This is the question which I'm choosing to answer with "Yes!" in this moment. Remember, though, that I've lived in Wisconsin all my life and we don't have subways or trains - much. I have a car, a scooter, a bicycle, and two feet. But train stations with stops that have names I cannot spell or pronounce no matter how hard I try:
Scodmiescle (missing it's accent marks!)
Wschodnia
However, a Lawrence alumna works about 5 minutes away from the downtown Warsaw train station and has time to chat with me this afternoon. With Maria's help,
I will get to the train station, pointed in the right direction (that would be toward Pruszkow) with tickets purchased, and then, 4 stops later, I'll get off and be a short walk from Dorota Dabrowski's office.
So, Yes! I can do this.
What else might I tell you now? I am trying to pay attention to what I am to learn on this trip. I'm not "seeing lots of sights" or even traveling much at all by car from Maria's home. We have gone daily to the forest to walk and exercise early in the morning. That is a gift as both of us value daily physical activity - and alone time. So, we walk - and sometimes talk, sometimes not!
Yesterday I was out on my own, browsing and looking for a hair dryer since I didn't think my power converter was working. Here's the learning. I walked past a store that appeared to have only light fixtures from the outside. I had an urge to go in, but didn't. I "assumed" it had nothing more for me. Later that afternoon, Maria said, "We're going to the store that has hair dryers. Bring yours and your power converter." Guess where we went? Right back there! Second lesson, she had already talked with them (Leadership folks, "asked for Help!") and when we entered, two women not only understood voltage and converters and fuses ... but spoke English! Result? My hair dryer works in Maria's outlets! And ... today I have clean, dry hair.
What am I learning? All of the same things that Leadership is trying to teach! Ask for help. Listen to your urges and express them. Clear assumptions (or don't make them in the first place!).
And more, co-creating is so much more fun than doing "it" alone! Yesterday evening, we continued the process of planning our workshop and did complete the outline. We both like it so much better than the original outline we'd quickly created in June at a distance. Here, at the kitchen table, we were able to use those other Leadership tools:
What I like about that idea is ... and ...
What I am uncomfortable with is ... and this is why ... so how about ...
Geography! Standing and expressing the idea with our entire selves.
You get the idea. We were dancing with one another in the co-creative process much of the day. We weren't without moments of weariness and wanting to run away ... but ... we chose to "stay" and we finished the work!
If you're not in Leadership, it may sound as if I am writing Greek or Chinese. But think of it this way: If you want to learn something new, DO IT! Immerse yourself in the experience and trust the process. You will have what you need when you need it. Listen. Stay when it gets uncomfortable. Be clear with your ideas and thoughts (this one is often hard for me!).
Oh, and BREATHE! Breathe deeply into the current moment's experience. Now is all we have.
One more thing: When it is obvious that I have forgotten all that I claim to be learning, feel free to remind me! Thank you!!
