Your discussion of the nomad experience reminds me of my first MAIS course. I don’t do well in a classroom designed for workers – perhaps it is because I have had a taste of the nomadic life – and the rigid, don’t-ask-questions-just-press-the-button outcomes in this course almost ended my academic quest. Oddly enough, the content of the course (self-directed behaviour) pushed me to question my motivation, and helped me find what Csikszentmihalyi calls flow.

These ideas of motivation and flow are key components to how I see the nomadic learner. For anyone who has ever traveled without a guidebook or itinerary, there is nothing quite as exhilarating as stepping to the open road and allowing serendipity to pull you along. The ‘workers’ and ‘soldiers’ don’t understand it. They think it’s dangerous or a waste of time to head out without a moment by moment plan of attack – a guidebook that will tell them beforehand the world they will see so they don’t have to look for themselves (one of my favourite ideas from Said).

While I couldn’t agree more with your characterization of the ‘worker’ and the ‘soldier’, I wonder if it would be helpful to see the nomad as a pilgrim. There are a couple reasons I would make this distinction related to rhizomatic learning. First, it seems a little strange that the learning philosophy that inspires the wandering, homeless one is that of a root system. Second, the image of the nomad suggests a relentless pushing forward – a restlessness that disallows significant investment in any single space. The nomad, often seen as a vagrant, may not mix well with the rhizomatic community that requires commitment. Of course the image of the pilgrim has its religious overtones which may complicate it as a term, but the deep, contemplative movement of the heart and mind in the search for truth is more in-line with how I see the rhizomatic model specifically and learning in general. Perhaps we can call these nomads odysseans or peripatetics… or maybe just good ol’ fashioned gypsies…

Thanks for including me in your weekly wanderings. It’s been great finding you on the same path!