Hello and Goodbye
This week I was able to sit with Nic Roberts, Troy's wife and co-founder of RAW Impact. It was good to catch up with her and talk about how life is going. In all my other adventures abroad I was always there for just the school year. I always was the one to leave. Now that I've signed on a bit longer with RAW Impact I am the one to stay and say goodbye to people and IT'S HARD. Talking with Nic about it was nice, she understand the struggles of making friends and then having to say goodbye a few months later.
When living outside my birth culture life is like living an extreme sport and when you share that with someone you can become quick, fast, deeply connected friends. Nothing makes a better friend than a shared experience, a struggle to overcome and the magical-ness of existing in a place that doesn't speak your language. That's what happens at RAW, especially when we all live together as well.
I love Brené Brown and her words on vulnerability. But I am going to struggle being vulnerable if I keep saying goodbye, yet I don't want to! Investing and loving people is a gift we can give and receive. It is a gift that I cherish and protect. Ultimately I wont stop making new friends here but I hope I at least get better at saying hello and goodbye.
Also, as you can see, I straightened my hair for a few days. It was fun but not as much fun as curly Sonya. Another thing to note is this photo was taken inside a Starbucks! It is brand new and only two blocks from my apt. I hadn't been to a Starbucks in Cambodia and walking into it was surreal. It felt like America! The funny thing is even in America I don't go to Starbucks but the feeling of home was welcomed and I may just become a closet fan of Starbucks after all! This also means you can gift me Starbucks gift cards and I can use them here. *wink, wink*
Until next week,
Son.
(Son is the nickname I've been given by my Aussie coworkers. It's not 'son' as in opposite of daughter but 'Son' without the 'ya'.)
When living outside my birth culture life is like living an extreme sport and when you share that with someone you can become quick, fast, deeply connected friends. Nothing makes a better friend than a shared experience, a struggle to overcome and the magical-ness of existing in a place that doesn't speak your language. That's what happens at RAW, especially when we all live together as well.
I love Brené Brown and her words on vulnerability. But I am going to struggle being vulnerable if I keep saying goodbye, yet I don't want to! Investing and loving people is a gift we can give and receive. It is a gift that I cherish and protect. Ultimately I wont stop making new friends here but I hope I at least get better at saying hello and goodbye.
Also, as you can see, I straightened my hair for a few days. It was fun but not as much fun as curly Sonya. Another thing to note is this photo was taken inside a Starbucks! It is brand new and only two blocks from my apt. I hadn't been to a Starbucks in Cambodia and walking into it was surreal. It felt like America! The funny thing is even in America I don't go to Starbucks but the feeling of home was welcomed and I may just become a closet fan of Starbucks after all! This also means you can gift me Starbucks gift cards and I can use them here. *wink, wink*
Until next week,
Son.
(Son is the nickname I've been given by my Aussie coworkers. It's not 'son' as in opposite of daughter but 'Son' without the 'ya'.)
Comments