Author Archives for Wissal Khadrouf

Cultural differences I noticed living 18 months in the USA

December 10, 2020 12:50 am Published by Comments Off on Cultural differences I noticed living 18 months in the USA

Since I came to the USA, I have been asked several times by friends and relatives about the differences between my culture and the USA. So I decided to try and sum it up according to my own point of view.


Reverse cultural shock

September 20, 2020 1:58 pm Published by Comments Off on Reverse cultural shock

My fellowship is ending soon, but some of my class fellows already went back home and they shared how they...


Gratitude 101

July 1, 2020 11:35 pm Published by 1 Comment

When life gets challenging, it can be difficult to feel thankful! For too long, we’ve taken gratitude for granted. We say “thanks” a dozen or more times a day: when someone holds a door open, let us pass, take our order... It’s a reflex, a reaction to simple daily transactions. We mutter it, often without really acknowledging the person we are thanking.


Mindfulness to deal with COVID-19 stress

May 26, 2020 12:01 am Published by 1 Comment

With Coronavirus anxiety running high, it's understandable that we do everything we can to think ahead, plan, analyze the facts, etc. But when our head-based fight-flight-freeze reactivity gets the best of us, it's much harder to stay grounded, think clearly, respond with care, and sleep well at night. My recommendation: Mindfulness.


Silence

April 30, 2020 7:06 am Published by Comments Off on Silence

In these stressful times, I really want to be in a meditation retreat right now. Since it's not possible in this situation, I decided to create my own retreat at home on the weekend, and I decided to make it a silence retreat as I really wanted to try one.


A tale of stress and peace

February 29, 2020 10:43 pm Published by 1 Comment

Being in a foreign country, without our family, our cultural references, our favorite places, our local food, or a network of close friends, we lack the feeling of being psychologically and emotionally grounded. This can lead to stress and even anxiety.


Wind of change

July 25, 2019 2:46 pm Published by 1 Comment

Last year if you told me I would be serving at Microsoft Redmond, WA. I would probably laugh at you. And yet here I am, spending my second week in Microsoft Headquarters.