#kcbarker, 2018, 2021, Note to self

Becoming a Deliberati

I wrote this in 2018 and just updated it, inspired by the celebration on my 70th birthday. I feel like I am on track for adventures in the next 70.

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So, I am officially a Senior Citizen and I hate that label. Scandinavians have used the term Third Age for people who have retired but who are still active and involved in learning and doing. Looking out into the future as Third Ager, I know that I don’t want to waste a minute of the last third of my life and I need a deliberate plan. So I am going to be a Deliberati.

My Deliberati plan is to do things to keep senility at bay and the money coming in.

  1. To offer my Visiting International Professor services, at little cost, to developing universities and live in their countries like a local.
  2. To offer my Higher Education consulting services and charge a small fortune for my expertise.
  3. To keep FuturEd alive…. to continue my research and workshops to keep my academic skills and reputation alive. (Done! Registered in Oman in 2021 to do business!)

My Deliberati plan is to make things:

  • Beautiful small homes as temporary nests.
  • A photography collection and an exhibition one day.
  • A photo/ travel book about China.
  • An introspective book about Oman.
  • A unique and beautiful adventurer’s wardrobe. (#kcbDesigns 2021 ❤️)
  • A difference – I want my life to make a difference.

My Deliberati plan is to learn things that support the things I want to make:

  1. a TEFL certificate so that I can easily find short-term projects to Teach English as a Foreign Language if I want to stay in a place for a bit of time. Yes, I have a BA in English, a BEd in Teaching Secondary English, a Masters in Curriculum and Instruction and a Ph.D. in Education Administration and Policy. But I have never taught English at the beginner level. Koh Samui TEFL course – here I come! (CELTA from Oxford TEFL during the 2021 pandemic lockdown.)
  2. a Diploma in Interior Design so that I can credibly promote my passion for renovating, designing, decorating small, exquisite homes around the world. Already I have done many homes, and I want to do more. Just finished here in Oman. Thinking a river town in China is next.
  3. Languages – more Arabic so that I can talk with Umm Mazin. (Online classes in 2021 but still not confident talking with Mazin’s mom). More Chinese so I can maneuver the vast Middle Kingdom.

I never want to stop learning and challenging myself.

My Deliberati plan is to travel extensively. Rather than random rambling, I will make a plan for:

  1. several years of driving – for as long as I can safely – maybe a camper van through Asia, a Tuktuk around Sri Lanka, a tank across the Maghreb. Maybe.. But I know I won’t be able to rent cars forever…..
  2. short-term stays in places that intrigue me – universities that need my Visiting International Professor services for a semester, places to volunteer my professional education expertise
  3. and then… long train journeys – from Singapore to Paris, Africa from bottom to top, the Orient Express – all the great world train trips
  4. plus slow boat journeys – up the Nile, down the Mekong, across the canals of Shanghai, and then.?
  5. a year of cultural festivals – one each month in 12 different countries
  6. a year of wellness options – Ayurveda and more!
  7. a year of volunteering – developing TEFL skills
  8. a year of protesting – the arms industry is PURE EVIL.

My Deliberati plan is to travel inexpensively. I have friends – old and new – who will welcome me as a guest so I need some “Deliberati House Guest Rules.”

  1. Be interesting – Have lots of photos organized, ready to show and share.
  2. Be interested – Learn about local points of interest and record them for the blog.
  3. Develop signature dishes – Omani maqboos, Chinese fried rice, Canadian???
  4. Be involved – Help with cooking and cleaning.
  5. Carry small gifts – Canadian flag pins or…

Preconditions for a happy Deliberati life?

  • a nest, a safe place to unwind, unpack, rejuvenate and repack.
  • a guest room in my nest to share with others who share their homes with me.
  • international travel and expat health insurance for peace of mind.
  • international credit cards and sim cards for uninterrupted access to money.
  • a minimalist attitude to ownership and acquisition “The Goal of Minimalism isn’t to be remembered for owning little. The goal is to be remembered for living a life that mattered.” Joshua Becker.
  • good health and a focus on wellness everyday.
  • good friends who share my values and lifestyle choices.

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I have a lovely seashell collection and this one is among my favorites. It says to me that I don’t need to be perfect or whole or unweathered to be appreciated. That’s what I most deliberately want to be.