Looking Back

A belated blogthought for my 06/07 team! Wrote this quick note the week after our first SG meeting July 20th or so…

Last week’s Supervisory Group meeting was deeeelightful! There was, sitting in the ABN AMRO building in Rotterdam, when the slide came up about exchange: the top 10 countries of 2006/2007 term. Canada: #10. Brodie and I looked at each other and danced in our chairs with huge grins immediately. As Coco talked through each of the countries… she briefly mentioned that Canada has seen steady growth and is definitely a GCP in the network. A subtle but powerful moment bringing the memories of the last year. Suddenly Canada was present. So proud!!! So grateful!!!

So surreal. It feels like a lifetime since I was in Canada leading one hell of a team and country. It is only too easy to forget as your recent experiences when you are so immersed in your current stage/experience/location/team. Furthermore, I had been, in a sense, suppressing my Canadian experience. There is this initial urge, when arriving in an international team for a global organization, to lose conviction in your experiences, since most certainly they may not apply to all circumstances. As an afterthought to this and through discussions with friends, I remembered that that in a team like this, it would be a damn shame for everyone to lose sight of our experience and achievements we have had… Its extraordinary stuff!

Just wanted to share that with ya'll and make sure you are doing the same. I know it was a long journey for us to learn to be proud of our accomplishments - it took the whole year, in fact. So it was strange to be belittling my experience even after the board meeting in this new way. Oy for this strange Canadian humility.

“There is nothing enlightened about shrinking, so that others won’t feel insecure around you.” (Mandela)

Home...

Home I. Yesterday was my first day alone at home. Between transition in Toronto, transition in Rotterdam, GN Boards in Rotterdam, I didn't realize until yesterday, until it actually happened, that it was my first day waking up with a room to myself and going to bed with a room to myself. Surprisingly, I have not minded it, not realizing that this luxury had been gone, but it what a nice feeling it was! For me, it gave me a sense of waking up...at home.

Home II. In light of this outrageous "independence" I decided to cook one of my simplest but favourite meals from the states - Grilled Cheese and (creamy) Tomato Soup. Long story short, its hard to describe in words how it feels to be so completely defeated by such a simple activity... my meal tasted NOTHING like grilled cheese and tomato soup... zomg. Ridiculous. AHHAHAHHAHA. And one cannot feel annoyed, but just smile about how even the simplest things can be "lost in translation." Just one of those moments when the scale of comfort and confidence in my decision to spend yet another year away from home was on the appreciative end.