Leaving Home

Rachael Vorberg-Rugh

Twelve days from now, I’ll get on a plane. As some of you know, I'll be heading off to Oxford to get my doctorate in history. It is the start of a truly amazing adventure. Over the next three years I'll have the chance to study among some of the world's finest minds, meet people from all over the world, travel to new places, and experience life in a different culture. I couldn't be more thrilled with the turn my life is taking.

And yet, it is hard to leave home. I am from the Pacific Northwest. Born to two native Oregonians, I've lived the vast majority of my 32 years here. I've lived in all five quadrants of the city, and just about every street in town conjures up a memory. I grew up in the west side suburbs, went to college in Tacoma, WA, and moved back to Portland after graduation, thinking I'd be here about 6 months 'til I decided what to do next. It's been almost twelve years. And now, here I am leaving for college all over again.

There are so many things to get done in the next 12 days. For one thing, I need to answer the challenge of how a thrift-store clothes horse and inveterate pack rat manages to pare her life down to two large suitcases and a carry-on.

And there are a hundred loose ends to tie up--the last cleaning of the house, training my replacement at work, making sure the bills get forwarded, getting my ballot sent to me overseas, etc. But of all the things before me, the hardest are the goodbyes now looming.

Over the weekend, I said the first of my hard goodbyes, waving my parents off as they trek to Ohio, where my father the auto racer extrordinaire will be racing in the national championships on Sept. 25 (check his progress lap by lap during his race at 4:15 EST that day). It's a long drive in a motorhome towing a big trailer, and they won't be back before I leave for Britain. I've also been saying goodbye to my house (now being rented to a friend), and transitioned my cat into a new home with my aunt. Each of these goodbyes comes with a new and visceral understanding of how dramatically my life is changing.

My friends and family (not mutually exclusive categories, incidentally) have been amazing. My grandfather and my parents are helping me fund my expensive new adventure. My friends have helped me pack up my house, talked me down from the occasional panic attacks, flown in from far-flung cities to see me before I depart, and helped me in a hundred other ways. The love and encouragement that’s surrounded me is inspiring. I feel as though, when I leave, all of these people will be traveling with me, as little spirits sitting on my shoulders and cheering me on. With so many people behind me, how can I fail?

These days I'm technology's biggest fan--it will be much easier to keep in touch than it was in my college study abroad days (Rachael in 1992: "what's e-mail?"). I'll also be able to keep up with the BlueOregon gang, sharing my experiences as an American abroad in this election year. I plan to watch the election returns come in--although since the polls will close on the East Coast at about 1am GMT, it'll be a long night. Hell, it'll be a long night for everyone.

Want to see where I’m going? Check out the virtual tours of Oxford. I’ll be spending a fair amount of time at The Queen’s College, the Modern History Department, the Bodleian Library, and of course, the pubs. Should any of you be heading to the UK in the next three years, let me know and I’ll be happy to show you around!

By Rachael Vorberg-Rugh Sept. 14, 2004