Gratitude

(Before I get into the heart of this post, let me just explain a couple of the pictures. The random peacock is one of the peacocks who resides at the UN grounds and frequently passes by our window outside the office. They make very loud noises. The pictures of the room with the strange ceiling is the new Human Rights room, room XX, which was just finished a few months ago. The Spanish government commissioned a very renowned Spanish artist to create the ceiling, which is really amazing to view. This is the room where the Human Rights Council is meeting for the month of March. The rest of the pictures were taken on my walk today.)




It was a gorgeous day today. Bright blue clear skies, a bit of snow on the ground, and a crispness to the air. I went on a walk this morning just to soak it all in and took some pictures to remember the beauty of the moment before the last of the snow melted and spring made its glorious arrival. Perhaps it would be more appropriate to do this at the end of the year, and maybe I will do it again, but between rereading the entirety of my blog a few nights ago and watching the last of the sun touch the trees, I want to take a moment to remind myself how lucky I really am. Please indulge me for a moment while I take the time to write these thoughts of gratitude down to look back on years later and realize what an incredible year this is and continues to be.



I know many of you, from wherever you are reading this and whatever your situation, have already realized this fact many times over, and I have as well, but sometimes it hits you again in the simplest of moments how blessed you are. I have a couple of friends who are going through a really rough time, and some others who are just stressed out, and I apologize if you are in a similar situation and are reading this. I am not trying to accentuate the contrast between the situations and make anyone feel bad; those situations have only made me appreciate mine all the more.



I am in a beautiful place, with a gorgeous mountain behind me to climb, peaceful country fields and vineyards to run past, an enormous lake to visit, a tourist-worthy international city to not only enjoy, but also facilitate my professional progress. The neighborhoods are tranquil and cute with friendly people, including old ladies walking their little dogs and pleasant patisserie owners. We have already enjoyed two incredible seasons, with fall being satisfying for long runs in the midst of the changing colors and the days taken advantage of before they soon became shorter. Then came winter, and while the warmth was missed, the snow was equally enjoyable though in a different way. It provided fun in mountains with friends and a board, long walks all bundled up, Sabbaths with sledding on the hill in the afternoon or ice-skating in the evening, and the excuse to layer up with fun coats and scarves and hats and gloves and twirl an umbrella as the snow fell.



I have wonderful friends, both old and new, who have made the difficult times easier and given me someone to share the fun times with. I am always so pleasantly surprised and appreciative when I receive even a small email from a friend back home, just saying they were thinking of me. The small group of us here has become a small family to each other, sharing the most strange and random moments, whether it be bemoaning the lie that there is nothing to do here so we all do Pilates together in the foyer of our hall, or inventing our own fun in the form of crepe night and other such fun moments of bonding. Spending hours after lunch or dinner in the caf because we can, passing our mornings in the central classroom building and talking about absolutely nothing during our ten minute breaks over a cup of the cheap cappuccino sold in the vending machine downstairs, complaining about the stresses of our undemanding classes. We don’t even know what stress is anymore. These are the uncomplicated moments I will remember.




While on the subject of recent and local friends, I must mention my exquisite roommate. Though we are not as exclusive as we were in the beginning of the year and don’t do everything together anymore, this is perfectly normal. We are still a wonderful match for each other; better than most of the other roommate matches I think and better than we could have possibly imagined that day back in September when we boarded the plane together. We are able to make silly jokes together that we know no one else would appreciate; we keep similar hours, listen to similar music, and have similar personalities, thoughts on many issues, and reactions to things. We have great times curled up in my bed watching the office later than we should and doing oral tests together because it’s easy when we are together in the morning and can discuss what to talk about five minutes before class. : ) We enjoy having our little trips to the Patisserie and porting the goods back to the dorm kitchen to have pastries and tea/coffee on Friday mornings when we don’t have class till 10:00. She and I talk to each other about personal struggles, exciting moments, and everything else we aren’t comfortable sharing with anyone else here.


While the ability to speak many languages is quite common in Europe, I still consider myself lucky to be more and more comfortable with another language. Our academic work is hardly trying, is even amusing at times, but I think that’s part of the French culture. They know how to get stuff done and still enjoy life. We have our exercises in homework, but they minimize on busywork, the tests focus on relevant information, and the teachers are constantly emphasizing the importance of us learning, rather than our grade. I am hardly fluent, but thanks to incredible teachers, along with some self-motivation and desire, along with unavoidable immersion, my skills have improved, and I sometimes surprise myself with the escalating ease in communication.



Granted, my free afternoons have disappeared and are no more, but even that is not something to complain about. Though I sometimes get lazy and feel unmotivated to make the walk into town for work, I am thankful I have the ability to make the walk, and the privilege to experience such aforementioned scenery during that time. I pick up the two free French newspapers at the bus stop, and have a good 45 minutes during my tram ride to myself to people watch and read the newspaper, which is amazingly becoming increasingly understandable and more enjoyable to read.
I am incredibly lucky to not only have something to do with my afternoons, but something that I love, somewhere I can learn, a place where I can make connections with people passionate about the same thing as me and be able to push myself in areas I had before questioned my abilities. I love being a part of something so much bigger than myself and being a witness to work I consider incredibly vital to achieve a successful humanitarian international community. This opportunity is priceless.



Though the combination is often a bit overwhelming, especially coming from months of endless unoccupied time, it seems to me I have the best of everything I love. I love learning and everything it includes, the increase in knowledge, the application of that knowledge, the ability to discuss new things discovered and share differing opinions. Add that to a job that is exactly in line with my passion. The only thing that could possibly be missing would be travelling.



Incredibly enough, this is not only not missing, but in ever abundance. I have had the amazing opportunity to go back to places I’ve already been and loved (Kolkata, London, Paris), but also had the opportunity to visit and fall in love with new places (Varanasi, Geneva, Barcelona, Marrakech, Casablanca, Madrid, and the countless other tiny French towns in between). I don’t think at this point in my life I could have too much travelling, but I know it won’t last forever, so I have soaked up and thoroughly relished absolutely every moment of it while it lasts. There is nothing better than getting to know a new town, country, and continent, its culture, people, language, food, activities, and general feel. And to think I still have to come Brussels, Amsterdam, and The Hague in my Belgium/Holland trip next weekend, Dijon and Bordeaux as potential weekend trips, Monaco, Nice, and Marseilles in the south of France trip with the school, Vienna and Salzburg in my Austria spring break trip, Normandy with the school, and Venice, Rome, the Vatican, Pisa, and Florence in my June Italy trip with my cousin.



None of this would be possible without the continuous presence of the most generous, thoughtful, supportive parents, both financially and emotionally. They have kindly funded this year without a second thought, making sure everything was covered from not only the academics and practicalities like soap and toothpaste, but even the extras like all the numerous travelling opportunities. Besides the obvious, they have anticipated my simplest desires, like sending my favorite chapstick and lotion from home or sending some pocket money to treat myself to a new shirt or falafel. They have made it a point to stay in touch, which I appreciate more than they know. Just to hear their voice, or get news from home, or relate my events of the week, whether they be mundane or exciting, they were always there.



I also have an unbeatable brother and cousin who must be mentioned, both who have very busy lives of their own, but remarkably enough have made a formidable effort at continuing, like my parents, to stay in touch. I know it is not always easy or cheap to find the time and ability to get a hold of each other and talk. I am so appreciate that they have had the desire and initiative to keep our relationship close, to of course exchange our recent activities, but also just to talk. Never underestimate how much I’ve appreciated those long conversations, talking about everything and nothing for hours and hours.


So to recap the amazing incredibleness of my life, though oversimplified and understated in every area, I have gorgeous scenery, lovely friends, a fantastic academic experience, an extraordinary professional opportunity, unbelievable travel times, and the support of parents and other family that cannot be surpassed. When I think about my friends going through problems or stress, and hear myself complaining about something ridiculous and completely disproportional, I feel a little sick and disgusted at myself. Thus, I am sorry if I bored you with this long pensive post, but I felt it must be said. I never want to be ungrateful for what I have, and the act of writing it and reading it later when I have forgotten it is sometimes the best way for me to truly realize something.