It was so refreshing and relaxing. At low tide the ocean leaves a huge expanse of beach to wander full of skittery little crabs, rocks and shells and strange sand shapes. I was alone but not lonely. It seems like a lot of time, during “normal life”, I feel lonely when I do things by myself. But when I travel I feel more accepting of being in my own skin. I think that outside of DC I just simply feel more capable, more accomplished. There is something about Washington DC that really inhibits me. This isn’t to say that I wouldn’t have loved to have someone walking with me, but I also didn’t feel like I had to be talking or focusing on anything but the view and my thoughts. Great way to end a long weekend (Monday was one of millions of wonderful Thai holidays.)
This email is not going to interest anyone reading for the sake of learning about my work so you may want to log off after this paragraph. In a nutshell we managed to make an entire afternoon of getting an office phone installed and project business cards drafted. As much as I like my team I just can’t seem to split everyone up and trust that things will get done right yet and so we waste a lot of time functioning as a pack. But here is an example of why that is… Last week I asked one of them to bring back from Phuket’s Office Depot 140 ½ inch thick, two-hole, A4 sized binders for creating our case records. Very bizarrely she returned from the store with just 40, multi-colored and multi-sized, binders that cost quite a lot and can’t be returned unless we want to drive back to Phuket in the next 7 days. I am not sure what to do about this as it seemed obvious to me that they should all be the same size and color but she seems very pleased with the idea of using all sorts of binders for our one project. Cultural difference? Personal difference? I’m not sure but somehow we still need 100 more binders and have been informed by Office Depot over the phone that they couldn’t possibly order us just one color in one size. And, if we want to make any kind of order we have to pay up front. Not by credit or debit card, which we have, but through a bank transfer, which will of course involve an entire afternoon at the bank again. VERY strange. Even Office Depot isn’t itself over here. Ha ha ha.
(Left photo is my team at lunch.)We may end this project with a rainbow of case records. So, that being said, I’m still sorting out who is good at what and who I need to manage more closely. I can’t always trust that my instructions will be followed – or maybe they are being misunderstood? It is interesting since this is really my first large supervisory experience…Definitely trial by fire. Anyway, we FINALLY finished my case management training for the team, and really it seemed so basic that I was embarrassed to give it. They are all so diligent about writing every word I say though, as if each thought will make or break the project and I can’t figure out what they are thinking. I expend so much energy being enthusiastic and miming things, trying to give examples, smiling and encouraging and speaking in my new “Thailish-which is VERY slow and basic English” that I want to drop and sleep every day at 4:30. But they are so serious, even when I’m joking. I must look such a fool sometimes. Wish I could see myself from their perspective. It is a little worrisome but I can’t do much about it.
Now on to more exciting news. Like hair!
(No hair photos but photos of my new room at Tony Lodge are posted to the right. )
For many reasons I am not posting photos of me on this blog. One of those reasons has been my very serious hair trauma. You know, normally my hair lies straight and shiny and listens to the directions of my hair dryer and brush. Worst case scenario is static cling. I take much pride in getting it right even if nothing else is working. Well….here we have a different story. I cut the hair short before coming and it was definitely the right decision on the other side of the world. Within 24 hours of arriving here
though it staged a rebellion against the climate and has not sorted itself out. For the first week and a half my hair spent most of its days wet (within minutes after being blowdried), sticky, tucked behind my ears and doing this sort of strange frizz at the top. It has not been pretty folks.BUT, here is my big finale…over the weekend my hair had second thoughts and has created its own new and perfectly acceptable hairstyle! It is too soon to post photos as I don’t want to count my chickens before they’re hatched. But I think I have some waves around the face, some nice sun streaks, and the frizzy/sweaty combo has sort of turned into fluffy and full volume. Lesson learned: you cannot fight nature and humidity.
Goodnight from Bang Niang.
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