Potatoes Anyone?

A fellow volunteer was ranting about the management system in her place of assignment and I was raving about open communication with my own.

Wittingly, I replied in my lousy attempt to be funny. Not only trying to lift her spirits up but most importantly to sashay in my own meandering state of mind regarding my placement.

Over the weekend, I have tried not to think about the email exchanges from work and how it has affected my thinking about my job descriptions and objectives.

I focused on the only vegetable available for me in the fridge that I share with my roomie, potatoes.

As Kung Fu Panda tried to fight his battle to be the Dragon Warrior and thought about the object of the battle as a dumpling, I attempted to do as he did.

Instead of thinking about my frustrations and my gaps as a volunteer and how I cannot change the world, I thought of how to cook my potatoes in different ways.

I am still at it, thinking of ways to make the potatoes shine over the other vegetables.

I even asked another volunteer friend for some potato recipes knowing that it is their staple food from back home, and I also knew that she was probably bored to tears at the very moment I thought about my potato questions.

In my mind, what have I got to lose? If she did not reply immediately she probably thought I was nuts and bored to tears myself. But she did reply! and I have received at least 5 recipes from her. It must have got her thinking.

With this in mind, I emailed back to the ranting volunteer friend telling her that she might as well think of a thousand and one ways to make tomato dishes instead of thinking about management systems in her workplace. I also shared my first attempt at making a potato meal for lunch.

She replied back by sharing her favorite recipe of squash soup, this time cheerfully.

A sheer brilliance for an idea struck me. Maybe we can create an e-group of sharing 30 minute meal recipes and type away for a minute or two of our recipes whenever we feel like ranting and raving about the seemingly endless frustrations with work, life and love.

It will not only help another volunteer cope with dealing with available vegetables in his or her place of assignment, but it will also take the load of negative energies off the shoulders of the one sharing the recipe.

Like a 2-minute break from the usual, to type a 30-minute meal to deviate one's attention on something that is taking another year off of one's actual age.

One can also do the old fashioned breathing exercise but that seems boring and usually it does not help much.

Who knows, maybe at the end of my placement, I have written a thousand and one ways to cook potatoes for a meal.

Happy eating!

Coming and Going

Three months and counting. It just occurred to me that I have truly arrived in India, meeting people, sharing and learning more than what I have prepared for.

I rushed a work the entire week to hit the beach and be with some of the Volunteers in Puri to say goodbye to one fun-loving, mature-thinking Youth for Development volunteer.

Last night, by a beach front restaurant hut, I had the itch to ask her and the others who will be leaving soon upon completing their respective assignments, the most Miss Universe-like question I could think of that I could learn from.

"Now that you are leaving, what are the most valuable lessons of volunteering in India could you share to a newbie like me?"

On the onset, I was just trying to be polite and engaging in the flow of conversation, and I did not quite expect the sincerity of the answers I have received from these fabulous ladies I have come to grow a certain fondness with during my first quarter in placement.

In brief;

1. it is the little things that you do that will matter the most;

2. you cannot change the world;

3. be more patient;

4. do not beat yourself up in whatever you do;

5. whatever happens, just try to enjoy;

6. we all have different experiences, do not compare.

I looked at each one of them as they said their pieces, and tried to read the body language. I almost heard someone choked in her own words trying not to release the real emotion inside, and I thought someone else' eyes were watery as she calmly spoke her mind and heart. Another one was actually thinking out loud for herself, clearly, undecided in her heart of hearts about her going home early next year that she's been very vocal about, because perhaps she knew though she tries to hide it that her time here is not up yet.

I believe I understand it somehow now what makes a volunteer's journey a truly successful story.

It is about the relationships I build, the support I get and the fun I have while I do it, as I do it, while I am here.

We left the hut to get some more drinks and continued the meaningful conversations and laughter at the roof deck of this place called "Z" and just like that, we got to know each other better and we have shared more than just India.

To Lucy Madam, may you have the most meaningful and fun love life when you get home. Embrace more life's meaning in the simplest of things. Your strength and passion as a YFD are most admirable. Keep up the good work and spread the love always.

To Louise and Jennisa, Puri awaits for yet another meaningful moonlit night of good conversation and good company. When the time comes, the hardest goodbyes will be for the two of you.

To An, you have the strongest personality I have met here and despite the constant debacle of beliefs, you are fun to be with.

To Jen, who we missed last night but couldn't come, you know that I am not the touchy feely kind of person, but on December 5th I will give you a bear hug :-) For the warmest welcome to my placement I owe you by paying it forward. Needless to say that you will be missed. The afternoon tea and the best omelets I have ever tasted!

Good luck on your next journey! and Thank you most kindly.