For those who haven’t heard the story before, it’s worth retelling:
After graduating from Linfield College, I set out to travel the world for a few months. I started in Seoul, South Korea, and gradually made my way to China. From China, I rode the Trans-Mongolian railway from Beijing to Moscow via Mongolia and Siberia. From Moscow, I traveled west through Eastern Europe into Poland, Austria, Italy, and into Southern France.
It was in a small town called La Ciotat that I went to stay with a college friend who was living there teaching English. It was that weekend that changed my life forever.
It just so happened that my friend’s college roommate was staying with her on the weekend that I arrived. Over $5 bottles of Bordeaux wine and fresh seafood, I had met my future wife. And the rest is history….
So what is the point of this story? The point is to illustrate that embedded in my wife and me is a desire to travel and experience new places.
On that note, I’ve announced that my wife and I are taking a six-month sabbatical beginning on December 28, 2008, returning June 24, 2009. Over the course of the next six months, my wife and I will spend time in Italy, Spain, Portugal, Sweden, but the bulk of our time will be in New Zealand.
Our plan to take an extended trip has been in the works for a couple of years, and we are very excited to finally realize the experience.
That said, I have taken steps in the office to ensure that in my absence the professionalism, expertise, and proactive service that you’ve come to expect from the Swanson & Johnston Lending Team will persist.
Aaron and I have worked closely over the past four years so that he would be ready to assume the responsibility of my desk during this time. I am very confident that he will do a great job. In fact, he and I have joked that, upon my return, I may find that the loyalties of my valued past clients and professional partners have shifted to him because of the extraordinary care he will have displayed while I am abroad.
So don’t be surprised to hear from Aaron over the course of the next few months. If you have questions about your mortgage, potentially refinancing, or buying a new home, do not hesitate to contact him. Furthermore, I would encourage you to refer your colleagues, friends, and family directly to Aaron while I’m away. His contact information is shown here:
Aaron Johnston
Office: 503.282.5626 xt. 413
email: aaron@mortgage-trust.com
Thank you for your support!