OK, so I'm channelling Ryan Adams again. Today, among a number of different chores, I did something I had not done on a trip since the summer I spent teaching in India in 2004: unpack my suitcases and put everything away. I don't know why this felt like such a big deal, but it just felt that way, and it has left me feeling pretty melancholy. Whenever I talk to anyone here I tell them that I'm only going to be here for a year, and they just give me a knowing smile in return. I suspect a lot of people come to Abu Dhabi for a year, and then stay ten. Two of the ZU professors who are staying here are back just for the semester in response to a reply from ZU - they had already put in their time teaching here and have leveraged the financial payout to own places in Portutgal and Sri Lanka. I guess I need to balance out what I have in Vermont and what I could potentially have here. And, obviously, it's not just the financial benefits of teaching in the Gulf. More important to me is the role that I could play in reshaping Zayed University. For all of my wars with the administration at Champlain I can also honestly say that it is a better place than I found it, and I could certainly walk away with a clear conscience. There are so many things I love about Vermont and Champlain, but also so many things that I just loathe. It used to be an amazing place to work, but it's simply not anymore. The question is, what role can I play in making Champlain a good school and a great place to work?
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