Incheon, Korea
02/21/2011
7:00 am
The long haul from LAX was pretty pleasant. We all were able to sit across one row, Steve and Elisabeth had aisle seats, Bobbie got a window and I happily tucked my little body in the middle seat and off we went to lala land. We all had our sleeping aid of choice. I chose Melatonin and we all had a pretty good rest for about 6 – 8 hours with some nature breaks in between. That shrimplike airplane pillow worked really well. I feel refreshed and despite another 7 hour leg to Kathmandu, I must say I am functioning. The only thing I wish for is airport wifi!!!
I kept maulling the last interview I had last Friday in my mind thinking I could have done better. But after several hours, I figured I needed to let it go in order for me to focus on the present moment. I have 3 lovely companions on this wonderful journey and I am seeing my kids again after an entire year!! Chill! Relax, and feel good that I had the experience to interview and this will make me a better candidate next time! Life is good!
From what I gather about my travel mates is that we are all adventurous, and willing to put ourselves out there to experience something new. Elisabeth decided to be a travelling biker in her early 60’s, Steve backpacked across Europe for a year in college. Bobbie traveled to China and Asia and is giddy with anticipation, I feel like a Mom with kids! Everyone is easy going and kind and thoughtful! This will be a wonderful trip, oh it already is! After 21 hours of flight time and 9+ hours of lay overs and waiting around airports, I can’t wait to touch down and hug my Robbie!
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Sugar and Spice?
Got an email from Bobbie wantingto get together to figure out what to purchase and bring over as little presents for our kids at DNC or possibly the sponsored kids in the 2 Deaf schools and 2 hostels where our visually impaired sponsored children stay. What would girls and boys want? Girls would want books, dolls, toys, clothes, make-up, hair accessories, etc etc , you know the drill. Boys may want CDs, books, paint, comics, mags, T-shirts etc,etc, etc.
And so we will go shopping and bargain hunting to get great deals! I love America! Yes they appreciate anything we bring. It still is a testimony that we have been thinking of them and we anticipate their needs.
They did call last month to greet us. "Happy Christmas, Rob and Gina Miss!" I thank them and ask them how their schooling and their class marks are coming along! They have all positive news! Everything is fine! " When are you coming to visit Nepal?", they ask. I respond, "Very Soon!" "We'll be there by Feb 19th!"
"Is there anything you want us to bring for you?", I ask.
"What Ma'am?" was the reply.
"What do you want from here?", I repeat.
"Nothing, Ma'am!, Just you!" and I began to cry!
And so we will go shopping and bargain hunting to get great deals! I love America! Yes they appreciate anything we bring. It still is a testimony that we have been thinking of them and we anticipate their needs.
They did call last month to greet us. "Happy Christmas, Rob and Gina Miss!" I thank them and ask them how their schooling and their class marks are coming along! They have all positive news! Everything is fine! " When are you coming to visit Nepal?", they ask. I respond, "Very Soon!" "We'll be there by Feb 19th!"
"Is there anything you want us to bring for you?", I ask.
"What Ma'am?" was the reply.
"What do you want from here?", I repeat.
"Nothing, Ma'am!, Just you!" and I began to cry!
Friday, January 14, 2011
Trip 2011 Launched
2 smaller groups are coming with us to Kathmandu this year. Rose Stevens and her friend, Sandie Olsen are arriving on Feb. 13 with Rob, a week before the 2nd group arrives with me on Feb 21. Their specific purpose is to establish a cooperative with group of women with hearing impairment to produce specialty note cards with hand embroidered designs. These have been successfully produced and marketed in India. Rose will set up the process and train the team lead to produce these quality merchandise.
Our 3 person volunteer group includes our Board Member Bobbie Izuo and 2 Rotarians, Elizabeth Saunders from the Rotary Club of Leavenworth and Stephen Swank from the Rotary Club of Des Moines. Needless to say that this trip is always the highlight of my year and I am excited to be sharing this journey with them.
The children at DNC ( Disabled New Life Center) have been waiting a year as well, to move into their new residence, which has been delayed in its completion to date. We hope to inaugurate it while we are still there and the tentative date is the first week in March.
Planning is half the fun! I have been purchasing items for each child at DNC and for our sponsored student, Lovely, who is at the Purwanchal Deaf School in Biratnagar. Material gifts may not be the most important things we bring although it means that we have been thinking of them throughout the year and anticipating their needs. I wish I could stay for months and I am tempted if only the income I used receive has been cut off due to as lay-off is not needed to sustain our lives back here.
I understand the journey I need to undertake and the journey never ends although the physical presence does in 25 days. These kids are my motivation now, the children's future always is present in my mind, their class marks, their interests, their dreams and their future. I need to make this happen, I want to make this happen for them. They already put in their trust and their hard work at study and have sacrificed not being with their family. They suffered the multiple operations and the pain of rehabilitation, I cannot ask for more from these children, just their continued belief in themselves, their talents and hard work.
I know I too should believe in my capacity to see this mission through. Together with the Board of Directors, the donors, supporters and sponsors of all the children, trifc.org will make that difference in the future of these children's lives.
Join me in this journey, follow the blog and share it with all you know who care about children living with disability. Share your comments and ideas and together we can make this difference a reality!
My yoga teacher finished our practice last night with a quote, "There is a place within each of us that is connected to the Universe, when you and I are in that special space, we are one!" Namaste!
Our 3 person volunteer group includes our Board Member Bobbie Izuo and 2 Rotarians, Elizabeth Saunders from the Rotary Club of Leavenworth and Stephen Swank from the Rotary Club of Des Moines. Needless to say that this trip is always the highlight of my year and I am excited to be sharing this journey with them.
The children at DNC ( Disabled New Life Center) have been waiting a year as well, to move into their new residence, which has been delayed in its completion to date. We hope to inaugurate it while we are still there and the tentative date is the first week in March.
Planning is half the fun! I have been purchasing items for each child at DNC and for our sponsored student, Lovely, who is at the Purwanchal Deaf School in Biratnagar. Material gifts may not be the most important things we bring although it means that we have been thinking of them throughout the year and anticipating their needs. I wish I could stay for months and I am tempted if only the income I used receive has been cut off due to as lay-off is not needed to sustain our lives back here.
I understand the journey I need to undertake and the journey never ends although the physical presence does in 25 days. These kids are my motivation now, the children's future always is present in my mind, their class marks, their interests, their dreams and their future. I need to make this happen, I want to make this happen for them. They already put in their trust and their hard work at study and have sacrificed not being with their family. They suffered the multiple operations and the pain of rehabilitation, I cannot ask for more from these children, just their continued belief in themselves, their talents and hard work.
I know I too should believe in my capacity to see this mission through. Together with the Board of Directors, the donors, supporters and sponsors of all the children, trifc.org will make that difference in the future of these children's lives.
Join me in this journey, follow the blog and share it with all you know who care about children living with disability. Share your comments and ideas and together we can make this difference a reality!
My yoga teacher finished our practice last night with a quote, "There is a place within each of us that is connected to the Universe, when you and I are in that special space, we are one!" Namaste!
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Sunday, August 22, 2010
And the Tri is Over
Now I look back at my 2nd Danskin Triathlon. Very different from last year's, lesson 1: every year brings in new experiences, new challenges and new hurdles to overcome you cannot expect nor plan but prepare that whatever it is, you know you can and have the capacity to transcend it if you have faith in yourself. Your supporters are the the most unlikeliest persons in your life and of course the people you are closest to will always be there for you!
It seems that I generally expect too much of myself and fail to realize that things inside me and around me are changing. When realiy hits, I am off kilter and fear builds up. ONLY thorugh focusing on the level of importance of what I am doing for the other that I can visualize the task at hand! The present moment will come and go and then we look forward to the next preparation, the next event!
Next year it will be different I will anticipate what I failed to this year and know that whatever it is - I will overcome it! With all your help - thank you for being there!
It seems that I generally expect too much of myself and fail to realize that things inside me and around me are changing. When realiy hits, I am off kilter and fear builds up. ONLY thorugh focusing on the level of importance of what I am doing for the other that I can visualize the task at hand! The present moment will come and go and then we look forward to the next preparation, the next event!
Next year it will be different I will anticipate what I failed to this year and know that whatever it is - I will overcome it! With all your help - thank you for being there!
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Why Triathlons?
I had not been looking to do a triathlon at all last year, 2009. I just had been talking to my girlfriend, Heather, about getting back into shape after a hysterectomy procedure that had complications that rendered me pretty weak and unable to work-out for all of 8 months the year before. Heather suggested I train for a Triathlon which she had completed that year and expressed how fun it was. "Oh, really!" was what I remembered saying and thinking that if she could do it why not me?
Sign up was in February, 2009 and I had purchased Sally Edwards' book and was reading all about how to go about my training. Little did I know it was to be the start of a journey into getting to know what training is all about and what I was all about as well. I learned what beliefs I had about myself, both limiting and liberating! I learned that training with a team of women who had their varied reasons to train for the Danskin provided support, encouragement, comfort and friendship along the way. This was priceless! I learned that it's never too late to start any goal and records are meant to be broken. I learned that everything you long for and want to achieve is present inside you and needs to be nurtured and coaxed into fulfillment! I learned that despite the goal being out there, moving towards it is all that matters! I learned that my family is always beside me everystep of the way! I learned that one's actions can inspire the person you least expect to influence! I learned that one's values permeate everything we do!
I crossed the finish line last August 16, 2009 a different person than when I had started to train. I felt like a new person that day, that nothing is impossible and that the journey truly is the reward!
This year I dedicate my Tri to the children who live with a disability who yearn to jump and swim, cycle and run and I will do what I can do to provide opportunities for them to have happy fulfilled lives. Join me in this journey!
My 2nd Danskin Tri is on August 15th. The next week, August 21st my 2 sons, Richard and Carey are doing a Relay Tri with me at the Beaver Lake Triathlon in Sammamish, WA. We're 'Team Kathmandu!'
Sign up was in February, 2009 and I had purchased Sally Edwards' book and was reading all about how to go about my training. Little did I know it was to be the start of a journey into getting to know what training is all about and what I was all about as well. I learned what beliefs I had about myself, both limiting and liberating! I learned that training with a team of women who had their varied reasons to train for the Danskin provided support, encouragement, comfort and friendship along the way. This was priceless! I learned that it's never too late to start any goal and records are meant to be broken. I learned that everything you long for and want to achieve is present inside you and needs to be nurtured and coaxed into fulfillment! I learned that despite the goal being out there, moving towards it is all that matters! I learned that my family is always beside me everystep of the way! I learned that one's actions can inspire the person you least expect to influence! I learned that one's values permeate everything we do!
I crossed the finish line last August 16, 2009 a different person than when I had started to train. I felt like a new person that day, that nothing is impossible and that the journey truly is the reward!
This year I dedicate my Tri to the children who live with a disability who yearn to jump and swim, cycle and run and I will do what I can do to provide opportunities for them to have happy fulfilled lives. Join me in this journey!
My 2nd Danskin Tri is on August 15th. The next week, August 21st my 2 sons, Richard and Carey are doing a Relay Tri with me at the Beaver Lake Triathlon in Sammamish, WA. We're 'Team Kathmandu!'
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Follow us
This 2010 - we went back to Kathmandu with hopeful hearts and returned contented and renewed with the hope that the humanity in everyone we met will see us through!
this year's visit is documented in www.trifc.blogspot.com
this year's visit is documented in www.trifc.blogspot.com
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