AC

Adela was the person with whom I truly enjoyed talking. Conversations always flowed: they shifted from fun and light-hearted to serious and profound, and back. She was incredibly present and engaging in every moment of being with her: her wise and thoughtful words made every topic interesting and meaningful; her wit and laughter always lifted my spirits. She read my short stories and gave kind, constructive feedback. I still have these drafts in a folder named AC. Together with Christian we laughed over beers and chicken wings in Bogota’s BBC bars; in Geneva we had lunch in the COOP canteen across the UNHCR office: with my 1-year-old asleep in the stroller we talked about loss and motherhood. I remember we walked along the quai, on the Paquis side of the lake. I remember it being very cold. I remember her long green elegant winter coat. It was easy to be myself with her. Of those people you only meet a few in your lifetime.