I am actually working

I am actually working hard and when I get home at night I am exhausted. This week I helped the office finalize their budget submission in Head office format (UK) which seemed really complicated when they were explaining it to me and during the process itself - it was all new to me – but the final product was pretty simple – it seems we went around the world for something that could of taken 10% of the time – like most African organisations even this office is disorganized and have a difficult time conceptualizing things in simple ways – this, by their own admission, is a cultural trait.

Then we had a seminar on Thursday & Friday and I had to give a presentation on organisational development to 40 people that was basically the heart of the seminar and discussions. I was to meet with the facilitator/moderator on Monday but he never showed up – so then it was scheduled for Tuesday morning and again he did not show up – to find out that he was not going to moderate for some reason– so they called in another moderator and finally Tuesday pm we started getting organized for Thursday & Friday. I had basically 1 day to get the presentation together and practice - On Thursday morning another consultant was to facilitate a brainstorming session and he never showed up (one of his parents passed away during the night) so at 8h30 they called in somebody else last minute to be at the seminar for 9h30 – what a mess – not prepared in the least and never did get to do a brainstorming session. Not a good start but nobody seemed too phased by it – I am told you just need to adjust and no big deal. One thing I will need to master is how to adjust to the unpredictable which seems to be somewhat predictable as something eventually seems to go wrong – due to lack of planning and organisation – but also due to sickness and death in the family which takes people away from other commitments quite often.

Since many volunteers came in from Bobo for the 2 day seminar most of us went out for supper on Friday night to this restaurant/garden called “La Fôret” – cute setting with tables around a pool and really good food – but I would have called the restaurant “La Chauve Souris” – because the bats (big bats) were flying all over our heads and skimming the water of the pool – I seem to be the only one that it bothered – oh well.

On Monday I get to go to a meeting with Monsieur Coulibaly – Ministre Délégué Chargé des Collectivités Territoriales – problem is I have nothing appropriate to wear and when I mentioned that to Gervais (Country Director of VSO BF) he just said “no problem” because everything is permitted for the Nassara. Luckily Amina (she is the Health Program Manager – VSO BF) understood me not feeling overly comfortable with going to a meeting in jeans so she brought me to a boutique and I bought a dressy 2 piece (pant & top) for Monday and I am having another 2 piece (pant & tunic) made to measure which should be ready by Thursday. Now I have another problem – I have no iron – will have to figure out something or go as a wrinkled Nassara.

That’s it for me this week – next weekend is Easter so we are going to Banfora – will let you know how that goes.