Professional Development Day for Me!

Today I went to Harvard to be educated!

OK, I actually went to Harvard at the National Resource Center for Russian, East European,and Central Asian Studies at the Davis Center for a workshop on the 1905 Revolution.

It was quite the adventure for me. I took the commuter rail train out of Newburyport at 5:55 AM!!!!! I ended up in North Station at 7:00 AM. This gives me plenty of time to take the Green Line to the Red Line to the Harvard Square T Stop. The workshop started at 8:30. So, I follow the directions that were given to me to find the location of the workshop. I've taken about six workshops at the Davis Center but they have recently moved back on campus. If you've ever been to Harvard, it can be very confusing to find your way around campus. I walk across "The Yard" to the other side of the campus. Needless to say, I ended up getting lost. I wandered around campus for about half an hour until I finally found the right building. Other folks were getting lost too so I didn't feel so bad. I thought it was just me - apparently not!

Once I got there, everything was fine. The workshop was amazing! The organizers always bring in these experts on the topic from all over the academic community including Harvard. This professor (Dr. Sally Paine) from the Naval War College in Newport, RI spoke about the Russo-Japanese War in Meiji Grand Strategy. She was telling us that she team-teaches with a Marine. She does the history and he focuses on the military strategy. Can you imagine the energy that goes on in that classroom?

One of my former colleagues from Timberlane, Ray was at the workshop. He came with another teacher from Timberlane.

By the end of the day, I was VERY educated and ready to come back home. This time, I knew my way back to the Harvard Square T Stop. I took the commuter rail back to Newburyport and was back home by 5:00 pm.

A very long day - :-)