The Next Great Adventure
"A person has not only perceptions but a will to perceive, not only a capacity to observe the world but a capacity to alter his or her observation of it--which, in the end, is the capacity to alter the world, itself. Those people who recognize that imagination is reality's master, we call 'sages,' and those who act upon it, we call 'artists.' Or 'lunatics.'"
Tuesday, September 01, 2015
May you live as long as you want and never want as long as you live.
Monday, November 17, 2014
10 Years
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Rocks on the Sand
For a long time now I've been seeing images in my mind... of Derry, of Clare, of streets I used to walk down and places I used to go. I know I didn't write much when I was in Ireland. The pressure of getting a master's degree and other rather trying situations at that time prevented me from indulging in the usual retrospection I enjoy while traveling or living abroad. So now it is long past time I tell of my life in "Nor'n Ireland" and hope that the memories will do justice to the moments. Here is the first of my "Tales of an Irish Life".....
One of the last days I spent in Ireland, I drove to Malin Head point in Co. Donegal to say my goodbyes to the Island that had been my home and my hardship for almost two years. As I wandered around the hills and former watch tower, I did some watching of my own. Families and couples braved the chill and wind to visit this little spit of land, from which, on a clear day one could glimpse the next island eastward – Scotland. It had been my dream and goal to continue my European life and get a job in Edinburgh. However, some dreams, regardless of how dreamy just don’t come true and so instead of saying Hello to a new home, I was saying farewell to my hopes and dreams. It was the second time the UK had the final word in my life, forcing me to reevaluate myself and to reform my plans.
While I was staring out to sea and envisioning Scotland out there just beyond my reach, I looked down from the little cliff I was standing on and saw on the land below written in stones placed together, Eire. There it was, like a primitive signpost announcing to any travelers where they were. There I was and there I had been for two winters, in a land that one small word could never encompass. A land of wonder and history, of blood and music, a land where the past continued to invade the present and where the people had old souls but murky futures. Ireland had indeed been a trial but it’d also been a journey that taught me as much as it tested. Through my writing I wish to relive the life that now seems so distant. To recapture the joy of discovering a new city, a new language. These may be memories, but they’re also the building blocks of a heart and soul that yearns for more than the ordinary.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Blasts from the Past
Thursday, August 05, 2010
Radio Silence
As for the town itself, it can only be described as ironic that this small town America holds more interest for me than the second largest city in Northern Ireland. Of course, I’m thinking a large part of that interest is due to the nearby Target and a variety of restaurants and cafes. I’ve made up amply for my lack of Japanese cuisine in Ulster by having sushi no less than 5 times in as many weeks! It is also highly ironic that I feel I’ve seen more greenery here than during my time in the Emerald Isle. That is helped by what I like to call the “fuzzy mountains” of the Blue Ridge range. They at least have satisfied my need to be nearer mountains again, though they still look funny to me in all their tree-covered-peak-less way. I simply can’t get over how many trees are in Virginia!!! It’s astounding to me. Pete’s backyard along makes me feel like I’m in a forest. And just driving from Blacksburg to Roanoke (which I had to do to get a new social security card) made me wonder at the strength of will the native Americans and first settlers must have had in order to carve a livelihood out this place. I guess growing up in a pretty arid and tree-less place makes one wary of being surrounded by these silent giants. And yet silence is the last way I would describe Virginia (at least the two places I’ve lived so far). I can’t remember hearing so many different kinds of insects – or seeing them! – and the birds are just show-offs plain and simple. There’s a musicality to this place that I’ve not experienced before and it makes all the stresses of the day vanish quite quickly, if only I had the time or presence of mind to let them.
On the other hand, I’m told that Blacksburg is quite a different place in the summertime and I’m experiencing it at its best (according to some). It will definitely be interesting to see the shift when all the students return for the year, but I’m hoping my time in Boulder will have prepared me somewhat for what is to come. Though I still need to learn to say Hokie without cracking a mocking smile. ;)
Saturday, July 10, 2010
And so it begins....
Kurt is a 1986 Ford F150 XL, with sky blue coloring and a rough and tumbled look. He's a good truck and my fast friend. (Not that fast as he's a little bit long in the tooth, though he's still younger than me.) Pete let me borrow his truck to get to work until I got the bus pass to let me ride the public transport. Considering my most extensive driving experience has been in a broken down old Honda Civic CRX (Love you Baby!!) Kurt is a whole other beast!
First and foremost is getting into the truck. That presents a slight issue for someone who's waist comes up to about the same height as the pedals. With no "oh shit" bar to hand I have to do a little jump and try to propel myself into the cab. Wanting to impress on my first day I decided to wear a cute little skirt... hmmm.. great plan. I managed to find my way to school, getting in and out of the truck without flashing anyone. Once I got myself into the cab I realized sadly that I was too short to reach the pedals comfortably and though I found the lever and tried to adjust the seat, I couldn't and so thinking it was stuck I scooted to the edge of the seat and drove the best I good.
Next was backing the the monster of a car down a long-ass graveled driveway to get to the street. Negotiating that little bit of 'threading the needle' was fun as I worried alternatively about smashing Pete's car, trampling the bushes or the crashing into the shed on the side of the house. But I prevailed through that challenge and celebrated my arrival on the street with a sigh of relief and burst of laughter at the thought of if only my brother or grandpa (big truck enthusiasts themselves) could see me now. This tiny girl in the Big truck.
I started to drive off to school using the handy map Pete drew for me the night before. Focusing on not taking out any of the construction cones or workers on the main road I slowly made my way to school. Throughout the drive I found myself occasionally laughing in a slightly panicked yet amazed manner at my ability to actually drive the biggest car I've encountered before. Arriving at school I put Kurt into park and pushed as hard as I could on the emergency break. Then I kind of shook myself off and went to get a latte at the Starbucks gloriously close to my school to shake of the bit of nerves I'd worked up during the drive.
After my first day at work - spent filling out forms and assessing the students - it was time to get back in the big boy and go home. At this point in time I was not aware that the truck had a name at all, so I decided to call it something in order to be less afraid of driving him. (As we all know, you'll be less afraid of something when you know it's name.)
So on the ride home I called him Sammie and talked soothingly to him, telling him to go easy on me as it was my first time driving something so big. Well that must have worked because I didn't demolish any mailboxes or fences or run over any children. When I got home again I just chuckled to myself and thanked Sammie for the wild ride. It was later that day when I asked Pete if the truck and been named already and thus discovered his true identity of Kurt.
The next day I went out to Kurt again for round 2. This time I wasn't as frightened and took the bull (or ford rather) by the horns. Now he and I have a good working relationship and I only sometimes still chuckle of the sight of me driving this big ol' working vehicle. Perhaps its not as funny to anyone else, but he's a picture of me and my new best friend.....
Sunday, July 04, 2010
A crab-filled 4th
As you may guess from its name, this is a celebration of life, liberty and… crab. Don’t ask me why exactly, it’s an east coast thing I haven’t quite figured out yet. It was definitely a night of firsts for me. First time cracking open and eating crab (most likely to be my last), first time to see and catch fireflies (they are fun little buggies!) and my first night in the Blue Ridge mountain town of Blacksburg. I have to say, with possible exception of the first ‘first’, I loved them every minute of it all. Unfortunately I have no pictures to prove that, yes I did indeed mallet a poor – but flavorful! – crab in a rather barbaric-land-locked-city-girl fashion. So you’ll just have to take my word for it. After the cleanup of tiny mutilated bodies, we all wandered to a cemetery to watch fireworks. It’s a far cry from the soccer fields of suburban Colorado but the mood was the same and had me reflecting on the paradox that is America and its people. (For more on my thoughts on this, see my post from the 2008 elections.)
Tomorrow will begin the next stage of this new escapade, as I will begin work tomorrow at Virginia Tech’s Language and Culture Institute. I’m excited for this new opportunity to help students improve their English and look forward to meeting my new colleagues. With that in mind, I should best get to bed for a full night’s sleep, I got a busy day ahead of me! I am hoping that this jaunt in the Appalachians will be full of new experiences such as my first night here (though perhaps with a bit less carnage) and have high hopes for all that lies ahead of me here.
P.S. Thanks to Pete for the fantastic celebrations and keep on rocking out the crab-fest!! I’ll just hang by the grill next time… :)