Dear Marcia:

I usually have trouble predicting the outcome of a sabbatical leave. I draw up an ideal plan, but some parts of it don't work out, while unforeseen aspects emerge, often in response to opportunities that arise unexpectedly.

I am currently on sabbatical leave, and I am struggling to stay focused on the project that I proposed. Previous works have been popping up, in the form of texts that I submitted earlier for publication, which now need to be worked on as part of the editorial process.

The same thing often happens with my annual plans for teaching, research, and extension. My annual reports show that it is not always possible to predict accurately what I'll do during the year. Administrators at the Universidad de Guanajuato require that professors draw up plans each January and submit reports in December.

This has not caused any problems, so far, as administrators tend to be understanding in this regard. I think it helps that I usually do more things than I promised, even if there is only a partial overlap between the planned activities and the final results.

If you read Spanish I can send you some examples of my sabbatical proposals and reports, although I realize that it is a minority language in your country.

Warm regards,

David

Dear David,

Thank you for this insight. As I read a little Spanish, I would really appreciate the chance to look at your sabbatical proposals and reports. Google translate would also be useful to help me translate any terms that I cannot understand.

Warm regards,

Marcia

Dear Marcia:

I am attaching the proposal and final report for my sabbatical leave in 2009-2010. If you compare them, you will see what I meant about the difficulty of following a plan strictly, and how unexpected setbacks and opportunities can arise.

Sincerely yours,

David

This week I'll be halfway through my second sabbatical leave at the University of Guanajuato, and I am required to submit a partial report. On the basis of this, a committee of peers will decide if I've done well enough to continue with the second six-month period. As I predicted last September, I managed to accomplish most of my objectives, although I didn't get a grant I applied for, so a planned visit to the University of California at Irvine was reduced from one month to a five-day trip to attend a conference that I helped organize. Unexpected tasks arose, such as texts submitted years earlier that finally reemerged from the editorial pipeline in need of revision, and graduate students from other institutions asking me to direct or codirect their projects. So I did most, but not all, of what I promised to do, plus some other unplanned activities. Please wish me luck with the committee!

With your considerable experience, I am sure you will do well. Good luck to you, and thanks for sharing!