I’ve had one blog or another for some time now, beginning with cabbage-on-my-pillow in 2004, about my ESL teaching adventures in Jeonju, South Korea. In those relatively early days of the internet, I barely knew what a blog was when a friend recommended I start one. Since then, most of my blogs have been largely invisible, acting more as digital notebooks for me than any type of reference point for anyone else.
My wife suggests that I start a new blog about fatherhood and I, as always, don’t need much convincing. The notable thing about a fatherhood blog at this point is that I’m not a father (yet). Acknowledging that obvious and important detail, I did want to begin writing in the precious PDD (pre-daddy days). I’ve certainly had my fill of them.
I’m of the modern, cosmopolitan, tentatively decisive generation of men who only started thinking about marriage in their 30s and will join the global parental brigade after his 40th birthday. I feel no particular kind of way about this reality. I’m happy with my life now and how it’s evolved to this point and perhaps only concerned about how my almost-middle-aged body and mind will cope (poorly) with sleep deprivation.
Otherwise, my wife is truly the best part of me and a perfect complement in all the ways that matter. We met in grad school in Brussels (even though we lived a 20 minute drive from each other in Toronto for the entire preceding decade) and have barely stopped holding hands since. It goes without say that the comfort, love and support that we’ve experienced, especially after marriage, has been magical and not a feeling I ever knew existed.
Something like parenthood in that way. I’m mature, ready, serious, full of love and married to the kindest woman you could ever imagine. We are both thrilled to join genetic coils and create and expand on the life we already share.
I’m writing this introduction from the patio of the Soul Pub in Ankara, Turkey. I’ve been here for about a month now for work. Dalia and I have agreed to get the can kicking on babymaking once I return home in two weeks.
Also, after more than a decade of applying, I’ve also been accepted for training in my dream career path. A job that will allow me to meld my dual professional and personal passions for immigration and travel. And that’s also set to start soon after my return.
It’s all perfectly well-timed and a bit overwhelming at the same time. I’ve always acknowledged myself as a late-bloomer and after a full, dynamic and satisfying first forty years of life, I’m ready for the start of the next few decades on these two incredible fronts.
I hope to keep up with this blog, hopefully entertain some folks and share the joy and journey of being a Dad In The World.
JUNE 2017, ANKARA
Dad In The World 