note, I started dating a lovely girl called Yariza in June and we have been together now for over seven months. This was very much a silver lining to what was otherwise quite a tough year. We see each other most days and it also led to me going to Lanzarote to stay with her and her family for two weeks in August. It is a really awesome place and I can understand why she misses it so much when she is here in gloomy England.

I have also really got into the idea of writing, and see this as a possible future career path. Although it may be far fetched I feel this is something I have always enjoyed but have lately rediscovered through a chance encounter. I have been writing articles for a trending website for about a month and have found this very rewarding. It is a really cool concept being able to reach a worldwide audience with both this blog and articles I write for the website. 

My articles can be found at www.suckmytrend.com. I know this name is kind of naughty but then that is the point. Just like Richard Branson's success with his Virgin brand, the name stuck in people's minds. If you are interested in the latest trends and news articles across the web then it is definitely the site for you to check out! 

Although the future can be a scary place and no-one really knows what is to come, I feel very positive about what 2013 holds.

All the best to everyone.

Follow @SimonTurkas