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God Is Good (5/27)
I met Erin [right] today, who works in the IRC’s Gender-Based Violence (GBV) office here and who is a good friend of Sheila [left]. She’s from Boston, where she used to attend CityLife Church! What a small world! Among other things, Erin is an amazing storyteller—I could listen to her talk for hours!
After work, we headed over to Sheila’s place for a cheese party to celebrate Shavuot! (Sheila’s husband Yoel, who works in malaria research, is Jewish.) Walking to her place, I learned that MHS extends much further than I had thought, and as you get further out from the town center, the houses become much nicer. I’ll have to take pictures next time, because the architecture is so beautiful! We were joined by Yuval, who works for UNHCR, and Sheila's next-door neighbors, a Macedonian couple with the most scrumptious little boy, Aleks—he had the right idea when he kept running away from me! Dragan is the director of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) office in MHS. [Photo Caption: Note his Barcelona love—he was planning to stay up until 4am that night to watch the game!] His wife Iskra made a delicious cheese pie, eaten with yogurt. Yoel made a nutty bread, a gorgeous pumpkin soup, and a beautiful salad. Sheila made a delicious cheesecake with a Grape-Nuts crust because graham crackers are scarce out here—props for innovativeness! And Erin bought margherita pizzas from one of their favorite local restaurants! I’m posting pictures in part to show my family that I’m being well taken care of out here! ;) The medley of cultures was incredible: Sheila’s Indian saris adorning the walls and casting a romantic glow about the room (ruined by the flash); Yoel and Yuval speaking Hebrew together; little Aleks saying “thank you” in Macedonian while wai-ing; Thai geckos squeaking outside; Western music playing from the speakers...ah, love it!
I learned so much just sitting and listening to these veterans of the humanitarian world. These people are so...genuine. I probably shouldn’t bring this kind of negativity into my blog, but I can’t help but note what a refreshing change this is from Harvard. There’s none of the posturing, the insane preoccupation with amassing wealth, the fear and anxiety, the impenetrable barriers dividing us all. There are just so many distractions, so much noise, that it’s no wonder that so many can live their whole lives and fail to see a greater reality. Of course, I’m not suggesting that I’m immune to it all—it’s a struggle that I know will only get harder when (if?) I get married and have kids.
After work, we headed over to Sheila’s place for a cheese party to celebrate Shavuot! (Sheila’s husband Yoel, who works in malaria research, is Jewish.) Walking to her place, I learned that MHS extends much further than I had thought, and as you get further out from the town center, the houses become much nicer. I’ll have to take pictures next time, because the architecture is so beautiful! We were joined by Yuval, who works for UNHCR, and Sheila's next-door neighbors, a Macedonian couple with the most scrumptious little boy, Aleks—he had the right idea when he kept running away from me! Dragan is the director of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) office in MHS. [Photo Caption: Note his Barcelona love—he was planning to stay up until 4am that night to watch the game!] His wife Iskra made a delicious cheese pie, eaten with yogurt. Yoel made a nutty bread, a gorgeous pumpkin soup, and a beautiful salad. Sheila made a delicious cheesecake with a Grape-Nuts crust because graham crackers are scarce out here—props for innovativeness! And Erin bought margherita pizzas from one of their favorite local restaurants! I’m posting pictures in part to show my family that I’m being well taken care of out here! ;) The medley of cultures was incredible: Sheila’s Indian saris adorning the walls and casting a romantic glow about the room (ruined by the flash); Yoel and Yuval speaking Hebrew together; little Aleks saying “thank you” in Macedonian while wai-ing; Thai geckos squeaking outside; Western music playing from the speakers...ah, love it!
I learned so much just sitting and listening to these veterans of the humanitarian world. These people are so...genuine. I probably shouldn’t bring this kind of negativity into my blog, but I can’t help but note what a refreshing change this is from Harvard. There’s none of the posturing, the insane preoccupation with amassing wealth, the fear and anxiety, the impenetrable barriers dividing us all. There are just so many distractions, so much noise, that it’s no wonder that so many can live their whole lives and fail to see a greater reality. Of course, I’m not suggesting that I’m immune to it all—it’s a struggle that I know will only get harder when (if?) I get married and have kids.
Hi Sarah! I wanted to tell you I read every word, and enjoyed it. I'm glad your experience has been positive so far, and working with wonderful and genuine people makes a world of a difference. I'll be praying for you! - Deborah unni
ReplyDeleteGood company is always a plus and can make your trip all the more worthwhile. Cheers.
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