Plans and Possibilities

It seems I led a few people astray in my previous post.  Despite including a photo of a schoolroom in Tema, Ghana in yesterday’s update, I am not actually in Ghana this year.  I spent the 2010/2011 academic year teaching in at a high school in Tema.  This year, New York City is home base.

So, you ask, what is the intention of this blog?

-                    I want to celebrate many aspects of what that little classroom in the photo represents: promise and possibility. 

-                    I am a teacher and a traveler and this is my fusion of two things I generally do pretty well. (I will NOT be creating a cooking blog, a mathematics blog, a map-reading blog, or a speed-skating blog as these are among the things I most definitely do not do well).

-                    I want to share some of my discoveries – from the soothing effects of idyllic seaside retreats in West Africa to the exciting appeal of cacophonous bars in New York City with people who hope to follow their own curiosity around the world.

-                    I want to write about the cool things I’ve seen and the interesting people I’ve met before I get too old to remember where I was, why I went, and who helped me find my way home.

o   As a traveler I often begin my journeys alone, but I rarely feel lonely.  If you’ve ever been too intimidated to travel solo through Africa or South East Asia, I am here to tell you how, why and where to go.  The world really is full of promise and possibility and sometimes we forget to engage with the places and people we set out to see.  It’s great to share adventures, but sometimes stepping out the door all by yourself is the best way to understand life: yours and that stranger who is about to become your new friend.

-                    I believe that education is an interactive adventure – from the worlds we discover in the books we read to the real world we encounter with own eyes, ears, and hearts.  And yes, I know that sounds a bit cheesy, but it’s true. 

-                    I love the chaos and the immediacy of classroom learning, but sometimes our brains need space to stretch out and grow.  And I’m not just talking about kids here, I think teachers need the same space.

So.  That’s my blueprint. 

And like any itinerary (or well-intentioned lesson plan) expect a few changes along the way.