A few last hours of 2012 stateside!

Hello All,

Here we are at the end of our trip preparations. Our bags are packed and were ready to go. Our jet plane is going to take us far away. Nostalgic thoughts come to mind thinking of saying goodbye to family and friends. I recall that during our first year abroad when Julie had the scholarship, saying goodbye to everyone for a year was difficult for someone who rarely travels outside of Wichita Falls - not to mention packing for a year when all my previous knowledge of travel lends itself to a weekend away at most.

Excited, nervous, happysad {sic} anxious, anticipatory all mixed in a blender might come close to how the start of the journey feels. I'm hoping that the most glorious thing I can think of will only be part of the average day in France where I might get into something I've never thought of or considered; I may even get into a little bit of trouble! Trouble in the way of meeting  new friends and learning something that is contrary to my textbooks! I'm excited to be a student again, particularly because since becoming a teacher, I've built this image of what a perfect student should learn like, and I want to try this idea on me.

On the side of Rotary things, if there is such a thought since the trip in essence belongs to Rotary,  I'm looking forward to getting involved in service projects or starting my own. Chances are that I might think of something that would be financially beneficial to Tom Sheriff's project in Haiti with the Optometry Lab that Rotary has built there. I'm not sure where this ball is rolling, but I know it's gaining speed and there's nothing but downhill ahead of us. I would like to mention that I feel super lucky and blessed to carry the torch for Rotary in Lyon, France.

Thinking locally: We've eaten at all the places that I've guessed would be the sources of random winter cravings that are unreachable- 'untasteable'  in the south of France. Somehow, it seems that even though I've been to Taco Casa five times in the past ten days, the moment is only there. Taking it with you might seem like an option but is never the reality and isn't worth it anyway. Memories and experiences should be left in the time where they were born; they hold their value this way.

Hopefully the butterflies will meet their end as the journey begins. It feels very cathartic to be leaving the worst of the U.S. (political nastiness- local and national, 110 degree weather, and the ticks in Paducah that are from where the worm does not die). If also feels very bittersweet to be leaving the newest members of the family (Kaylea, Ava, and the one we haven't met yet Paisley!) along with the other old breeds (Lehman, Dosch, and Felts Families).

We have promises from several that have said that they are coming this time to visit. I hope that the fruit of those promises are exciting excursions and priceless pictures. Come hell, high water, late morning coffee breaks and table wine with every meal, you can find us praising God, representing Rotary, and living the dream.

The Last Ambassador

       I suppose I should explain why my signature includes the tag of 'the last ambassador.' As many of you that are associated with Rotary know, the Ambassadorial Scholarship is ending in the Spring of 2013. This is the final year that the Rotary Foundation and Rotary Districts everywhere will seek and choose scholars, name them ambassadors of goodwill, and send them out to the corners of our sphere-shaped earth. My humble place in all of this was to jump on the train just before the doors close forever. What I mean by this is that I was not selected to be a Rotary Scholar this year, but rather I was chosen to be the 1st runner up to the two excellent scholars selected from Rotary District 5790. The job of the 1st runner up is to wait by the phone in case one of the selected scholars decided he/she cannot accept the scholarship for whatever the cause, and the runner up goes in their place. I knew, as 1st runner up, exactly what to do during the waiting period:  as selected scholars only have so long before there is no turning back, I was to begin right away on the next year's application.
        A brief note: I was selected as the 1st runner up for the 2009-2010 year, and I was also selected as the 1st runner up for the 2010-2011 year.
       After going through the application, interview, re-interview process a few times and attending the ASETS outbound scholar orientation in Austin for three years, I knew plenty about the role of the 1st runner up. After the district chose their two excellent ambassadors, I immediately began to fill out the application for the 2011-2012 selection year. I downloaded the application, got my updated references in order, and called to arms my most distinguished record of any and all service/education I could add to the new year's application. I went back to teaching while periodically updating the new application when Julie's phone rings and a message from Tom Sheriff is left. In his message, he said that one of the selected scholars backed out and that I would be receiving the Ambassadorial Scholarship....if I still wanted it! WHAT?!! You mean...I get to...wait..what....is.....is this really happening....I'm going to France I'm going to FRANCE- I'M GOING TO FRANCE!!!!! After the initial shock, I gladly sent my formal acceptance letter to Tom and Rotary International and began to work on my Pre-Departure documents for Rotary.
      With the travel bug butterflies filling my stomach, I began to read and realize that had I not been the runner up this past year, I would never have been able to serve Rotary as an Ambassadorial Scholar. The reason is that when I was selected, Rotary International had not officially announced that this program was ending. The website was still operable, the new year's application was available for download, and some of the people at RI that I had spoken with were still under the assumption that there would be another year of the same ambassadorial selection process. We all knew that Rotary had plans to phase the ambassadorial program out, but we had no specifics as to when that was going to happen. Anywho, after I was made aware of me actually being a scholar, I went back to teaching, and just before Christmas break I noticed that the application and website were taken down and the announcement on the Rotary Foundation page read that there would be no Ambassadorial Scholars for the 2012-2013 selection year. I then realized that not only was there no possibility of a new scholarship year, I was the first runner up for the terminal year of the program. So, I was feeling very lucky to know that I was one of the last few selected for this scholarship.  Then, I realized Tom Sheriff had told me that the scholar who was selected before me actually backed out on the very last day that a scholar could before the no-turning-back period kicked in. So not only was I one of the last chosen for this amazing opportunity, but I was given the chance at the very last moment any runner up could have been substituted for the scholarship.
     So here's the math behind it all: 1st runner up + initial selected scholar backing out on the last day + end of Ambassadorial Program forever = The Last Ambassador. I will not say or agree to Rotary saving the best for last, but I will agree to Rotary saving the luckiest for last. I am extremely blessed to have this opportunity, and I will do my best as an Ambassador of Goodwill. Once again, a huge thanks to The Rotary Foundation, Rotary International, District 5790, Rotary Club Wichita Falls North, Tom Sheriff, my wonderful bride, and everyone else who has been a light for my journey as a scholar thus far.
    As someone who knows that I was born only to serfdom, I surely know He has chosen and blessed me beyond my deserving.

Q.P.S. (quick post script):

Julie and I got our visas last week in the mail! Off to France we go with official papers!