Goodbye, Normal

So, as many of you know, I am about to embark on a brand new adventure: I will be living in Helsinki, Finland for the next six months on a Fulbright to study secondary teacher education. I will be at the University of Helsinki and will attend several conferences in Europe, all with the objective of learning as much as I can and bringing it back to the work I do at home.  The opportunities before me are incredible, and I am staying mindful of how truly fortunate I am.

A lot of people have asked me why I chose Finland. Well, to begin, can you think of a better place to move to in January?  Given that it has been about 30 degrees warmer in Helsinki than Illinois for the past two weeks seems like a good reason..... Seriously, the educational system in Finland is world-renowned. People value education, trust teachers and are committed to quality teacher preparation and public education. There is so much to learn, I'm not even sure where to begin.

As for the title of the blog....well, I live in a town called Normal.  Seriously, it is called Normal. It is without a doubt my most favorite address of all the ones I have had over the years and I simply couldn't resist the irony of using it in the title of my blog.

The purpose of this blog is two-fold.  First, I want to share my experiences and adventures with my family and friends.  And there will be many, because, as you also know, I'll try anything twice.

While there is certainly a personal aspect to my blog, there is a professional one as well.  This new adventure is one that is grounded in professional development and exploration.  I know it is going to challenge me to evaluate my own ideas and beliefs about education.

The next six months are going to be amazing. I have the love and support of some wonderful people in my life. I also love to travel, discover new places, have new experiences and meet new people.  Life will be anything but normal and I have no idea exactly what the next six months will bring but that's what excites me the most. But one thing I do know, is that no matter what, it will be one hell of a good time.