I'm always thinking about relationships because underneath my serious, New Yawker expression, I care about the people that help manage the ebb and flow of my time in Zambia.
Friendships: The seasons change and friends stick around even during rain season. And no matter how long rain season is, they're there for you and you're there for them. Distance doesn't silence you and you're never at a loss for words the next time you communicate.
Thanks to Facebook era, people slip acquaintances into the friends category sometimes. Which is cool, I guess. No one wants to hurt anyone's feelings and tell them the limited extent of their relationship. It might not matter to some who calls what whom and yadda yadd yah. It's not to say that I don't appreciate people that are currently in or have been in my life but I cherish the people that really get to know and understand me and still put up with me anyway.
Workships: These can transform into friendships or almost extended families because you spend so much time together. Or, you live with them. Or, they made you Ramen when you were sick. Or, a feast for your going-away celebration. The list goes on and on.
In-Betweenships: I admit, in-betweenships frustrates me the most. I usually encounter "in-betweenships" when I'm traveling. I develop good rapport with someone on my vacation. Like, I can hang out with you for not just one but TWO days, and *poof* they're onto their next journey. Our in-betweenship usually ends with the person asking me if I have Facebook and me saying I deactivated my account a long time ago. Awkward silence follows. Then, I share my e-mail address (how old-fashioned of me!) and may or may not hear from them again. But at least we shared good memories.
Strangeships: Unusual alliances for reasons neither one of you can remember. You can usually tell you have a strangeship when you're sitting in a group dinner and someone asks how you and Buddy X met or became friends and you just look at each other and laugh. Then, when you get home, you start thinking... how did we become friends? Because we're nothing alike. But we get along so well. Eh, I'm too tired to think about this right now. Then you realize, months later, that it's because you both share a fondness for cooking short ribs. Or was it French toast? Anyway, you guys get along and that's all that matters.
In my time here, I appreciate everyone that I've had the pleasure of getting to know, if only for a moment. There are people I miss, either from my old sites or from my travels, that will always be a part of me, no matter the distance. There are also some people that helped shape my "lessons learned" and I'm still grateful for their presence. In all of this, I enjoy all of the "ships" that help me navigate this life a little easier.
Friendships: The seasons change and friends stick around even during rain season. And no matter how long rain season is, they're there for you and you're there for them. Distance doesn't silence you and you're never at a loss for words the next time you communicate.
Thanks to Facebook era, people slip acquaintances into the friends category sometimes. Which is cool, I guess. No one wants to hurt anyone's feelings and tell them the limited extent of their relationship. It might not matter to some who calls what whom and yadda yadd yah. It's not to say that I don't appreciate people that are currently in or have been in my life but I cherish the people that really get to know and understand me and still put up with me anyway.
Workships: These can transform into friendships or almost extended families because you spend so much time together. Or, you live with them. Or, they made you Ramen when you were sick. Or, a feast for your going-away celebration. The list goes on and on.
In-Betweenships: I admit, in-betweenships frustrates me the most. I usually encounter "in-betweenships" when I'm traveling. I develop good rapport with someone on my vacation. Like, I can hang out with you for not just one but TWO days, and *poof* they're onto their next journey. Our in-betweenship usually ends with the person asking me if I have Facebook and me saying I deactivated my account a long time ago. Awkward silence follows. Then, I share my e-mail address (how old-fashioned of me!) and may or may not hear from them again. But at least we shared good memories.
Strangeships: Unusual alliances for reasons neither one of you can remember. You can usually tell you have a strangeship when you're sitting in a group dinner and someone asks how you and Buddy X met or became friends and you just look at each other and laugh. Then, when you get home, you start thinking... how did we become friends? Because we're nothing alike. But we get along so well. Eh, I'm too tired to think about this right now. Then you realize, months later, that it's because you both share a fondness for cooking short ribs. Or was it French toast? Anyway, you guys get along and that's all that matters.
In my time here, I appreciate everyone that I've had the pleasure of getting to know, if only for a moment. There are people I miss, either from my old sites or from my travels, that will always be a part of me, no matter the distance. There are also some people that helped shape my "lessons learned" and I'm still grateful for their presence. In all of this, I enjoy all of the "ships" that help me navigate this life a little easier.
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| I like my relationships messy |
