Mid-week Countdown

After a lovely Sunday that set the tone for goodbyes, safe travels, and inspiration for the adventures that await me, I went to work on Monday ready to move through the long list of last minute to-do's.  Of course, since it was the first day of the new semester, stopping to chat with colleagues who are also my friends, peeping into classrooms to see students from last spring again, trying to connect the notebook to the power source and then remember what needed to go on the to-do list all consumed more time than it should have.

One of the first phone calls of the morning came from Iain MacLean, from our Philosophy and Religion Department.  I first met Iain thanks to one of my students who mentioned she knew someone on campus from South Africa.  Since I was preparing my first group of students to go South Africa, I immediately called Iain and invited him to come to talk with us about Cape Town.  He was absolutely delightful!  He brought books, told stories, gave us tips on where to visit and all with a wonderful sense of humor.  Since that time in 2007, Iain and I have crossed paths at university functions and some church functions, in part because he's also ordained as a Presbyterian minister and I'm a lifelong Presbyterian.

Iain's call took me a bit by surprise.  As part of the pleasantries of well wishing for the new year, Iain said that he had a real dilemma.  A friend's son had managed to receive a wonderful scholarship back home, had left his university studies in the states to accept it, and then proceeded to purchase a camera that was being delivered here in the states.  Did I know anyone who might be able to help him get that camera to the young man. I mentioned that I would be leaving on Sunday for South Africa and would be happy to help out with that leg of the journey.  Iain had forgotten about my upcoming trip and was immediately relieved.  What a way to start the week for us both!

As the day progressed and the first of the letters of recommendation I had promised to students were crafted, I was interrupted by four students from last spring's child development class.  They "just wanted to drop by to say hi" and we had a lovely chat about the stresses of 15 credit hours of education classes and field work compared to 15 hours of classes in their interdisciplinary major.  One of the young women said that I needed to bring back lots of new necklaces so that she could enjoy them all during her grad semester when I returned and I promised to honor that wish.  I fell in love with the beautiful jewelry while I traveled in the country and I do seem to buy quite a bit, but I'm finding that I actually enjoy giving it away to friends when I return.  It's so much fun to bring back something tangible that connects my friends here to my life over there.

In the afternoon, I got to talk with Kay Lowe.  Kay is an expert in the area of literacy and has done so much to address the challenge children and adults face when they cannot read.  She was at JMU years ago (about 1996?) and she was known for her great sense of humor, her commitment to literacy education, and her ability to get things done.  When Nkidi Phatudi, my first contact at University of Pretoria, began talking about the concerns she had for the literacy levels in her own country and the kinds of things that she wanted to do, Kay was one of the first people I thought of.  So, Monday's skype call came at just the right time.  Kay is currently directing a Center for Literacy at her university in Australia and she was full of ideas that lined up with what I understood that Nkidi wanted as well.  By the time we finished our conversation, we each had a list of things to do and a plan to talk weekly until we had a program in place!

Tuesday began to feel like my old routine - except that I wasn't in a rush to get up, get someone to school, and prep for class.  I did see a few more colleagues.  I did stick my head in different classroom doors to say hello.  I got to have lunch with Ken, my husband because he was kind enough to offer to grab some Subway sandwiches and meet in my office before he went to a meeting in my building.  It was the first time in ages that it was just the two of us!  When he left, my dear friend Holly came down and we actually ate together to compare notes on life, living, and work.  Back to writing more recommendation letters and dealing with minutiae.

One of the things that I had to do was find out about my treaty permit.  Back in November, had completed all the documents, gotten signatures, mailed everything in and then received a call from the South African embassy saying that I had failed to complete a specific medical form but had, instead, sent a copy of my CIES medical information.  It was one of those details that I just misunderstood in completing all the paperwork.  He assured me not to worry and just fax him the form signed by my doctor.  Now I was in a panic.  I called my doctor.  He was gone for the weekend and wouldn't be back until Monday.  And the nurse was really sorry, but no other doctor in the practice would sign off that I was in excellent health.  By the time the doctor returned and I got to the office to pick up the form and fax it out, I was certain that I would never meet the deadline for my passport.  The passport came back in the mail, but the treaty permit didn't arrive.  Christmas came and went and nothing.  I thought I should wait until after the first of the year.  Finally I called on Tuesday, wondering if I would have to make a quick trip to DC to get this document so I could fly into the country and stay.  I talked with David, the embassy expert on visas.  He took my name, date of birth, all the important information and then asked, "Did you send the money so that we could mail your passport back to you?"  I confirmed that I had sent the money and that I had received my passport.  He started to laugh and said, "Check your passport.  The visa should be pasted inside on one of the pages."  Of course he was right.  I just never thought to look there!  I had an image in my mind that there would be some sort of separate letter that looked very official.  Crisis averted again.

Tuesday was also the day I skyped Nkidi to report out on my conversation with Kay.  We had originally planned to all talk together, but we had one of those glitches that occurs when I bring my American mind that says people live to respond to emails with her South African mind that suggests there's more to life than reading and writing emails.  It was so exciting to see my friend and meet her daughter.  We had a lovely chat about how I'm supposed to pay my rent (credit card, traveler's check, or wire), how we'll connect once I arrive (will I have a car purchased so I can drive over or will I need a ride), and then the move into my new place.  Of course, Nkidi was most interested in the reading programme and the conversation I had with Kay.  When I started talking about all the things that Kay was doing with her center, Nkidi just lit up.  Everyone, it seems, is on the same wave length.  she asked to see the materials and I reported that Kay was going to put together a packet of things for her review once she (Kay) returned to Australia.  Nkidi and I started talking about grants and opportunities in a very general way and then realized we have a very busy semester ahead of us.  Before saying goodbye, I met her lovely daughter who, at 22 is the same age as my daughter Rachel and just a year older than Abbey, another daughter.  We talked briefly about my bringing some music that the girls enjoy so that project will get started right away.

Today is Wednesday.  Just 5 more recommendations to write.  Two students are coming by to talk about their independent study project.  I've got to get my own prescriptions filled.  There are more boxes and bags of books to unload from car - all for learners at Child Academy and Dzindi Primary.  More later!