Day 1 - Leaving Seattle

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- (Retroactive entry on 2/25/11)

Hard to believe the day is here that we are leaving on our six-month sabbatical adventure. Are we ready? No. We could blame it on a computer virus, a leaky roof, hosting a party two days beore leaving, but mostly it is just the enormity of organizing all the details for a trip like this.

Dianne and Chris pulled an all-nighter trying to get all the packing done. Our friend Gerardo, a visting professor from Costa Rica who will be living in our house, took us to the airport where we narrowly avoided missing the cutoff time for checking in.

Our goals for this Sabbatical Trip

Here is the list of goals we have for this trip, written several months ago, but they still seem to hold true:

Learn language
Experience new cultures first-hand
Contribute time and money to help local community and environmental projects
Contribute to local economy
Take photographs
Make friends
See spectacular scenery
See unusual animals, birds, insects
Relax
Make educational connections
Spend time together as a family
See historical buildings (ruins, churches)
Eat local food
Self-reflection
Keep up with school work
Play and watch football
Stay in shape
Be happy
Stay socially connected with friends in US
Spiritual renewal
Gain knowledge of other countries for teaching
Visit amusement parks
Be open to change and different ways of life

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Photos

20110104_00006
Somewhere between Seattle and Orlando

Comments

[catherine crain]

Hi Chris and Dianne!
I love it that you're blogging! I did too when I was on sabbatical (in the same site - in fact you can fnd my blog probably if you look under my name). When I got home I downloaded the whole blog into a printed book that I have now with all my photos and musings. I'm so glad I did it! I hope you're all feeling better -- the last time I chatted with Dianne it sounded like you were under the weather a bit. Take care and keep blogging! Big hug, Catherine