Día 298: "I'm everyone's assistant!"

At least one of my colleagues manages to amaze me each and every day. The story we heard this morning was one of maternal resilience and strength, the history of Rosario and her precious five-year-old daughter Gabriela. Gabi was born with her esophagus connected to her windpipe instead of her stomach, and therefore at risk of choking as a result of her lungs filling with any liquid she drank. She underwent a series of incredibly invasive surgeries within the first few months of her life, and the only thing that kept her newly single mother going was the strength which her tiny baby displayed throughout the process. Gabi is a success story. Rosario learned the meaning of “hope” during this indescribably horrid phase, and her optimistic and peaceful description of the countless complications and her young daughter’s wisdom had Kate and me in tears within an hour of getting to work.


Having dried our eyes, we attempted to return to the International Climate Change Initiative proposal, which was due today. After some minor last edits and peaches from Mauricio's farm, we made our way to lunch.


As I pestered Mauricio to finish his lunch so we could get dessert (from Crepes&Waffles), he plotted my demise all the while, compiling a list of counts on which to complain when he meets my father tomorrow.

Full and feeling fatty, we returned to work. My reto del día (or challenge of the day) from Diana was to translate a three-page terms of reference document from Spanish into English. This was a really fun exercise to help me brush up on my workplace Español!


And speaking of Español, my Spanish class after work today was just rockin'. I got Mario way off-topic during our first exercise and instead of going chronologically through the book, had him quiz me on verb forms for an hour and a half, Certamen "verbal gymnastics" style. This activity was unbelievably fun, until I was hit by a wave of fatigue and semi-sickness halfway.

Despite my insistence on the same and my wailing pleas, Papa dragged me out to dinner at Zona Rosa, where I'm currently feeling too nauseous to eat anything. A night well spent to be sure and lo! Dessert approaches.


Lemonade and ice cream for dinner? I think si.

Comments

  1. KellyJune 26, 2012 at 9:37 AM

    What a beautiful and inspiring story! Thanks for sharing and the waffle looks fantastic!

    ReplyDelete
  2. PapaJune 26, 2012 at 8:46 PM

    Hey, you ate almost half of the amazing chicken curry crepes that you ordered for me, Miss "no appetite"! :) Thanks for taking me to your favorite "Crepes and Waffles," for the non-stop Spanish lessons in the car, and for all those stories about your wonderful colleagues!!

    ReplyDelete

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