Satisfaction

Despite the fact that I started my morning feeling sleep-deprived and in an awful mood (thanks to Pria opening the bathroom door about 400 times last night and causing havoc with the toilet paper), my day turned out to be quite wonderful.

I got an early start and managed to accomplish loads of work on a fundraising proposal by 11am. I suppose this is the benfit of being a procrastinator - sometimes I amazed at the sheer amount of work I am able to get done when I really sit down and go for it with no distractions. Then, of course, comes the question, "Why can't I just work at half this pace with some regularity and avoid the stress of having to rush at the last minute to meet a deadline?"

Anyhow, the feeling of accomplishment was nice.

I had lunch with Tracy and Sophia at Piri-Piri. As the name suggests, their piri-piri sauce is killer, perhaps the spiciest in the entire city. I have a high tolerance for heat, but felt my tongue on fire after just a few drops. So we had a couple of beers. That helped.

Sophia and I then took a walk and went to my favorite place, the Núcleo de Arte, then to the bank, and finally to the butcher's. I bought fresh local cheese and guava jam, along with some meat for meals this week (meat is something I don't usually buy, but I am in a food rut and need to change things up a bit).

I made a yummy spinach and ground beef lasagna for dinner. I used the fresh cheese in lieu of ricotta, and made 2 liters of homemade tomato sauce for the filling. As I cooked, I snuck spoonfulls of the guava jam, and somehow found the restraint necessary not to eat the entire jar for dinner instead of a proper meal.

Jenny and F. came over for dinner and it was a nice, laid-back girl's night. We gossipped and had some interesting conversations about our respective experiences here, the various perspectives one can have on corruption, the process of making Mozambican friends, the places we want to travel...It's good to have girlfriends, particularly when you consider that I was friend-less and lonely this time last year.

I also received an e-mail regarding my jewelry creations that has me quite excited, and admired a pair of earrings I made that Jenny ways happily wearing.

But the best part of my day happened in the space of about 2 minutes.

I don't have the details yet, but I received an offer this evening that made my entire month. Professionally speaking, it may have made my year. I have butterflies in my stomach and can't wait to find out more information about this opportunity.

I shall share more as things shape up.

In somewhat related news, tomorrow I supposedly have a meeting with the partners of a consulting firm to discuss the possibility of me working for them in a more "regular relationship." I'm not interested in full-time work for several reasons, but I am open to considering a Monday-Wednesday stint in their office or something similar.

This firm has been talking with me about how they need additional help and want me to work for them since November of last year. Each time we have a discussion of the sort, they promise to get back to me with a concrete financial proposal the next day or the next week. Inevitably, our negotiating process has stalled each time (because they've not given me a proposal, not because I've rejected their offer) and I've felt a bit as if they are stringing me along. We've been at this for 9 months, people, and I am tired of the runaround.

Tomorrow afternoon, theoretically, I will receive the long-awaited proposal. I must confess, regardless of whatever salary they might offer, I have mixed feelings about the whole deal. It's hard for me to forget what this drawn-out process has been like, and I question whether I want to get involved with a company that has such a difficult time doing follow-up.

Who knows. Perhaps I will accept the offer and subsequently edit this post to paint a prettier picture of how it all went down. More likely, I won't. Edit the post, that is. I'm at the point now where I'd be happy to spell out my grievances for all the partners instead of pretending like I'm completely satisfied with how I've been treated thus far.

However, the cool piece of news I referred to earlier makes the pending meeting with the consulting firm that much sweeter. You see, unless I'm hugely mistaken, I have a better offer coming my way. One in which I'd work with a person who I admire immensely, who makes me feel valued and competent as a professional. Best of all, I believe it's a situation in which I'd still retain my freedom to travel and to work from home part of the time.

I'd jump at this opportunity any day of the week, and it will be a satifying end to this drawn-out negotiation process to be able to tell the consulting partners, "So sorry, boys. In the time you took to get back to me, I've accepted a position elsewhere."

I'll keep you posted on how it all develops.