The Ebb and Flow of My Fulbright Work in Uganda
My work life as a Fulbright here in Uganda has ebbed and flowed over the past 4 months. On one hand, I strive to be mindful and savor the benefit of sabbatical from much of my WMU work (see prior post on professional navel gazing). The past three academic years spanning 2019-2022 were incredibly intense. They included a season of expected career milestones such as applying for tenure and promotion as well self-driven pursuit of sabbatical and the Fulbright. However, they occurred with added stress and exhaustion within the context of uncontrollable, external factors such as the COVID-19 pandemic, societal and political turmoil, and the precarious and uncertain state of the higher education sector. There has been an intensity and pace that I cannot maintain moving forward without burning out, so I am working hard to embrace this time to reflect, reset, and establish- or at least aim to establish- a healthier routine for work. And then, on the other hand, I am constantly aware that the 9...