My Post-Sabbatical Year(s) in Asia (or wherever): 4/19: Leaving Malaysia

Me with some teachers and administrators at Seri Puteri, after the Monday morning assembly

I fly to Vietnam today to meet my students for a 25 day trip throughout the country. I have spent the last two days back at Seri Puteri, in Cyberjaya near Kuala Lumpur. I asked the principal if I could say good bye to all the students at the Monday morning assembly. I told her I only needed 30 seconds. She said, "You have five minutes. Say more." The kindness and generosity of the teachers, administrators and students at this school have touched my heart, so I want to share what I said at the assembly.

"I leave today for Vietnam to meet my students. I have had a wonderful month in Malaysia and am very sad to leave, but I am also very excited to see my students again, for I have been away from the United States for eight months. Even though I am on a one year leave from my school, I couldn't give up the part of my job to lead the Global Studies trips abroad. And I want to explain why.

When you travel, there are two journeys occurring at once. One is the external journey - seeing different places, people and cultures. The other journey, and the more important one, is the internal journey. And this is what I really want to talk about. When you live with an open heart, you cannot help but grow from your experiences. As you experience different places, and interact with different people and cultures, all the changes can either shut you down or open you up. For we experience with both our minds and our hearts. Your mind is constantly analyzing, comparing and judging, which creates separation. But our heart is only loving and accepting. If you can suspend the actions of the mind for a little while, and experience with your heart, then what you experience is connection. It is my hope that I can help my students to open their eyes and their hearts to the world around them. And when this happens, then it touches my heart.

My experience at Seri Puteri touched my heart. The teachers and students have been so welcoming. Your open hearts have been a special gift to me. So I want to thank all of you for opening your hearts to me. "