July Volunteer Highlight
Interns – Rami
- When did you first learn about IOCC?
I was approached to be involved and went on a rebuilding trip down to the Gulf Coast in July of 2007.
- Why did you apply to intern for IOCC in Lebanon?
I applied to intern for IOCC because of my previous experience with them and a want to help people and I enjoyed how the IOCC strives to do that.
- How long have you been in Lebanon?
Seven weeks.
- What have you learned/accomplished so far?
I have learned how different these peoples lives would be without IOCC's involvement. I have heard many students tell me that without the work that IOCC has done here they would have dropped out of school.
- What is the biggest difference between where you are living and where you are from?
I think the biggest difference is either the price of fruit (less than a dollar a pound for most) or the energy conservance (My apartment doesn't have electricity for at least 3 hours every day).
- What are your plans for the future?
I am planning on continuing my education by pursuing a Master's of Business Administration.
- What else would you like to add?
I just want to thank the IOCC for the opportunity.
|
|
|
|
August Volunteer Highlight
Interns – Lauren
- When did you first learn about IOCC?
Through my Church I first learned about IOCC at the end of High School.
- Why did you apply to intern for IOCC in Ethiopia?
Interning with IOCC is an opportunity to become acquainted with international relief work. The organization has quickly mobilized itself to achieve positive results, and as one who feels passionate about this field, I felt that the internship would be a beneficial introduction.
I was drawn to Ethiopia because it offers a culture far different than my own. Surrounded by Muslim countries it has retained Orthodoxy, never been colonized, and continues to offer a hybrid of distinct cultures. It is a country completely unlike my own, and I saw it as a prime experience to first put myself out of my comfort zone.
- How long have you been in Ethiopia?
This is my 7th week – I will be located here until October 10th, 2010.
- What have you learned/accomplished so far?
I have learned infinite lessons from my coworkers.
On our way to do inventory in Woliso, I asked two colleagues how people know whose livestock is whose. Regardless of location – Addis or the countryside – one witnesses hundreds of unmarked livestock wandering around. In the states these would be snatched up in a second – unmarked means up for grabs. We have to brand everything from our animals to our phones. They both laughed at my question. In response Brook (one of the colleagues) said: "In the US, how do you know which car is yours? You just know." And with that, the topic was over.
Here, there is a communal nature to everything. The hospitality is remarkable – people will offer everything, even though most have little. At restaurants, food is served as a shared dish and everything is eaten collectively. At home there is a sense of boundaries, ownership, and a mentality of this-is-mine, that-is-yours. On my first day I was told "Welcome Home," and since, everyone at the office is constantly coming into my office to say hi, check in, and ensure things are going smoothly. Here, I have found the most generous people.
- What is the biggest difference between where you are living and where you are from?
Vast differences: technologically, I have quickly grown accustomed to the daily power outages – sometimes up to three times a day, and the temperamental internet. Often it does not work for an entire day and to send even a simple email can take two hours.
That being said, it is these discrepancies that have encouraged a new approach – in the States it is expected that internet, phones, electricity, etc will work flawlessly. Here, if it works well, people are thankful for that brief moment and I rely so much on artificial technology and have had to relinquish some of that and accept rural conditions.
Further differences: A taxi trip where the car breaks down 2-3 times on the way to your final destination; seeing goats tied to the tops of peoples cars; sitting next to a woman on the minibus who has a chicken on her lap; throwing a take-away container away and the next day seeing one of the guest house workers who had taken it out of my trash can to clean it in the kitchen so she can reuse it; etc.
- What are your plans for the future?
I just graduated from undergrad and pushed off law school for a year in order to gain more experience. I would like to enter this field, but I plan to enter graduate school in the Fall of 2011.
|
