I’ve been staring at this blank document for quite some time. I am trying to collect my thoughts but there are really so many things going through my mind. One of the things about living in an environment where the majority of the people I interact with don’t fully comprehend what I’m saying due to both a language and culture barrier, leaves me with a great deal of time to think. To consolidate all this thinking down to a precise essay for you, my dear reader, is proving slightly troublesome. I will begin with the events of my week and we will see where it goes.
Its examination week at the school, giving me the full week to go into the NGO office to do work. For Monday I have scheduled to work with the Project Coordinator on building this model filter project. “But Bo”, you say, “didn’t you mention this project in your previous posts?” Why yes I did dear reader, as for some two weeks now my coordinator has delayed this project because his end on buying the materials have turned up unfulfilled. Top it off by not telling me he wouldn’t be showing up that day had me waiting at the office for a great deal of time. No matter, being me I kept myself busy with how it would be possible to upgrade the NGO’s website. Tuesday, a similar situation occurred, so I kept up my new project. When I discovered I had the chance to tag along to Jaipur where the NGOs head office is located I jumped on board quickly. I prepared an example website using WordPress (never used it before) and off I went to Jaipur on Wednesday. When I returned on Friday to the school I had in my hands the username and password for the NGOs website with full editing control over it.
This brings me to something I’ve found myself having to say several times over to colleagues. “I didn’t travel halfway around the world to waste my time, nor to waste your time, so let’s figure out what I can do to help out.” If you’d like, call me arrogant, but I must say its true. I came here to do volunteer work, key word being “work”. When I sign up for a job it means I am going to do it, but also that I expect to be empowered to do it. I took this week’s trip to the head office exactly for this reason, and the Executive Director couldn’t agree with me more. I’m here for three months of work time, let’s put my best foot and then some forward.
Now all that being said, I must take something else into account. Overworking is a thing, and it does exist. I can say without worry for parental repercussion, that this is a quality existing in both my mother and father. And I know I can have a tendency to overwork. Over the past couple weeks I’ve been taking as much responsibility on as I can to fulfill my workload to a personal satisfactory level. Taking on classes full time and now website design, on top of my regular work duties and personal activities (gym and football time) I think I am reaching a saturation point in my activities. For now I must practice self-control and ensure I make quality work with everything that I have taken on. It won’t be an issue, but these are realities I must always keep in mind.
A FaceTime call home yesterday assured me the safe arrival of my Oma (grandmother) in Concord, California at my parent’s home. It was good to see everyone on the computer screen from halfway around the world. Although I don’t feel so homesick anymore, I would be lying if I said I don’t look forward to several things about California when I get I back from this six-month trip. I’ve also come to the realization, this being the longest time away from California in my 14 years of living there, that it is truly my home now. That being said, if I have to make the choice in the future for my best life choices, I think I’d easily leave again.
That’s it for this week, I will keep on keeping on and do better every day. Until next week world!
