Inspiration is everywhere — Social Sabbatical Philippines (Week 2)
Digging, Digging, Digging to learn more and more
And then, like a rocket, week 2 passed and now it is over. This week has been the week to work on the proposed solution to our host company, Mother Earth Foundation.
Our team, Daniel, Marco and I, has been focusing on building a final document to deliver a step by step to our host company in order for them to grow and help other companies to be Zero Waste. It has been a week of continuous research, meeting with zero waste associations all over the word (Brazil, Canada, US are some of them) as well as to work with the best team ever: SAP Philippines.
It is about learning new things, getting completely out of comfort zone and delivering the best possible in the short time we have.
Talking about the comfort zone
I have been reflecting about the different challenges that our colleagues in the Social Sabbatical team are facing. Some people struggle with the traffic, some with the food, others about leaving behind loved ones, a few are facing changes in personal and professional lives. And besides all of that, a really different culture. It is definitely not easy.
In my case, the most important thing I am facing right now is to leave my dad behind . About my dad, almost 2 years ago, he was diagnosed with leukaemia. He is well, under a treatment, but since then, I feel fear all the time about losing him. So, what I decided was to enjoy the most the time I have with him, be there for him and be sure that I am doing exactly what he would want me to do, like coming to the Philippines. My dad is passionate about traveling and he traveled the world during his life. I see where my passion of traveling has come from.
Finding partners in crime where I go…
Well, I try to connect to different people wherever I am. Here in the Philippines, I was really lucky to meet Rudy Abrahams, Hazel Taparan and Carole Monteloyola on my first day. They connected us to really amazing people from SAP, Sara Yangco, Rissa Colayco and Satya Sahu. These 3 amazing people are supportinf us on the project for Mother Earth Foundation. Do they have to do it? No. Are the doing it? Absolutely, YES!
It is not only about SAP Philippines, I was also lucky to be assigned to Mother Earth Foundation with two outstanding professionals and lovely men: Daniel Slawe and Marco Pfeifer. We are a very funny, connected and focused team. It really shows the power of connections. As the picture taken my Marco this week in a huge traffic jam says: Team work makes the dream work!
Similarities can connect people….
I finished the week with a beautiful momento with Business Women Network SAP Philippines. Business women network (BWN) is an employee network group of volunteers engaged on gender parity. BWN has more than 16,000 members in +90 chapters working for a greater good. Our theme for 2024–2025 is to Elevate Possibilities, Empower Realities.
I took advantage of being in the Philippines to have a coffee corner with them. It was a very special moment where I shared my career, successes and failures, challenges, but I think the most important thing was to realize that Brazil and Philippine's people have a lot in common. We are a family based society, really connected to our relatives, we like to be together, to share food, to party, we are catholics in the majority and incredibly, we have some problems in common too like traffic, pollution, huge income gap between rich and poor people. But the point here is we are all humans and focusing on the similarities really makes it easier to connect.
My sincere thank you to Carole Monteloyola and Roxanne (Roxy) Bautista, SAP BWN Philippines Co-Leads, as well as to the core team who put this together and last, but not least imporant, to the participants of the session. I love it! 🥰
How to be you PO — My Happy Place
There is an expression in the Philippines, when you admire or is inspired by someone, you say to the person: How to be you, PO?
After two weeks, I am really inspired by the people I met and the culture and the beauty of this country with its strengths, struggles and challenges. But which country does not have it?
If you ask me where I feel the most inspired, I will say immediately: in Mother Earth Foundation office! It is a very simple, modest place. But everytime that I enter that office, I feel surrounded by angels. I can not express in words the feeling. It is a mix of being embraced by them, the smiles, the respect, the joy. I feel loved there!
So, to the team of Mother Earth Foundation, my deepest gratitude and a simple question: HOW TO BE YOU, PO?
Good bless you!
With all the love and care from Ate Nayla.
SALAMAT PO!
