Merry Chrismahanakwanzaka

"Happy, happy Christmas, that can win us back to the delusions of our childish days; that can recall to the old man the pleasures of his youth; that can transport the sailor and the traveler, thousands of miles away, back to his own fire-side and his quiet home!"
(Charles Dickens, The Pickwick Papers, 1836)

Happy Christmas!

In just 10 days, I will be arriving back in Chicago, with a suitcase overflowing of gifts and stories of travel and adventure. It is impossible to recap all that I have experienced since first landing here on 1 August... only pictures can begin to tackle a fraction of the memories.

It is difficult to believe how grounded I feel here. I never thought I'd find a "home away from home," or friends as dear to me as those already in my life. I can't believe the amount of love and support I have found here... both personally and professionally. There are no words to describe the "cool factor" of the people I have met, and continue to meet. I am so lucky.

Stockholm was beautiful last weekend. We toured the Palace, met the locales, pubbed it at O'Connell's, shopped a Christmas market, ate dinner at Tiffany's, slept on a yacht hotel, iceskated in the centre, circled the island in a guide boat, and took a bus, plane and train to and fro. Monday morning and 8 year olds... ok I'm focused again!

Christmas always stirs an emotion of coziness in me. It's one I like to be able to share with those I am with. Between the travel opportunities with friends; Drew, Karen, Jennie, Kathryn, Carmen and Katie, (in respective order) and the moments created in between those travels, I am certainly feeling humbly grateful for the cultural opportunities opened to me on a regular basis. As Mrs. Pepping once told me about the many blessings in my life, "you know this is not normal!"

As I continue to try and make sense of this fascinating world around me, I realize this is quite the lofty goal! In a previous post I said, "It seems that the more I travel, the less I know!" It's because once I seem to make sense and give reason, it all goes bust and I'm back at square one trying to figure it all out again! Ever the eternal optimist, I'll get it one day!

My NY's decisions this year will come in different compartments; personally, professionally, & culturally.

• Personally, I would like to become brave enough to open my heart again.
  
• Professionally, I would like to determine the importance of what I do, and pinpoint what I value most as an educator.
  
• Culturally, I would like to begin intense German language courses and become capable of conversing at ease with the people around me.

Carpe Diem and God Bless you this New Year!
k. xo

Happy Thanksgiving, Katie!

Thanks for a fabulous meal, KTL!

Riga Pics

Drew and Jennie, enjoy! ... See you in December @ Chuck's!

Happy Thanksgiving!

“All journeys have secret destinations of which the traveler is unaware.” (Martin Buber)

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you at home! It will be my third Thanksgiving away from my own family's table and it doesn't get easier... enjoy your time together everyone! Welcome Olivia... love you! xo

Jennie, Drew and I gathered in Riga, Latvia for a snowy Baltic vaca together. It was an adventure in of itself that could never be repeated. We stayed in a hidden, secret Hostel right on the sea in the center of town. We toured Riga; caught up on time passed, shopped the local market, hit up the skyline bar overlooking the city lights, ran into a movie being filmed, talked Jennie into an impulse "water dog" purchase, marveled the beauty of Baltic snow, ate Russian pizza in the late night, and celebrated the upcoming holiday. I can't say it enough... Life is Good.

After landing in a snow-dusted Berlin, I met up with my flatmate Kathryn and her best friend from Liverpool for a few glasses of red at our new local watering hole, Dicke Wirtin, only to end the night at the Greek restaurant behind us with a plethora on the table. I enjoyed getting to know part of Kathryn's life from home.

The next few weeks before break will be filled with Thanksgiving celebrations, German Christmas markets all over the city, Stockholm on the 5 December, reports for school, and Chicago on 20 December! It doesn't end in the new year, as trips are already booked and others still evolving to parts of this world I only once dreamed of seeing.

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, it only fits to acknowledge all that I am thankful for in the experience I am living. The people I continue to meet astound me, every one of them having something to teach me. The places I have been and those I will travel open my mind to possibilities never imagined. The work I exhaust myself attempting to perfect fills me up with purpose. The old friends, mixed with the new, draw up feelings never exposed before. I'm growing. I can feel it. And I am thankful every day for it.

Carpe Diem and Happy Turkey Day!
k. xo

Moldova Pics

Had the best time, Drew... See you and Jennie soon! xo k.

Thanksgiving "Turkey"

Wanderlust

I am overwhelmed at the thought of reflecting on all that has happened since my last blog post... over 3 weeks of school & 2 adventurous trips, I will attempt to recap...

I am beginning to feel more settled and comfortable at BBIS; both with the staff and my students. I was away last Thursday and Friday (more on that later...) and actually missed them! I think both my students and myself are finding that we are more deeply bonded than originally expected. I remember (very recently) still sitting on the question of, "how do I connect?" I am relieved to announce it has finally happened, as there is nothing I value more in my work than my ability to read my kids.

My week-long Autumn break took me to Moldova, where I was greeted at the airport by a favourite familiar face! We hopped into a rutiera (bus), and made our way to the capital of Chisinau. We cracked a beer, told endless stories, and enjoyed the fact that our trip had started. Over the course of the week, we traveled into Drew's village for a delicious, traditional meal prepared by his host mom, watched in awe of Drew's finesse of another language, met other PCV's and Drew's local friends, crossed over the Ukrainian border into Odesa, back packed the roads of Moldova to get a feel for what was there, and spent lots of time on the road in between! Drew was patient with me when I didn't understand, and took great care in explaining as I inquired about my surroundings.

It was bittersweet to visit with Drew, as it stirs about the emotions we have as expats. It took me a few days to re-adjust back in Berlin; only a few days is all I had. Just 4 days after returning from Drew, I skipped back East again to Istanbul, Turkey for an ASCD "conference." I now fully understand the theory of "working" on the golf course! Karen and I were arranged for, and fully taken care of in terms of hotel, money, and transportation. Our trip included, (but was not limited to!)... yacht cruise along the Bosphorus (the river Istanbul straddles); The Blue Mosque in head dress; Dolmabace (palace); the men's bathroom (on accident!); great company of Karen and international colleagues; bargaining with the locals over jewelry, tapestries, & linens; kebaps; cheeky Turkish thieves and shoe shining; pro-gro opportunities; Efes beer on the roof overlooking the Bosphorus; laughter over how (un)cultured I am, and the realization that... the more I travel, the less I know!

All is well here. I will attempt pics at a later date, as they seem to take 'til Christmas to post, in which case, I will be home with you to narrate with a glass of red!
In the words of AM…

my best,
kate xo