¡tiempo de las resoluciones! / time for resolutions!

We are currently within those ten days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur where we are supposed to reflect on the past year and think about how to make the next one even better. So without further ado...

Reflection Time

Hm, I had a pretty good year...completely enjoyed my final year with the best of friends and graduated from the University of Virginia, broke a Relay For Life record at UVa by raising over $143,000, traveled around four continents, moved to Buenos Aires, Argentina, set goals that I exceeded, inspired and was inspired by some life-changing people, and grew in many ways. But this year has not been all roses and sunshine; I lost a dear friend who I think of everyday and always reminds me to be thankful

and shine on, got hurt by and I’m sure hurt people that are dear to me (I am sorry for anyone that I have wronged this past year!), made plenty of mistakes, got pickpocketed while traveling, and cried quite a fair amount. I also took a leap of faith to leave my friends and family and move abroad for the year. So, there’s the past.

The next question I have to ask myself is:

“What ‘New Year’s Resolution’ can I make to better my own community and life?”

Well, I guess the first question is who do I include in my own community. For this, I decided to draw a little map...

my communities

This map includes (most of) the organizations, groups, places, and categories that I feel most connected to and exhibits the communities that are most important to me. However, it does NOT include the most important thing of all: PEOPLE. 

People make my world go round. They inspire me, support me, test me, make me laugh until my stomach hurts, collaborate with me, compel me to reflect on what is important to me, sometimes make me want to scream in frustrataion, and accompany me in experiencing what this world has to offer. I truly believe that every person I meet has something to teach me and I hope that I too can leave the people I meet with memories or at the very least something new. 

My resolution for this year is to really connect, I want to create new relationships in Argentina, among my other fellows, and around the world, while maintaining and strengthening my relationships with my communities from home. I want this to be a year of people and relationships.  While reflecting on how I want to make this year better for myself and my communities, I realize that the answer lies among listening to the people to whom I am connected. By doing so, I can then connect people (and myself) to opportunities, others, and organizations in order to promote collaboration. This will in turn strengthen my own communities.

How will I accomplish this?

Thankfully connecting to people has never been easier due to modern technology. This week I "g-chatted" with people from the US to Ukraine , my grandmother called me on Facetime for the first time from New York, I e-mailed articles to friends in Germany, and "Skyped" with friends from UVa. I also have gone to dinner, for ice cream, "merienda" (tea time), and more with people here in Buenos Aires. I am excited to maintain a schedule where I carve out time to connect with friends and family at home while balancing my time to meet and enjoy people here.

However with every great thing (modern technology) also comes consequences; I want to make sure that I do not overuse technology to connect (please watch the video below to see my worst fear) and instead impel myself to be completely present and focused whether face-to-face, writing an email, over Skype, on the phone, etc. 

I realize completely that creating and maintaining relationships is a two-way street and that I will have to make an effort to accomplish my goal and stay connected. But I am up for the challenge!

May this new year bring us good health, inspiration, adventure, meaningful relationships, and a year as sweet as honey!

Now it's your turn...What ‘New Year’s Resolution’ will you make to better your own community and life? I want to hear...let me know in the comments section!