Auld Lang Syne
We all sing this song when the new year rolls around, but
none of us really seem to know what the song means, nor do we ever seem to get
far past the chorus without fumbling over the words. The words have even made for conversation
pieces in films such as When Harry Met Sally when Harry asked, “’Should
old acquaintance be forgot?’ Does that mean that we should forget old
acquaintances, or does it mean if we happened to forget them, we should
remember them, which is not possible because we already forgot?”
I’m still not sure that I could give Billy Crystal an
answer, but it seems that “Auld Lang Syne” means “times gone by.” This time of year always makes me stop and
reflect on all that has occurred and all those things that I still hope to achieve. So, I hope you won’t mind, but I’m going to
take this blog instead of telling you about what we are doing today, to reflect
on the events of the past year.
Last New Year’s Eve, I was all dressed up with a few of my
dearest friends, dancing the night away at one of Birmingham’s finest spots:
The Club. (My parents held their
reception in this same place!) We had a
blast and it was only the start of a great year ahead.
My cousin and his wife (my former roommate) were due to have
their first child in late January. Mils
decided he didn’t want to be born in the first month of the year, so since
Stephanie was set to be induced on February 1st, I decided to take
the day off so that I could be nearby when Mils came along. Of course, Mils has different plans. Mils decided instead that Groundhog’s Day
would be a much happier day to be born on.
Around 2:30, sitting on the floor outside of the delivery room, I heard
shrill cries – one of the most beautiful sounds I’ve ever heard – and Mils
entered the world. After cuddling him
for a bit, I went home, showered, and headed off to teach my class, proudly
sharing photos of my newest cousin.
March brought around a very successful Daffodil Party: a fun
time for catching up with friends from all different parts of my life. Spring Break brought the sunshine and time
with friends at the lake and enjoying all the pleasures that rural Alabama has
to offer.
March was a tense month for me, just as it had been a year
ago. I was supposed to get word from
Fulbright in March, news that could change my life. A year ago in March, I found out, while at
school, that I had not gotten the exchange, and my dear friend, Treva, came in
to my classroom just after I had read the email and caught me in tears. This March, I had noticed an email from
Fulbright just as I was to walk my class to lunch. Treva was with us, and I again was able to
share the news with her first before going to sit on the floor in the office as
Betsy and I cheered, cried and researched anything that we could about this
exciting place called “Bedfordshire.”
In April, I celebrated my ten-year high school reunion. An event that at one point had seemed ions
away, but crept up on me, as most things seem to do. It was so much fun seeing so many of my friends,
catching up on the lives we were all leading – the dreams we had fulfilled and
those still waiting to be achieved. I
was incredibly lucky to be part of a class that was unique, independent,
creative, smart, funny and confident – I was thrilled to see that on the whole,
we had changed very little.
May was a huge culmination this year, as it always is, but
it seemed even larger this year. The
Girls on the Run club I was a part of completed their time together by running
a 5K in our matching tutus. My thoughtful
fourth graders rounded out the year-long service project, collecting $1,000 to
make a difference in world hunger. And I
said good-bye to a truly special class of fourth graders – a group that loves
life, relishes in the uniqueness of one another and strives to make the world
around them a better place. Saying
goodbye to this group and knowing that I would be gone from Shades Cahaba made
for a bitter-sweet ending to the school year.
The summer was perfectly busy – doing odd jobs around the
house, paperwork that was required for a year-long absence, cleaning out,
emails with Kelly, spending time with friends and family, time on the lake, and
saying good-bye. Fifteen years ago, on
New Years Eve, I was in eighth grade. My
father and I were driving home from Birmingham when on the side of the road, Dad
spotted a little blob of fur. It wasn’t
long before that snotty, pitiful little creature had won my heart. Romeo, spoiled rotten as he was, was my
companion. He was the “squeak” I heard
when I came home from work everyday, the one I shared my cereal and hot
chocolate with, and the one who snuggled with me on the couch when I needed to
let out some tears. I have no doubt that
Romeo knew what was coming, and I am truly thankful he went when he did rather
than waiting for me to be half way around the world, but saying good-bye to him
was one of the hardest things I’ve had to do.
In late July, I flew to D.C. and finally got to meet my
life-swap, Kelly! Our time in DC was
absolutely perfect. We enjoyed getting
to know one another and the other Fulbrighters.
We were only disappointed that we weren’t all going to the same place
together.
August was full of adventures! I enjoyed time in Birmingham with Kelly,
introducing her and showing her around, then I set off on one of my greatest
adventures: I came here! I flew to a
country that I knew very little about to live in a place that I knew very
little about and where I knew very few people.
It has been an absolutely amazing adventure so far, and I can’t wait to
see what the rest of this year has to bring!
August also took me on a road trip (driving was certainly its own
adventure!) with new found friends across the country, and even a few days of
traveling on my very own – a whole new experience for me. It was very freeing, giving me an “I can do
anything” sort of attitude.
In September, I met my pupils, met my new colleagues and
began teaching an entirely new curriculum.
It was challenging, thrilling, and exhausting. September also took me to London and Dover
and ushered in my 29th year.
I know to many of you, that may seem young, but it is a number that I
must admit scares me a bit. I know it is
just a number, but it is a number that once seemed far away and is now upon
me. So far though, 29 is feeling pretty
good.
From half a world away, I welcomed a new little cousin in
October while also traveling to London, Bath, St. Ives, Stonehenge and
Plymouth.
I thought that November would be a difficult month for me,
being away from friends and family for Thanksgiving, but it was one of the most
meaningful Thanksgivings I’ve ever had.
I missed being with my family for Thanksgiving, of course, but the
outpouring of love that surrounded me here, in my new home could not have been
more heartfelt. The faculty provided a
beautiful Thanksgiving meal, as did a dear friend and her family. Then, my new-found American friends and I
prepared our very own Thanksgiving meal, all on our own. It was a Thanksgiving I’ll not soon forget:
one where I truly counted the many blessings that surrounded me. November also brought about new sites in
Durham, Hull and Belfast.
Just as my 10th reunion, or turning 29 had at one
point seemed like far off points, December at one point had seemed far away,
but now it has already passed. I was
eager to get to December, as it meant a reunion with my parents in Paris before
our travels to the Lake District and Edinburgh.
I could not have been more excited to see my parents and get to spend
time with them. I’m thrilled for the
opportunity o travel with them and I am so very thankful that they would travel
here to spend the holidays with me!
Last night, we rang in the new year in true Scottish
form. We were at Hogmanay, a HUGE street
party where stages are set throughout the streets with musicians and people
FILL the streets to celebrate the new beginnings that lay ahead. The masses may have been a bit more than we
had planned for, but the fireworks display was worth it all. The Chinese may have invented fireworks, but
I believe that the Scotts perfected them.
The thousands of people jam-packed on the streets counted down in
unison, ringing in the new year as the fireworks shot off from the castle
overlooking the city.
And those are the times gone by…
2012 was a year full of huge opportunities, chances and big
leaps in my life. 2013 has been great so
far, and I can’t wait to see what all this year has in store for me.
I wish you and your loved ones a safe, happy, and healthy
new year full of joys and opportunities!
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