Blogiversary

I got the term “blogiversary” from Andrew’s fabulous recent post, and yesterday was mine — it has been one year that I’ve been doing this blog. I was sitting in my much larger office in the much smaller town of Moscow, Idaho when this all started. What a long, strange trip this year has been!

Here are some of my favorite photos from the year:

Highlights of the year included:
- getting to spend lots of time with Mom, we’ve been all over the place together
- the holidays in Switzerland with the fam
- teaching at U of I
- selling my house without a real estate agent (it’s nice to know how)
- travel, travel, travel (across 2 continents!)
- friends coming to visit (Patti, Andrew and Jess)
- living in lovely Lugano

My favorite posts included:
You will go through this door…
This is why I teach…
Freedom Fighters
Great quote on truth and rules
Back in Boulder
Mufasa likes the featherbeds
Like art.
all of October’s entries
View out my favorite classroom
Pretty much all of January, too
March’s photos are fun

When you look back at it this way, a lot has happened in this single year, but I have to tell you, day to day it feels like nothing is happening at all. Funny, that.

I said it from the beginning, but I’m really, profoundly clear that this college is not for me. Things happen every day that make that clearer and clearer. I’ve signed my contract, but I am investigating and creating other things, some here and some back in the States. It’s all very hush-hush for now, but I’ll keep you posted.

I really grapple with an internal (or maybe it’s a cultural) conversation that I shouldn’t change my mind, I shouldn’t move around like this… like all these changes mean mistakes I’ve made… but I think maybe it is just my way. I like to go, to try, to do, to adventure… that’s what xpatadventures is all about; it’s how I live. Sometimes I still think I’m supposed to pick one place and stay put; don’t be surprised if I don’t, though. I’m going to keep on keeping on ’til I find someplace that’s just right for me. Teaching at the University of Idaho was great but living that far out there wasn’t for me. That was exactly what I needed at the time, though — it got me out of my marriage and I felt respected and taken care of and had time to regroup and put myself back together. That was perfect. Likewise, living here is great in some ways; it is beautiful and I get to travel and use the language I studied, but this isn’t right for me in so many other ways. I do not make a difference here like I would like to; I don’t connect with the students in a way that will matter on the planet. And I will not teach here for too terribly long; I will not let myself be treated this way.

School’s only in session a few more weeks and I have big plans after that. Anybody want to come hang with Mufasa for a few weeks in June (June 8 – 29 or 30)? I’m off to Florida and Colorado.