Thirty years??? Well... I went to the University of Hawaii and majored in anthropology and French, in fact spending most of my time learning languages. After a few years working, I went back to school and did my Ph.D in economics (intl trade and finance) at the Univ. of Pittsburgh. I did a year in Singapore in the process and became a Southeast Asia specialist. After finishing that, I worked for a couple of years at the State Department in Washington, DC where I got my real education. Then USAID offered me a year in Jakarta as an advisor to the Minister of Trade, I took it, and I've been here pretty much ever since. I worked with the Indonesian government for seven years, and then moved to the World Bank three weeks before the Asian Crisis hit (no, there was NO causal relationship).
The crisis turned my life upside down, with no prospects yet of returning to anything I used to call normal.
Things got scary when Suharto fell, and we were escorted to the airport by armored personnel carriers to catch
our chartered plane out of the country. But we were back five days later - too much work to do! In May '99, my
office seconded me to East Timor (they needed somebody who had actually been there), which began the most
remarkable, life-changing year of my life. I spent a couple of months doing economic survey work in the run-up
to the referendum, ducking around militia road blocks, spending some days stuck in my room because of
gunfire, amazed at what people are capable of doing to each other, and even more amazed at the strength of
the human spirit. I followed the Interfet forces back three weeks after they came in to halt the violence, and set
up office on a box in front of my pup tent - home sweet home until I moved into a relatively luxurious shipping
container three months later. I came back to Jakarta once the World Bank office was physically up and running
at around a bazillion rpm, about a year ago. It was the hardest I've ever worked, the most rewarding, and the
most fun - and I miss it terribly.
I've probably got about another year here in Jakarta before they'll make me move, and I'm considering Cambodia- someplace relatively quiet and stable - among other locations. I can't imagine retiring quite yet, as the opportunities I have for doing truly exciting work are just too good to let pass by, even if I am perpetually tired. I'm also trying to figure out how to spend some more time with my guy, maybe by doing a bit of telecommuting. I have to laugh -- most everybody else on this website is looking forward to retiring and traveling more, but I'm looking forward to staying home, planting some tomatoes and being there to harvest them!
What I've Learned the last 30 years
Nothing momentous, really, just life. The US can be the greatest place to live, but it's not the only place in the world, and sometimes it's a real pain in the butt. US politics are marginally tolerable from 10 thousand miles away, and during election years I'm real happy to send in my absentee ballot, thank you very much.
Now's my sappy paragraph - we all get one. I think what I've learned in the last 30 years is evident in my
photos. Thirty years ago, I was concerned about getting just the right smile that would make me look thinner
and my chin more prominent - it was important how I would be remembered in that circle where I always felt
uncertain. Now I laugh in photos - I've learned to appreciate myself, and to accept and enjoy the now part of life.
Message to My Classmates
Despite all the tasks we take on in life, the most important thing is caring for ourselves and those we love. Make sure your priorities reflect that, and act on them every day.
My Favorite Quote
"Never doubt that a small group of committed people can change the world -
indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." - M.Meade
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