It's already my 13th day in Fort
Collins. Since moving here on the first I have not had a free morning
till today and then back to work at noon. I started my new job on the
3rd, not quite understanding what the time commitment was going to be
before school started. I am giving a paycheck for 40 hours but like my
boss says, we all know that during this time we all work more than 40
hours a week. My hours so far are double that and as my coworker has
said "forget seeing your friends, calling them or your family". It is
very true, our work schedule is insane, and luckily the course has
finally ended yesterday, and when school starts I will be only working
10 hours a week. I like my coworkers a lot and the professors I work
with. They have a very interesting way of managing things, it is the
most relaxed yet extremely demanding work place I have ever been in. I
think this is all of their cooping skills. They allow tardiness and
dress code to non exist as long as everyone is ok with being way over
worked and way under paid. The team at the center is very committed to
their work and believes in it so much that they all make sacrifices to
keep it running. Just being there the short amount of time I have I
understand why everyone is so involved in this project. Hearing from the
students during the course about how much they have appreciated the
amount that they have learned and skills that they have gained that can
be used in their countries, to better their work as conservationist,
foresters, researchers, environmental analysts, directors of parks/
protected areas/agency, WWF managers, environmental program
coordinators, watershed extension agents, natural resources managers,
chief of rangers, regional coordinators for development, and trainers of
protected areas. The course is fully funded by various donors for these
professionals. It lasts 33 days of teaching both in the classroom and
in various protect areas in Colorado, Utah and Wyoming. The highlight of
the 33 days is a four day rafting trip down the green river. I sadly
got to start working at the very end of the course and missed out on
many of these trips. I was with them while we met a manager at Dinosaur
National Monument and met with a manager at the Flaming Gorge Dam. All
the professionals had very practical intelligent questions, that ranged
from how many visitors do you get to how is this protected area funded.
Saying bye to these students on Saturday honestly made me sad. I knew my
hard work was over but I was going to miss being around Latins.
Spending that time with them made me miss being in South America. The
center tho, is made up of a team of male professionals who have worked,
lived in Latin America (some have married Latinas), speak Spanish
fluently and have a love i believe like mine, for being abroad. I have
two female coworkers who have spent time in Latin America. However
starting the 20th, they will be leaving the center. My guess is that
they know they are being overworked, and with no benefits. One has been
working for the Center off and on for two years, she believes in the
center purpose but once again like many non profits, feels drained by
the work.
I am not yet drained, and feel that working for the Center for 10 hours a week for the upcoming school year will not be that horrible and very worthwhile. I hope to gain some credit, some contacts, a sense of leadership and be challenged. Since I want to work in Latin America (Columbia, Peru, Bolivia would be my top three), for an organization such as the Center BUT directly working with the countries governmental organizations or non governmental, I find this job very useful in creating something similar. I would love to be apart (or start) an in country organization that is directly for the country and the people's direct needs. Many non profits lack an understanding, and I do not want to be apart of "outside help". But instead an organization that recognizes that while many foregin bodies come in and start hotels, etc to employ locals, it is they the foregin body that makes the most money and that money leaves the country. I say lets empower the locals, lets loan them money, lets find ways to communicate what THEY believe is needed in their country and steps towards that goal. I want to stay within conservation but i want to always put the locals first.
I am not yet drained, and feel that working for the Center for 10 hours a week for the upcoming school year will not be that horrible and very worthwhile. I hope to gain some credit, some contacts, a sense of leadership and be challenged. Since I want to work in Latin America (Columbia, Peru, Bolivia would be my top three), for an organization such as the Center BUT directly working with the countries governmental organizations or non governmental, I find this job very useful in creating something similar. I would love to be apart (or start) an in country organization that is directly for the country and the people's direct needs. Many non profits lack an understanding, and I do not want to be apart of "outside help". But instead an organization that recognizes that while many foregin bodies come in and start hotels, etc to employ locals, it is they the foregin body that makes the most money and that money leaves the country. I say lets empower the locals, lets loan them money, lets find ways to communicate what THEY believe is needed in their country and steps towards that goal. I want to stay within conservation but i want to always put the locals first.
