the journey

Hello, hello.  I want to start by responding to my last blog because unfortunately I think I gave the wrong impression!  Some of the emails I recieved confirmed my own reaction when I reread the blog later.  If you read the last blog and thought that perhaps I was questioning whether or not I was in the right place or doing the right thing...you were not alone!

The message I tried to get across was not a message of disappointment, but a realistic message that after proclaiming a fantastic new position, I would now be looking it in the face to see if it would match up!  Certainly not all my dreams would come true the first day.  In fact, much of what excited me about this new position will only be realized after a lot of sweat (figuratively and literally!) over the course of the next two years.  Additionally, I wanted to get across the message that during the at least the first while, I would be learning how I fit into the Nehemiah Center and what my roles are in the various areas that I am involved.  This won't necessarily be quick, and there may be times I don't feel all that productive as I spend time learning.  But that's 100% okay! :)  I don't expect to be expertly coordinating community-building collaborations, expanding networking capabilities, and contributing great, new ideas to project planning and evaluations processes!  The journey and discovery of this job are what I look forward to most.

And for the record...the first month and a half actually has been great!  :)  I'm definitely learning a lot, and am very excited about all the things I'm involved in!  As you may recall, there were four main aspects to my job--none of them with clear, pre-determined, descriptions:

1. techincal advising, troubleshooting, planning, etc. (computers, network...)
   
2. media center (center for professional video production)
   
3. project planning and evaluation
   
4. community development in santa lucia

My first two weeks were made up of entirely number one.  There were some internet/router problems, and a few other things.  The third week was entirely numbers 3 and 4.  And weeks four and five were entirely number 4.  Weeks six and seven are going to be more a mix of all of them.  So far, my involvement in the media center has been almost nothing, but I'm sure that will come around.

I'd love to tell you more about my adventures in Santa Lucia, but it's getting very late and I have to make sure I get up early tomorrow...   For now, I want to correct the impression I left with the last blog.  I'm working on another blog to fill you in on some of the details of the last few weeks--some very exciting news.  Stay tuned!