Many people travel and "eavesdrop" in a sense on the languages and cultures of others, but to really put yourself into that culture and language requires the creation of a new persona, a new you. In choosing to live in another country, and to learn another language more specifically, you are choosing, in a sense, to begin a new life, to open a new door and walk through it. (I want to say 'situated' but that would just be me using my educational jargon). I've been feeling the need to blog today, because I think I have finally reached a moment of clarity in my transition from being an "American-Living-In-Denmark" to a "More-Danish-Than-Your-Average-American-American-Living-In-The-U.S." This entry, my friends, is all about identity, and how contextual it is. Then, of course, it will start raining and getting dark at 5:00, so maybe we will opt for the comfort of the SUV after all. Hopefully that will change once we move and are reunited with our bikes and trailer again.
Back in Denmark, when I envisioned my return to the States, I anticipated much less driving than we are actually doing now. With Cavan's new preschool a good half hour from our apartment (though it will be 3 minutes from our new house) I am literally out and about all afternoon, running errands with Devon, going for walks, basically killing time from 12:30 when I drop him off until 3:00 when I pick him up. Everything so far is going well and according to plan - we've found a house, Tom is working hard at his new job, Cavan has started afternoon preschool, and me.I've become a stay-at-home-mom-driver-of-an-SUV. We have been back in Seattle for nearly a month now, living in temporary housing in an apartment complex close to Microsoft.