Week Seven: Holding Down The Fort
After being out of the office at the end of last week, Monday and Tuesday brought a lot of catching up. Tuesday was by far the busiest, but also the most productive and accomplished day I have had in the office. I left feeling really great about all of the work I cranked out in one short day. Even tackling some new processes like supplier set-ups, Fly America Act Waivers, and Visa-related documents did not slow me down.
In addition to a busy but accomplished Monday and Tuesday, the rest of the week brought some new experiences as well. Three of our Project Managers (PM) are out in various field offices (El Salvador, Mexico, and West Bank). So, the office was a little quieter than usual this week. Consequently, I had to step into a few new roles to help out while travel schedules complicated HO responsibilities. For example, I took lead communicating with various consultants to finalize their expense reports. And a majority of these emails were in Spanish. Luckily, I had support from Nidia who was able to polish up my drafts. It is one thing to be roughly conversational in a second language. And entirely another to communicate in a professional capacity accounting for cultural nuances and subtleties. I have enjoyed the practice and learning experience!
Due to PM travel schedules, I also had the opportunity to edit and work with the field office to finalize a bi-weekly report contractually required by our client, USAID. These reports first go to USAID Mexico. If they are selected, they are then submitted to and published by USAID in Washington, DC. This bi-weekly report documented some recent happenings with ProVoces in Mexico. Among many other technical activities, the project has embraced documentary film making as a means of promoting access to justice. One technical activity gathered, trained and supported a group of young ambassadors from across the country as they created documentary films that promote the justice system and help educate their communities about available legal resources. It is fun to see access to justice be infused with creativity and brought to communities in innovative ways.
Last weekend (June 23-24), Michelle visited me in SF. We spent some time strolling the Treasure Island Flea Market, and other first-time-visitor essentials like the Ferry Building, Pier 39, Ghirardelli Square, Ocean Beach, and Land’s End. But most exciting was the fact that her visit coordinated with SF Pride parade and celebrations. We spent our Sunday on Market Street spectating the Pride festivities!
This past weekend (June 30-July 1) Anthony and I spent Saturday finding some sights off the beaten path. Most notably, we found a mirror maze and the city’s flock of wild parrots on Telegraph Hill! (The parrots are sadly not pictured, you will have to take my word for it.) Then I joined Kathryn for a celebratory dinner and party to recognize her accomplishments after completing the first year of an intense, two-year acting program. Sunday I found another excellent bakery, the Sunset farmer’s market, ran errands, caught up with friends on the phone, and shared another dinner with Kathryn and two of her friends. Two great weekends!
