In Search of Higher Learning at Harvard

Wonderful opportunity to attend "The New and Aspiring Leaders" Institute with other educators at Harvard University. Boston is a wonderful city. A "must return to" on my personnel travel list. I wish I had more time here. I took the milk run on the way here. Brad drove me to Bellingham, then I flew to Seattle, then Los Angeles. Good ole' LAX, I almost missed the flight because I had to wait for the shuttle to the next gate to avoid security. Arrived just on time to load on the flight to Boston. I arrived at the hotel at 6 in the morning. Although I requested early check in, I realized that it was insanely early. However the guy at the desk took pity on me and upgraded me to the available suite and let me get a few hours sleep before the institute started.

My suite is quite wonderful. 12th floor with a view of the Charles River. It reminds me of the Czech Republic when you stand on a bridge and can see a whole series of other bridges. I'm in walking distance of Harvard, but the shuttle makes it SO easy to just ride to Harvard Square (which is actually a triangle), have coffee and read about the implications of the newly adopted Health Care legislation that Obama FINALLY has been successful in passing! I love the old brick buildings and bridges and the history of the city. Everywhere you walk around Harvard, you're passing the 1st church, or the graveyard for civil war soldiers, or some other historic monument. One lecture hall has a flag with 46 stars that was flown prior to 1912. Very cool!

The actual institute is quite intense 8:30 am - 5:45 pm with pre-readings for each of the sessions. Interesting mix of people attending including principals, vice-principals, department heads, district personnel, mentors - whole range of leadership positions from international schools, charter schools, public schools from elementary to university level. Interestingly enough of the 90 people attending, the principal sitting beside me from the International School in Mozambique - actually from Toronto and currently living in New York with her family due to her husband's posting with Unicef. The assistant principal behind me- actually born and raised in Winnipeg, schooled in Ontario and recruited to teach in New York.

It is so interesting that our physical proximity to the US is so close and yet the differences in our school systems are so significant. Nice surprise was the first speaker, had done a lot of work in Calgary and Toronto and set up Canada as a strong example of how it should be done. Learning lots and having lots of great conversations around the topic of systemic change theory.

Yes, Tyler... I will talk about the food. Amazing. Lots of restaurants with lots of types of cuisine. Big shock looking at the menus for Indian food. High end and very expensive specialty food. We're so spoiled with such a lot of high quality Indian food in Vancouver. Lots of influence of the South...Louisianna gumbo which I forgot is more of a solid that a liquid - wonderful. My lunch with shrimp and crawfish quesidillas was supersized in the tradition of the great USA. WAY too much food for one person. SO good! Last night we went to a Mongolian grill which was actually called "Improvisational cuisine". We improvised like crazy and practically rolled home. Tonight, The OM Restaurant - salmon sashimi to die for, super spicy Thai coconut soup, filo wrapped trout and creme brulee! Doesn't get much better. Drinks are also amazingly creative. Lavendar cosmos, blueberry-lemon margs..,

Time to go get my reading done. One more night before the odyssey trek back.