Having a Moment....

This morning I woke up in a contemplative spirit. This happens to me on occasion, especially when we have just arrived to a new post. I know that many of you out there consider this to be a glam lifestyle, and in some ways it is so I won't argue with you too much! But what those of us in the foreign service know, or at least their spouses know, is that we spend a lot of time waiting around for things to happen.  The  #1 hurry up and wait item on my list is a work permit, first and foremost. I have to meet with HR this week to see what type of work permit I need to work freely in the local economy or perhaps get a consultancy license. This is my major stumbling block to start working, I've recently learned that even to do volunteer work (i.e. pro bono photography) I may need a permit as I could be taking jobs from Zambians which is frowned upon. I have yet to learn the time frame or the cost, but I expect in typical third world fashion it will take time. This does not mean I could not be enormously productive and do such things as a complete file restructuring (why would one procrastinate on that?) and Digital Asset Managment organization. But I haven't quite gotten around to it.

Still I was thinking about another foreign service spouse who found her legs while "trailing" (I hate this term, but have yet to come up with a better one). So I decided I'd brush up on my egg poaching skills this morning in honor of being more than a follower, and by creating your own destiny no matter where your adventures may take you.

 

My camera seems to be close by my side lately, and the mundane things have been striking me with their simplicity and beauty. I consider this a good thing as many times in Haiti I struggled with the simple act of picking up my camera, now it seems like an old friend beckoning me to document the early hours of this newest adventure.

I guess the truth is no matter what our best efforts are, there is always the chance that our efforts will fail. Looking back, I know I have, but at the same time falling flat on my face is often the defining moment that forces me to make the most of the situation. In the end it is not the destination we are after, instead the glorious bumpy journey.

 

 

So there it is, the success, the failure, the journey. Bon Appétit !

 © Crystaline Randazzo Photography - All images are copyright of Crystaline Randazzo and in no way are to be used by Google, Google Advertisers or any third party. These are not your pictures. Steal them and I will sue you.