I can’t believe that I missed Australia’s first world cup match in 32 years. Especially when it was against my second home, Japan. I went to Zone at 6pm to join the festivities and to playfully demoralise the Japanese in town. I mean, how could Australia suddenly become good enough to beat Japan? Michelle and Caroline, two Aussies, had decorated the bar with green and yellow balloons and streamers, not that the Japanese noticed.
Unfortunately, just before kickoff, I had to leave to attend a Monday night dinner with Rajni. Rajni is a friend that we don’t get to spend enough time with. A wonderful Indian man who was born in Africa and moved to Bhutan 25 years ago. He’s quite comfortable with his savings and often invites a group of people to dinner.
Tonight it was Sujala, a Nepali friend working for SNV along with the head of the UN in Bhutan and his wife. It was my first time to meet Nicholas and Miriam, but I really enjoyed their company. Marie had met them before and assured me I would. Like me, they had torn loyalties tonight as his father is Italian and she’s from Ghana. They managed to stay civil.
Most of the conversation was on travels around Bhutan and the insects you find. It started because Sujala, who’s just had a house warming, is planning to move again to get away from fleas. Besides fleas, Bhutan is swarming with transparent mosqitoes, horse flies, leeches and many other insects that make life lumpy.
I know the UN is having trouble with their communications, particularly in the IT department, but I’ll leave chasing Nicholas up about improving collaboration for another day – after I return from India.