positive perspectives...

Hi all,

I post from the hotel in Dulles - our girls will be here in an hour, and I thought I'd sent something quick on before life changes drastically.

I have to clarify one thing: my grandfather pointed out after my last blog that my perspectives on the world seem negative. I think I should say that over the last three weeks I have felt incredibly blessed: blessed to travel through a beautiful country in planes, on busses, in cars, on bikes, and lots of walking. I have felt blessed to have the resources to do so - and the chance to go to Africa for three and a half months with a group of high school girls whose minds are about to be blown. I have felt blessed to have the friends that I do, who have been unbelievably amazing and supportive through the last three months - through a lot of questioning, doubt, and sadness even in the midst of excitement and anticipation. I have felt blessed to have a family who lets me roam - who meets me in the middle of the night, way out of the way, to get one last good conversation in before I take off around the world. I have felt blessed to finally know how deeply I can love and be in love, and to be sure about it even when there's no reason to hold on to that, however painful that might be at times. I have felt blessed to meet new people who I connect with, who I respect, and to know that there are so many more out there doing amazing work.

So yes, I wake up in the mornings excited at the prospects of this wonderful world, as my grandfather said.

I have spent the last two weeks on a road trip - passing through the beautiful new house of Scott Lewis, through Williamstown, down Rte 2. Spent time on natural waterslides, lots of skinny-dipping (even in the Niagara River...yesss) saw Niagara Falls, camped in Michigan, attended the Cheeseburger Festival, camped in Petoskey, looked for Petoskey stones...said goodbye to my fellow road-trippers and began my WFR course - complete with chainsaw simulation, lots of fake blood, a fake compound femur fracture...etc etc etc. Passed the last night drinking beers with Kate Hamel and newfound friend Taura, whose amazing ability to recognize connections of the moment brought sad goodbyes at the greyhound station. Long bus trip to Detroit - made longer by blowing a tire on the highway and spending three hours at a rest stop. Sat next to a man who told me that he has a place in heaven in the lap of Jesus but would frankly prefer to be at the side of God. Jesus has God's right side, so he'd like the left. Thats usually the Devil's spot: so his mission = to rid the world of all evil and posit himself at the Divine Left. Flight to Seattle - amazing time with Paul and Lindsay. Good talks, a little beer, a little adventure of all kinds. Another greyhound, this one to Bozeman...and then it all began.

The vibe between co-teachers is phenomenal, everything we know about our girls is amazing, and hell, we're going to Africa for the semester. I've learned greetings in Zulu (just have to be one step ahead of the girls!) and am working on my Afrikaans.

Tomorrow we head out! Email communication will be shoddy, but I'd love to hear from each of you. Also, if you feel like sending snail mail - which is more deeply appreciated than you can know, the address in Capetown (need to send before Sept. 25):

Heather Foran
c/o Sharon Cupido
249 12th Ave.
Kensington 7405
Capetown
RSA/South Africa

Much love to you all,

Heather