Sunday, August 16, 2009

Hopes and expectations

It’s Sunday, just four days until I make the 28-hour journey from Austin to Chengdu – via Chicago, San Francisco and Hong Kong. While I scramble to pack light and pack smart for a five-week stay, I stop to write about some of my hopes and expectations.

I hope to offer new ideas and actionable consultation that serve to make life more inspired and enjoyable for our clients and the communities of Sichuan Province. Personally and professionally, my goal is to affirm my role as a global citizen. I hope to develop confidence my ability to adapt culturally. I strive to broaden my perspective and come home with new friends, colleagues and ways of seeing the world.


Ideals set aside for a minute, I know there will be challenges. I expect that ...
  • Even with help of six assigned interpreters, communication will be the greatest challenge.
  • More time will be spent on building relationships than the job alone.
  • A transnational team of nine may not be able to complete our original and ambitious scope of work.
  • By day 14, I will develop a terrible longing for iced tea, chips, salsa and the company of my best friend and dog, Olive.

5 comments:

  1. It all sounds like a wonderful adventure, Tamara! Really excited and happy for you.
    Karen

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  2. Tamara, good luck on your great adventure, and thanks for putting up the blog. We'll look forward to hearing more about your experience in Sichuan province...Travel safe...Turbo

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  3. Somewhere on the Yangtze River is a bartender on a Canadian cruise boat (hardly qualified as a ship) who makes a great glass of iced tea. I hope you find him, Tamara! He made me feel at home and taught me to drink hot tea without sugar. It's all about the exchange. You're off on a grand adventure of exchange. Love, Mom

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  4. We look forward to reading about your living with Tamara in China. I love the way you are so aware about your needs and the needs of others, lots of good thoughts are being sent your way right now, we love you Tamara, we sense the "wonderness" that you are and we know you will receive the best in terms of personal experieces from meeting new people. Thomas, Katyla, Brandon and Kensey.

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  5. Hi Tamara, Do you have any plans for returning to China anytime? I have enjoyed your pictures very much.

    I have a National Geographic issue that features China, I wonder if you have it or I should save it for you?

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