from the peripatetic philosopher

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I am on my way to a new adventure - teaching at Antofagasta International School in , you guessed it, Antofagasta, CHILE.
Altho I have been in South America before (Columbia and Venezuela) this is a new experience for me.

Last year I was TESOL-ing in Taiwan: a smaller city called Keelung or Geelung in the north east corner of the island country. It was a good/bad experience as many of these overseas sojourns can be. Mostly good but disappointing in some important to me ways. Very limited cultural options, no opportunity for social dancing, housing very separate from the mainstream population. I think this latter issue was to protect me from the down home reality of a lower working class population with whom I would have loved to interact. NOW we move on to a new year.

My expectations are limited as I dont want to presume anything until I get there but information available suggests an upper middle class school population (no problem); a multicultural staff (exciting) a class of my own, 2nd Grade (fantastic); small class numbers (good, as opposed to last year with 35 in a class and 23 different classes every week); weather warm and sunny with little rain (this again is different to last year with rain almost everyday for 40 weeks of the year); a furnished flat with a Canadian roomie (good so far); and a decent salary.

The social milieu seems to be more congenial with lots of music and social dancing, salsa, tango etc which I am looking forward to as well as festivals and ready access to the Pacific Ocean.

This blogging is a new thing to me so bear with me as get into the swing of things.

Currently,15 Feb 08, I am in Arlington Texas, outside of Dallas, visiting with the son et al of my good friend Nancy from Maine: for those of you who dont know the name, Nancy was a highschool sweetheart that I had not seen for many, many years and re-met in '03.

We are going to Cancun next week for a few days of slip slop slap before I settle in to my new position. Photos of all these will be available as I get some taken. Ciao fo now

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