Step by Step

. . .mile by mile. What a mixed bag of thoughts and experiences during the week, almost all accompanied by the sound of my own or someone else's footsteps.

I had a good idea when I read about and was interviewed by St. James what my work week would be. Since the company's mission/goal is to provide English language instruction to/in businesses, there are no "personal" language classes. (You know -- we're offering this class at ___ on ___. Sign up if you'd like to come.) The instruction is done at the client company's offices on a schedule which fits their work demands. That is why full time teachers are required to be available at peak hours -- 7:30-9 in the morning and 4-6 in the evening. The other requirement for full time status is to teach at least 17-20 hours a week. Because people can and do cancel, there obviously has to be some flexibility on the number! Logic says that to maintain the minimum hours, at least some mid-day work is necessary. Fortunately, I've been given several of those assignments. So, although I didn't talk about it much, I was not operating under any illusion this would be easy and comfortable. And that's before any consideration of preparation time for so many different classes each week!

I'm sure you are getting the picture here. 7:30-9 a.m. in one part of the city, then comes the routine: walk/walk, hop on, sit briefly, hop off, walk/walk (often accompanied by some degree of climbing) to arrive at another group, frequently in a very different section. Same thing, different place the next morning. And each afternoon a repeat, fortunately with different beautiful buildings, other interesting people to work and talk with and always a variety of faces to watch. To give them full credit, the Client Relations Managers (the folks who are in charge of our schedules) work very diligently to give us the time necessary to get from one place to another. There have been a couple times when they've been reduced to near begging and abject apology! And of course it is our mutual goal to keep the client happy! I have no idea how many steps I walk in a day. I do know I'm working on lengthening my stride. Logic tells me that if I cover more space in the same number of steps, I will arrive more quickly and do a favor for my body at the same time. I also know that the stairs down into the metro (subway) are in groups of 14-17, often with three sets. We're talking some serious steps in a day here!

Why am I talking about this? First, because it's such a major part of my new life/routine. Oh yes I'm tired when a day is complete. More importantly, however, it's on my mind because those steps are taking me to so many interesting thoughts.

Wednesday was a VERY long day -- began early with one of my favorite classes. Bright young people -- female corporate lawyer and male assistant marketing director at a personal products company (Unilever is a competitor and I've been aware of and used some of this company's products since my first trip here in 1990.) The day then moved through some rather normal events "down" into my least favorite group. You know this also: I dare you to teach me something! And then it was time (already 5:30) to make the trip to meet Iva for our first session. Little did I realize -- good thing -- the commute was over an hour each way. I also could not have realized what a gift it is to have time with her in the middle of each long week.

This assignment's SO different. First, it's in Iva's flat. She's invited me into her home and into her life. In many ways Iva seems to be representative of so many Czechs I see every day. Her life and mine are so similar -- school, college, memories of growing up and our favorite Christmas, college, marriage, a family with all its usual ups and downs, then work and a career change and constant sense of hangin' in there. Big difference? She's lived through some monumental changes of which I have only a third party knowledge. And she's obviously done it with grace and a lovely, somewhat shy smile. As we closed the door on the rest of the family -- eating the dinner she had prepared after work in, of course, a pressure cooker -- and settled down to begin our conversations (what a benefit to me that her primary goal is to talk!) I was so aware of two things. The first is how blessed I am to have been born when and where I was. The second is the universality of our experiences. Wife/mother/worker -- get it all done. That seems to know no boundaries, just a common thread of using what you can get to make it happen. She's changed jobs recently; better English -- and her conversation is already quite good though modest and hesitant -- will probably lead to a better job.

Time with Iva didn't reduce the number of steps or shorten the bus ride (and I do avoid a bus if at all possible -- they're so slow) but it changed the complexion of the day. And it makes it easier to face the next trip, and the one after that . . .

Iva's flat is way up on some hill miles out of "Old Prague". It's one of the "ubiquitous prefab Communist panelak housing estates ringing the city where much of the population still lives." (I told someone next day that I now knew where the "other million" of the Prague inhabitants live!) Quoting a guide book again: "local governments try to break up the grey monotony with two-tone paint jobs." Well, not at Iva's place! You're on your own if you want less monotony. And she certainly has done that within her crowded space. Lots of beautiful plants -- her Christmas cactus blooms three times a year: Christmas, Easter, and yet again. And even in the monotony and crush of buildings, after only a few of the many steps from the bus to her place I knew I felt safe and in some ways "at home."

I simply could not help reflecting on that hill and the others I could see from there. Who walked there 20 years ago, under the Russians? And 40? And 60, under the Germans? How about 100? At what point was it farms and villages, maybe only trees and forests. What an incredible country and people I'm blessed to share.

Oh yes -- another gift in the day? Walking out to see the same enormous moon that you were watching (I hope!!) Don't know if we could see the eclipse here. Do know that I missed it. And also know that if I had been with Alexander (oh, do I miss "my boys"!) we've would have had some serious conversations about it.

Bottom line for each of us - - day by day it's step by step. Tiring? Yes, sometimes. Interesting? Always, if we take the time and energy to let it become part of us.