I went into labor at 1am mid a multi-day international conference. Afterwards, a wise old colleague told me 'she's your legacy now.' I didn't fully understand those words at the time...
Author: Kiera Derman
The Itinerary in My Spreadsheet: Blissful Belize
The trip was booked for 2025. Life had other plans. But the research is done, the itinerary is solid, and it's still a trip I'd take if I could. For now the itinerary is sitting in my spreadsheet. I thought about dusting it off for summer 2026, we could make it work. But for now … Continue reading The Itinerary in My Spreadsheet: Blissful Belize
Chicken-based Philosophy
I’ve been thinking about a saying a former colleague would say to me: “Kiera, you can’t make chicken soup out of chicken shit.” It’s the pessimists approach to lemons, I suppose. And it makes sense. You can, however, make manure which might be less appealing than soup or lemonade, but is also just as useful. … Continue reading Chicken-based Philosophy
Learning to Love Home while Craving Elsewhere: Island Dreams of St. Lucia
We're heading to St. Lucia in March. It's geared as a couple's romantic getaway and the honeymoon crowd is well-catered to, but we'll be taking our seven-year-old. Challenge accepted.
Between Who I Was and Who I’m Becoming
A year ago, the international development sector collapsed. There were casualties, lives lost, and many more quietly upended. On the scale of human tragedy, my damage was minor.
St. Lucia We Did Everything on the List (Except the Spa)
This trip was all about splitting the difference: between adventure and comfort, between rest and action, between beach and nature, between expensive and affordable.
Between Restlessness and Rest
When I was growing up, my mom tried on identities like new wardrobes. There was "muffin mom" who wore twinsets and pearls and baked goods from a newly purchased "Muffins and More" cookbook. She only lasted a few weeks, but we all have fond memories of this one.
Between Home and Away 