sometimes i forget the power of words. like sometimes there’s a difference between my description of something and how i actually feel about it. and apparently my last post has triggered a bit of concern for my emotional well-being.

what i left out is the fact that i like a challenge. i like having to rely on my wits, and i like being able to make my own hard to reach goals under less than favorable circumstances.

my goal this trip: to help. more specifically, to do whatever i can to make this database i’ve developed a useful and used tool. what’s funny is that that has very little do with the actual development of the system (mostly because it’s done) and much more to do with the people. it has to do with talking and sorting out a thousand human and cultural issues before even sitting down at the computer. and then it has to do with sitting down next to every person who’ll be using the database and letting them drive.

and the unfavorable circumstances: living out of a hotel in cambodia for 2 weeks, traveling days to get there, getting dropped into a tense work situation all by myself, navigating countless office rivalries and personalities, being all by myself when i’m not at work, not speaking the local language, being totally unfamilar with the native culture and surroundings.

and lest you worry: it’s fun. hard and fun.