QAIS Staff Profile of the Week - Anna Kudelia, Office Manager

What is your favourite book and why?

It is so hard to choose a favorite book. This one just was the first that came to my mind while I was looking at the question. Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. I read the book and I have watched a movie. I loved both.

The main character is a woman who has everything a modern woman is supposed to want – husband, country home, successful career – but instead of feeling happy and fulfilled, she feels consumed by panic and confusion.

This wise and rapturous book is the story of how she leaves behind all these outward marks of success, and of what she finds in their place. Following a divorce and a crushing depression, the protagonist sets out to examine three different aspects of her nature, set against the backdrop of three different cultures: pleasure in Italy, devotion in India, and on the Indonesian island of Bali, a balance between worldly enjoyment and divine transcendence.

It is a great book about love, life and amazing experiences.

I would recommend the movie too with Julia Roberts.

What is your favorite charity (or cause) and why?

I didn’t have a lot of opportunities to participate in charities until recently, but last year when my Chinese friend told me that they organized a trip to the local children’s orphanage I was very glad to join and helped with donations (books, clothing and food). We went three times in three months. It was the most memorable experience in my life.

I have never visited an orphanage before. The one we visited had children that were blind, had Down Syndrome and kids whose parents refused to have them because of other disabilities (some of the babies were born without ears or fingers). I felt terrible for them. But then, they were all so brilliant.

The children were smiley and happy seeing us there. Some of them could only hear us but they had smiles on their faces too. I was surprised and looking at their hearty smile felt like life is about smiling your heart out and living a very happy life.

The thought of wanting to have something which others do not have is what makes normal people happy. But, blind people live such a peaceful life oblivious to the fact they can’t see the colors of nature or beauty of their surroundings and it probably enhances their inner beauty. Other kids were very thankful even for a simple hug.

I felt so good holding their hands and being able to spend time with them reading books and playing together. They need that so much.

After this experience, I found the way I value things and people around me, and cherish the moments of your life, to be different and deeper.