The Next Adventure: Move to Hungary.

I will be moving to Hungary at the end of the week! Yes, it's true... I am relocating to Eastern Europe to take advantage of a unique opportunity to teach art, study culture, write reports on my research, travel, meet new people, and finally turn the corner from the funk I've lived in for a few years. In April, I received news that I was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship by the US Department of State, Bureau of Educational Affairs... and it's finally becoming a reality.

I just arrived in Washington DC for the orientation and I am greatly humbled by the level of professionalism and company of such distinguished scholars. I am among forty-six teachers from the United States and will be joined by dozens of other American scholars (doctors, scientists, journalists, sociologists, artists, anthropologists, environmental researchers, etc) in an effort to gain insight and promote mutual understanding through cultural exchange. Since returning from my summer travels, I have been working to get things in line (the things that I have to: visa to work in Hungary, residence permit to live in Hungary for longer than ninety days, you know - the legal and legitimate), but I am still going into this exchange with a mind-full of question marks... and truly, that's how I like it!

I will go it alone. I don't know a single person, I don't speak a single word of the language (Hungarian), I have never stepped foot in the country, and most frightening of all... I will not be moving with my best friend, my closest companion, Luna Shea. I certainly can't afford to ruminate about this anymore, as it is killing me! I went back and forth and back and forth and finally determined that it simply wouldn't be fair to bring Luna on this assignment; I would be forced to compromise too much of her lifestyle and daily satisfaction that she deserves. I will be traveling and getting lost and opening myself up to vulnerable circumstances that are best for a solo me... and Luna will be staying with Bryan and Sarah in Rochester, NY for the year. Of course, I can be confident she is in the best of hands... hanging with her homegirl Kiaya, and hiking, swimming, and such around the Finger Lakes... life will be good for her, but there won't be a day I don't miss her. Okay, that's it about Luna... before I start crying again... I'll post again once I hit home.