Finally Arrived in Sri Lanka

"View From Hotel Room"



After a 36 hour/two night delay at London, Heathrow Airport, we finally took off. Not the worse airport situation ever, but it certainly gave me an opportunity to add to my quotient of patience. I needed that!

Arrived at Colombo Airport with the rest of the walking zombies. We were hit by the humidity first of all. That is all I will say on the weather other than it is hot. Better to think of it as tropical.

The ride from the airport is exactly what one might expect. Lots of industrial/commercial areas.

Intense traffic (I mean INTENSE). Lots of motorized three wheelers or tuk-tuks as they are called here. I call them fearless. Plus lorries (trailer trucks), vans, busses (of all types), bicycles, Izuzu trucks, water buffalos with carts, donkeys and assorted other forms of transport - very few of which were remotely road worthy! Where is DMV when you need them?

Made it to the Hotel Taj Samudra in good condition though and will go from here to live what will now be "my new life".

I cannot believe I am getting paid to do this!

It is catch-up time for me and the Red Cross. Five years away = Five days of briefings. My head hurts! This week, I am in Geneva at the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. I already spent a day with former, now current, colleagues at the American Red Cross in Washington, DC. Then I spent a day at the Federation office at the UN in New York. Whoa… so far so good. The best thing is that I am reminded of the individual good deeds performed by millions of Red Cross and Red Crescent people that reach into every corner of the Globe every minute of every day, everywhere. How cool is that?

Here at the Federation Secretariat my briefings covered things like: community-based health care, construction of houses and hospitals, external relations, security, audit and risk management, reporting, organizational development, disaster management and many other topics. There is a lot going on, lots of changes (good and bad), but still a core of people committed to the work of the Red Cross.

It is wonderful meeting with so many genuine and caring people. It is also fun to be back in an international setting where you have to pay attention to people’s name and work at pronouncing them correctly – which I never do! Here are the names of a few of the people I met: Tijana, Tiziana, Gulzhanant, Haken, Mauricio, Mikhail, Luntan, Markku, Encho, Uli, Aurelia. Sure some are easier to pronounce that others, but one must listen closely. They all helped me to reconnect and in the process learn even more about the continuing work the Red Cross and Red Crescent in helping people in times of need.

Reflecting on this week however gives me a moment to marvel at the fact that I am getting paid to do this. I cannot believe that! It can only get better as I go closer to the field and where the real work in actually performed by local people. Having said this, I hold no illusion that there will not be days when I mock this message and complain that I am not getting paid enough to do this or that…. But for now, this is my story and I’m sticking to it.

So about the name thing, I am thinking, plain old Al just doesn’t work anymore, maybe I’ll start using Alfredo.

The View From 40,000 Feet

Traveling from Philadelphia to Geneva for my briefing gives me a lot of time to reflect on what is before me, what coming back to the Red Cross will be like, what I may find living and working in Sri Lanka, what I may find in my new life. WHAT HAVE I DONE???

The last month has been a whirlwind of cleaning up, sorting out, selling off, packing up and many bittersweet farewells. I have lived a wonderful life in San Diego for the last five years. I have met and worked with some pretty amazing people. Being with the Waitt Family Foundation gave me a rare opportunity to view philanthropy from the supply side for a change. The Waitts themselves are generous and it was a kick working with that family and those who came in and out of the orbit of the Foundation.

Being somehow affiliated with Gateway Computers has fed my fascination and love of technology and innovation. The Foundation has funded either directly or indirectly hundreds of non-profits. I got to know many of them very well. They are all trying to make a positive difference in their communities and the world. At the risk of leaving some out here are a few that I personally worked with most closely: InfoTAP, Mid City-CAN, Hope in the City, San Diego Grantmakers, Council on Foundations, National Geographic Society, Community Solutions, San Diego Domestic Violence Council, The Family Justice Center, Envision San Diego, YWCA, American Red Cross Chapter of San Diego/Imperial Counties, San Diego Organizing Project, Nonprofit Management Service, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Christ the King Catholic Church, San Diego Community Technology Coalition, City Heights Community Technology Center, San Diego Regional Technology Alliance. (I'll add more later).

What about the people who were so much a part of my life? And especially those who turned out to be friends? I am going to take the diplomatic way out of that and not list them. I will name the last five I saw in San Diego, true blue friends who will always be with me somehow: Candice and Wendy (of course); Miriam, Patty and Susan. I am fortunate to have these five women in my life.

So what is the view from 40,000 feet? Blue sky, clear and sunny. There will be lots of disasters along the way, many challanges to overcome and tests to succeed. There will be suffering followed by relief. The outcome is bound to be positive. More to come on this bolg.

Farewell Lunch

My last official day of work for the Waitt Family Foudation was May 25, 2005. After nearly 5 years, it was hard to say goodbye to friends and co-workers.

Welcome

Hello everyone and welcome to the Panic O Diaries.