Waiting is the hardest part

College professors are lucky beings — they work with great students, they research interesting and obscure topics (hello, medieval Jewish history anyone?), and every seven years they have the opportunity to take a break from their teaching and on-campus responsibilities.  Yup, sabbatical is a wonderful and hard-earned and necessary part of teaching.

The plans for Jan’s sabbatical this fall have been in the works for three years.  And for most of that time, I have been talking to my bosses — Debra, Manuel, Tom, Jill, Leslie — about the opportunity and what it would mean for my job in Admissions.  Thankfully, there was plenty of support and we think that we’ve figured out what it will look like for me to work remotely.

But to get to this point has been challenging in many ways.  The number of hoops we had to jump through to get our visas to Israel were innumerable.  There were the apostilles for birth certificates and marriage licenses.  There were passports for the girls and a new one for me because the old one didn’t match my birth certificate (stupid middle name/middle initial conundrum).  There was a 20 minute visa interview that, thankfully, we had in Cleveland instead of Chicago.  There was the sending off of passports and visa applications to Chicago and waiting for them to return with the proper visa, one that’s OK for people staying more than three months.

And now the big day is here.  Everyone is excited but we would all be lying if we told you that we aren’t nervous or anxious or paranoid about what’s awaiting us on the other end of the plane rides.  But faculty friends who have taken their kids overseas for a semester or longer have insisted that it was an amazing experience for everyone.  And what doesn’t kill you makes opposed stronger, right?

Over the next 141 days and nights (that’s how long the lease is for) we will share our adventures, both good and bad, so that you can live vicariously through us.  We will have guest bloggers and pictures and video so that you see what we’re  all doing.  For now, we’ll leave you with a wonderful shot of the luggage, almost ready to be loaded into the car.