Here We Go

Here we go.

These are the words I heard many times over the speaker while riding the Amtrak train to Grand Junction a couple of weeks ago. One of the conductors finished each announcement by saying "here we go". At first, it was funny. I'm not sure he even realized that he said it. It was just habit. After analyzing it some more (as I do), I started to find so much more meaning in those words. I could hear his excitement when describing what was coming up around the corner - even though he's probably made this trip dozens of times or more. His enthusiasm was contagious.

Life has started to reboot over the past several months. Although the COVID pandemic still lingers constantly in our minds, we're starting to learn to live with it. In my New Years Eve post last year, I listed the things I was looking forward to in 2021 and, fortunately, they're coming to fruition.

Last weekend, I graduated from the Audubon Community Naturalist training that I started a year ago. It was a fun and informative program, and a saving grace in a year otherwise filled with cancelled plans. Finishing the program was a good bookend for the last year. Now, I get to look forward. I'm not sure how I'll use the training, but I'm glad to have had the experience. Here we go.

In July of 2020, I learned that my exchange student Filip would not be able to have his experience in the US. It was devastating for me as I'm sure it was for him. I already have a trip planned to go to Norway next summer where I hope to finally meet him in person. I also have student trips planned to Ecuador and Washington, D.C. to make up for the other trips that were cancelled. God willing, I'll be exploring the world again in a few short months with students. Here we go.

In February, I got to talk to my current exchange student for the first time. When I saw Emil's profile, I could tell he would be a great student. It was a long five months waiting to meet him in person, so I can only imagine his level of anticipation. He arrived in Colorado just over a month ago and we've already been able to have some great adventures, including the train trip to Grand Junction. I'm continually impressed with how kind, mature, thoughtful, and positive he is. One of the reasons why I like having exchange students is that I get to experience so many "firsts" with them. I'm so used to all of our American idiosyncrasies that I don't realize how foreign they seem to the rest of the world. It forces me to slow down and appreciate the little things, too. Emil still has nine more months of fun and adventures and I'm so grateful that he was able to come this year.

Here we go.