when can i see you again?

As soon as I hit publish on this post, I’m heading to the airport. My trip is not quite over, but the Hong Kong portion is.

And yes, I’ve cried about it.

If you know much about me, you know I cry a lot. At the drop of a hat. When someone spills milk. Hell, reading about the Olympics. I’m highly emotional, and I cry whenever I feel extreme emotions. I cried watching Kristen Bell cry over meeting a sloth. It’s just a part of my identity. I’m OK with it.

The point is, this is an experience I’ve been looking forward to since I started at Waggener Edstrom. I didn’t know if I’d ever be chosen for the exchange, but it was one of my top reasons for joining this agency. A company that invests in its people all over the world is a company I wanted to work for. I wanted to learn about global business in a tangible way. I wanted to meet my colleagues in a new environment and learn how we can better collaborate to build creative strategies for our clients. I wanted to travel the world and represent a brand that I truly believe in.

I wanted it, and I worked hard for it. For some reason, that company believed in me in the same way I believe in it. My team put me on a plane and made my big dream a reality.

And now the trip is over. And I am grateful, and I am sad to go, and I am unbelievably happy.

I’ve waited to mention the professional aspect because I wanted to really take in the entire experience. Each day presented new conversations and challenges and opportunities. I’m not really ready to put it all into words. I’m confident that I will continue to learn from this experience far into the future.

And when I do, I hope to continue sharing ideas and experiences across oceans. Because this world is a really small place, and we owe it to one another to learn from our diverse backgrounds and cultures.

And now, off to Singapore!

*Title inspired by Babyface. Because deadpan quoting of R&B lyrics always makes me giggle.