I Said Yes — and the World Opened

Curiosity doesn’t retire. It doesn’t shrink with age or wait for permission. For Polly, it began in a dentist’s office at five years old, flipping through the pages of National Geographic — and it never stopped. What followed was a lifetime of teaching, listening, traveling, and saying yes to what felt just beyond reach – including teaching English abroad later in life. This is her story.

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I have always had a curiosity about the world and the people in it.

It started in a dentist’s office when I was five years old. I opened a National Geographic magazine while waiting to see the dentist and was mesmerized by images of people I never knew existed. I wondered what their lives were like and what their voices sounded like. As a child, it was hard to imagine ever visiting those places.

That is where my curiosity began.

Years later, I took my first big step into travel by spending a semester in Egypt while attending Chatham College for Women. I never had confidence in myself, even though I appeared to. Inside, I was painfully shy and battled the inner voice that told me I was not worthy or good enough.

We visited ancient sites, and I could see parallels between the Egyptians’ lives and mine. The people were fascinated by my life, just as I was fascinated by theirs. We laughed at our differences and told our true stories. I taught them American songs — from Bruce Springsteen to patriotic tunes. I remember how important and worthy that experience made me feel inside.

That connection quieted the voice inside me.

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Teaching at Home

After college, I became an English as a Second Language teacher. My friend Heather, who I waitressed with, was pursuing the same career and helped me tremendously. She worked in Atlantic City Public Schools and recommended a position for me.

I loved teaching children from all over the world. Soon I was also teaching adults English who had come to America to work in the Atlantic City casinos. They were the parents of many of my students. I gave them updates on their children’s learning and took them to the zoo, the museum, and of course, the Statue of Liberty.

I will never forget their wide eyes and curiosity. It reminded me of myself as a child. Through me, they made connections that helped them thrive in their new home. I listened to their stories of poverty, war, and natural disasters that made them take a giant leap of faith so their children could have a better life.

That beginning — of both teaching and learning about people from all over the world — became the catalyst for traveling the world myself.

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China

My first teaching job abroad came from a Craigslist ad in China.

Yes, I was scared and apprehensive, but the people were kind and treated me like a movie star. Although being the honored guest and eating “fish eye” was rough, I also ate the most delicious food I never imagined existed. Chinese food in America is nothing like Chinese food in China.

I learned about what people had gone through during the time of Mao Zedong. Hearing those stories directly from the people who lived them deeply impacted me. I was sobbing and hugging them, and they made me the best chicken soup I have ever had. I still dream about it.

I learned that the people were hardworking and insisted their children work hard too.

While teaching in China, I met a friend from Philadelphia named Rachel who was also teaching English. We bonded over our shared curiosity about travel and learning about other cultures.

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Cambodia

The following summer, Rachel and I went to teach in Cambodia.

We taught in a tiny school where only one child per family could attend because it was expensive. Our Tuk Tuk driver had two sons. One attended the school, and the other stood outside the gate as we took his brother in each day.

We decided to split the cost so the second son could attend school. The family threw a party for us as a thank you.

I remember feeling proud that something so small could change a child’s life.

It wasn’t about being a hero.

It was about being present.

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Kenya

Rachel and I later signed up with an international teaching group called IVHQ and chose Nairobi, Kenya. We were placed in Kibera, one of the largest urban slums in Africa.

We stayed in a homestay behind iron gates and were advised not to go outside without a guard.

When we arrived at the school, I was stunned by the lack of amenities. The students had no books, and many came to school for their one meal of the day — a simple porridge. None of them had ever had a full pencil in their lives.

We bought them pencils and notebooks, and they cherished them.

On Wednesdays, we fed the children juice and half a hotdog. They were screaming and laughing with joy. But there was not enough for everyone. Some children stood outside the gate watching as others received something they did not. I remember huddling with my colleagues and crying as the children cried outside the gate.

The children never left my soul.

That experience changed how I measure comfort and what “enough” really means.

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Indonesia

After years of teaching during summers, I decided to retire so I could teach abroad full-time. I retired on my 62nd birthday.

In January 2026, I flew to Bali, Indonesia, to teach in Ubud and Lovina.

I stayed with a family in a spacious room with a beautiful view of the mountains and jungle. They were kind to me, making me chicken soup and helping me as much as they could. I learned their culture and tasted different foods. I taught the family how to play UNO, and we laughed and played late into the night.

The people perform daily ceremonies by leaving beautiful offerings with sweet-smelling incense while the family gathers to pray.

The children were enthusiastic and eager to learn. They hugged me as they left the classroom and thanked me. I remember playing a job Bingo game with them. They were shocked to learn about jobs like photography, healthcare, or veterinarian. They laughed at the idea of “fashion model.”

Teaching there brought me joy I could feel in my bones.

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What I Know Now

All of these experiences — China, Cambodia, Kenya, and Indonesia — changed me in ways that are hard to describe.

Regardless of race, religion, poverty, or political struggles, people continue to thrive and embrace hope. A map may separate us, but we are not that different. We want love, hope, and our families to thrive and be happy.

I am less afraid now. More patient. More aware of how much we share as human beings.

Curiosity led me into classrooms across the world.

Saying yes changed my life.

Sometimes, a leap of faith leads you exactly where you were meant to be.

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What have you been curious about lately — but quietly talking yourself out of?

What would saying yes look like in this season of your life?

You don’t need to move across the world to begin.
Sometimes reinvention starts with one small decision.

If this story stirred something in you, stay close.

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