Beginning of Ramadan

ラマダンの月が先週の金曜日から始まりました。地元の人は、みんな日中は断食（水も飲めない）なので、職場も短縮時間勤務。お昼ご飯のお休みを取らない同僚は、３時には帰ってしまって、午後はガラガラ。もちろん、生産性は低いし、仕事はまったく進みません。レストランはもちろん開いてないし、人前では食事ができないので、オフィスのキッチンでこっそりお水を飲んだり、お昼は、辛うじて開いている近くのホテルまで行ったりしないといけない。昨日は、インド料理を注文して余ったので、持って帰りますと言うと、ホテルの人にラマダン中は、残り物を持ち出すのは禁止だと言われた！厳しい！

私はあいている時間を利用して、オンラインのクラスをやったり、今まで手を付けていなかった仕事の企画書を書いたり、地道にできることを探している。宗教的にとても大事なイベントなのはすごくよく分かるけど、仕事にならないという理由で、外国人スタッフはお休みを取る人もいる。

私はラマダン月が終わるぎりぎりくらいに、短い期間だけど日本に帰ります！

Decisions Decisions

Don't you think there are some similarities between quitting a job and breaking up with a guy? You know that it's not quite working out. You don't see a long term future. You have some good moments but most of the time you are not so happy or have some doubts. But, there is a sense of security in staying on, and the right thing to do in your mind is to keep working at it until it gets better.

I haven't been writing so much about the job. This is not because I don't enjoy it. I do enjoy most aspects of it, but being in a small country, I can be easily identified (especially if I write in English, like what happened when I was in Guyana). Things are very sensitive here and I can't really express myself publicly.  I also wrote only good parts of the life here, beautiful ocean, diving and holidays. But to be really honest, I often feel very isolated. I am not depressed like the first two months when I came here. I manage and given the situation I do pretty well, finding a good balance. I thought I was stronger mentally than this, which is rather disappointing. But, what is the point of enduring this? If I don't like it or not happy, then I should say no or do something about it. This has been a big "black cloud" over my head for the past two weeks.    

今のポストを始めてもう７ヶ月。今、来年の事業にも関わってくること、方向性や予算等を色々決めている。元々１年の契約で、２年目は未定ということになっていたのだけど、ここ最近になって、更新の話が出始めた。私が残ることを前提に、話が進んで行くようなかんじ。始めたからには責任もあるし、２年は腰を据えて、今の仕事をするのがキャリア的には一番良いとは分かっている。でもこの国の生活を、これから１年半することに対して、はっきり言って限界を感じるし、正直しんどい。我ながら甘いなーとも思う。ここの生活環境は思った以上に、精神的にきつくて、自分なりに努力して楽しめるようにしているけど、長期的には無理だと思う。自分では精神的にもうちょっとタフだと思っていたのに、何だか情けない。まだ半年ちょっとで、結果も出してないのに、もう止めますと今の段階で言うのにも抵抗がすごくあるのも事実。こんなことを考えて悶々としている日々。仕事自体は面白いし、とても勉強になるのだけどね。どうしよどうしよどうしよ。でももう気持ちは決まっているのだろうね。

London Miscellaneous

Please look after this bear thank you

I used to love the Paddington Bear stories. I think I still have the books in Japan in my parents home. The stories are just so cute. Paddington is always so curious about everything and he wants to try things out. He is a very hands-on (front paws-on, rather) kind of bear. He always somehow gets into a trouble, makes a mess, but at the end everything works out well. Stories that you can't read without smiling. I would say most of my early little knowledge of London (and not that I have a lot now anyway) was gained from reading these books. Happy to visit the station and Portobello Street where he frequents, visiting a friend who owns an antique shop.    

Two Sarah's

 My two lovely friends. They are both wonderful girls and I am so lucky to be their friend.

The bride was obviously so busy and I didn't get to talk much with her. She was so beautiful, and the wedding was very nice. I socialized with her and her husbands friends who are from all over the world and many of them work in a similar field.

I got to know her in this duty station when I first came. We overlapped only for 3 months, but I got to know her, her being so friendly and open. We spent a weekend in a resort in February.

On the other hand, I haven't seen this Sarah for over four years. We were both volunteers with VSO in Guyana. Since then, she has gone back to the UK and continued practicing as an occupational therapist. We spent a half day on Portobello Street visiting the antique market and catching up. She bought a bracelet, earring and an artichoke! And I bought some groceries, a pair of silver earring and a necklace (that I am waring with the dark blue dress above). We enjoyed mushroom risotto and a glass of wine in an organic restaurant. Then, we hopped on a double-decker bus and went to Picadelly Circus for green tea latte and dorayaki.

My crazy short London trip was so worth just to see them. 

ロンドン弾丸３泊４日の旅

初のロンドンに行ってきました。時差ボケがとれる前に帰国してしまうほどの短い旅行だったけど、大満足。友人の結婚式に参加して、ガイアナ時代の友達と４年ぶりに再会。ショッピング三昧（クレジットカードの請求を見るのが怖い。）と美術館も骨董市も行ったし、ダブルデッカーのバスも乗った。パブでフィッシュアンドチップとビールという私の中でいかにもイギリス！っていう感じの夕食を、一人で堪能しながら、ユーロサッカーを地元民と他の観光客？のなかに交じって観戦もした。テムズ川のほとりも散歩もできた。あと２日最低あればミュージカルかせめて映画くらいは見られただろうけど、残念ながらタイムアップ。ただ今ドーハでいつものラウンジでトランジット中。また写真載せます。