A day late, but full of good news and excitement! Despite my fears and stress, everything’s falling into place for my trip, and I’m feeling so excited and thankful and blessed. I’m still raising funds (you can support me on Crowdrise or Patreon, if you have cash to spare), but I’m now officially days out. Lovely friends have been housing me and helping me out, and I wouldn’t be 2 days from departure without y’all — thanks so much for all the love and support, really.
This month once again has no tracker photos, because those have basically fallen by the wayside with most of my stuff in storage and living out of backpacks. This month’s review is below the cut.
Goals:
- Build up my small press
- Consciously love and care for myself
- Continue learning and expanding my skill set
Month in Review:
What worked? What didn’t?
1) I sold some more copies of After Ferguson at the fundraiser a friend held in Corvallis, but otherwise funds raised have been going into my upcoming travel. I’ve set the bookshop to not take orders, since I won’t be able to fulfil them while I’m gone, though MGP’s books are still available through major retailers.
2) I’ve been trying to take it as easy as possible, letting folks help me when they offer, asking for help when I need it, and resting up. There’s been some stress and uncertainty, but that’s now mostly over. I’m running errands today, finalizing my luggage and such tomorrow, and then resting up for my flight on Thursday. Trying to eat as well as I can and sleep consistently, and feeling a lot less stressed than I could have been. I’ve also been working on not pressuring myself into being sociable when I need alone time. Though it’s cloudy and drizzly today, I did go out and read in the sun a week or so ago, and that was lovely and healing. I also got to spend time with some friends I don’t see super often, and that was a lot of fun. I saw my psychiatrist and my therapist, and talked about my options for care while abroad and picked up prescriptions to fill. I have a cuddle date with some friends tonight, and am very much looking forward to that.
3) I participated in the Zoetic Press “Write Like You’re Alive” month-long creativity challenge, but didn’t pressure myself to generate 31 new pieces. I got 20 done, including a couple in new forms (or non-forms). Exploring form was a lot of fun! I got an old used book free at school and have been making erasure poems from it, which has been harder than I thought it would be, since it’s an old social work textbook, which is kind of dry and boring. I also have been working on my art and Photoshop skills. Lots of growth in this area, and lots of practice. I even sent things off for publication, and got some acceptances! Feeling good.
I managed to get my visa application in, and have gotten my visa back. I met with a professor about some coursework and my plans, and have everything squared away for the trip except the last of my medications, which I should be getting tonight. I’ve learned a lot during this whole process, and it’s definitely been eye-opening…
Planning the Next Month:
What am I working on going forward?
1) The press is going on hiatus during my trip, so this slot will likely remain empty through the end of the year.
2) Sleep and food are my biggest priorities right now, and everything else is going to be put on hold until I’m settled in Ghana. I have to start taking my malaria meds the morning I leave, so I’ll have a couple days worth of medicine in me when I land in Ghana. My therapist and I wrote a priority list: Breathe. Get onto a schedule: meds, sleep, food. Remember that I need alone time and set time aside. Continue to advocate for myself. Those are my 4 areas to focus on this month.
3) I’m looking forward to working on more erasure poems on the flight, and I’ll be learning a ton in the next month: going through customs for the first time, living in another country, learning to get around and use a new form of money, starting a new language, and so much more! I’m leaving this open — no goals, just letting things happen as they will.
Get copies of the GHDR Tracker form: Version 1, Version 2.
Support my semester abroad: Fundraiser — Zazzle — Book — Spoken Word Album — Patreon
See all of the Groundhog Day Resolutions posts here.
Tessara Dudley, Poet-Publisher-Educator-Activist 