Goodbye PH, Farewell

So today, after nearly a decade of work, I officially ended my tenure with Project Harmony. It's not without some sadness, and a lot of good memories and deep reflection that I close this chapter of my life -- a chapter that was not only professional, but very personally defining for me.

When I joined PH on September 9, 1996, I had just spend the past two months of my life sitting on the beach in New Jersey, recuperating from the 6 months in Rostov-on-Don, Russia that was one of the most challenging experiences one could expect for a first job out of graduate school. After the "Murphy's Law / Worst Case Scenario Experience" that was my time in Rostov, I had mentally and emotionally recovered (and gotten the best tan I had in years!) that summer. I came to PH not quite sure what to expect, still uncertain that I even wanted to remain involved in work dealing with Russia. But I thought, heck, I'll take a year, see what this is like, and get a lot of snowboarding in while doing it!

And that's just what I did. I was the Director of the Internet School Linkage Program, Project Harmony's first technology-related program. That year, I traveled over to Russia several times, confirmed for myself that I had too much invested in this whole Russian thing to give it up, and learned that life in Vermont was pretty good. Soon I fell in love with this place I now call home, and it made it so much easier to see a future for myself here in the Valley and with PH. Luckily, PH had the same kind of growth and development in mind for me. My writing background was quickly put to use on writing grants and, well, from there the rest is history. $45+ million in grants history...something I'm damn proud of.

Through all the ups and downs, hard times and successes, PH was and is a family. People matter at PH, and that's why so many people have called this organization home. Like any family, it's got its "issues". Did I want to leave? Probably not. But there comes a time in any relationship where you realize that for both parties, it's best to separate. For me, on a personal level, I needed professional and emotional space from PH in order to let all the lessons I've learned turn into wisdom to guide me forward. For PH, some fresh blood and new perspective is well-timed and needed. And so I think we part on good terms, wishing each other the best and not ruling out that our paths will cross again.

On a personal level, I am looking forward to letting go, no matter how hard that actually is. I have others parts of me I need to develop and new challenges I need to tackle. My dogs, my husband, my writing...all stand to get more of me now. Their generosity in past years has been so understanding and giving. It's time I gave more of myself to them now. In not doing grant writing for a while, perhaps my creative, non-fiction writing skills will actually come back! (Yes, a little know fact is that when you do grant writing for a living, the "grant-speak" is such a prolific part of your language that it's hard to let more creative language flow freely).

I have new horizons before me. And although I have some fears and hesitancy about the unknown, I am once again excited about the "what might be". That part of the story is yet to be written.