It’s here – 2015 has arrived. And in a month or so, I’m headed off to Ecuador. I seem to be frequently getting the question: Are you getting excited? The answer: Well, not exactly. Not yet. Under normal circumstances, I would be. But 2014 took a lot out of me, and here, at the start of 2015, all I can say is there’s no place like home. I’m content to sit in my living room with a cat on my lap and stare out at the sunshine on bright white snow, and simply not think about anything.

In 2014, I made 11 separate out-of-state or out-of-country trips. I had a super-productive fall sabbatical – through mid-November, anyway. But as enthusiastic as I am about the work I do, and as much as I’ve always loved travel, this pack-up-an-go every few weeks has taken a big toll. I ran into a brick wall in December – travel chaos, illness, exhaustion, and a major slump in my usually productive pace. No, not just a slump. A complete halt.

In this modern world, it’s more common to push through the slump, keep the energy moving. In academia, we worry about the dreaded ‘pile-up’ of work – all the things that will just fall apart without our continued attention. But what happens when that thing that’s falling apart is YOU? The rest of that stuff doesn’t really matter so much anymore.

I have no doubt that my sense of adventure, motivation, and enthusiasm will return with my energy. But to get that back, I know I need to give myself whatever time I need to recuperate – time to fortify myself with hearty veggie stews and tea, time to lie around with my cats, take walks in brilliant winter sunshine….and with that, I can gradually ease myself back into my work, which now includes reading Ecuador travelogues and investigating lodging options for my first week in Cuenca.

The future will get here soon enough – no need to rush it.

It will be hard to leave this little guy for 6 months!