Plot twist: Oryza creates a new blog.

But the word “creates” implies that this was totally intentional, that presumably I wanted to start something new. So, let me start over.

Oryza lost her blog.

First, let me share with you three lessons that I learned the hard way:

Every adult in existence who has ever told you to save and backup all your work was right all along.

Following their advice earlier, rather than having someone tell you on the other side of Customer Service that you should have done that, would hurt a lot less and probably save you from looking dumb when you’re in a public place, you’ve learned that you just lost your website, and the person on the other line just got hired at GoDaddy and has no idea how to fix your problem.

Nothing is free.

The word “free” is just a marketing tool to entice you. Somewhere in the annoying, boring, mega long Terms & Conditions (which you should all read from now on) says that you’re going to have to pay for the free services later on, probably when you’re already mega broke, all you wanted was a latte, but you couldn’t even buy the latte because you were charged $83.11 that morning when you didn’t check your bank account.

With time, and the grace of refund policies…

…every bad decision makes for funny stories to your younger sibling and friends.

Now that the embarrassing hard part’s over, I have exciting news to share!

The loss of my blog came at an opportune time as I’m about to embark on another adventure in my life. I started my previous blog the summer before I studied abroad in Brussels. I didn’t get to write as much as I’d hoped, and it ended up being less of a travel blog and more of a general website where I occasionally wrote some things related to my life. Now, I’ve chosen an apt theme that goes along with the mixture of things coming your way, at a time where connecting will be even more difficult because I will be moving from my hometown.

It is with joy that I share with you that I have accepted an offer as a Teach For America Corps Member in Jacksonville, Florida. I’m excited to spend the next two years in the classroom and in a robust, metropolitan area. I have a lot of life changes ahead of me, and knowing neither the area nor anyone who will be joining me, I know that the road ahead will not be short of challenges. But I hope that this new blog will be space for creativity, amusement, and reflection, if not to say a mere “hello, I’m still alive!” to my family and friends around the world.

So, here’s to starting anew and starting over, all at once. Cheers!