Friday, May 3, 2013

Give it a try!



"There is this guy who has always been poor, and one day he decides to pray to God that he could win the lotto. He prays and prays, but doesn't win. Every day, he prays to God that he could win the lotto, and it never happens.
One day, when he's very old and frustrated, he gets on his knees and says, "Look, God. This is the last time I'm going to pray. PLEASE let me win the lotto, or at least tell me why you aren't letting me win."
Suddenly, an angel appears before the man and says, "Look, sir, could you do God a favor and at least buy a lotto ticket?! "

And this is what I was doing for a while, buying Lotto Tickets, figuratively speaking. I made this commitment once when I noticed that opportunities were jumping on me and I did not make a good use of them. I started trying, asking and making sure that I give whatever it is a try. 
However, this time I have this big opportunity before me and I am afraid to apply because I am afraid I lose it. But isn't that stupid, I am going to lose if I don't apply, right?! yes I am! 
Therefore, I should apply and then see what happens, I will just do my best filling the application, if I got it that is fabulous, if I don't I will try again, there are always other opportunities and there are always next year's application. 
Heading to my internship organization today, and while I was in the bud, I was reading something about the Fun of Failure', Gretchen in her " Happiness project" made it really seem so FUN.  I have even thought about a movie that inspired me a lot " The School of Life": the movie has a very strong message, enjoy failure and disappointment because it is part of our lives and it is our life anyway we should enjoy it whatever happens! 
'Try trying' was my motto for a while, I was even teaching it to my students, especially those who thought they were not good enough, I kept saying challenge yourself so I think I should challenge myself too. 
The restrictions and limitations do only exist in our minds, we create them and we wonder from where they have come. 
All the negative thoughts are still in my mind, however I am going to do it anyway, especially that the note on my cookies when I was at a Vietnamese restaurant today said: " Being aware of your fears will improve your life"!

Thursday, May 2, 2013

Almost 4 weeks in Seattle: What I truly loved and learnt...


                                  The perfect day for Space Needle

Did I get used to it? to all life here? to the buildings? to the organisation I am having my internship with? to the hotel where I lived for almost 4 weeks now? to the receptionist? to the weather? the streets? to Seattle? Maybe I am and maybe I am not. What I know about myself is that I am someone who adjusts in minutes. I do accept any situation and I can take the best out of it. However, my first days in Seattle were kind of challenge.

After spending a month in Berlin, it was not easy for me to adjust, the United States was not the way I expected and the American movies do definitely tell a different story. was I disappointed? Maybe! But I felt sad I don't know why, I was doing exactly what I wanted to do, however I felt disconnected. the place, the people, the weather did not matter, it was about me. I remember taking the Bus once and repeating few affirmations : I am having fun! everything is Great! and you know what.. it WORKED!

Therefore, after I started paying attention to the beauty about Seattle, I can definitely write about it. When I say Seattle, I automatically think about the Space Needle, the Pike Place, Capital Hill, the Pacific Place, and Shopping. Ross is my favorite place, I bought tones of dresses and I cannot ever get enough, however no more space in my luggage and no more money in my pocket. Yet, I love to spend time on the Union Lake, just enjoying the peaceful view that calming feeling that shakes my being when I sit there. I like to walk in Seattle and contemplate the nature. I like book shopping, there are lot of books that I still have to buy but I certainly cannot. However I bought a lot of great books, one of them was The Happiness project  and as I think that Aleph was the perfect book for my trip in Berlin, The happiness Project was a perfect pick for Seattle, it helped change my mood and feel better about the experience in general. I am reading now the chapter about work. In my way to work today, while I was taking the bus I was reading the book, and Gretchen said "no writer actually loves  the writing part". O.K. so that was not just about me Thank God, every writer does. I have always believed that my true calling is to become a writer I love to write but I hate the writing part. Thank God nothing wrong about me :)


                              This is me protesting on  May Day :)

 The people here are very friendly, they invite us for launch and dinner, would like to know more about us and one of the things that I really enjoyed the most was the invitation to have launch with a family in Braibridge Island, I took the ferry and I spent a great time with a lovely family.
When it comes to my internship, I work with an organisation that supports refugee women, the office is full of different women from different countries and religions however they manage to communicate smoothly, you won't ever notice the differences. Here I learnt from them a lot, and I won't ever forget Tigist, she is a sweetheart and she helped and did a lot to me, so thank you Tigist.
Well, being here for almost 4 weeks now, made me feel that I live here, it is not a touristic trip where you see the best of the country and you leave, I've actually 'lived' for a month here and I am left with few days to go before heading to D.C.
                                     
                                      Meet my husband in Seattle!

It was a wonderful experience and I would love to visit Seattle again.