WER, Irish Trekking, Bridal Shops & Job Searches

  Doolin, County Clare, Ireland
Saturday, June 27, 2009

The stacks of long wooden boxes appear, at first, like dresser drawers.  The masked personnel in biohazard suits, long orange gloves and knee-high hazmat boots weave in between stacks of

Tsunami

bloated plastic bags and soda bottles filled with smoke-topped incense.  It is beyond disturbing to see tourists with camcorders amidst them, their bright fluorescent tank-tops and flip flops, recording plastic bag after long box.  

Last week, I spent several hours cataloguing photographs from the 2004 tsunami for World Emergency Relief (WER).  Along with appraising 2009-2010 funding proposals and reviewing progress reports for WER's relief programs, I’ve been implementing the purchase and use of a media library to catalogue photographs from their efforts overseas. 

Last Wednesday, I found myself in Sri Lanka staring at a house ripped open, its living room fan still affixed to the ceiling as it leaned at a 45-degree angle...at a military ship tucked in between trees...a van on top of a roof...a car bent in half, its trunk sitting on its hood...notice boards and community walls papered with crumpled pictures of smiling wives, brothers, fathers, daughters and handwritten notes: If you have seen ____, please call.

Like most of the world, I read the articles that December, and I saw the television reports of the disaster directly after it had happened.  I can still vividly recall scenes of the torrent rushing in through buildings and carrying cars, homes and people away.  But, the photographs I sifted through last week revealed the uncensored story of what happened when the water had long-since receded, and when repairs and recovery had begun.  

WER was there in Sri Lanka to provide emergency relief, as they have been for disaster situations around the world for the past 14 years.  On any given day, the agency is also providing long-term support (in-kind or monetarily) to locally-run projects in over 15 countries.  Be it reviewing progress reports, assessing proposals or creating a media library for them, I have been proud to work for such an organization.  The commitment and dedication of the staff, the agency’s relational (rather than hierarchical) approach to international partnerships, and the innovativeness of its fundraising team have both educated and moved me on a regular basis.    

WER is sending me to Kenya this August, to perform an evaluation of their current projects and

Kenya

to work on a strategic plan with their Kenyan partner.  It is a great opportunity and one that has never been offered to an intern at the agency.  In considering the trip and the tools that may be useful for it, I am reminded of Swaziland.  I am reminded of Lithuania, and I’m reminded of Jamaica, and I am both very excited and honoured. 

By the time I leave for Kenya, my dissertation will be completed.  Following my return from Africa, I will be packing my bags for home and this scholastic journey will be over.  It is hard to believe that only two more months exist between then and now.  That said, much has happened since I last wrote....

Classes, BBQs and Sudanese President al-Bashir

I passed all of my classes. :) Though I’m still working on the dissertation, all of my classes are officially over and we just received our final marks.  I was pleased with my grades, but was particularly excited about a mark I received in our Global Governance course – a 95% (U.S.

ICC and Ocampo

grading equivalent) on a presentation about the International Criminal Court (ICC) and its recent arrest warrant for Sudanese President al-Bashir. I had loved researching the topic,  and after delivering the presentation, had even contacted the producer and director of a related ICC documentary to see how I could obtain a copy of the film.  The producer of the film not only wrote back, but sent a director’s cut of the documentary to me in the UK.   To show the film, my roommate and I will be hosting a BBQ in the coming weeks.  'Am very much looking forward to it.

Life Above a Bridal Shop

Speaking of roommates, I moved.  I now live in a place called Sheen in a flat above a

Life Above a Bridal Shop

bridal shop (the latter giving my mom great hope - ;)).  I have two roommates, Jess (a music PR representative for Love Music/Hate Racism) and Bex (a film editor), and am staying in the room that (up until a few months ago) housed the lead guitar player for the UK band, The Noisettes.  My roommates are great – unique, quick to laugh, creative, fun, quirky, unpretentious, welcoming, smart and generous.  BBQs in the back garden, music events, movie/pub nights are not unusual at 15 Sheengate, but my roommates have also been very understanding about my need to bow out for research/writing time (which, lately, has been often).  All in all, I couldn’t have happened upon a better living situation.

Egg Race Results: Unscrambled

A few folks have asked about the "egg race".  ;)  I'm still finding it hard to believe, but we

Post Bupa 10K Race

finished the 10K race.  National coverage of the event included multiple minutes of my colleague (Natalie or Gnat, the chicken) and I (the egg) running together and having a chance to voice our support for WER and its chicken farm project in Kenya, which was wonderful for the agency/cause.  I had never run a 10K, much less a 10K through the centre of a major city.  Running past Buckingham Palace alongside thousands of other participants (be they dressed as 8-foot trees for an environmental issue or bananas for a fair-trade cause) was incredible, and I would definitely consider running a half-marathon for an agency in the future. 

Dripping in Ireland/Surfing in Wales

Surfing in Wales

Right after finals, I was able to squeeze in a trip with my friend, Krissy to Ireland (which was fantastic) and a surfing trip to Wales with my friend, October (also, great!).  The latter involved water warmer than the San Francisco coast during the day-time, and a hike down a cliff with 7-foot boards for a great sunset surf that lasted well into the evening.  (Due to it being light so late here, we were able to surf well past 9pm.) 

9PM in Wales

The former was, weather-wise, a far different experience.  It rained nearly the entire time we were in Ireland, and sometimes, touched down into the 40’s.  Despite the weather, Krissy and I were determined to make it to the famed traditional music hub, Doolin, though and to hike around the Cliffs of Moher (also known as the “Cliffs of Insanity!” in Princess Bride).  So, with waterproof backpacks, we took to the road (via public transit, hitching and walking).


Doolin didn’t disappoint.  Beyond the adventure of hoofing it along the edges of the incredibly beautiful cliffs, we spent our time peering into the cracks and miniature eco-worlds of the Burren plains, snacking on granola bars and carrots atop

Day One of Holiday in Ireland - Finals Finished!

rocky black precipices that jutted out over the Atlantic swell, wading through cow-dung marshes, sneaking past bulls in local fields and warming up with bowls of Irish Stew and traditional tunes in one of the three local pubs in town.  Most of the time, we were soaked from head to toe, cold, grinning and laughing...and at times, even singing old 80’s pop songs on deserted country roads to pass the time.  It was a great trip.

One of the best parts of the holiday occurred in a place called Ennis.  We had happened upon the town on a stopover on our way to Doolin.  While there, we had eaten lunch, wandered aimlessly around town for a good cider/Guinness, and then, found ourselves in front of a beautiful church.  We weren’t sure if we should go in at first, as it looked too dark inside, but a gentleman (walking in behind us) encouraged us to come in, and said that we were welcome to stay.

On Way to Cliffs of Moher

The gentleman had returned to Ennis to go to his primary school reunion that weekend.  It had been 50 years since he had been in the sanctuary.  His mother used to be the organist at the church, and had taught him how to play when he was a child.  As he told us all of this, he sat down at the organ, opened up one of the hymnals and started to play.  Tune after tune poured out into the room, filling the space (from vaulted ceiling to stained glass window to grey stone floor) with memories from our own childhoods and our own churches back home.  In that darkened sanctuary, with only the light from the stained glass windows around us, Krissy and I just sat there, smiling and nostalgic.

Frozen-Soaked on the Cliffs

Soon, the church’s actual organist arrived, and played a few hymns as well as the score from The Mission. ;)  Then, the rector stopped by and gave Krissy and I a tour of the church building, providing detailed histories on who painted each mural, and how the stained glass windows had survived so many years.  In the end, Krissy and I spent over two hours at church that day, and nearly missed our bus to Doolin.  As we later made our way past the green rolling hills of that beautiful country, we both agreed that it was, by far, one of the highlights of the trip

The Dissertation

Since then, I've been working on my dissertation, “18 with AIDS: A study into the transitional
services available for HIV+ orphans aging out of residential care in Jamaica”.  It is a very exciting time, but it is also quite nerve-wracking.  As my advisor is going on vacation during the month of August, I will need to finish my dissertation a month early.  Therefore, time is quite
limited.  Half of me wishes I had more time and was able to spend another year, just writing the paper and digging farther into the subject matter.  The other half of me is excited to finish it and see how it is used.  All of me is simply happy to be working on a topic that matters.  :)

Debs and I at Much Ado

So, in the end...life, for now, is the following:

* Finishing the Dissertation

* Working at WER

* Preparing for the Work Trip to Kenya

* Biking/Climbing/Events in the City (Much Ado in the Park, etc.)

* Baking Cookies – LOTS of them. 

Nanner Goodness - Batch #9

I bake to clear my mind and to boost my energy from time to time.  So far, in the past 2.5 weeks, I’ve baked 9 batches of cookies –  ;).  I’ve graduated from the “just add water” mixes to a banana cupcake-like cookie recipe with buttercream frosting (a new favourite, due to my friend, Karen and Land O’ Lakes - ;)).

* Looking for a Job in the San Francisco/Oakland/Sacramento Area--
I am currently seeking a program manager position within an international relief and development organization.  I have already started contacting agencies and doing preliminary job searches.  Considering the current economic situation, it is definitely a challenging job market, but I’m excited about entering into it and seeing how I can be of service to an agency.

The Job Search

If you or anyone you know can recommend contacts, great organizations, or networking opportunities in the international relief and development field, I would be indebted.  My resume has been updated and is available, upon request.

Especially now, it is not so much what you know, as who you know.  Therefore, thank you, in advance, for your help!

Love,
Heather