Mid-Year Resolution

Yesterday I spent some time at the Seattle’s Japanese Garden. This place is a haven of peace and quiet in the middle of the city. It is a place conducive to reflection.

So I reflected.

It’s time I put my money and energy into what is the most important to me at this time. If you looked at my budget, you’d think my focus is on eating out. You’d be right. I love eating out. But it’s not healthy and it’s expensive. It is clear to me –and was really clear yesterday as I sat down in the garden- that I need to be healthier, both physically and emotionally. That means I have to calm down instead of always thinking and fretting about the future –where to live next, what job to apply to next, what school to go to next. That also means I need to get out more, work out again, and above all stop harming my body with gross food and alcohol. Now, that doesn’t mean that I’m going to become a vegan or that I won’t drink wine anymore. It just means I need to do things moderately.

I also need to be a happier person. I need to stop my lazy routine and really start doing things that are good for my soul. That means I’m going to keep on going to church, go to museums, go on hikes, get outside, and do something creative.

I need to broaden my horizon a bit, add colors to my life, and be good to my body.

It’s like New Year resolutions, except I need to really keep these ones if I want to be a healthy and happy person.

I will go back to the Japanese Garden often, to remember to take time to breathe and enjoy the sunshine.

Guess Who's Back!

Moi.

I am just back from a 2-week work trip in DC. I forgot my camera –though I usually forget to take pictures, even when I have it with me. The trip was good. During the weekend, I went to North Carolina to visit Jamie, a good friend who is in grad school at UNC. I had a fantastic time with her –we drank wine, watched a documentary, ate crappy food, and chatted for hours. Chapel Hill is a really cute town –a liberal bubble with a Southern feel populated by plenty of mid-thirty parents and intellectual students. I wouldn’t mind living there. I wouldn’t drive 4 miles out of Chapel Hill for fear of meeting them Confederates, but I still think I would have a pretty good life there. I saw as many Prius and Obama stickers as I do in Seattle. Aaah, home sweet home.

Speaking of Prius, Joe and I bought a new car -a Toyota Camry hybrid. I love it. We still have the 4 Runner, which we now call the Dogmobile, to go to the dog park.

The 2 weeks spent at work in DC were interesting. I realized that our office in DC is where the action happens and where everyone networks with everyone. I tried to meet as many persons of interest as I could. I am really bad at networking -I have no social skills- but I tried it anyway. We’ll see what the future holds. Well, the distant future, since I am very happy on my team and in my job for now.

No more trips for me until the summer. Then I should go to Eastern Europe or the Middle East. I have been away from home for 5 out of the past 7 weeks, and Joe was gone this weekend so it’s time to get back into the rhythm of things.

You know you’re welcome in the world of business travelers when… you are so busy you forget to buy a card for your husband for your 5^th anniversary. Oops. So yeah, it’s been 5 years. FIVE years. That means we’ve been together for eight years. Oh my. I feel old. I also feel lucky to have spent these years with him. We have quite a good life together. I was describing our life to a colleague and realized that we spend a lot of time together. We do the budget together, we cook together, we go grocery shopping together, and we watch UFC together (whaaa?). Oh, don’t get me wrong, we also fight together (though I have been known to give the silent treatment once too many). We’re just good. Together.

Insert yawn.

The Joy of Traveling

I traveled to the Philippines and Indonesia for 3 weeks in March. The trip was different from last one -in Sri Lanka- because we visited our programs for only 2 days and spent the rest of the time in workshops -read in conference rooms. I didn't experience anything truly local -apart from food, which I have to say was delicious.


There are a few elements common to all trips, though. One is that I am always afraid of sounding condescending when I talk to my colleagues -because I come from the US, which is the organization's biggest financial donor, which means that we are both respected and highly critized. Being from the US means that I represent both my organization's point of view, whether I like it or now, and the country's political position in the world, which is better now thanks to people's good opnion of Obama. Also, I don't want to be perceived as a white person who doesn't know anything about development's best practices -which is difficult since I feel I really do not know what I'm talking about most of the time! All of that means that I always try to find a balance when I travel between what I represent, what I can say, and the way I handle myself and approach people. It is always interesting to see yourself through other culture's eyes. I remember that in the DRC people couldn't believe the way white people treat their dogs. They kept asking me: "do you really buy special dog food? Do your dogs really sleep inside your house?" I could see in their eyes that they thought white people -wazungu- were crazy -and who could blame them?


The best parts of business trips for me are early morning/late evening alone time and car rides -the best thing would be to walk, but we mostly ride cars during these trips. The first gives me time to think, reflect, pray, and write. Business trips are draining, and it's good to go back to the hotel and just relax for a couple of hours before bed time. I come to a lot of aha moments when I travel and have time to be silent and think without interruption. I ofeten miss that when I come back home and get by into the rush of life without blinking. The second allows me to discover the culture of a country through landscapes and stolen moments. I love these little flashes of life -children playing, people chatting on the side of the road, women walking together. In the first week in the Philippines, we rode 8 hours in one day and I enjoyed every minute of it.

This trip was interesting. I met a lot of people, networked a lot, learnt a lot about myself (as cliche as it sounds) and about development. I also had time to appreciate new cultures, new food, and witness how people live their daily lives. I really love traveling -and love traveling to Asia in particular. Next up: DC for 2 weeks starting on Monday. I will be back right on time for Joe and my fifth annoversary. 5 years already. How time flies!




Cebu, Philippines.


Jakarta from hotel room.