Careful what you wish for

I walked through the quiet morning streets of Thamel on my way to work and soaked up the rare peace and quiet. The area of Kathmandu is usually heaving with tourists, touts, cars, rickshaws and bustling retail stores, but at 7am on a Tuesday, it is unusually quiet. Not a tourist or a tout in sight, the local retailers diligently sweeping the store fronts, all smile and greet you Namaste. The pleasant change was it was left at that, there was no “you take look?”. Thamel seemed remotely normal. Well as normal as the capital city of a 3^rd world country can be, it really depends on your definition of normal I guess. And I think mine has changed somewhat. I continued on my journey, past the queues of locals outside the foreign embassy, past the Royal Palace (which is now a museum), past the fish carcass, the dead rat the size of a small child, past the cows, the fruit markets and everyone doing the same thing I was doing – going about their day and on their way to work. I smiled to myself as I stepped over and around the live and dead animals and realised my “normal” had changed somewhat. Instead of cringe, I laugh and move on, I have simply learnt to look where I am stepping.

At the early stages of my trip, the beautiful Bella and I had lots of deep and meaningful conversations about what we want out of life – typical when traveling to reflect and particularly when you have some time to do so. We made lists, talked about it, something’s we shared, and something’s we didn’t, but it was our wish list I guess, what we were going to manifest. A few short months later, Stella’s dreams are becoming a reality (you can check out her website www.shinyyoga.blogspot.com) and I have to say mine are too. This asking the universe for stuff actually works, but perhaps a little faster than I expected! Meeting a friend for life- check (multiple actually), attending a wedding in a different culture (can check that off today) and volunteering using my professional knowledge (will fill you in in a minute) were all things on my list, in fact, I have had to start a new one, it has all happened sooner than I had expected! So the power of focusing on what you want and putting it out there is true, of course some work to get it, but generally, these are all things that have just happened. Randomly. Like the wedding and the volunteer work, both are connected, but neither were part of my plan nor what I thought I would find myself doing. I guess when you are in the flow, these things happen.

So my next volunteer adventure has begun, and when I was sitting in the ballroom of a former royal building, surrounded by about 40 Nepalese and one of the only 2 westerners in an official hand over meeting of the oldest and largest children's home in Nepal, I kinda wondered, how the hell did I end up here. It was like I was in a parallel universe somewhere, yet somehow, it felt completely normal. Strange, as I know nothing about orphanages, social welfare and limited experience with Nepalese culture, but the organisation I signed up to work with had a new project land in their lap last week and it was big. Actually big is perhaps an understatement, massive.  The largest (250 kids,) oldest and in desperate need of help would better describe this home. Like many things, timing is everything, and when I arranged to meet with Bec, the one of the founders of Mitrataa (an Aussie organisation doing work in Nepal) all she said was “thank God you are here”. Nice to feel welcomed, but I wasn’t sure why my presence could really make a huge difference.  That was perhaps before I heard the story of how Mitrataa came to acquire the home, how in the span of 24hours Bec’s life had been turned upside down and in about another 48 hours, the lives of 250 children was going to change forever. Up until Sunday, I was not really sure what I was going to be doing for Mitrataa, I thought maybe some workshops with women or girls, but after my meeting with Bec, it was clear I could perhaps help out with the new project, the hand over of the children's home. A large change process, numerous HR issues (there are about 34 staff) and a desperate need to put the focus back on the children with basics like nutrition, hygiene and education. Bec is an amazing woman and has been doing work in Nepal for nearly 10 years, so she knows a thing or two about the Nepalese culture and the needs of these children. However, it is the first children’s home they have taken on, and needless to say they have take on the problem child of the 600 kids home in Nepal, I guess you have to start somewhere. Did I mention Bec and her husband are due to open a cafe in Australia this week as well? So you could say there are a few things going on. So after a flight change for Bec, and our initial discussions, we found ourselves in the hand over meeting on Monday morning.

So my days are filled with everything from hanging out with the kids at the home and observing how processes work, staff meetings, one’on’ones with the team, and tomorrow I meet with a lawyer – perhaps not that far removed from my HR days. I did ask for it! The Universe delivered. And on speaking with Bec, she did too. This has been a dream of theirs to really set the standard in Nepal and implement a sustainability model that other homes can adopt so in the future, the children don't go hungry, they will go to school and be encouraged and supported to do their homework and that they can live in an environment that is nurturing.  A big dream, but as I walked around the home with Bec, listening to her describe her vision and dream, I fully believe that if anyone can do it, she can.

Attending a wedding was on my wish list

Today, when Bec asked if I wanted to go to one of the kids families weddings, it was like the Universe was reminding me, you ask, I deliver. This week, it has been interesting, challenging and even heartbreaking to see how these kids live, but this is what I asked for. An opportunity to use my skills and really make a difference. So  I am hoping my brain works, I can support Bec and her small team through the initial stages of this process and provide a framework that they can implement to secure the success of the change. And Universe? Thanks, whilst it is sometimes overwhelming when you deliver, I asked for it and could not be happier, it is truly amazing and I am constantly reminded of how wonderful it is to really find what it is you want and go for it. Some work required, but then also a lot of faith in things happening, I could not have planned this any better. So make wishes, and dreams, but be careful, the universe will deliver and you want to be ready :)