Tales of a Traveling Teacher

I in no way consider myself a packing expert. Unless of course by “expert” you think of someone who rarely forgets something and carries just about anything one may ever need, aside from the kitchen sink. When my travel buddy and I have road-tripped around the US, the minivan we were driving was filled to near capacity. My bag when traveling internationally is often near bursting point. Last year, for really the first time, while Jessica, my travel buddy, and I traveled around Peru and Bolivia for about 6 weeks, we carried all of our belongings (and treasures found along the way) in a backpack. Not a camping backpack and not a school backpack, but somewhere in between. It was wonderful and made everything we did easier. I was planning to go light on this trip as well! But then… I reached out to Auburn University, my college that first inspired my study abroad with a summer in Florence, Italy and student teaching in New Zealand. I contacted the Fulbright representative at Auburn and tol...

Senegal. My hope when I applied up for this program was that they would take me somewhere in the world that I would probably not choose to go on my own. When I opened my email that day in December, I realized my wish had been granted. I have the very slightest of connections to this west African country. Many years ago, I was fortunate enough to have a student in my classroom who had once lived on the streets of Dakar. It was complicated circumstances that brought him to my classroom, but I was forever grateful for the opportunity of getting to know this remarkable boy. Another small tie that I have to the country is that a former pastor went to serve in Senegal for several years. It is actually one of the very few countries in Africa that I feel confident in its location, especially as I play Worldle  every day. But aside from that, I am learning alongside the many of you, who have joined in my excitement about my adventure, while also questioning, “Now where exactly is that?” I k...

I haven't posted on this blog in ten years.  It is beyond my comprehension that it has been ten years since my life-changing experience through the Fulbright Teacher Exchange Program.  Thankfully, I've had many travel opportunities since this time (they are over on this blog  if you want to see more), but as far as traveling professionally, well, I haven't done a lot of that in a while. I'm going to backtrack and give you a little more information about the Fulbright Program.  In the aftermath of WWII, Senator J. William Fulbright from Arkansas drafted legislation that would impact the world for years to come.  Since then, hundreds of thousands of people have participated and " are contributing to a more peaceful, equitable, prosperous, and just world" ( Program Overview ). The scholarship primarily funds students and educators to participate in international experiences that foster mutual understandings. Ten years ago, I participated in the Fulbright Teacher ...

For a year, I updated this blog every single day.  I did so religiously, and looking back at it now, I am so thrilled that I did as it is such a wonderful account of my adventure.  But, for months now, I have wanted to do one final blog entry and yet, I have not.  I am not sure what has taken me so long to write this final entry.  Perhaps it is that life quickly caught up with me and I was just busy, but I think it was actually deeper than that.  Writing this final blog entry is like closing the book on the grand adventure that I was fortunate enough to experience last year.  Perhaps I have not been ready to officially tell my year abroad goodbye. But it is at this time, Thanksgiving, that I have been flooded with warm memories of my life a year ago and I just felt compelled to finally write this last chapter. I arrived in Atlanta on August 2nd, just one day after being at what seemed like a world away - at Downton Abbey, then eating dinner with dea...

Shortening my year into 15 minutes was quite the challenge!

As I begin to get settled back into my life at home, I’m thinking about all of those things I’ve missed this year and all of those things that I know I will miss from my new home in England.   Of course the “things” that I have missed and will miss the most are not things at all, but rather the people who fill my life with joy and laughter each and every day.    What I’ve missed from home: ·       Mexican Food o    There is some Mexican food in England, but very little and it is not quite the same.   I’m so used to tacos, chips, guacamole and margaritas on a regular basis, and I did miss it.   It does make sense that there are fewer Mexican restaurants, as there are not nearly as many Mexicans as there are in the US.   In the UK, Indian food is found on every High Street because the Indian population is so great. ·       Dryer o    I consider myself a “green” person, so I...

Well, the day has finally arrived. There were a few times this year when I thought the day would never get here, but for the most part, the day arrived all too quickly. I'm at the airport about to board the plane that will take me home. My stomach is in knots as the excitement in me grows and the sadness to be leaving so many wonderful new friends starts sinking in. This has been the most amazing, life changing, year of my life and I'm very sad to see it come to a close but eager to see what next adventure awaits me!