Nanny Diaries: Entry 1

So I have been working as a nanny on the upper west side of Manhattan for several weeks now. The Job I accepted is with a nice family with two children: Juliet who is 4, and Matthew who is 6. While this is absolutely not what I saw myself doing, or rather want to be doing, the job has worked out quite nicely and will be over in September.  

Juliet and Matthew

Thus far Matthew has had camp so I have only had Juliet. She has taken a while to warm up to me but her and I are getting along just fine. She’s funny, extremely easy going, and loves to read.  Our days consist of play dates, hours at the parks, and various classes like swimming, gymnastics, yoga, and art. They live right off the park near all the museums so it is an ideal location for optimal entertainment. 

My eye is still recovering, however I am fully functional and for the most part I am not bothered by it. The only time that I have difficulty is in the light, and then I just put on my very fashionable geriatric sunglasses. They were given to me by my doctors and they fit over my glasses and wrap around my head. They are quite ridiculous, but obviously I can pull them off.  

It’s frustrating when people are constantly asking me how I am doing because I know they want me to say “I’m doing a lot better thank you, my eye is fully healed and my life is back on track!” and all I want to say to them is if that’s the answer you’re looking for then don’t bother asking. But honestly who would be ok after something like this. In a matter of 3 days I, 1.went blind 2.was taken away from my new home without so much as being able to say goodbye 3.Lost the only thing I’ve ever worked for, aka the Peace Corps 4.and am now a nanny working for the complete opposite demographic. How the fuck would you be doing? And while this might sound like I’m looking for a pitty party, that is not it at all. I want people to be able to laugh about it, because I really just want this whole situation to be behind me and be a funny story, because really my life sounds like the punch line to a bad joke

I don’t know how long it’s supposed to take for one to get over something like this, and while my intension is still to try to go get medically cleared to go back to the peace corps, I go back and forth about whether it is still the right thing to do at this point, or if it’s just the only plan I’ve ever had and I’m too scared to start over and come up with a new one.

While it is my intension to go back to the Peace Corps, I’m not an idiot and want to have all my bases covered. I’ve applied to a few jobs in the fall, all abroad and several of which are seasonal which would enable me to have something to do during these next few months but not close the doors on going back to the Peace Corps if that is really want I want to do.