Woke up a bit late this morning and was feeling a bit sick from the night before, BUT I MADE IT INTO WORK, more importantly, I made it into work before a few people. I mosey'd around a bit, just
a bit, and did some work. I got a new task today so I'll be populating some spreadsheets for the next little while.
While doing that, one of my good friends (he is Brazilian and Italian, what a cool mix right?) wanted to meet up for a coffee before saying good bye. *cue tears here*
I met him up for coffee and we spoke and talked a bit and the whole time all I could think of was how fast the time was going and how short this internship is and will be. Already, I'm almost a month into the internship, which means I only have about two months left - only two months left in one of the greatest cities in the world.
I am heartbroken. What's even worst is the friends that I make now...are leaving soon. So many people that I've met only just recently are leaving. They're going home, they're continuing their lives and they're doing other things. It's heartbreaking because the UN is so full of happiness and hellos, while walking hand in hand with sorrows and goodbyes. The friends I make here, who I clicked and got along with, those who are kind hearted and whose wavelengths connect with him will come and they will go. It's scary and it's sad - it feels worst than being left alone; it feels like being left behind.
Reflecting on this now, I know it sounds immature and it sounds insecure and yes I will move on and do other things, etc. but in that moment, being told that a friend, a cherished kindred spirit is leaving, it does fracture the soul a bit as they take a piece of your heart with you. I experienced that when I lived in France in Grenoble and my friends were leaving one by one... I was lucky because I was one of the earlier people to leave, and unlucky because I had to leave so much behind.
But of course, those moments fade and that feeling, although now lodged in my heart, will eventually change and evolve into fondness, fondness of the memories that I had with these people who will leave. When I see photos or hear words or phrases, I will reminisce and remember the kindness, always the kindness.
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Dessert, main, appetizer, bread stick and apparently some guy
from New York Fleet week showed up. |
As I walked back to my office, I did some more work on my project and then at around lunch time, it was time for lunch! One of the very, very, very lovely ladies at my office wanted to take the interns out to lunch at the
Delegate's Dining Room! We headed on down to the floor and had our reservations, went inside and were greeted by this spectacular view of the river, the bridge and the island across from it. The plates and the setting was done beautifully and the atmosphere was calm and ambient.
When we sat down, we were brought a basket full of different types of bread and these delicious, almost flatbread like baked cheese bread "sticks" to start off with. There were three tables full of food for people to go and get whatever they'd like to eat.
The first one was the appetizer table and they had smoked salmon, smoked duck, crab bisque, different salads and sauces and more that I just do not remember. It was very fresh.
The second table had main course and there were options with smoked cod, chicken and sausage, season's vegetables, Korean beef and a chef at the end serving a delicious baked salmon with mango sauce.
At the dessert table was all kinds of cakes, macaroons, mousse, fresh fruit and others.
It was delicious, for the price ($35), all you can eat, it was pretty good. The waiters came by to refill our water constantly, but I was a bit disappointed that they never came back with the basket of bread again.
I think everyone should go there at least once to enjoy the atmosphere and have that great experience to dine with foreign dignitaries and other UN personnel. It's definitely a cool experience and great for your taste bud and tummies. We ended up talking for quite some time, for so long that by the time I got back to the office, it was almost already time to go. I talked a bit more to my office co-workers and then headed out back home. I was so exhausted from all my activities and other things that I was doing this past week that I got home and just passed out.
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| Goodbye with smiles |
Couldn't pass out for long though, my friend and a few of his co-workers were meeting up in the park by my place so I got up (begrudgingly) and out of bed and headed over.
When I got to the park, they had great eyes because I honestly did not seem them at all, they were the ones that found me and waved. We sat and talked for a good long while, long after the sun went down. It was really nice actually, it was the kind of conversations I really missed, ones where we talked about language, history, all these different academic and cultural-based topics where I could very freely ask questions to try to learn. It was really wonderful having people who were from different places explain, for example, their political system and their experiences as a person living in that culture.
I love conversations like this. Don't get me wrong, sometimes it's nice to talk about things that do not matter like the Kartrashians or Drumpf, but sometimes I'd rather talk about something that really does matter and will help me learn and grow in the future. I don't want to talk about the latest shoes or fashion trend (mostly because I have no idea what they are to be honest), I want to talk about the lastest news and the business trends. I want to know about what's going on in the world around me, how it'll affect me and how it'll affect those around me.
At the risk of sounding like a complete loser - I thrive off this stuff. I'm such a news and trivia junkie (as you may have noticed after reading some of my blog) that I want to hear and learn more constantly. I may be curious by nature... but then again, I may just be nosy. I enjoy conversations that are intellectually stimulating and provoke curiosity.
At the end of the night, everyone, unfortunately had to head home and say goodbyes.
