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 people I worked with expected the relationship to be built first, before much of the work could be started.  They will be the first to acknowledge that I challenged them, sometimes more than was comfortable, but that the outcomes of our work were plentiful this past year.  And I was the first to admit that I came with high expectations, short patience for inefficiencies, and perhaps an overly direct communication style (which at home is not direct at all but here translates into being quite direct and pushy!).  The fact that so many people appeared for the celebration and so much care was taken to celebrate our achievements tells me that the relationships were successful.  So, what looks on paper like an impressive list of achievements is actually much, much more significant – the capacities of people to interact and share in a genuine way and to build relationships – that is the real work and real outcome.

• Opportunity.  Like many of you, the 1st day of a New Year naturally brings some moments of pause and reflection.  And what I fell most grateful for today is that the past year has given me so many new opportunities.  Many of those opportunities were incredibly uncomfortable – bathing at a public tap while wrapped loosely in a long strip of fabric, trying to achieve some basic skill in a language that was so unfamiliar, and tackling work projects that were outside both my areas of expertise and my fields of interest.  But what was common to all of them was that they were all uncomfortable learning opportunities.  The greatest opportunity we can be given is the chance to step outside our comfort zones and this past year I have done that more than any other time in my life.
• The Soloist. A beautiful and moving film.  Reminds me of the idealism with which we approach human suffering, hoping to make change but perhaps becoming too focussed on a final “solution” or “outcome” while ignoring the wants and needs of the individual.  In many ways this has been a struggle for me in Nepal as well – wanting so much to help people but needing to keep my own desires for their life in check so that they can fulfill their own dreams, not mine.  This movie was a wonderful look into relationships, the role of “giver” and “receiver”.  The real motivation to help people is often rooted in authenticity and genuine care but can quickly become overshadowed by a belief that the right solution is only possible through
• Gifts of talent.  I was so privileged to be the recipient of some lovely gifts last night.  Beautiful wood carvings that will take some creative thinking to get home, a lovely letter of appreciation, and a red sari for special celebrations at home.  But perhaps the most thoughtful of all was the gift from the didi who cleans our office.  Now that the weather has turned cold I have been wearing a cap to work.  We have been chatting about how cold it has been (about 5-10 degrees inside) so on my last day in the office she arrives with a cap she has knit for me!  The colours are based on the scarf I wear every day and the style looks remarkably like the cap I have been wearing.  Such a thoughtful gift and such a kind gesture.  Truly a gift of talent that will both remind me of her generosity and keep me cozy and warm.

• The year ahead.  There is so much anticipation about the year ahead, partiularly as our world will shift significantly in 2 weeks.  We uproot ourselves once more and begin a 6 month set of travels.  It is a thrilling prospect and I have such gratitude that so much will occur in the next year.  I eagerly await the opportunity to connect with friends and family again in various parts of the world.  It is time to begin anew and that fresh start is what I am most grateful for today.