I have been distracted as of late.
The weekend before last we were invited to dinner by Liam's classmate, Hebe, and her family. At dinner I learned that Hebe's father is the Project Director for the NZ United World College Trust (UWC), which is working to establish the next UWC here in NZ. I wasn't very familiar with the United World Colleges, but I was familiar with Kurt Hahn, the founder of Atlantic College which was the first United World College. Dr. Hahn also founded Outward Bound. In addition, Round Square, a world-wide association of more than 60 schools, was inspired by Dr Hahn's educational philosophy. Dr. Hahn once said, "I regard it as the foremost task of education to insure the survival of these qualities: an enterprising curiosity, an undefeatable spirit, tenacity in pursuit, readiness for sensible self denial, and above all, compassion." I learned the power of this approach to education while teaching at The Athenian School in Danville, CA. Athenian is a Round Square School. I never expected to make this connection here in Queenstown. I was just going over to the house of some new friends to get to know one another.
To make a long story short. I am now volunteering with the NZ UWC. I met John on Saturday night and by Wednesday I was in his office finding out how I could help establish our UWC in New Zealand.
A few other notes:
1. Tonight I burst into tears as I was helping Colin fill out his reading log when I realized that today is 21 May 2008. I first kissed Doug 23 years ago tonight. Sounds like a cliché, but time flies. How did we get from the bank of the Sespe River to a hillside above Lake Wakatipu? Colin looked perplexed, wondering what could possible be that wrong with his reading log?
2. Doug wants to share the vermin count update:
Mice: 16
Rats: 0
Possum: 6
Hedgehog: 1
I am just thankful for zero rats (knocking on wood as I write). I'm coping with the mice, possums, and hedgehogs.
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