How My Partner is the Best

• I should explain why my partner is the best.
• I should explain what a partner is.
• I should explain how my partnership being the best and the existence of a partner intersects with my global nomadic identity.

My job title is “partner advisor.” It’s quite straightforward. I advise partners. Specifically, I work closely with a partner doing peacebuilding. I help with their monitoring, evaluation, research, donor relations, English report writing, strategic planning, and list making (I’m a really good list maker). I was brought over to help write curriculum for their “peaceful family program.” They changed their minds before I got here. It ended up being great. I’m not a social worker. I tick-boxes and I adore social science research.

So while I work with a North American organization, I really work for a Khmer organization specializing on conflict transformation and mediation training for Khmer church and social service leaders. We work with partners who share our vision for positive social change and assist them to meet their goals. By meeting their goals, they are making Cambodia peaceful, which my North American organization can say they helped with, which hopefully makes everyone in the entire world (including our constituency) very happy.

My partner is the best for many reasons:

• We do peacebuilding (how is that not the best?)
• We are well known and loved (I get street-cred being their advisor)
• We are receptive to organization learning (no one digs in their heels when faced with change, instead, they’re excited)
• We make sure each other’s needs are met (you’re allowed to have personal problems and leave work to fix them)
• We listen to each other (no one gets out-voted, it’s called consensus)
• We have monthly lunch meetings to share information (and someone translates for me)
• We have one week dedicated exclusively to “staff capacity building” every year (this year, I did a one-day session on connections between development and peacebuilding)
• We have awesome staff retreats (which we spend several months debating before consensus is met)
• We’ve never had anyone leave, in our six year existence (and we’re proud of it)
• We’re a giant family. We even marry each other (yes, the accountant and mobilization unit leader are getting married in November)

My partner is the best because they push my boundaries while not pushing me too hard, too fast, or too far. This is true for everyone. They give me challenges, but encourage me along the way. It’s completely realistic to assume your partner will drown you. I have colleagues who often feel overwhelmed with their partners. But I’ve been blessed. Peace Bridges is teaching me more than I'm helping them but as long as we find joy and peace in the process, we are achieving peace and relationship building. As global nomads, we take what we’re given, and we’re excited when it works out, and even more exciting when we find that in one corner of the world, our cynicism is actually misplaced.

This is why my partner is the best. And here’s to two more years of drinking coffee and building a peaceful Cambodia.