I can count on the fingers of one hand the days before we're scheduled to head for home! I'm trying to stay in the moment, but home is definitely calling. London looks like a vacation, but it's actually a 24-7 gig.
I miss Max, Huckie, Nu, At, and Big A fiercely. Pictures of their dinners together or Max asleep under furniture with just his tail poking out can make me happy... or cry.
And I can't wait to get back to routine. I've lost touch with my Duolingo, I keep forgetting to take my vitamins, my hair feels so different...
Things to do after arrival are beginning to pile up: Committee meetings, writing deadlines, final grades... Also: watering my zillion plants, Nu's graduation party, traveling to my baby cousin's wedding reception in NJ.
Proposal reviews for NWSA are due this Saturday, so I worked on those for a while. I'm almost halfway done and beginning to feel less panicky about being done in time.
Pic: Getting to tour Bloomsbury with Cindy and Mike was fantastic. Here we're at the bust of Rabindranath Tagore. The piece that C&M declaimed was the same piece I'd assigned for our reading this morning, so that was extra cool.
18 comments:
I agree with Nicole. Chaperoning a trip doesn't seem like a vacation and I'm sure you'll be happy to get back home, even if the trip is a good one.
There is London on vacation and London working. You're right about 24/7 with that many students. You have to be so "on." Well, counting down! Maybe your next trip back will be with your own lovelies and it will be entirely different! The tour looks like my cuppa!
Take care.
This time in London is vastly different than a vacation! You have to be on and you have your mothering hat on. It is exhausting. But the end is in sight and you'll be reunited with your family soon!
No way is this trip a lark for you. It's work! You have to have your Teacher Persona on at all times; they look to you as In Charge. That's tiring and stressful, even with such a jolly group.
Make no mistake, however; when you get home, you'll have a lot waiting for you there as well. But at least it's Home. That alone makes everything less weighty.
Yes, I can imagine you're longing for home! I'm hoping when you get there you'll have a LITTLE time to decompress before diving into all your tasks. And finally... it's good that you're missing your normal routine. That means it's working for you!
While you’ve been to so many wonderful places and seen so many wonderful things, I agree that this is not a vacation. And even when on vacation, if you’re not with family, one tends to feel homesick for them. I know I do.
I'm looking forward to being home, Nicole! I'm not the travel coordinator in the family, so that's an additional stress, for sure!
And fingers crossed for things to go smoothly for the rest of the trip...
Cindy and Mike are delightful, Jeanie! I agree that they would be right up your alley.
Thank you, Gillian!
True, Lisa. It's the gig that doesn't end at the end of the working day. I'm counting down :)!
My people and puppies! My bed! My kitchen! I think I can handle work stress better from there... Thanks for the gentle reminder, Nance.
Ha, Jenny! Actually I have to take At and Nu to a family wedding in NJ that same week... But it'll be fun!
Spring term every alternate year is part of my contract though... I could teach an on-campus course, I suppose. Luckily, I have multiple applicants for the chaperone position--that's a bit a more like a paid vacation.
!00% on both those things, J! I couldn't have put it better.
Agreed with everyone else - this time in London definitely seems like a lot of work! I always get homesick on vacations, even when it's something fun and I want to do. But the end is in sight!
Thank you, Stephany--you're so right. Even on a real, live vacation, I get a bit antsy after 4/5 days.
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