In fall of 2022, I finally decided to return to the University of Washington and finish the undergraduate degree that I started in 2003. I enrolled in a distance learning major called Integrated Social Sciences, a field that almost seems custom-designed to my personal, professional, and academic interests.

When I got an email during the winter quarter letting me know that I was eligible to participate in the Univeristy’s study abroad program, I asked myself, “am I too old for this?” Then, I asked myself, “am I ever going to get an opportunity like this again?” Both questions yielded the same answer: “maybe not.”

Here are a five things you should know about me as I dive into the experiences that will shape my learning in Denmark:

1. I was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, in the homeland of the Coast Salish peoples, and I have been living in Canada since 2007. Calgary, where I live now, is a pretty big city by Canadian standards, and is the homeland of the Blackfoot, Stoney Nakoda, TsuuT’inna, and Metis peoples.
2. I am genderfluid, which means my experiences of masculinity and femininity ebb and flow. I am most comfortable with they/them pronouns, although I find them somewhat bland for such complex feelings of identity.
3. I am a lesbian, and will be celebrating 10 years of marriage to my wife Tiffany while I am in Denmark and she is in Canada. We got married in 2013, before same-sex marriage was federally recognized in the United States. I guess I’d better find some pretty sweet gifts to bring home to make up for it!
4. I am a foster parent to a 9-year-old goofball who I love much wider than my arms can stretch. While I won’t miss the neverending fart jokes while I’m in Denmark, I will definitely miss the family trips to the outdoor pool, the walks along the river picking berries, and watching wild summer thunderstorms pass over the Canadian prairies.
5. My work life is all about social equity. I work for a municipal government, where I support city services with embedding an equity mindset into how they plan work, make decisions, and deliver services. I can talk about social equity for hours, so it’s a good idea to fill up your coffee mug and find a comfortable place to sit before you ask me about it.

While I am in Denmark, I will share reflections about the insights and learnings I have along the way. Follow along to get to know me, and to learn about colonialism, culture, and public art.