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This past week I had a fantastic visit from my sister, Becky. She was scheduled to attend a software workshop on Monday so she came down from Erhard (a small town located between Pelican Rapids and Fergus Falls, Minnesota) on Sunday and decided to stay with her brother "in the big city" for three days--right on!
Ever since returning from India a few months ago it's been rather quiet in my life, not like the noise and activity of my experience in Bangalore. This quiet often feels nice, but also feels a bit empty. One of the things I miss most about my expat life is having the other expats around. Living in our apartment building, Zen Gardens, was like a college dorm and Melrose Place wrapped into one--some excitement, some drama, some challenges, but lots of time together. It was my expat family! Even though we all had our own apartments we were never more than a few steps away from one another. Now I'm back up by myself in my corner apartment and I only know one of my neighbors so far... quite the change.
While Becky was here we spent the first couple of nights setting up her new laptop and watching episodes of The Office on DVD--what a hilarious show! We just sat there laughing. It was great :o) On Tuesday 
Becky came into work so I could give her a tour of Target Headquarters. We stopped by the Bullseye shop, visited the Target history displays, and stopped by my office before we headed off to lunch at Bank, a unique restaurant in the old Farmers & Mechanics Bank building which is now the new Westin Minneapolis Hotel. What an excellent time! Tuesday evening was a dinner party at my apartment with Becky joining my friends Blaine, Ryan and Megan. We had a great time breaking-in my new dining room table (purchased at Target, of course), eating Blaine's amazing dinner, laughing and sharing stories. It was so fun to bring people together. Between my monthly mixers, visits from family, and now a small dinner party, it's been so nice to have people in my apartment--it warms the space and keeps my apartment a "home".
Yesterday afternoon Becky's husband, Jim, and my nieces Nicki and Natalie stopped by to pick her up as they headed over to the U of M campus to watch Pelican Rapids play in the high school basketball tournament. Our mini-vacation came to an end, but not without three days of fun, laughter and good conversations. Sometimes it's those little spontaneous visits that make all the difference!
Whether it's my expat family from India, my family here in Minnesota, or my family of friends in Minneapolis, I am reminded once again that "family" comes in many forms--and spending time with them is so important. For family does, indeed, matter.
Peace.
Being the avid traveler I decided to spend Thanksgiving with my extended family in Hawaii, or my Hawaiian "Ohana" (the Hawaiian word for family). Even though I just returned from India a few short weeks ago and visited my Mom, Dad, sister and nieces the first week I was back, I had decided that my November trip would be back to visit the tropical breezes, green mountains, and soft white sands of the islands I called home for over 10 years. It was time to reconnect with my Hawaiian roots--a timely and apropos activity after spinning from repatriation these past few weeks.
Just as I had imagined, it was (as always) paradise. It didn't take long for me to slip off my shoes and socks and replace them with my flip-flops; remove my jacket and sweatshirt and replace them with a cool light t-shirt; throw my jeans in the corner of my hotel room in lieu of cool and comfortable board shorts; I was back!
Even though I had gotten my own hotel room, I spent quite a bit of my time at Doug's Waikiki apartment with him, Jason, Micky, Brynn, Joe, and the rest of the crew... our crazy ohana. We had turkey dinner with all the fixin's for 11 of us on Thursday, and the rest of the time was spent kickin' back and enjoying what Hawaii has to offer--sun, beach, fresh air and the most beautiful sunsets on earth. Not only is Hawaii naturally beautiful, it is also the land of aloha--a word which means more than just "hello" and "goodbye", but love, welcome, spirit, friendship and connection. The spirit of aloha is a feeling that never leaves you--it travels with you wherever you go.
I enjoy visiting Hawaii and I still feel connected to her after these many years. I was reminded of this as I strolled down the Ala Wai Canal on my second day--my feet suddenly sprouted roots that shot out into the ground digging deep into the red volcanic soil; the tradewinds filled with the sweet smell of flowers and green earth became my breath; the sun beams shined warmly on my face and I could feel the water settling around me like a cool blanket; I had reconnected with the islands and I felt home again. I could feel a surge of new found inspiration for my writing, especially my balance factor project, and I felt the waves of motivation rising within me... I was "amused".
During my visit I also got to visit with Sheila, Grant, Steve & Kathy, and our newest Target leadership, Rob & Gina... did you know that we open our first Hawaiian Target stores in March of 2009? Only four short months away! An exciting event for all of us.
So talk about gratitude and thanks--this was such a fantastic and appropriate holiday to spend in one of my favorite places in the world. As I have dropped anchor in Minnesota, Finland, Hawaii, and now India this past year, I consider myself to be one of the most fortunate individuals on this earth. I have friends, family, and even people I've never met who I can connect with on a regular basis--such an international network of family and friends--such a global ohana. And the nicest part of it all? It just keeps getting better!
Mahalo Nui Loa (Thank You Very Much), Hawaii. You are, and will always be, a part of me.
Aloha
This past week I had a fantastic visit from my sister, Becky. She was scheduled to attend a software workshop on Monday so she came down from Erhard (a small town located between Pelican Rapids and Fergus Falls, Minnesota) on Sunday and decided to stay with her brother "in the big city" for three days--right on!
Ever since returning from India a few months ago it's been rather quiet in my life, not like the noise and activity of my experience in Bangalore. This quiet often feels nice, but also feels a bit empty. One of the things I miss most about my expat life is having the other expats around. Living in our apartment building, Zen Gardens, was like a college dorm and Melrose Place wrapped into one--some excitement, some drama, some challenges, but lots of time together. It was my expat family! Even though we all had our own apartments we were never more than a few steps away from one another. Now I'm back up by myself in my corner apartment and I only know one of my neighbors so far... quite the change.
While Becky was here we spent the first couple of nights setting up her new laptop and watching episodes of The Office on DVD--what a hilarious show! We just sat there laughing. It was great :o) On Tuesday 
Becky came into work so I could give her a tour of Target Headquarters. We stopped by the Bullseye shop, visited the Target history displays, and stopped by my office before we headed off to lunch at Bank, a unique restaurant in the old Farmers & Mechanics Bank building which is now the new Westin Minneapolis Hotel. What an excellent time! Tuesday evening was a dinner party at my apartment with Becky joining my friends Blaine, Ryan and Megan. We had a great time breaking-in my new dining room table (purchased at Target, of course), eating Blaine's amazing dinner, laughing and sharing stories. It was so fun to bring people together. Between my monthly mixers, visits from family, and now a small dinner party, it's been so nice to have people in my apartment--it warms the space and keeps my apartment a "home".
Yesterday afternoon Becky's husband, Jim, and my nieces Nicki and Natalie stopped by to pick her up as they headed over to the U of M campus to watch Pelican Rapids play in the high school basketball tournament. Our mini-vacation came to an end, but not without three days of fun, laughter and good conversations. Sometimes it's those little spontaneous visits that make all the difference!
