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…
1 comment:
Good Job Vithika.
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