It’s Happening!!!!

Last week, we got our official itinerary for the remaining portion of the trip, and I have started my anti-malarial pills. This journey is a GO! I repeat, this is not a drill!

I am off to Senegal on Saturday. The journey to this point has been long and, at times a steep climb. There was a 10-week course on global education that started the week I got off of the NOAA ship last fall, and ended a week after I got back from Antarctica. That was an intense time, as I had so much to do for the other experiences, and wanted to make sure I did those justice for the student experiences to follow.

I found out my placement in Senegal right before Christmas, but not where in Senegal I would be (that came in January). We traveled to Washington DC for our Fulbright Global Education Symposium , and met the other people traveling to Senegal with me. There were 15 of us, and every one of the teachers in my cohort inspire me! They are great people!!!

Fast forward to the anxiety of watching budget cuts at the federal level to the US State Department, Department of Education, and the US Embassies around the world (all of which are involved in the Fulbright programs). There was a Moroccan cohort that was supposed to depart before us (on April 4). They found out on March 21 that they would not be able to go due to their funds being frozen. At that point, I was pretty sure I would not be going to Senegal.

However, we ended up adding 5 of the Moroccan cohort members to our Senegal crew. Our hotels are booked, flights paid for, and it looks like We. Are. Going!

Once you have convinced yourself that you are not doing something, it’s a little hard to wrap your brain around the fact that you are indeed going to get there. I didn’t want to get excited, so that way I couldn’t feel disappointed. I kept telling myself that if I didn’t go then I would be able to be with my family for Easter. I would be able to accept a really incredible alumni award at my university. There were perks to staying home, for certain. But now it is time to get excited for the adventure.

Stay tuned for how this journey goes – it should prove to be another fascinating voyage. I am hoping to find examples of music being used as a means of cultural identity and storytelling, and I want to find examples of similarities between Senegalese students and the students at my school. I know there will be differences, but I think the students will be fascinated to find that they have things in common with students across the globe. I can’t wait to see what their schools are like! Bring on the adventure!!!!