Timor Reunion Summer of 2006 in France

I made it!　I arrived on time at Charles de Gaulle airport (but not my luggage. It appeared two hours later when I was filling a luggage claim, which was typical welcoming at the notorious airport, according to Janne, my travel pal for this vacation in France).

Anyhow this is a reunion with my former colleagues from Timor in France. I needed this vacation so badly. I was stressed out from a series of changes I made in the last few years and in need for good vacation with good companies who led similar lives. And　the vacation turned out to be indeed a great group therapy and a sort of healing process.

Janne, Agnes, Seb (all left Timor in the last few months as well) and I spent 4 days together at Seb’s parents place in Maran, France. We talked, drank, cooked and ate under the horse chestnuts tree. We gossiped about people in the office in Timor, we laughed about the crazy life we had in the office over champagne, cognac, wine (all the colors), and concluded on our experiences in Timor office that we were glad we did it but glad we were out!　Oh and as always, I got a piece of valuable advice form the colleagues; I have to take deworming pills! Seems like everyone else did and indeed it proved worthwhile taking.

Looking back, I think the only reason I could stay sane in the office was because I had great friends with a great sense of humor. I had missed the sense of community and support system Timor offered to internationals.

The reunion also helped me put things in perspective.
Moving to a new country, starting a new job, making new friends, these things take up major mental and emotional energy. Moreover I barely had transition times between the changes. I think I was physically and emotionally tired more than I realized myself, and started to believe negative comments and advice on my life style that people make with, of course, good intentions. This group therapy (or wine therapy?) helped me put things in perspective, regain confidence and be happy again about my life.
So Obrigada barack manos who made this vacation happen!



(Happy meal: We went to a local market for grocery and also to the coast for oysters and mussel then prepared lunch together. I was in a daze at this lunch for such a good food, wines and companies.)







(Seb roasting duck)



















(Agnes and Janne studying routes on maps.)