Sunday, November 19, 2006
Monday 20th of November.
Yesterday, my volunteers who have been coming for a while are starting to think they are calling the shots. Miss Sameera yesterday is telling me to tell staffing that she needs to be here everyday. She goes to school in the day and comes here after school at around 3pm. School finishes at 1pm. She enjoys being here because it's a diversion from her normal life. I've been friendly with everyone and yesterday it's time to put my foot down. While in a meeting with Technology at my desk, she comes in and interrupts and I tell her to wait until I'm finished. She continues and patiently I tell her "Sameera, I'm in a meeting, please wait." and she continues until I tell her a third time.
In Qatar and probably many different Gulf Countries meetings can take 5 times as long as they need to because anybody interrupting is invited to join in and nothing really gets done fast. Sameera is probably also used to do this at home. But, I need to stress the importance to let me do my work as well. So I'm patient but firm. Nena, my Phillipino volunteer who teaches PE at a girl school here tells me she admires how I handle the volunteers. "You are so patient, you never raise your voice." She tells me she would be screaming. Well, I don't believe in screaming and I never really have had to raise my voice in all my professional life. I feel it's a waste of energy. But, I'm pleased about her comments because I don't really know how it's being received.
But if only 45% of volunteers are showing up accross all venues, I have to say all of my volunteers are begging me to be rostered everyday. To the point that I can't accommodate this for everyone. I have a few people I wouldn't mind having on venue maybe 5-6 days per week as they are good (Nena, Adbulqader, Saad) and they have a great attitude. Nena is more mature as well which means I can relax when she is here and don't feel at all like I need to entertain her. But it's all interesting and it's interesting also to see how I'm handling it. I'm actually more of a teacher here than a doer and I'm quite happy to hand over the job and see how they learn from experience. Of course, I'm always ready to jump in but right now it's important to see that everyone gets familiar and experienced.
I manage an hour or so at the accommodation gym last night which is nice but I must say, I find it hard to pry myself out of bed this morning at 4:25am. But the run is beautiful. Everyday or often I see another man who is always smiling and greeting me while he runs the opposite direction. I'm guessing he's from nothern Africa, possibly Morrocco. Often he extends his hand out as we pass so I can do the same and clap his hand. Today, I see him with his large smile and expect him to do the same but this time he offers me a red carnation and says: "Merry Christmas". The timing is a bit off (for Xmas) but I'm smile and thank him and I'm still amazed as I run home with the flower.
This morning Sahaila arrives at 7am for her first shift. She speaks virtually no english so I try to train her before the boys (Adulqader and Saad ) come in at 9am. I think I've managed to get quite a bit accross though and it's pretty amazing really to be able to teach someone who doesn't speak the same language as you. Plenty more of that this week.
It's raining. I believe this is very rare. Reg Gratton who has lived here for 18 months tells me it's only rained once since then and he was out of the country. I felt a few drops on the Corniche this morning and knew it was quite special.
I have to get back to the volunteers this morning.
Bye for now
Yesterday, my volunteers who have been coming for a while are starting to think they are calling the shots. Miss Sameera yesterday is telling me to tell staffing that she needs to be here everyday. She goes to school in the day and comes here after school at around 3pm. School finishes at 1pm. She enjoys being here because it's a diversion from her normal life. I've been friendly with everyone and yesterday it's time to put my foot down. While in a meeting with Technology at my desk, she comes in and interrupts and I tell her to wait until I'm finished. She continues and patiently I tell her "Sameera, I'm in a meeting, please wait." and she continues until I tell her a third time.
In Qatar and probably many different Gulf Countries meetings can take 5 times as long as they need to because anybody interrupting is invited to join in and nothing really gets done fast. Sameera is probably also used to do this at home. But, I need to stress the importance to let me do my work as well. So I'm patient but firm. Nena, my Phillipino volunteer who teaches PE at a girl school here tells me she admires how I handle the volunteers. "You are so patient, you never raise your voice." She tells me she would be screaming. Well, I don't believe in screaming and I never really have had to raise my voice in all my professional life. I feel it's a waste of energy. But, I'm pleased about her comments because I don't really know how it's being received.
But if only 45% of volunteers are showing up accross all venues, I have to say all of my volunteers are begging me to be rostered everyday. To the point that I can't accommodate this for everyone. I have a few people I wouldn't mind having on venue maybe 5-6 days per week as they are good (Nena, Adbulqader, Saad) and they have a great attitude. Nena is more mature as well which means I can relax when she is here and don't feel at all like I need to entertain her. But it's all interesting and it's interesting also to see how I'm handling it. I'm actually more of a teacher here than a doer and I'm quite happy to hand over the job and see how they learn from experience. Of course, I'm always ready to jump in but right now it's important to see that everyone gets familiar and experienced.
I manage an hour or so at the accommodation gym last night which is nice but I must say, I find it hard to pry myself out of bed this morning at 4:25am. But the run is beautiful. Everyday or often I see another man who is always smiling and greeting me while he runs the opposite direction. I'm guessing he's from nothern Africa, possibly Morrocco. Often he extends his hand out as we pass so I can do the same and clap his hand. Today, I see him with his large smile and expect him to do the same but this time he offers me a red carnation and says: "Merry Christmas". The timing is a bit off (for Xmas) but I'm smile and thank him and I'm still amazed as I run home with the flower.
This morning Sahaila arrives at 7am for her first shift. She speaks virtually no english so I try to train her before the boys (Adulqader and Saad ) come in at 9am. I think I've managed to get quite a bit accross though and it's pretty amazing really to be able to teach someone who doesn't speak the same language as you. Plenty more of that this week.
It's raining. I believe this is very rare. Reg Gratton who has lived here for 18 months tells me it's only rained once since then and he was out of the country. I felt a few drops on the Corniche this morning and knew it was quite special.
I have to get back to the volunteers this morning.
Bye for now
# posted by AdeC @ 11:06 PM 
