Moon over Philly

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It's September 26th...11pm. This is my last blog from Montana. Tomorrow morning I wake up at 5 am and bustle to the Bozeman airport. Sienna and I fly to Philadelphia at 8:15am. Everyone has been asking me how I feel: excited, nervous, scared... Somehow, I don't feel any of those things yet. The best word we came up with was "apprehensive" but even that is not quite right. Yeah, there's that small churning in my stomach...there's a million questions floating in my head. But always, it seems, with big life events, they just seem to happen. That's all. I'm not necessarily a bystander or an onlooker--I'm definitely part of the flow. But that's it. I just go with it. What can you do but let it happen? It's inevitable. This is the path I chose to take, and now it's happening. Strangely, I'm a somewhat inactive participant on the path at this point. It's a bit like those walking conveyor belts in airports. I'm on one. The destination is clearly Madagascar and at some point I will definitely be taking an active role. But at the moment, I'm standing still and this great entity called "Peace Corps" is calling all the shots. "Turn left!" Okay, I go left! 😊

But really, I'm ready. I'm ready to leave home. You can always come back, that's what I remind myself. It's a little harder to accept that Bozeman and I will both be different and will both be strangers to each other. But we can always rebuild. "True journey consists of returning home to find that you know the place for the first time." (Ursula K. LeGuin?) We'll see how that pans out. But the odd truth is that shortly, Madagascar will be my home! And then I will have to leave it as well.

Who knows what the future holds! I'm sure there are lots of strange meals, wonderful children, new languages and amazing experiences ahead. Can't wait to see them! Look out for the next posting---it will either be Philly, South Africa or Madagascar! (Any bets?!)

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Comments

[Jessica]

Be safe and have an amazing time!!!
I wish you the best and look forward to your posts.

[Jean Sayer]

The big day has arrived! I have been thinking about you all day. I hope you have a good, safe trip. I'll talk to you later. Love, Grandma

[Staci]

Humm...I hope it's South Africa! :) Cause i've been there, so maybe i'm bias. Can't wait to hear more about your adventures!! :)

[David Shannon]

Oh God, the memories!
This morning is the very first time I have even looked at blogs. After a dozen I decided they were mostly written by people who mostly wanted to listen to themselves and really had little of interest to say. I was certain I had nothing to comment on. And then I stumbled onto your posting!!! Ack - the memories! I am a native Montanan who attended Cornell and then went back to MSU at Bozeman for Grad School. After working for DOL in Billings, I - wait for it - joined the Peace Corps. I didn't fly from Bozeman to Philly - but I did drive a battered old orange VW Camper Van (called the "Lorax")from Dutton (N of Great Falls) all the way to Philly for Peace Corps orientation. I was sent to Iran as an Agricultural Advisor. I loved pre-revolution Iran and it set me on a new life. I did grad school again at the School for International Training in Brattleboro, Vermont - went to Niger, West Africa, with Lutheran World Relief (digging wells in the Sahel) - then Jacmel, Haiti, with Foster Parents Plan (now ChildReach) rum punch on the Caribbean beaches - and then the dream! Assigned as Country Director in Nepal with PLAN. Fabulous times - then met a NZ woman working with Mother Theresa Hospice in Kathmandu - moved to NZ, married and now have two girls I am encouraging to consider voluntary service abroad. It's been a fascinating life - beginning with that long trip from Montana to Philly. Drop me a line at [e-mail] if you want to learn more about a life like that. Cheers from Down Under