Dear Sanna - pros and cons

That's one of the reasons I love this blog. I have considered the pros and cons of this decision, but it's definitely helpful to write it out.

Pros:
1. It's the only actual job offer I have. Even if I am successful in all of my auditions, the best offer I can even hope for is a second company position, and I could end up back in a ballet school. It seems to me that having been in a ballet corps makes it easier to get a job, so even if I decide I hate it there and want to come home, it will probably be easier for me to get a job than if I had stayed in the states next year.
2. Good pay. The director's assistant did not really give me any details yet, so I googled the company's salaries and found an article that described them in the country's currency. I used online currency converters, and unless I messed up or the source is unreliable, the company makes between $800-1100 a week! That's about what first year corps at NYCB makes, so I couldn't hope for a higher salary even if I was offered a job here. If I do stay, the best I'll get is a small stipend, nowhere near enough to pay my bills, or perhaps even tuition.
3. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity. I may never get another chance to live in another country. Since I did not choose the college route, I almost see this as my opportunity for study abroad, except beyond the cultural and educational benefits, this will also probably help my career, and I will make money doing it, rather than spend it as most study abroad students do.
4. The weather is gorgeous. Enough said.
5. I have nothing to lose. I really have no strings right now. I don't have a job, I rent an apartment I can easily get out of, I'm attending community college which I intended to transfer out of anyway. I was prepared to move this year anyway, even if I hadn't thought it would be out of the country.
6. My parents are actually pretty supportive. Of course they don't want me to be so far away, but I was surprised to hear how ready they were to agree to this.

Cons:

1. It's very far away. This means even more expensive airfare and longer flights. (So less visits home.) But not necessarily less people visiting me, because I think this place might have more appeal than my current location. PLUS I'll be getting paid, so the airfare is more feasible.
2. I know very little about the company, which doesn't necessarily mean it will be bad, but there's a chance I might not like it, or worse, get out of shape or injured while I am there.
3. I know very little about the area, and I won't know anyone going there and I will be all by myself, but this could be the case anywhere.
4. I can only go if I become a citizen, and I really don't know the rules about that, so there could be many cons within this one, or there could be very few. I don't know. And I'm only pretty sure I could maintain my American citizenship, but not positive. Which might be bad.

That's all I got! And newsflash since I began this post: just got an email asking if I can come at the beginning of May! That is REALLY soon in case you didn't know. YIKES? ha that was a typo that it was in all caps and with a question mark, but I decided to keep it there because it seems fitting. I'm really excited, so the "yikes" is unsure. Anyway, they seem to understand that I might have obligations in May (which I might. I will need to ask about this). We shall see!!

Janie