playing ketchup

What happens when you spend two history-breaking years living in a small cement room in the middle of Northern Ghana? (for serious, who is Justin Bieber?) A whole lot of catching up. Watch me wade through the 21st Century. R-R-Random!

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I'm retiring this blog.

These past couple of years home have been an adventure as much as moving to the bush was four years ago. (What?!? That long ago?) There has been a lot of confusion—on how to dress, and how to talk, and how to work a 9-5 without nap breaks. I learned to change my socks even when I didn't sweat a bit. How to have guiltless fun, even if there are poor, starving children in Sudan and I'm not doing anything about it. How to have an identify outside of my job. How to be an American, a New Yorker. How to be humble. How to be at my worst. I was at my worst on the reg in Ghana, but no one was around to see it besides Aze. These parts, there has been no hiding.

(Kristina, thank you for staying by my side while I was at my worst. You are a saint. I and love and you.)

A lot of my fears have been soothed. My village is still a part of my life, I get phone calls in the middle of the night from my community often. I'm emailed pictures of the library and the widows association, two projects that are so close to my heart. A copy of Ghana (Other Places Travel Guide) is sitting on the library shelf, and it is so full circle it hurts. My dream of being published coming to be realized has everything to do with the grace and patience of my village, teaching me daily about the beauty of their home. For that, the book is my gift back to Sankpala. A part of myself is now in that space we created for my community to read.

My Peace Corps family—albeit all over the world, are still a big part of my life. We knew we were special, and we are oh, so very lucky to have one another.

And the rest of my family, those I am related to and not, can stand to be around me while I've been sorting through reconciling my life in West Africa and New York City. Amazing.

Today, I live with one of my best friends in a very special city. I am surrounded by people who make me better and who just love the life right into me. I have a dream job I didn't know existed, one that combines all my quirky skills and passions and challenges me every day. I'm lucky, I'm happy, and just about caught up.

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Mayor Michael Bloomberg proposed 10 days ago to unleash the Nanny State on coke drinkers to solve the problems of obesity and diabetes in NYC. Reverend Michel Faulkner of New Horizon Church in Harlem advises the mayor that the changing of lifestyles requires more than a Nanny State. 

CHECK IT OUT

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I rarely use the word perfect. There are few things that go so well they could even come close to perfect. Our wedding was an entire day of perfect.

The goal was to do it our way. We slapped tradition in the face. We erased the standard script and wrote our own. We didn’t care how it had been...

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agreed. I was so blessed to be a part of this day.

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Awesome

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A learning experience or simply gawking?

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Never again

Taking the stairs 7 floors up after lunch like most of my coworkers.

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How a Book Is Born.

This is hilarious, and I only find it funny because I witnessed practically every point over the past year when my roommate was writing one.

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Next stop, Canal Street. Stand clear of the closing doors please.

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Hello everyone! I just wanted to say a big thank you for being such a wonderful and supportive staff during my time with BNR, Inc. I have known some of you since I was a teenager! It does not feel like I am leaving, really, because BNR is family to me (literally and figuratively) - and thus will always be woven through my life. Thank you all for being pieces of who I am.

Until next time, Maria

Human Resources

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diet exceptions

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Life is calling. How far will you go?

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The development community is failing…to learn from failure. Instead of recognizing these experiences as learning opportunities, we hide them away out of fear and embarrassment.

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some things have gotta change

I had some girlies over for some chile (that was way too spicy, sorry guys) last night, and Darlene talked about seasons of change and seasons of reflection and absorption. After living in Ghana for two years, I didn't care for such a mundane year to reflect. But I am so grateful for it all- the consistency of having a job, an old friend as a roommate, my social circle containing childhood friends and RPCV family. While it was a transition in many ways this past year has been 'same old'.   Suddenly- some major changes are talking place in mi vida. It is my last week working at a company I have worked for over the course of ten years. I have not only been here since the beginning, but I grew up here. Moving on has been more bittersweet than I imagined it would be. These people that have watched me stumble through becoming a woman have all given me their blessing to move on and continue my journey towards becoming who I am. I am just so incredibly lucky. In lighter change of events, I have been feeling kind of ick this past year, and I know it has to do with my diet. It may surprise you all to know that I eat a lot of sugar. After talking to some real weirdos that have taken control of their diet in a very major way - I decided to take on a very drastic diet myself. In my adult life, I have had two rules for eating- It must be real cheap or taste so good it brought me to tears. And I love food so much, a good cannoli will in fact make me cry. This past month I have cleared out my cabinets of gluten and sugar and replaced them with things I cannot pronounce. This new diet is time consuming, expensive, and leaves me craving foods I don't even eat day to day. Grocery shopping has become heart-breaking. It has been an entire life-style change. It think this is the first commitment I have made entirely to myself, that affects no one other than annoying my roommate (I am so HUNGRY! I want to eat everything in the world right now!). Also- Krista and I have adopted two fish, Atticus and Boo. Rad is still going strong.

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My roommate is adamant that we adopt the ugliest orphan puppy in NYC. She literally just sent me that picture when I brought up puppy adoption. The uglier the dog, the harder her puppy clock starts ticking.

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I just listened to my boss give me a phone recommendation, and it brought me to tears. It took me a few minutes to realize that she was talking about me, and when I did, I could not believe that she was speaking so highly of me. As they wrapped up, she said, "I will be really sad to see Maria go. But wherever ever that girl ends up, they are just going to love her."