Transformation & Time

It's amazing 2 & 1/2 weeks ago we arrived in Slovenia from all over the world with bright-eyes, open-minds and unsure about what the next 30-days was to bring.

Wide-eyed & Open-minded.

By 7pm the first day we were exploring the city with a child's mind, open to experiences, a prejudice to what might hurt us, get us in trouble or at the very least yelled at by a local.  We moved about the town cautiously that weekend wanting to take in ALL of the sights of the city as if we wouldn't have a chance to see it again (phones snapping pictures of people and scenery non-stop).

1st Night Open Kitchen

1st weekend, Tour of the City

Imagine the 1st week, we were still so new and just meeting our client. Still bright-eyed and full of wonderment.  Who are these new people?  Who are these people really, whom I just met and now have to work with?  "Is this city safe?"  "How are we going to get to work?"  Quickly these concerns were eased as we met our client and got to know them and our individual sub-teams began to gel together as we now had a common cause and some real objectives.  Yet still we weren't quite sure what to make of our new surroundings and there was still so much to be seen.

Walks with new friends

Skeptical Clients & new methods

The 2nd week, the instant connections we initially felt, the bonds we developed over common experiences in a foreign land began to take shape and solidify into true friendships and care for each other.  Each morning or evening sharing the events of the day or the previous evening, even sharing a taste of a new food and ensuring no one missed out on what something tastes like or the "best of" in the area.  Whether it cake, wine, a new dish, there is never a shortage of offers, bites and sips of a new experience.  All along, we grow closer and our time here grows shorter.

Sharing an evening out

First adventure outside Ljubljana

Bled Castle

Here we are in the 3rd week also known as crunch week.  We've spent plenty of time listening, learning and discussing the client's pain points, how they perform their day-to-day functions and proposing solutions that will hopefully ease the burden and push them along the path of success.  This week it's been the execution of those proposed solutions that will culminate in implementation/deliverables as well as final presentations to the client as well as a much larger group next Friday.  While the work has picked up it has not softened our resolve to be together and experience new things. The people that arrived 3 weeks ago have become more of a family we continue to share this adventure of CSCSlovenia 2 and to a person believe we've all learned, taught and grown individually and together.  The wide-eyed wonderment hasn't changed, but our comfort level in our surrounding and with each other has grown substantially.  We no longer wonder how to get somewhere or communicate in this city, but pursue interactions and experiences with the community.  In 3 short weeks we've become a thriving part, while not quite locals we're a functioning part and will hopefully leave our mark on the 4 organizations we traveled to serve, each other and perhaps make a small difference.  After all, that's why 15 people traveled from 8 different countries to a small town in Europe.

Always time for a selfie

Quick pic with our Client

Community Service Project

Like life in our "regular" days jobs and lives, there are moments of hard work balanced with fun.  We share most of our good times within our blogs and there's a reason;  "there is always more good in the world than bad."  We just need to share more of it and I'm happy to share it with this family of 15 and here within my blog.

Ljubljana Castle & full moon (after celebrating the Full Moon Festival)

Bike riding with Rahul

National Gallery of Art- Slovenia

Parin

Postojna Caves

Celebrating Luana's (& Bill's) Birthday

Predjama Castle

~ Chris


PS. I've posted group pics from each week....note the distance between the members and the genuine growth in smiles.  We've grown closer daily and don't think the distances of our countries will change that.