Mom of two
Artist (I make sterling silver custom jewelry and lots of decorations out of soda cans and pizza boxes)
Immigrant to the Island of Reunion in Indian Ocean
Falling in love with the weeds you ignore or detest
Living in New York off and on for 15 years, I learned to hustle
I always had at least two jobs. Usually one full time job either working in an office, in the early years as an Executive Assistant for Chase Bank or Mtv Networks, later as a Business Manager or in house Bookkeeper for a variety of industries.
My part time job was usually retail and my own jewelry line.
After years of freelance bookkeeping with diverse clients across various industries, I felt the winds of change calling me to a different part of the world. a move that I knew would change me forever but I couldn't anticipate the kaleidoscope of emotions – the beauty, poignancy, thrill, solitude, and enduring gratitude – that would lay ahead. The pull was undeniable.
Shedding my possessions, transitioning clients to capable hands, and enduring a series of setbacks, I found myself on a remote, roadless, car-free, electricity-free island in Madagascar (originally intended for Tanzania, but that's a tale for another occasion).
On this island I learned to project manage within two different cultures. One adhered to Western standards of time and approach, while the other embraced a different rhythm, goals, and priorities.
Navigating this intricate balance demanded building intimate connections with the locals and mastering their local dialect.
Later on, with this as my view every day, I met my future husband. He was visiting from his home island, Reunion.
Years later, we celebrated our marriage on that very island, with our three-month-old child by our side. We were lucky to welcome a second kid 2 years after that.
Even though I was busy building a family in the middle of the Indian Ocean, (actually it was a French territory called Reunion Island,) I was still hustling.
I was fortunate to have clients in NY and able to bookkeep remotely as well as teach children and adults how to speak English.
I was also learning and later teaching how to make art and wearable jewelry out of recyclable materials.
Much like the moon,
I embrace change as a natural part of my journey and thrive within its flow.