Déjà Vu

As so often happens with the ways of the world, people develop patterns, situations move in cycles, and strange things occur in a manner that makes you feel fairly positive  it has all happened once before. The past few weeks have been a bit of a déjà vu for me, a phrase I feel is even more appropriate now that I live in French-speaking country. After a rowdy kickoff to the beginning of the school year, traveling to eastern Europe, figuring out my schedule, and trying to make room for a social life, I found myself ensconced in a bit of a financial catastrophe for a while. The life of a freelancer means that along with flexibility and independence, you face the inherent pitfalls of instability. Students canceling or rescheduling left and right resulted in me broker than broke. I barely made it through Barcelona and that was only because my dear Daddy would never left his beautiful blonde baby starve. Post-holiday sanctuary, I once again had to face the inevitable realities of financial despair. The problem of course is that because of my school schedule and the commitments involved with my apartment situation, it is difficult to find a job that will be flexible enough to really work. That didn't stop me from searching but it certainly added a haze of melancholy gloom to the proceedings. 

Happily, just as happened last year when I was figuring out how on earth I would afford my trip home for the holidays, it rained and then it poured. I breathed, believed and then received. Not only was I able to land a job teaching the TOEFL exam at a school in my arrondissement, but it fits perfectly in my schedule and is a fantastic addition to my other pursuits. This of course meant that many disappearing students began reappearing immediately and my seemingly stagnant schedule is now fit to burst. The only negative aspect is that I now have no idea how to find time for my new running regime and school feels less tolerable than ever now that I would rather be doing one billion more productive things at that time. However, if you know me at all, you know full well that I thrive on being busy and active and social. I am a happier person as a result, and my energy level skyrockets. 

And if we are going for the theme of cyclical events, after going out with a bit of a Scottish douche bag in the early fall, this is just about the time I should meet a guy who seems amazing on every level, likes me a lot, and than magically disappears via distance and/or French film director tendencies to overemotionally want all of his cake and to eat it too. Oooooh the most wonderful time of the year...