Growing up in a small town in Georgia, I did not expect my life to be that exciting. My parents were not particularly adventurous people, and their only expectations of me were to get a stable job and to start a family. So, imagine their surprise when, during my senior year of high school, I announced that I would be moving to New York after graduation to study acting.
I did it, too. At the age of 17, I moved to New York City and studied acting at The American Academy of Dramatic Arts. Two years later, I moved back to Georgia and received my Bachelor's Degree in Performing Arts at The University of Georgia.
The next ten years of my life were spent in the crazy world of film and television production. Though I often acted in local theater and had some bit parts in small movies and t.v. shows, most of my career revolved around the actual production of feature films.
I absolutely loved the experience. I traveled all over the country, working on various movies and shows. I got to meet countless celebrities, learn the film business, and constantly travel.
Be that as it may, working in the movie industry has plenty of drawbacks. Working in movies means dealing with lots of ego, and constantly looking for your next job. Though I wouldn't trade my experiences for the world, after ten years, it was time for something new.
I have always been more motivated by experience than by money. From a very early age, I knew that a typical boring life was never going to be in my future. With that in mind, I booked a flight to Harbin, China, where I secured a job as an English language teacher.
Teaching English in a foreign country was life-changing. I had always loved to travel, but the idea of completely immersing myself in a different country and culture made this job all the more appealing. It was a win-win situation. I would teach my students English, and they would, in turn, use that English to teach me about their country.
For the next five years, I traveled the world teaching English. I taught in Vietnam, Morocco, Turkey, and Serbia. I loved teaching so much that I had started to plan the different countries that I would live in, and also started looking at different Masters Degrees in Teaching.
All of that quickly changed when, in late 2019, Covid hit. I was working for a school in Morocco that had to shut its doors when the country went into full lockdown. Morocco's lockdown was particularly strict and long-lasting. I tried to teach my students online, but I just didn't find the same joy in it as I did when I taught the students in person.
Out of desperation and boredom, I started to look for other areas where I might earn a living doing something interesting. Preferably, I wanted a job that allowed me to work remotely and would allow me to travel again once the pandemic had passed. Throughout my life, I have enjoyed writing as a hobby and decided to give it a try and see if I could make it into a new career.
It was at that moment when I came on board as the Editor and Storyteller for Pedacitos Blog. It was a perfect fit! I am now able to write about and discuss all of the adventures I have had throughout my travels. In fact, as I write this article, I am currently living in a small coastal town in Southern Albania. I'm sitting on the beach, looking at the crystal clear water of the Mediterranean Sea, and imagining all of the steps that led me here.
I am so excited about my own future and the future of Pedacitos Blog. 2020 was a difficult year for all of us, but it was also a chance to reevaluate our circumstances and that which makes us most happy.
I am happiest when I travel. I want to continue to surround myself with fellow travelers, learn their stories, and tell them mine. With the help of the Pedacitos team, I can now do just that!
Want to know more? Are you interested in becoming a contributor for Pedacitos? We'd love to hear your stories! Send me a message and I will get back to you!
Ryle, we are so happy that you are here to share your experiences with us!