Memories for life...

Every day when I wake up, my thoughts run through nearly everything that happened the day before and then stops at something that I miss the most! Few minutes there and then the rush starts…knocking at the bathroom door for turns…getting ready for office…eating breakfast…packing lunch…running to the bus stop. I love the DC mornings…nothing is more beautiful…and nothing makes me more alive.

This was a good week. At work, I have been focusing on Free the Slaves India projects. I am basically looking at the reporting mechanisms, suggesting improvements, expanding programs to new areas, looking for potential partnerships. Understanding Global Slavery is the book that I took up for reading this week. Each of the chapters in Understanding Global Slavery explores a different facet of global slavery. Kevin Bales, the author, investigates slavery’s historical roots to clarify today’s puzzles of defining and understanding slavery. The book explores basic ideas about what slavery is and how the phenomenon fits into our moral, political and economic worlds. I particularly liked the chapter which describes how the demand for trafficked workers, servants, and sex workers shape modern slavery.

Most of all, I think this week, I have specially enjoyed my tryst with nature. We (Me, Gargi and Yunus) managed a picnic to the Theodore Roosevelt Island. Walking down the river, breathing in the air fresh and clean, soft breeze blowing, the sun beginning to set, sitting down along the wild green grass, wooden logs and talking about so many subjects… my Saturday surely couldn’t have been more perfect. Everything felt so right!

We also managed a tiring but lavish Sunday night Indian feast… we cooked ‘aloo parathas’ and had a candle light dinner in the backyard of our house. Well, how can I not talk about the awesome dinner party hosted by Jan yesterday. All the fellows were there together with Kimi (our US Program Director), Mary Jo and Vanessa (DC friends of Atlas Corps). As we entered, I could feel the fresh aroma rise in the kitchen's air. One shot and I was good! With the scurry around, Jan finally managed to finish cooking the dinner and we all gathered around to relish the amazing meal. This was followed by some words of wisdom, some words of nonsense, talking and laughing about everything and nothing! Oh, we also did some work…pasted addresses on the Atlas Corps post cards. Whew! The post cards are going to get us a lot of visibility!

As I close my eyes every night and pray as I have been taught to do…I thank God for these lovely days and for helping me choose today as my path for tomorrow. I am learning…I am growing…I am evolving…

Moving on with the Host organization…

Action has been the keyword…each day…everyday…since the time I arrived in DC! The action has become as instinctive as the blinking of my eyelids. From working to attending meetings, cooking food, laughing, chilling out with fellows and other friends…everything has been full of energy and action. I am happy that I still have been able to make a clear and healthy distinction between my work and play, labour and leisure, mind and body and information and recreation.

My first day at the host organization (Free the Slaves) was exciting. I did my first assignment on the first day itself. I saw the documentary ‘The Price of Sugar’ and did a story on Father Christopher Hartley who gave birth, leadership and presence to a mission/movement, which fought for the rights of the Haitians (trafficked from Haiti to Dominican Republic to work as slaves in the sugar plantations), and broadly a mission/movement that has been working towards eradicating slavery. I also participated in the OAS (Organization of American States) Youth Symposium and Dialogues with Young people on ‘Empowering the future Leaders of the Americas’. I along with the other fellow Gargi Saha joined the working group session focusing on ‘Underserved young people and youth at risk’. We introduced ourselves as Atlas Corps fellows and gave an overview of Atlas Corps as an organization and our host organizations. The group had views from a variety of participants like the experts on the issue, development sector professionals from various organizations, academicians and University students. The exchange of perspectives was very exciting and we too contributed with global as well regional perspectives on the work of development and working with the youth. I also took the membership of The Emancipation Network (T.E.N.) as an Atlas Corps fellow and talked about the Atlas Corps program. T.E.N. is a network of young professionals and students, inspired to make a difference in the lives of human trafficking victims the world over. The network is involved in partnership, outreach, events and fundraising, research, information and promoting positive policy legislation. I would encourage other co – fellows to join the group and be a part of the activities, which would help us link with the larger networks working on various human rights issues and give more visibility to the Atlas Corps fellowship program.

Kimi took me out for a FREE and exciting soccer match(which sadly no other fellow voted to go to). It was wonderful to see accurate and inaccurate passing of ball…missing it most of the times but at the end managing a goal! I managed to see 2 goals in 1 hour…isn’t that awesome. Fellow girls, you missed watching some really cute looking guys running in the field!

I also made a weekend visit to Miami and had a great time there! Finally Yunus, the much awaited fellow from India has arrived in DC and I am very excited to share my experiences of first few days in DC with him.

Excitement seems to be getting just bigger and better with lots of fun in coming weeks. To know more about it, keep following my weekly blogs.

Cheers!

My first few days in DC!

My first few days in DC!

Landing in DC after hours of being on the plane was so relieving. I was so content to see Scott and Stephanie, who had come to receive us at the airport. Going for the first day of training was exciting. I never believed that we would be able to figure out the bus route ourselves the very first day…but we did…and quite successfully (Kimi and team, thank you for the notes).

For the first ten days, life was happening at the level of events for me and the other fellows. We had the most informative and interactive sessions focusing on a variety of topics like understanding the American culture and character, importance of global non profit sector, marketing and communication for the non profit organizations, the why and how to network, organizational challenges and opportunities and the glamorous life of non profit professionals. It was wonderful to have experts speak on these topics which helped me immensely in clarifying my doubts and planning out my work plan for the year ahead. We had a great time at the group lunches and dinners and at the special ‘Happy Hour’ evening, with Hosts and DC friends of Atlas Corps. I loved the late evening DC tour (thanks to Jan for giving us a background on everything that we saw!) We also volunteered at the GOOD Magazine’s Anniversary party, which was a lot of fun. My social sponsors took me out for an exciting dinner at an Asian restaurant and I relished the food completely.

We have a beautiful group house and thanks to Atlas Corps team for arranging everything and making our stay so comfortable. I love the backyard and I never miss the opportunity of sitting and having my breakfast with other fellows in the backyard of the house, which makes for a perfect morning!

I have started on an exciting note and I am looking forward to a great year ahead!

Atlas Corps rocks!