Inching

Each new day I'm looking for evidence of moving myself forward to the life I want and need.

Though I have not yet received the official contract I now know what my salary will be; modest but better than if I was teaching English in France. It seems my future employer will be happy to have me and find me useful. The Director of Human Resources and the  professor employing me there are writing the required documentation. Wow! Apart from enjoying my work with the ecocity I've found it hard to feel appreciated by employers in NZ. That's probably because I wasn't.

I think there's a chance I might actually thrive in my new home on the other side of the world. A bigger stage, a wider variety of people to meet and work with, friendly and generous people, a fascinating history and culture of depth and breadth. And that pervading sense of being home.

I'm allowing a little more excitement to make itself felt each day. I'm looking around my home in NZ and gently letting go of my attachment to my belongings. That also means my garden. I feel it is unlikely I will ever tend to it again, after I leave in September.

Ah September, a time for new things in my garden and for me. Already the jonquils are flowering, offering their sunny faces to me in greeting. I've promised myself that one day I will make a lovely garden somewhere in France- gee, I feel quite misty-eyed at the thought. In France there are more opportunities to plant the plants I enjoyed in my childhood and early adulthood because the climate is a little more like that of the South Island of NZ. Auckland is warmer but there are many European plants that don't do well there, a bit like me, I guess.

I've even found a worthy person to represent the ecocity and to deliver my presentation on community advocacy for sustainable living to a national conference at the end of the year. Things are falling into place.

Next week I shall investigate the ins and outs of finding the right property manager to look after my only asset and then it will be time to obtain quotes to move my personal possessions. I've only two months to pull this together but I want to experience the process rather than rush around in a mad fog.

My heart is ready to go now but my head needs to be in charge until I get on the plane for Paris. Yes, I do believe I'm getting a wee bit excited.