I am very glad that it's 2008. My health is a lot better, I'm not so limited in what I can do, and I can almost begin to imagine what if feels like to be a normal person again. Long gone are the days where I found myself wearing a back brace even in my dreams. Though it has only been six months since my life was so strikingly interrupted, I have a hard time remembering what it was like simply to pick something off the ground without struggling. As for that guy who used to ride a bicycle with reckless abandon, I feel completely severed from that life. It's an odd experience to have such central part of your identity disappear in a fraction of a second. Thank God that I rode the Devil Mountain Double Century in April. I was so burned out from cycling that I didn't even begin to miss it until I saw a girl riding a Cannondale Six13 in DC in October.
In a couple of weeks, I am going to return to Berkeley to see my old friends and pick up the last of my things there, including my bike. I don't think I even want to look at it now-- I think I'm happier having it in California, where I left my old life. Still, I'm glad that when I come back to North Berkeley, I'll have the ability to walk to campus from Ada Street. It may take me an hour, but I'll enjoy every step of it.
So, where do I go from here? I want next year to be one that I really enjoy. I'll really need that after completing 11 months of physical therapy. When I think about what I would enjoy most, the answer is actually quite easy. I'd like to live in DC where I have so many friends, see what it's like to teach in a high school, and spend my weekends doing fun outdoorsy stuff-- hiking, backpacking, camping, kayaking, etc. In addition to my core of great friends that are there already, Nick and Alice are moving there this spring, Katherine and Mike are coming back in August, and I'm secretly hoping that Dean and Emily land there as well. With so many great people living in the same place, it's an easy decision for me to move there now, because this situation won't last forever. That's American culture, for better and for worse. When I feel so inclined, I can return to my dissertation writing. The money is finally there, but the passion is not right now.
For several years now, I've envisioned three possible futures for me. Plan A was to become a college professor, Plan B was to live in Latin America, and Plan C was to teach high school. It's great to be in a position where I can explore all three, and I am taking full advantage of this flexibility. So for now, I am embarking on Plan C. But I need your help to do it! A lot of you have experience living in and around DC, and I wondered if you had any tips about high schools where I should teach. I'd like to put together a list of about ten schools to apply to, then see what shakes out. Once I figure out where I'm going to work, then I'll start asking your advice about what neighborhood I should live in. I'm so excited-- we're going to have a blast together!
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Thomas! I have gotten in touch with "my people" in the private schools world in NY to see what they know about D.C. and about the kinds of professionals/agencies who do placement for those schools.
I know such people/agencies exist, but I've clean forgotten the specifics (guess that's what six years away will do for ya). I'll let you know when I hear back from my folks in NYC. I think they'll be able to steer you toward someone who can help you achieve this goal. My old boss is great with this kind of thing and he's spent his whole life in that milieu.
Tom, you're right about DC being a great city. During college, I had two summer internships working in DC and was pretty close to relocating. I'm not sure that I'll be much help in finding a teaching position, but I know it'll be an awesome time up there. The combination of world politics and U.S. history create a unique cultural mecca, in my opinion.
Hey Tom - glad to hear that you're mobile again and thinking about the future. Because I grew up in DC (and more or less went to high school there) and then lived there after college, I have pretty detailed knowledge about where to live and which high schools are particularly good. Just shoot me an email at my Berkeley address or on Facebook, and we can chat about details. Or we can do this when you come back to Berkeley in February.
Tom, wonderful to hear about your next endeavors! I'll be in DC from July working for the feds! I look forward to sharing our experiences face to face again. It's been too long!
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