Forever West... For the Last Time

Grand Teton National Park and the Teton Science School hold a very special place in my heart. For the last seven years, my colleagues and I have brought a group of 6th grade boys to Jackson, WY, for a week of outdoor education. The week we spend together is nothing short of remarkable.

Well, I'm back in the Tetons again, and on this trip I'm doing my best to take nothing for granted because this may be the last chance I get to savor this region. Since I made the decision to move to Hong Kong, I haven't experienced nostalgia or fear of loss; until I got here.

I feel like Wyoming has become my second home. There are few other places in the United States (or the world) where I have spent more time. Between skiing Jackson Hole and hiking Grand Teton National Park with the boys, I bet I've spent months in this region! How lucky am I? This corner of the world, on the Western edge of Wyoming, is magical indeed, and I'm a bit sad knowing I won't have the privilege to return here each year.

As I look back through photos, I recall all the vantage points; all the experiences in the Jackson Hole Valley: climbing Blacktail Butte, encircling Jenny Lake (8 miles!) stopping for a photo at Mormon Row, tracking bison and moose across the valley floor, searching for bears near String Lake, snow shoeing and cross country skiing, navigating the blacks at JHMR; the list goes on and on.

My time in Wyoming has helped me define my character and interests, too! For example, I know that I'm a mountain lover (as opposed to a beach bum), I know that I love to hike, and I love the distinct vibe of the "Wild West."

Perhaps I can lead a group of students from Hong Kong to the Teton Science School and Grand Teton National Park. If not, I'm going to have to make time to come back on my own.

Regardless of what the future holds, you can take the man out of Wyoming, but you can never take Wyoming out of the man.

Forever West...

Shipping: The Slow Boat to China

I've had my first productive conversation with a shipping agent today. It's an interesting process.

I began by contacting Asian Tigers, a Hong Kong based relocation firm. They referred me to Paramount Transportation Services (in Los Angeles), and Paramount, in turn, referred me to ABC Atlas Van Lines in St. Louis. That's a lot of connections! While I'm a bit worried that one will lose track of the other, my initial conversations with all three were positive and efficient. The local lady at ABC Atlas had some good info.

Apparently, it's going to take 6-8 weeks to ship things surface freight from St. Louis to Hong Kong. I have an agent coming to the house in a few weeks to do a survey of the things I want to take. I guess I better start deciding what is getting on the slow boat to China.

You've Got Mail

My HKIS e-mail account was established today. How exciting!

I was pleased to discover that HKIS is a Google Education school, meaning most information communication logistics are powered by Google. I've had plenty of experience with Gmail and Google Docs in the past, and I love the robust framework that Google provides.

When I first logged into my account, I read through the 35+ emails vying for my attention. Nothing important, but plenty of interesting topics. Apparently, the school nurse sends out warning when the API (???) is high. It must have something to do with air pollution or allergies, for when it's high students and faculty are advised to remain indoors. I don't think I have any respiratory problems; how bad could it be?

Beyond the e-mails from the nurse, it was nice to start learning names of colleagues and reading the newsletters from the school administration.

At this point, my new e-mail address is still a fun toy. I wonder how long it will take for it to become burdensome.

Breaking News!

The cat is out of the bag! Everyone knows!

For the past few weeks (since I signed my contract with HKIS), I have worked hard to keep my move and my new adventure a secret.

I don't know why! No, wait; yes I do.

At first, I thought it was all too good to be true. (In fact, I can still hardly believe it!) I suppose I was nervous that something that was going to go wrong, something was going to fall through the cracks and  my new opportunity would slip through my fingers. If that happened, I didn't want to have to backpedal and change my story. Thus, I thought it wiser to tell no one until things settled down and plans became more definite.

Keeping the news secret for over a month was really hard. No, it was impossible. Naturally, there were a few strategic people who had to know (administrators at CCP, my real estate agent, closest friends), but I wasn't ready for it to be public knowledge. (I really didn't want some friend leaking it on Facebook either). I wanted to break the news personally to my closest friends before they heard about it second or third hand. Maybe I was making a bigger deal out of it than it needed to be, but I wanted to spread the word on my own terms.

During the month of March, I decided to let my adult friends and colleagues in on the idea. They were all professional and supportive, and it was really exciting to share my excitement with them. I still wasn't ready for my students to know; I just wasn't ready to answer questions.

As Mike Bander says, "There are no secrets at Chaminade," and it only too a few weeks for news to start leaking out. Since our return from Easter, I gently denied the rumors or redirected the kids questions.

This week, that all changed. Some of my favorite students started asking, "Mr. Lange, are you moving to Hong Kong?" I could resist no longer, and I confirmed their suspicions. Some were excited; some were sad to hear that I was leaving (very touching); most just had more questions. "Why would you want to move to China?"

It will take a few more weeks for the news to settle in, but I'm happy they all know. It will give me more time to explain my excitement, allay their fears, and say my goodbyes.

I'm glad the news is out and I'm touched by all the well wishes and support I'm receiving from parents, students and colleagues. Maybe I should have told them sooner.