a life inspired

It is the morning of our departure from Nepal. The last two weeks have been filled with many goodbyes. It has not been the slow and reflective farewell that I hoped for but rather an event of endurance as we race from one thing to the next. It was a goodbye that [...]

Welcome to a New Year!  Last night was my farewell party with my organization.  I spent the evening surrounded by many of the people who have filled my working time in Nepal and felt so honoured and celebrated.  The evening reminded me that so much of our work here is built on relationships.  That the [...]

Merry Belated Christmas!  This is a late blog post in lieu of one that was half finished for last Friday, Christmas Day, when I just simply ran out of steam for writing.  It was a combination of packing for our big move on Boxing Day and the preparations for a pseudo-Christmas dinner that ran into [...]

It’s official. I am starting to feel nostalgic about leaving. I am seeing through rose coloured glasses again and remembering all the things that I love about living here. I know that I will come back again but it won’t be the same – I will be a visitor in a city [...]

I am the least patient person in the world…or at least in this room at the moment.  I hate waiting and I catch myself, in moments where my patience has worn thin from waiting, trying to come up with good reasons why waiting is worth it.  Because good things can come from waiting.  Waiting for [...]

I am beginning to disconnect – with just over 1 month left in Nepal I am sensing an urgent need to be unimportant in the cogs of everyday work. I actually think this has helped to illuminate a couple of key flaws in how I have worked here – I have made myself too [...]

The week is almost through and the relief and excitement about some serious relaxing and downtime is starting to creep into the mind.  It was an 8 day work week with events, interviews, and meetings to fill the time.  Somehow, the pace has reminded me of what work life must be like back home and [...]

As I snuggled down into bed for a few more minutes of warmth and rest this morning I wished, for just a moment, that it wasn’t Friday.  This particular Friday represented the end of calm and the beginning of a rather severe work storm.  For the next seven days I will be attempting to support [...]

Today is our 1-year anniversary of arriving in Nepal!  I can easily recall the feelings of excitement, nervousness, and uncertainty that rumbled through me. I remember it being colder than I expected and that the sights, colours, smells, and sounds were overwhelming.  I noticed the other day while riding a small [...]

Happy Halloween! Nepal is not quite into the spooky, creepy crawly, bewitchiness that is Halloween.  However, that won’t stop us.  Tonight we are off to a Halloween party complete with pumpkin carving thanks to our dear Canadian friend Michelle. Costumes are hard to find so instead we opted for masks. Brilliantly feathered carnivale [...]