Away I Go

Feel I'm on the verge of some great truth

Where I'm finally in my place.

But I'm thumbling still for proof

And it's cluttering my space

Casting shadows on my face.

I know I have a strength to move ahead

I can hardly leave my room

So I'll sit perfectly still

And I'll listen for a tune

When my mind is on the moon.

Cause everywhere I seem to be

I am only passing through

I dream these days about the sea

Always wake up feeling blue

Wishing that I could dream of you.

-Alexi Murdoch

Neither here nor there

I feel slightly displaced and altogether overwhelmed by my life right now. Last week I finished teaching and five days later boarded a plane to New York City. I said good-bye to a life that I felt like I was just getting back into the rhythm of living and still seem to be grasping for some type of closure for what I have experienced in the past six months. It was great to be with my family again, get to know my nieces and nephew, and also have an incredibly fulfilling job. I had a real paycheck, benefits, and felt the satisfaction of working a long day. I wish that I could have had more time to spend enjoying Utah in the summer and spending time with some people I had lost contact with.
It is very strange to say good-bye to family and friends when you don't know when you will see them again. When I left for Peace Corps, I wasn't sad because I knew in two years that I would return and assumed everything would be the same. I came to a shocking realization when I came back in December just how much I had changed in that time, and how much the people I was closest with had changed. We didn't neccessarily fit anymore. That is okay. I know that now. I am grateful for the wonderful friendships I have had and look forward to forging new relationships. But I am also sad that my nieces and nephews perhaps won't recognize me the next time they see me.

I went to see the Statue of Liberty this week. I can't tell you how much that experience meant to me. I can just imagine how immigrants must have felt, seeing the city at a distance, appearing to be a massive blockade of buildings and cement. All of their hopes planted in an idea of a better life. I also feel that way. My next adventure seems completely daunting but I also feel my breath rise everytime I think about it. I have no idea what to expect or what will come of it, but I know that I will discover a new facet of myself and also of the world. And that is what makes it worth it.

To: My class

How quickly the past five months have gone! Remember the first day I came into your class, my Belizean tan still boldly on my face? The tan has faded, and I am a little bit more tired, but I am positively thrilled to have spent this time as your teacher. We all faced challenges and there were moments of conflict, but we made it! Now we are all moving on to big adventures! You are going to Junior High, where you will be faced with new obstacles (boys, locker combinations, pop machines) and I am embarking to a new country and a new group of kids. We are going our different ways, and may not see each other again, but the lessons we learned together have taught me so much!

People at our school have often commented how well I blend in with the 6th-graders, and in many ways, that is true. I am closer to your age than I am to most of the faculty at our school, and can't help but be entertained by your stories and jokes. I will miss hearing the daily drama every morning and reading your journal entries about the newest celebrity feud. I will miss our little community and remember what we went through together and how we have all changed.

I have thought about what advice I wish to give you, what gem of articulation, but when all is said and done, I wish to give you hope. The world is big and beautiful! There are so many wonderful things to experience, and you can do ANYTHING if you try your hardest. I truly believe that. Anyone who makes you lose hope in yourself and the world is not worth your time. I hope you understand that. Have hope for the future! Remember what Ghandi said, "Be the change you want to see in the world."

And please, oh please, stop listening to Chris Brown and watching TMZ. Shucks.

Ms. Gregerson

Shift

I have had the pleasure of returning back to Valley Dance Ensemble for my 3rd with them when I got back to US of A in January. It has been such fun to do modern dance again, giggle with the ladies, and feel artistically challenged. Valley Dance Ensemble is quite the progressive organization in Cache Valley and I am extremely grateful for the hard-working individuals who make this non-profit run.
VDE was founded in 1983 by Marion Anderson and remains as Cache Valley's ONLY modern dance organization. Marion studied professionally with May O'Donnell and Gertrude Shurr in New York City. She taught privately in New York, Finland, California, and Utah. Marion gave those with talent and an interest in the discipline of dance, an opportunity for study and performance. Marion shared the art of modern dance with the Cache Valley community from 1983-2002. VDE strives to carry on the legacy that Marion left to the community. Their primary goals are to share the joy of movement and expression, and find new and interesting ways to communicate through the art of dance. VDE offers classes in modern and African-based dance to students of all ages.

Each year is highlighted by the annual Spring Concert at Ellen Eccles Theatre in Logan. This year's concert theme was "Shift." The concert features performances from the community classes and the performing company. The African-dance class performed a wonderful piece that pleasantly reminded me of watching people shake out the Punta.

One of the crowd favorites was Ember's choreography to Metallica. Lots of flinging and twirling and an absolute blast to perform. I was totally into my MISERY!

A former company member, Jan, choreographed a duet for Suz and Tess. I was the rehearsal director and the ladies from Yoga class would be proud that I still am power hungry and love to boss.

The highlight of this year was being able to work with Charlotte Boye-Christensen again. We received a grant to work with her three years ago for "Stirrings," and it was incredible. Her choreography is just innovative and challenging to a dancer and audience member. She really blows my mind. This year we received another grant so we worked with her on piece called, "Siesta," which was inspired by Alberto Giacometti's sculpture "Women of Venice." The piece follows the journey of three nuns as they move solemnly and ritualistically to the music of Carmen. It was a very humbling experience to learn the piece and then watch Ririe-Woodbury perform it as part of "Surfaces." Those dancers and that company really just do not get the credit they deserve in this state. Check them out. You won't regret it.

After the concert we had a great reception which featured all of us in our matchy-match shirts and delightful snacks. Thanks to all those who helped out and attended. Long live modern dance!

Okay this picture is totally out of order, but check this girl's hair out! Honestly, lee girls in tights and leotards is just too adorable.

A City, a Town, a Village: The Holy Trinity of New York

New York City!!
Chinatown!

The East Village

"New York is the biggest collection of villages in the world."

-Alistair Cooke

Tao Te Ching

Verse 19

Abandon holiness

Discard cleverness

and the people will benefit a hundredfold

Abandon the rules of "kindness"

Discard "righteous" actions

and the people will return

to their own natural affections

Abandon book learning

Discard the rules of behavior

and the people will have no worries

Abandon plots and schemes

Discard profit-seeking

and the people will not become thieves

These lessons are mere elaborations

The essence of my teaching is this:

See with original purity

Embrace with original simplicity

Reduce what you have

Decrease what you want

I do some aunt things

I took my nieces to the park on Friday to convince them that I am the best aunt ever and try to make-up for the fact that they hardly know me. It was all going swimmingly until an accident involving a ladder and Nikki not providing proper supervision. I am now on probation.