So now that my job search is complete, I may resume my natural course in life which is to enjoy it. I am heading off to France for a few weeks in August. I am happy that I'll get to enjoy my time on vacation, a prospect not wholly guaranteed given recent fluctuations in employment. But now it looks like food, wine, touring, food, wine, resting, in short: vacation.

This is shaping up to be a most beneficial break. I weathered the transitions well, I think-- I'm a little haggard for the experience, but I am better for it. I feel ready to plunge into my new position with fervor and bring the big game. But this is a blog about vacation, not work. See, I need to exorcise my demons (if not exercise my demons) before getting back to a normal frame of mind. My job defines me: I am a teacher. Yet, my life defines my work. I have traveled extensively my entire life and am looking forward to traveling more. My ultimate goals include visiting the Gobi Dessert in Mongolia and retiring to Guatemala. The short-term sees me extending my summers in France to include all of July as well as half of August. Then I will be able to write more about the Mediterranean in general, (by the way, I visit the south of France with occassional long weekends in Paris, but we spend most of our time in the south).

Future blogs I hope will explore the bourgeois [spelling?] implications of crowing about seemingly luxurious extended stays in fantastic regions of the world. It is sufficient to say at present that I am choosing to have no children so that I may fund such excursions. Too grandiose? How about the inspiration of my Great Aunt who was was said to have visited most of the countries of the world while in the Navy? Or my uncle who lives in Italy who is a major inspiration for me, but also for all wanna-be expatriots. I'm no Jack London, but that's OK; I would like to be more productive in my daily life so I am using diverse experiences as a means to expanding my mind, developing my writing, and simply exploring the world in greater and greater detail. Perhaps I'll write about past trips that I've taken to France as well as Guatemala, Hungary, Canada, Mexico, and the continental United States.

I can tell already that I have more to say about Life than I have to say about work. But if you want to learn about my work then keep tabs on this blog as the 2007-2008 school year is getting under way here in New York City on august 30th. As for my job search, I'll be expunging these previous blogs related to that on August 29th...it's over, what about it? Also, I hope to be using this site as a place for students to check-up on their homework assignments as well as other interesting (I hope) postings. As for teachers, please feel free to critique the subsequent postings based on pedagogical criteria; but you must provide a critique of the strengths as well as the weaknesses.

So I tip my glass of Prager white port (I'm killing the bottle before we leave, it's already turned a bit) and head off to prepare the way into the next phase of my adult life and beyond. The ground work we prepare today will support us in the future. This week: getting ready for France.