Regular readers of our blog
will know that we missed an entry last week. The reason was we knew the game
was a foot but didn’t know any details. Therefore rather than ignore the
elephant in our living room, or giving only partial or wrong information, we
choose to ignore, or more properly delay, our responsibility to you dear
reader. This week we will reveal all. We hope you will forgive last week’s
lapse.
So, we are going back to
the US. Soon. Like the middle of next month. Rick Shurtz, the US partner, had
intimated what they were proposing while they were here last week and Charu
presented the plan when she got back into the office this week.
When my health was at its
worst, I wrote Charu a letter in which I told her that we weren’t going to
renew our contract next year and that I was not going to be able to keep
working the 50 – 60 hours a week I have been; restoring my health had to be my
first priority. I wrote I also understood they had a college to run and this
was a critical time, so, if they found my replacement and wanted to make a
change sooner, I would understand. I have been involved in some of their activities
to find a replacement (with no luck I should note) and my health has improved.
So, Rae and I fully anticipated that we were here until the end of my contract
next March.
While Rich Shurtz was here,
he and Charu decided to promote Rajive Narain, the head of our marketing and
admissions, to campus director while they looked to fill the other two
positions. With that, they are releasing me from my contract early – as in
mid-September – but they are going to pay me through the end of December. So,
now we start trying to figure out the next stage of our lives.
One of the parts of the
next stage is figuring out how to use the rest of the time we have left in
India. I am going to go to Goa (famous for its beaches) for a few days to
receive Ayurvedic treatment and to have a little vacation with Rae. We are also
trying to arrange a weekend trip to Rishikesh,
up in the foothills of the Himalayas. With those two stops we will have at
least seen many of the varied aspects of India. It would take much longer than
we have had to really see anything like all of India – it is just too immense
and different.
Here’s Rae with her take on
all of this and more.
Wow is the word that comes
to mind as I look back at this last week. Tuesday was the day that Charu and
Phil spoke. Wednesday was the day that
we got the official word that Rajive would take over running the campus. Wednesday night we had a party scheduled for
all the staff, to celebrate some milestones, and so it was decided that the changes
would be announced at that gathering.
The reaction to the
announcement was one of shock and sadness and it was touching for me to see
their response as so many of them came up to Phil to express their sadness and
love. I know that Phil cares a lot about
these people and so I’m sure this was hard for him. It was an emotional time for me also. Once
the announcement had been made then the wheels could start in motion for our
return. Friday we found out that the
moving company would come out on Saturday to see what was going to be
shipped. Saturday the moving company
came to make their assessment. Wow!
Now to dispose of the
things that we will not be taking back to the US. Some things are already spoken for but there
are still some things that we need to resolve.
Moving is always so much fun, hopefully you caught the sarcasm there.
I should be happy for the
distractions that a move brings, because it keeps me from sitting around and
thinking about the people that I will miss.
There are some things about India that will be easy to leave behind, but
the people who have become so special to us, that’s the hardest part about
leaving.
We are excited to be back with our family and friends
and feel at peace that this is what is right for us, but it does make our heads
spin a bit. Wow!
We’re trying to get more pictures taken that might help
explain the experience(s) of living in India.
We are experiencing some computer issues so some of those pictures may
have to wait until we’re back stateside and computers are resolved. Just another reason it’s time to go home,
maybe?
WOW!
Namaste
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