Sending thanks to Chennai

I was lucky to be part of an incredible group of women who met monthly (tho many of them met more often) for a fabulous lunch the last Friday of the month in Tokyo. The group was called Chicken and Chablis and has an incredible history.

From what i recall, it was borne from a group started about 25-30 years ago by Australian and New Zealand businessmen forging their way into doing business with Asia (probably around the time 'we' were doing Special Reports in The Australian newspaper on 'Business with Asia' and 'Inside Asia' series of reports and business breakfasts)

I digress.

The mens group was called Beef and Bourgandy. They would meet the last Friday night of the month in posh hotels (they were the only places serving 'western' food) to network and discuss their frustrations and/or excitement at working in Tokyo.

Apparently some of the wives thought they too could benefit from a cultural networking group and so Chicken and Chablis was born.

At the few lunches I attended, there were 40-50 ladies, mainly Australian and New Zealanders chatting and laughing, sometimes crying but always having fun. The two organizers have recently moved onto new locations (one to Shanghai and the other back to Singapore) and we all look forward to their energy and commitment towards C&C living on in the new crowd.

One lady I met towards the end of our time in Japan has moved to Chennai and I've written previously about her difficult time.

Today, she posted something on FB that really resonated with me, and I'd like to share it .....

I'm dedicating the coming week to reflect on things that I am grateful for.

Amongst all her chaos, all her dramas, the dirt, the filth, the noise, the lack of language, she inspired me to 'reflect on what i'm grateful for' to lift me out of this hideous funk that has overtaken me.

So, I am taking a leaf out of her book and stopping to be grateful for

My wonderful husband.

Our incredibly loving, challenging, funny, articulate, creative little girl.

Our life as a family.

My friends who are scattered all over the world.

Our good health.

Facebook of all things which keeps me connected.

The opportunity to see the world with the people I love.

Being able to open our home and share our adventures as often as we do with family and friends who visit.

All the incredible (and not so) places we've seen these past few years.

For my brother and SIL back in Sydney who are there for Mum.

I'm not as brave as she to share on FB but ms_haveachat gives me the 'space' to write down things and put it out there, even when I know good friends read it (at least I hope they are) that I while i whinge and moan about things from time to time, life is bloody good (which is maybe why coping with the hiccups is so dramatic)

With Friendship

(and thanks)

x