Ideas I've been toying with

I got to thinking the other day about my future--a subject I spend most of my time trying not to think about.  I wonder if I will always be a teacher.  I enjoy it, but two years in the public French school system has been frustrating.  The classes I've been giving lately to adults have somewhat renewed my interest in teaching.  The students are just so interesting and motivated.  It is absolutely a different world.  And even though classes are over at the university (probably, but who knows; the strike is so complicated!) the theme of my teaching this year has remained the same--teaching people English oriented to specific subjects has meant that I have learned a lot about stuff I didn't know about!  From the pneumologists I tutor, I have become conversant in medical concepts, and from the business people and my finance students I teach I have learned a lot about economics and have subsequently developed a keen interest in economic matters.  It's strange sometimes; after studying English lit and French in college, I never imagined that I would be interested in such practical matters!

So back to (thinking about) the future, I do really enjoy teaching; I just would like to have some other things on the side or something else I can delve into.  So I was thinking that translation would be a great field to get into.  I can do it in a lot of different places and it could be really interesting.  But then again, I think of every time someone asks me for a French word in English, and I always hesitate a lot, "Um, well it depends on the context and this and that." And then I give them a word and five minutes later I say, "No, well I don't think that word really has same meaning really expresses your idea." And then I bumble back and forth and usually don't find a good translation that I am satisfied with.  

 Once upon a time before I had ever studied a language, I imagined that translating was easy and that everything was just word for word.  I didn't understand why different people would translate the same text--what was the controversy with the first guy who did it?  Now, I realize how delicate and difficult translation is.  (And that is why you should never EVER trust an online translator.)  I'm not sure if I have the patience for this job.  Still, it's a consideration.

The other alternative I was thinking about was studying international relations.   The other day when I was spending my usual hour on www.cnn.com looking at world news when I realized just how interested I am in all of this!  A lot!  I'm not really sure what kind of job possibilities that could lead to, but it's still something to think about.

And, well, in light of this I started my own little project...which may sound strange--but I am faced with free time for the first time in a very long time.  I am wikipedia-ing every country in the world.  My interest in international relations is one reason.  But also I am sick of meeting people and having no idea where their home country is on a map and knowing nothing about it.  And I'm sick of reading news and not really knowing anything about the countries where the stuff is taking place.  And knowing some history helps put things into context.  My goal is to be able to identify every country on the map.  

The last idea I've been toying with is vegetarian, partially influenced by having seen Supersize Me the other day.  It would be hard to imagine that I would say this if you had witnessed the lengths I would take to avoid eating a vegetable when I was a child.  But then again, there are some delicious meats that Carlos brought me from Spain, and it would be a pity to waste them.  I think I'll just reduce my meat intake and find some new fun things to do with vegetables.   I am open to any suggestions!