My morning so far has been generally productive. I was up at 6:00, went for a run/walk around the immediate neighborhood to identify a course for me to use in the mornings. I got one step better at taking a bucket shower. Then used my new frying pan to make a decent breakfast. I feel like I am already adapting.
We got to work around 8:00 this morning and Lenara and I were immediately told we had a meeting with the Rayon Administration (think town clerk, I guess) and that we would be meeting on of the Department of Economics representatives. The meeting lasted about 20 minutes with me introducing myself in Russian, explaining my work experience and what my education history is. Most of the meeting consisted of the representative speaking with Lenara, who successfully committed to many things that I can’t actually do…yet! Whatever, I will figure something out. I have been committed to writing a letter to the administration introducing myself, by tomorrow. Then in one week I need to provide a detailed project proposal outlining all of the projects I plan to work on during the next two years and giving all of the steps I will need to do to accomplish them. Mind you, I have lived here for 4 days! Surely, this is enough time to assess all of the community’s needs and design a plan for all of my projects! That will be a little trickier.
From one meeting to another. After our meeting with the administration, I was lead into a conference room where all of the library workers had been seated to be formally introduced to me. Lenara had already started introducing me around, so I only got a few new faces. I again gave my mini-presentation about my name and what I am doing in the library. I told a little about my family and life in New York. Some were interested; some had no interest- I’ll have to work on winning them over.
After drafting my letter, we headed to the café for lunch and back to the office for review and getting the internet hooked up at my desk. I started to do some research about some seminars that we may attend in the summer and fall. On the whole, I feel that today was way more productive than yesterday.
As for Lenara, what can I tell you about her? She is very active in the library community and is anxious to work with me to make improvements to a town that she has spent all of her adult life in. She is just about the most progressive thinking Ukrainian I have met in this country and I am fascinated by her forward thinking and interest in all things worldly. So far (and it has only been a few days) we make a good team and I think great things can follow. [Which is more than many other people’s current perceptions of their counterparts!]
At this point I am thinking…greatest counterpart assignment. Ever.
From one meeting to another. After our meeting with the administration, I was lead into a conference room where all of the library workers had been seated to be formally introduced to me. Lenara had already started introducing me around, so I only got a few new faces. I again gave my mini-presentation about my name and what I am doing in the library. I told a little about my family and life in New York. Some were interested; some had no interest- I’ll have to work on winning them over.
After drafting my letter, we headed to the café for lunch and back to the office for review and getting the internet hooked up at my desk. I started to do some research about some seminars that we may attend in the summer and fall. On the whole, I feel that today was way more productive than yesterday.
As for Lenara, what can I tell you about her? She is very active in the library community and is anxious to work with me to make improvements to a town that she has spent all of her adult life in. She is just about the most progressive thinking Ukrainian I have met in this country and I am fascinated by her forward thinking and interest in all things worldly. So far (and it has only been a few days) we make a good team and I think great things can follow. [Which is more than many other people’s current perceptions of their counterparts!]
At this point I am thinking…greatest counterpart assignment. Ever.
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