Need some encouragement

[JadeOrchidSong]

I feel bored. Very bored. I feel I lead a life of isolation in a vacuum. I long for interaction with people that is mentally stimulating. I have a weekly women's Bible study, and two co-op meetings a month, and Sunday church. I miss seeing people of other categories and I feel I don't see men at all except at church.

I just miss the academic environment I used to be in in China. I was a professor of English to medical students in graduate school or adults seeking to improve their English speaking and listening skills. I miss the work environment and certainly the money that goes with it, too.

I saw Christmas party pictures of my former adult student with her colleagues who is now a dentist in Boston. I suddenly felt very envious. Of course coming here from China she had to go to medical school again to get her qualifications up to work here, which involved living in another city for school and only going home to her hubby and baby girl on the weekend. That part I certainly don't envy. Sorry for the vent. This is the first time I feel very bored with my life. Homeschooling is going very well by the way. But I just don't feel very cheerful at this moment.

[TXMomof4]

Maybe you could find a way to use your skills teaching English locally? Our church in Dallas was desperate for people to help with their FriendSpeak program to teach conversational English to (mostly) Chinese foriegn exchange students at the college level. Maybe there's a similar program where you are?

[Mergath]

I hear you. When I was pregnant with dd, I went from taking advanced undergrad and graduate-level classes at a great university in a diverse city with amazing arts and culture opportunities to being a sahm in a small rural town. I think I was in shock for about six months, and then for another six I almost went out of my mind with boredom.

 

Basically, I just keep looking for people that like to discuss the same things I do. And there aren't many. I read a lot, too, and go to events out of town when I have the money.

 

I also lecture dd quite a bit about topics that are way, way too advanced for her, like political science or physical anthropology. She doesn't absorb much, but it makes me feel like I'm using my brain.

 

I'll be watching to hear what other people say, because really, I'm having the same problem and just haven't found much of a solution yet.

[WarriorMama]

:grouphug: I hear you. I love my kids and homeschooling, but sometimes I just want to talk to grown-ups. But then in the few social situations I have that involve adults, nobody wants to talk about anything but sports or how much they hate their job. Sometimes I want to scream "DOESN'T ANYBODY WANT TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ANYMORE?!?!?!" :confused:

 

Bah humbug. I think I need new friends.

 

I'm taking some college courses online right now. It doesn't provide interaction, but it does let me feel like I'm using my brain, and that's made a big difference for me. I also think maybe I'll get back into blogging...you can find people who want to talk about just about anything on the internet! ;)

 

And I read this forum several times a day, with a sort of desperation. Especially the big long debate-y threads. People thinking and discussing and HAVING AN INTEREST in something? It's like a breath of fresh air, even when I disagree. I don't know what I'd do without this place sometimes.

[JadeOrchidSong]

:grouphug: I hear you. I love my kids and homeschooling, but sometimes I just want to talk to grown-ups. But then in the few social situations I have that involve adults, nobody wants to talk about anything but sports or how much they hate their job. Sometimes I want to scream "DOESN'T ANYBODY WANT TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ANYMORE?!?!?!" :confused:

 

Bah humbug. I think I need new friends.

 

I'm taking some college courses online right now. It doesn't provide interaction, but it does let me feel like I'm using my brain, and that's made a big difference for me. I also think maybe I'll get back into blogging...you can find people who want to talk about just about anything on the internet! ;)

 

And I read this forum several times a day, with a sort of desperation. Especially the big long debate-y threads. People thinking and discussing and HAVING AN INTEREST in something? It's like a breath of fresh air, even when I disagree. I don't know what I'd do without this place sometimes.

:iagree:You are so right! I feel like at least here I can find something I am interested in talking about. Also if I have a struggle, I can come here to post a question and get tons of responses, most of which are very helpful. Sometimes it is hard to talk to Christian friends about things on my mind without fearing being judged. So I like this forum a lot. I just requested some "Real Food", What to Eat" books from the library based on recommendations here. Thank you for the support!

I am making some Xinjiang (in northwest China) pulled noodles with chicken sauce for dinner. I am just so tired of the same food all the time that I looked up this recipe to do.

[JadeOrchidSong]

Maybe you could find a way to use your skills teaching English locally? Our church in Dallas was desperate for people to help with their FriendSpeak program to teach conversational English to (mostly) Chinese foriegn exchange students at the college level. Maybe there's a similar program where you are?

I have a teaching license in ESL and I volunteered as an ESL teacher for Chinese moms with preschoolers for two years. Now I am homeschooling I don't want to go out one morning a week to do that. I do interpretation for the Chinese and American friendship meal once a month and help with the singing there too.

Dh suggests I take some continued ed class, but it will involve one evening away from family and if dh is willing to take care of the kids I will do it.