Orientation, and My Left Foot

This is a monumental week in my Fulbright experience! Cori and I are in Washington DC attending the week-long Fulbright Teacher Exchange orientation. There are over 120 teachers in attendance representing 10 countries: Czech, UK, Switzerland, India, Turkey, Hungary, Mexico, France, and of course Ghana and the US. We have met my exchange partner, Lucy Okine. She is a wonderfully cheerful, charismatic, and brave person. We have shared information about our schools, communities and customs, and will continue to do so during the next few weeks as I help her get settled in the Germantown area.

Meanwhile a setback personally. My rehab following Achilles surgery had been proceeding nicely through last week. I met with my orthopedist and was given clearance to begin walking without a "boot." The following day I attended an annual Chicago event: A Cubs day game and a Sox night game. An outstanding day, we sat on a rooftop across from Wrigley where we met Daniel Craig (007) and Hugh Jackman. Later at the Sox game we sat in the third row behind the Chicago dugout where we appeared on television every time a right-handed batter came to the plate!
Friday morning, however, things turned sour: While simply walking in my friend's home, I stepped backward awkwardly putting significant pressure on my surgically repaired Achilles. Imagine the sound cabbage makes when you twist it apart to make coleslaw. I fell the ground and immediately thought I re-ruptured it. This was particularly frustrating because it would mean I would miss the following week's orientation in DC, on top of the need to repair the tendon and begin rehab all over. So, Monday morning Cori headed off to DC to attend orientation while I paid a visit to the orthopedist.
The doctor determined it was torn, but only partially. He sent me for an MRI just to confirm this diagnosis. A partial tear would mean no surgery, just a few more weeks in a cast and boot to re-heal. I quickly called Cori to share the god news and let her know I would be flying to DC the next morning.
Tuesday I arrived in Washington in the afternoon, was greeted by Cori, and met Lucy. That evening I received a call from my doctor. He had read the MRI. It was completely torn. I would need surgery.
So, that is where we are. Less than a month from our scheduled departure for Ghana, a land full of challenge and wonder for an incoming American. An adventure Cori and I have been preparing for for over three years. And it is being threatened by one wrong step.
It isn't likely that we will not go. We are committed to this both in our hearts and minds. However our timetable is being threatened. For us to make our scheduled departure of September 1, surgery and rehab will have to go exactly as planned. Cross your fingers, and anything else you can think of.

99 and 44/100% Sure

Monday night the Germantown Board of Education voted to accept my Fulbright Teacher Exchange for the 2009-2010 school year. This means that there's nearly no formal obstacle preventing Cori and me from going to Ghana next year!

I wasn't sure what to expect out of the board Monday night. But, when the superintendent introduced the topic, and then me, the board members revealed a set of proud grins. I distributed some information about the program, my exchange partner Lucy, and the potential benefits to the district. For the next ten minutes to so I described the application process, my interest in the program and this exchange in particular, and my hopes for the experience the district, its students, staff and community would enjoy during the upcoming school year. I can best describe the board's reaction as congratulatory and grateful. The vote was swift and unanimous, and I left the meeting to a series of handshakes, best wishes, and statements of vicarious wonder.

Friday morning, along with Liz, a teaching colleague who has agreed to serve as a mentor to Lucy next year, I will fly to DC for a Saturday orientation. Liz will receive some mentor training, and I will meet the other American Fulbrighter headed for Ghana next year.

There is a lot to accomplish during the weeks to come, but for the first time in many, many months, Cori and I can finally say, with confidence, what we will be doing next year. And that peace-of-mind, at least in the moment, might be the best gift of all.