About Time

It is all about that time.  It’s not only about time that I took time to write this blog, but it is also a part of the reason that there has been such a hesitation to begin this blog entry but it is really about time.

As I began to plan and anticipate this entry I sat back to think about my objective and reason for blogging.  What is the purpose of writing out these thoughts and sharing them with the Internet world?  Well, let me tell you.  -Why again do I blog?  Sometimes I need a refresher and a look back at the original intention to remember where I was going to with the activity.  I also thought it is about time that I jot down my goal and maybe a few objectives to achieve the goal. 

First and most evidently I intended my blog to be a means of sharing my experiences abroad.  Simple.  Goal noted.  Now I can blog, right?

It begins to get messier when considering if blogging about it is the best way to achieve the goal.  There are so many options- e-mail, Facebook, establishing a regular Skype connection, other social networks and even good old snail mail could do the trick.  With unreliable access to Internet regular Skype calls ruled themselves out.  With a lack of time and often energy, snail mail and for me- Facebook took a backseat.  E-mail and blogging are the most practical options.  Still restricted by time but realizing that this connection with family and friends back home requires me to make time and claim it for this purpose.  My first objective decided, use e-mail and blogging resources to relay messages to family and friends in other parts of the world.  Done and set. 

As I started a blog and began writing I realized that I was not about to write everything that crossed my mind and some of my true feelings.  Regardless of where I have been it has required me to learn something, open my mind to new perspectives, embrace ambiguity and all is best when I consider others above myself.  Understanding these requires that I be very intentional in blogging as anyone in the entire world is welcome to read this blog that I established.  I wanted to write as though friends and co-workers in different cultures were all reading this.  My goal in blogging needed to be slightly modified.  I now intend to use my blog as a means of sharing experiences abroad without intending to offend any one person or culture.

With the larger goal and my intended objective in mind I sat down to write and realized that my audience was an important consideration before beginning any post.  If this were a letter, who would I address this to?  I know, how about some family and friends?  Yes I am addressing this to my family and friends, but I must also consider this an open message that anyone could hear.  The blog I intended to create was something meant to be open to anyone to see if they so choose.  Therefore even though the message may be for family and friends it must also carefully consider anyone who has access to these posts.  I guess that is anyone in the world.  Consider that.  I’ll just save the extra personal notes for emails and letters home.  Yes, it is set.

For those visual folks out there a few pictures must be included to spice things up a bit.  Sometimes words fail to tell the story that the eyes can capture in a short moment of viewing.  Yes indeed, pictures are a must.

One last important objective is to make it relevant to time.  Once or twice I have been asked if I worked well in unstructured environments.  Up until my time abroad I would have leaned towards yes in my answer.  However the truth is I do appreciate a little structure.  If the situation does not provide, I will just have to create my own structure.  Blogging and sharing this experience in this type of forum is not something that comes natural to me.  My objective is to post at least once a month.  I promise. Wow, with a little sorting and modifications I feel more ready to blog than ever!  Something like that… but blog I shall!  If ever I forget my purpose in doing so, I will just recall this particular post from this time.  My blog is a means of sharing experiences abroad with family and friends by posting pictures and stories at least once a month with intention not to offend any one person or culture. 

It’s about time.  Blog on.