I got home today after a very, very long day to find a nice letter from the Graduate School at the University of Washington waiting for me . They've decided that they agree with the Japan Studies program, after all, and have extended me an offer of admission. So I can now say with a degree of comfortable certainty that I'll be going off to graduate school in the fall.
This is a good thing, but the timing on it is a little awkward and makes me pause to reflect. We placed thirty applicants at camps today. There are now thirty more people in the world who will have a chance to share their lives and cultures with Americans and take something of the US culture back home. There are thirty more people in the world who will have a chance to spread the idea of the global community, who can help to break down the barriers that exist between peoples and nations. Thirty young men and women from a dozen nations who are the future leaders of their communities and who will become small heroes in the world's search for peace.
When I go off to grad school, I'll be taking steps forward for me, personally. I'll broaden my personal horizons and abilities and opportunities. But I will leave behind a job that has more meaning and value to me, that does more for the world, than anything I have done before and anything I am likely to do after. I'm not trying to make myself out to be Gandhi; I know the victories I achieve are small ones. But, a person at a time, they are victories all the same. Come autumn I'll lay down the work I do now with a very heavy heart indeed.