Thankful

me and toshi, early- mid 2000s.
williamsburgh, brooklyn


I don't know why I go so fast. My mind seems to dart around from thought to thought, action to action. If I am not too careful, life manages to flash by with my barely noticing the everyday miracles, acts of kindness.
Where do I start? I can say it all started with the woman who hired me at Copenhagen International School so many years ago. And I could tell you about the eye-opening experiences and the lovely international staff I encountered there. There was the sassy Suzanne, originally from Ireland, Lesley from Scotland and Audrey from Scotland. Together we formed the administrative staff.  These women, as were so many others who worked at that school, phenomenal everyday people.  I could tell you about the time before this where I biked around Hellerup with 4 year-old Kai in the bike seat, going from grand big house to grand big house, tutoring 5th grade German girls or Junior High girls from China. Or I can tell you about the other school where I was head-hunted to teach Middle School English, and how awesome that was as well. About taking my 7th grade class to Amsterdam...or I can tell you about the newspaper I'm now writing for and how it's related to the job I had so many years ago or about Charlotte Andersen, a Special Education specialist who wrote a handbook for parents and teachers who work with children diagnosed with ADHD and how I translated this phenomenal book which can be read over the weekend and how I want to get it to an English speaking audience and how cool Charlotte has been and continues to be. I can tell you about going by my former place of employment yesterday to tutor the grade 8s and how Oscar, Anisa, Hafsah and Bilal interviewed me, asking me questions about America and racism and I receive so much love and hugs from the kids and staff and I experience the result of 16 years of being here and am thankful to all the people letting me know that hey Lesley- we love you.

farvel,
the lab


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