Bowling Night

Two workmates organized a charity event that attracted nearly everyone from our floor to all ten lanes of a local alley on a Thursday night. We raised more than 24,000 baht (over $700) for a nearby orphanage. The evening was a reminder of why working at the same place is still fun and satisfying, just over four years since I started there.

My responsibilities have changed enough during that time, along with disease priorities in Thailand, that most days still feel new and challenging. Recently the emphasis has moved from providing domestic assistance to exporting some of Thailand’s public health successes to neighboring countries.

The work remains important, yet it isn’t intense enough that I’m consumed by it or forced to choose between spending time on it and spending time with Jip. Last month, at a planning retreat with most of my colleagues, I looked around and felt really lucky to get to work and play with so many good people. On bowling night, I re-realized that landing this job was a big score.