Week one

Dear Friend, 

Hard to believe that is has been 16 days since we arrived. It feels like home in so many ways. It is very much like any other city, except for the language difference, and even that is not that bad, mostly because I don’t talk with anyone outside of work. The challenge will be to move past the natural tendency to stay home. 

It’s funny because everyone at the mission seems shocked that we just arrived without any prior experience outside of the USA. They ask, “Did you just wake up one day and decide to join the Foreign Service?” And I am like..” yeah”, It was such a legally blonde moment…

The mission overall is good—good people who really believe in the purpose of the work. Which to be honest, is a change from the private sector. The depth of people and their skills is mind-blowing. However, for me, each day is also an exercise is moving past my internal fear. Each day I am reminded that “I will allow my fear to flow through me, and when it is gone only I will remain”. The feeling of “fear” has been reduced to more of “uncomfortable” .. and instead of facing ‘fear’, I am challenged to move past my ‘comfort’ level or area. 

Its all about perception…