Dear 757,...

...I need to tell you: "It's been real," as the kids like to say. If they still like to say that. It's been a real adventure. A heck of a ride.

Locking up my VA Beach apartment for the last time

For the past two years, I have pursued doctoral study. I have written papers, read articles, and conducted qualitative research (interviews, focus groups, and observations). I've written a ton of literature reviews, served as the co-chair of a student organization, and carried out a research fellowship. I've attended countless three-hour classes (both face-to-face and online), transcribed data collection, and took copious field notes. I made the drive from my apartment in Virginia Beach to ODU in Norfolk millions of times. I presented at conferences and wrote manuscripts for publication. I passed written and oral comprehensive exams in the first attempt. And I began writing my dissertation.

I made wonderful friends and sadly lost several cohort mates along the way. Now we are down to the three of us, and I am so grateful for our little group.

Our first lettuce harvest

But now it's time for me to move on. Physically, at least. For the last year of my program, I have been granted the opportunity to live with my host family, about 2 hours north of Hampton Roads. This is for a myriad of reasons, not least of which are the financial savings this entails, as well as the added structure to a year of course-less writing.

I will enjoy sipping my coffee on the porch swing in the mornings, listening to the songbirds chirp and the watching the squirrels play. I will enjoy tending to our container garden, growing tomatoes, cucumbers, three types of lettuce, herbs (parsley, basil, chives, cilantro, and dill), squash, zucchini, watermelons, cantaloupe, peppers and onions, celery and garlic from food scraps. I will enjoy going on walks through nature several times a week. I will enjoy cooking for more than one. And I will enjoy being a part of a choir at a big ole church with a big ole organ once all this corona business blows over.

This coming year, I will write a dissertation. My topic is learning outcomes of study abroad participants at a mid-West community college. I have found a chair and a methodologist for my dissertation committee. I have written chapter 1 (the introduction) and two thirds of chapter 2 (the literature review).

My office for the next year

Dissertation Seminar starts next Wednesday, which will guide us through completing the first three chapters to prepare us for our Proposal Defense. Then comes data collection, transcription, analysis, write-up, edits, and finally dissertation defense. I hope to graduate May 2021. Then my resume will be edited to say "Heidi Fischer, Ph.D."

This past week, my host mom and I packed up my apartment. She and her husband helped me load a U-Haul to put most of my belongings in storage. I cleaned out my GA cube at ODU. As I drove down I-64 to head to my new home, I said goodbye to Hampton Roads for the foreseeable future. It was an odd feeling. I have been very fortunate with the all the gifts I was given during the past two years. And I feel just as fortunate moving forward.

So, in closing: It's been an interesting ride, dear 757. It's been ups, downs, and in-betweens. You gave me many fond memories, and some I'd rather forget. You're a nice part of the country, but your traffic prior to 10:00 AM and after 3:00 PM sucks. Just FYI. No offense.

Excited to see what the next year will bring...Signing off for now,

German Girl