The last year has been a whirlwind. In November, I decided to leave my position at MC. While I enjoyed parts of working there, it wasn't a good fit for me. I was feeling very stressed and my migraines were increasing as a result. More than anything, I really missed teaching. I had some limited opportunities to teach at MC, and it was becoming clear to me that it would be an outlying part of my job.
Shortly after finishing my final semester at MC, I left for a week of holiday with a friend. We had planned the holiday over the summer, and scheduled for school holidays. Sara and I packed our bags and headed to the Azores, an autonomous region of Portugal. We spent a week on São Miguel Island, the largest of the islands in this archipelago. The weather wasn't great by Azores standards, but for those of us escaping winter in Pennsylvania, it was a nice break! It was incredibly humid though! My swimsuit didn't try for the entire week. (I ended up using a hairdryer on it to draw some moisture out before packing it in my backpack!)
Despite some stormy days and incredible wind, we managed to do quite a lot. We went whalewatching, during which we didn't see any whales, but we saw a gorgeous double rainbow over the water!
We booked a few jeep tours, which let us go off the beaten path and enabled a wonderful combination of education and adventure. We had amazing tour guides, who knew their history and biology well.
As you can imagine, I literally took hundreds of pictures, and selecting a few for this post has been difficult! The Azores are volcanic islands, and the volcanic rock in some areas contributes to the green appearance of some of the lakes. Others are the most amazing shades of blue.
The picture above is overlooking Sete Cidades, which is a gorgeous spot where two lakes, one blue and one green, meet. This picture doesn't do it justice! It is stunning to see.
We rented a tiny little car for one terrifying day. I was the driver. Between the fog and the steep inclines of every narrow road, it was an experience I will never forget! We wove our way from one end of the island to the other, determined to make the most of the experience. Sara and I both realized we are very dependent on Google Maps! Reading a traditional map while zipping around sharp turns is an art form we have not learnt!
On one of our last days, we tasted fofa, a sweet treat that resembles an eclair. Warm from the kitchen, it was delicious with a coffee!
With each day, Sara and I continued to be amazed at the beauty of this island. The roads are lined with hydrangeas, many of the roads wind around stunning cliffs by the ocean, and the vivid green of the land is almost overwhelming, even in winter. I can only imagine how magnificent this must look in the bright light of summer.
I seldom revisit vacation destinations, but I can see myself returning to the Azores, to explore other islands. It was truly beautiful, and my first taste of Portugal, although it wasn't continental Portugal! It was wonderful to hear Portuguese being spoken. It rekindled my interest in Portuguese, which was first sparked when visiting my parents in Moz in 2012.
My vacation ended in a flash. Our return was extended by one day due to a missed connection. We arrived back and two days later, I resumed my teaching job with CC, teaching English as a Second Language to adults. Walking into my makeshift classrooms felt like taking a deep breath of fresh air. Despite the uncertainty of what would come next in terms of a permanent job, I knew I had made the right choice.
