My apologies to all those who have been waiting with baited breath (yeah right) for regular posts frmo Bhutan. I do have internet access but it, like my free time, is intermittent. I can tell you all that we landed safely and have been very well taken care of during our orientation here in Thimphu.

Although this blog will still be maintained, I can see now how optimistic I was to think I could post with any regularity. I invite all my friends who would like to to also keep in touch with me via email. I also would like to know what is going on with all of you. Write me a letter about your day and I will write you one back. Contact me at njbann@gmail.com

Thanks and Tashi Delek!

On the wisdom of Serbs.

I once had a Serbian landlord named Vlad. Vlad was very good at his job, and very enthusiastic, if not difficult to understand at times. I once saw him painting the walls in the hallway at 6:30 am. He never stopped, and never seemed to run out of energy even if sometimes it looked like he needed to. Vlad was a pretty bouncy guy. I'd say "Vlad, you seem busy. How are you?" And he would invariably reply, "I'm on springs!" This statement would be accompanied by a grin and an illustrative bouncing motion.

To this day I've no idea what "I'm on springs" means. It's probably some Serbian idiom that just doesn't translate well. But was he nervous? Excited? Were there tiny springs in his slippers that I couldn't see? I have no idea what this phrase means, nor will I probably ever. But I think it's a very clear way of describing how I have felt over the last two days.

I fly out tomorrow morning so the last forty-eight hours or so has been me on springs; shopping, sorting, searching, and stacking. (Well, not that much stacking but it sounds good all together like that.) Of course I'm paranoid about forgetting something but at this point I think I just have to have faith that I at least have enough stuff to keep me alive. I fly to Toronto tomorrow moring, and am heading across the ocean after two nights there.

My apologies to everyone I wasn't able to see one last time; the past few days and weeks have been stupidly busy. But now, I do need to think about getting some sleep. If only I could get off these damn springs.

The Journey Begins... Almost.

They say my life is about to be changed forever. A few weeks ago I found out, for sure, that I would be moving to Bhutan to teach. Well, it's almost here. T-minus seven days until I fly out to Toronto. (Should that be B-minus...?)

This blog is intended to be a way both for me to keep everyone back home (and everywhere else!) updated, and also to keep a record of my adventures for myself and for future generations! I'm hoping to include lots of pictures too. I don't know if it will be funny, a place for me to stand on my soap box, or even all that interesting. I invite you to stay tuned and see for yourself.

People keep asking me if I'm excited. Well, of course I am but it's very exhausting to jump up and down for three months straight. I'm jumping up and down on the inside. Right now I am still hammering out final finicky details. Nothing too serious is threatening to go wrong, but there's enough that it's pretty stressful. Indian transit visa. New shoes that fit. It will get done. It has to.

That's all for now; I'd like to get a post up with the basics of my trip when I get the time. I have no idea how regular posts will be once I land in Bhutan, but hopefully they won't be too few and far between. For all my posts, comments and questions welcome!