Then, one day, a tornado came along out of nowhere, picked her up, and took her to…Kansas.
Wait a minute. That's not how the story goes, is it?*
Of course, my name's not Dorothy, either.
But I am moving to Kansas.
Thanks to DP, the Globe-Trotting Academic™, who has accepted a position there. We're planning to finish up the Australian academic year here (it ends in mid-December, for you northern types), head to Boston for a festive holiday season with the crew there, and then, early in 2010, head for pastures new.
Literally.
Okay, not really literally. We're not moving to a farm or anything. I just said that because I hear there's a lot of pasture out there.
I have never, ever set foot in Kansas before, or in fact spent any time at all in the American Midwest. And I haven't really lived properly in the US for more than 10 years (although I've perched there for extended periods). So in a lot of ways I expect that this will be like moving to another foreign country. But I'm looking forward to it. It will be—dare I say it?—a whole new adventure (of a very different sort from this one).
I am sorry to be leaving Australia so soon. We had expected to be here for three years, and getting only just over one feels like a bit of a cheat. We haven't managed to do any of the big-deal Australian trips I was planning on: Uluru, the Great Barrier Reef, the real Outback, Tasmania. Hell, I've only made it to two states (yes, technically Canberra is in its own territory, but that barely counts, so I'm not).
But such is the nature of academic careers…or at least the one I'm enabling. What can I say? It keeps life interesting.
Stay tuned as I spend the next six weeks trying to get organized for yet another intercontinental move (I think this makes five), say goodbye to places and people I've grown attached to, and formulate another list of questions for my next destination.
* With many thanks to NMK, whose wit and cleverness and general wonderfulness were the origin of this opening.
6 comments:
Oh....I love moves but they can be so busy, stressful and rewarding all the same. Take it easy...and my name happens to be Oz :-)
Hello, Oz, thanks for stopping by! I bet you get a *lot* of Wizard of Oz jokes--they're a new experience for me.
Oh, I feel I've just discovered you and your moving on. Good luck in Kansas.
Hello curious! Well, I'll still be blogging from there, should you find the idea of learning more about the American Midwest intriguing....
Oh shoot, you're going so soon! Thank goodness your blog is portable, so we can follow your life in Kansas. All the very best with the move! :)
Cheers, Celia
Celia - thanks! I look forward to exploring the nuances of midwestern regional cooking and society--and to keeping up with happenings in Australia via my favorite blogs!
Post a Comment