Coming home from Mindanao was a challenge in itself. The plane on the ride from Taipei to San Francisco experienced turbulence that was the worst I have felt, which in a way seemed appropriate. Our trip to Mindanao was not only an academic challenge, but also a very emotional challenge.
Upon touchdown in SFO I felt immediate relief, knowing that I was able to see my familiar faces, hear familiar accents, and return to a familiar routine. I drove immediately to my hometown of Redding, despite it being the middle of the night, knowing that I would wake up to see my parents and pets. I was grateful for the few days I had before the semester started to relax and recover with my family.
In Mindanao, we wanted to take advantage of every moment and opportunity we had in order gain the most out of our fieldwork. We met with over 20 organizations and institutions, stayed in 7 hotels, and spent over 40 hours traveling in a van, all within 16 days. Needless to say, we were busy. In order to be an effective practitioner, one has to practice excellent self-care. The difficult part for me, I have learned, is that I especially have a hard time when I do not have any control over my schedule.
I, of course, expected that we would have a pre-determined itinerary and that we would experience the normal challenges presented by traveling abroad. I was not, however expecting my reaction to these challenges. I know that if I want to work in the conflict resolution field, I need to develop self-care skills set to take with me “on the road”.
