I've struggled with the prospect of having no assignment, of not being tasked to really WORK every day, of NOT being expected to be the greatest and do the best. I love reading, I'm starting to enjoy working in my garden, I'm getting better at talenoa (lit. "storytelling", often trans. "yarning", in short- chatting) with people in my community and I'm trying to just relax. I'm told that's the Fijian way.
This last week, however, I've started networking with the various ministry authorities located in my city. I still haven't mentioned what the projects are that are rolling around in my head and that is because I am waiting for the projects to come together a little more. These ideas are to come shortly. But what they have meant for me is the chance to really be involved, to be busy and to feel like I'm really being challenged. After all, isn't this program meant to challenge me? Perhaps this is just resonance from City Year, where I had ten different responsibilities piled on top of one another and deadlines for each to keep me in motion all the time. I'm an adrenaline junky and I need deadlines!
The real issue of it is that this program accepts only highly motivated, highly accomplished applicants. Of the people who convince themselves they are ready and able to live, by themselves, in a remote location in a developing country, who then make it through the 20 page application, the multiple rounds of interviews and the very thorough medical examination, only one in four are admitted. To be here, you must be persistent, determined and, frankly, stubborn. You are generally a person who meets deadlines, who tries hard and who makes a good impression as you do such. So for the directors to expect us to come here and sit on our hands for the greater part of 2 years is ludicrous!
No comments:
Post a Comment