a refreshed perspective

Today did not go as I was expecting.
The first week of school was postponed for a week at all universities because of the swine flu scare, which left me with yet another week to prepare before regular classes begin. This new information really didn't phase me much as I am actually having fun relaxing into the "manana" way of life here.
Today was a great day, a pivotal day in some ways.
This morning we headed to a large team meeting in the city, where the three interns (2 from the Northwest and one from Austria) were pulled aside and given some culture-shock and cultural-identity briefing, training, and encouragement. (You know who you are, thank you Ate!) God knew it was exactly what I needed to keep my perspective on course.
I was challenged to keep on listening and be intentional in my observations. I realized that I needed to try even harder to ask more pointed questions and not to settle into being content with getting by on the bare minimum of what I have learned during the last week. I came away from the meeting renewed, encouraged by the honest company of those who are in all different stages of cultural adjustment, and feeling a sense of responsibility and energy for continuing to savor and delve into learning about the people I serve--their worldview and way of life.
It helped me step outside my experience here even more than my own personal reflection, it helped me to see my experience from the outside. The wisdom (both in word and in action) of those who have gone before me encouraged me to continue myself and to pursue excellence.