Our days

The week is flying back and it felt busier than I expected. We are enjoying it so much.

First, my runs are just sooooooo lovely! I can’t get enough of this Rock Creek Park pathway. It’s so serene, calm, and just so beautiful. Oh… look at the hat I got full of cats! My running challenge is to take a rest day. I am suppose to take two rest days a week, so far I’ve taken one only and yesterday’s tempo run pushed me to the limit to needing a rest day. My lower back is also talking to me a bit, not to bother during the run but I know if I don’t take one, it will scream at me eventually. So today i’m taking a rest day, do maybe ying yoga?! Can’t wait to get back to the trail

talking about cats, our helper sends us pics of cats every few days and we miss them so much and grateful to have someone reliable to check on them

Our routine now is: I go for a run before Lizzy wakes up, then when I come back she’s almost done with breakfast, I shower quicly, eat some avodado toasts before we leave for her camp. It’s 30 min walk there, she doesn’t like to walk but we do one way in the morning as it’s not hot and it’s a nice walking path. Then I go to office, work, meeting people for lunch and coffee, and go to pick up Lizzy at 3pm. We will take the bus back home and have a snack before deciding what to do next. Can you tell I’m obsessed with avocado toast?!

the bus ride is fun and Lizzy learns to count number of stops.

I got exactly twice facetime with Sofia so far, both times 5 min or less as she’s so busy. She’s loving it. Learning a lot about economics, making new friends, doing laungry, getting snacks off campus with her friends, really having a preview of college life?!

Last week our schedule was DC based time, waking up past 6am and going to bed when sun goes down. This week I’m fully adjusted to my normal schedule. I was tired by 8pm and go to bed even when it’s still sunny outside. Isn’t it interesting how eventually our body goes back to the norm?!

Some downer this week:

• I met with a grad school friend and her 5 years old daughter on Wed after camp. She used to be the star of our cohort of grad students. Now, both she and her husband have been unemployed since March last year. We talked for 2 hours and I left with such heavy heart. Even Lizzy later asked me what if she asks you for help such as raising her daughter. I was speechless what happened to her and how difficult is the job market situation these days.
• I met with another work friend who supposedly carries similar life as us. She is living in Uzbekistan with her husband who is not working and one girl. She hates it! She can’t wait to come back. Of the 45 min we met, she literally complained for 44 min. I feel bad for her experience, yet I wonder if it’s a matter of attitude or really the unfavorable circumstances.
• Following Sarah’s events has been humbling for me. So much has happened to her in the last few years. It keeps me reminding how fragile our “perfect” life could be. To the point that when everything looks so good, I have anxiety of something bad could happen.
• Not a real downer but meeting with colleagues in HQ makes me anxious as I don’t do well with too much negativity, complains, gossips. That’s the main difference of working in HQ (the source of all gossips and complains) and country offices where work life is simpler too.
• Final downer that is affecting more than it deserves. It’s the feedback time, I got 10 amazing feedbacks, assuring me that I am doing the right things. Yet, I got one cold/short feedback saying that I should learn more about the country history and culture?! What does it even mean?

How’s your week going? what are you getting on prime day? I’m getting too much!!!

How do you process negative feedback?

How do you process negativity in general?