1st day on the job and in a new country :)

As I mentioned to a few of my coworkers, the first day of a new job is always interesting but the first day at a new job AND your first day in a new country is something else!

This morning, another volunteer, Allen from Alaska, met me at breakfast and we left with our ride from the hotel to the office (about a 5 min ride). It looks like an interesting walk so after a few weeks of getting the route down, I will try it in the morning/after work. I asked Olaf, the regional director of West Africa who has been here for several years and he said that this was a safe area and I should have no problem so I am excited to give it a whirl.

So when I arrived to work at around 9 a.m. I first met with Cornelia, and she gave me the rundown. Then my direct boss and I met after one of her meetings and she gave me the run down of what she wanted me to do during my time. Likewise, Frank from the Northern Region will send me a similar document. So here is what I will do in a nutshell:

-Help create posters for six ag presenters they are sponsoring to a conference in Accra
-Critique their brand new newsletter
-Give presentations at the three Northern ACDI/VOCA offices on taking quality photos and videos
-Teach regional office leaders on speaking with the media and getting more media attention
-Help the offices feel more comfortable discussing how they fulfill the goals of Feed the Future, a USAID project
-Among other projects

Since January, the more I have learned about my assignment, the more excited I have been and can't wait to start these various tasks. Today I began creating guides for taking photos, videos, writing good success stories and offering advice on their newsletter.

Once I had finished my meeting with my boss, I was introduced to Belinda and she took me around the office to meet everyone. It was nice getting a brief introduction of everyone and a feel for the office. During this tour I was shown my desk!!! This was a very exciting moment- usually there are desks for volunteers as they do their paperwork at the end of their short term assignments but since I'll be here for so long, I get to call it my own :) It was very exciting to have my own desk because I haven't really had that yet and let's face it, while in college my desk was piled too high to use so I'm not sure if that even counts as having/using a desk :)

They helped me exchange some U.S. dollars into Ghanaian cedi's (apx $1 is 1.5c). Afterwards, I went to the restaurant under the office. Once there I saw Allen and we ate together. They had and AMAZING cafe latte and oddly served Chinese-type food so I ate the Ghanaian take on shrimp fried rice :) It was good but didn't take much to fill me up so I felt a little bad leaving about half my plate still full but knew when it was served that I wasn't going to be able to eat it all. It was nice getting to have lunch with Allen and he had some great advice. I liked his thoughts on having a diary of sorts so I thought I could keep my blog to keep everyone updated but also have a diary to remember some of the more detailed items about my projects and whatnot. After returning to the office, I took the diary advice in a sense and created a volunteer document where I can keep track of all the other volunteers I meet and what I learn from them. So far, both Scott and Allen have traveled and done international projects for years all over the world but come from different places and have different perspectives, which I find really interesting.

In addition, we did some trouble shooting to get the internet up and going on my laptop. I took a number and waited for 50 minutes at the bank near our office to get my travel advance- the money allotted to me for my first month here so I don't have to pay it all myself up front. It was interesting because signing my check also meant putting down my address, phone number and the date cashed.

My driver back to the hotel was David and seeing the action on the side of the streets really made me want to take a camera out on the weekend/on my way to and from work to capture daily life in Accra, Ghana. While I am by no means an expert, I think it would be really neat to capture the daily experiences of Ghanaians to share with others. I will ask Cornelia in the office tomorrow to see if this is a good idea or not and what things I might want to consider when asking the small hut businesses on the side of the street if I can photograph/take video of them.

I found out today that while I will be traveling, they have changed the reservation at the hotel and booked my room for the entire month of October so I will be in Accra for my first 30 days :) This works well for me because I like the idea of spending some time at head quarters (HQ) to get a feel for the type of work they want me to do and prepare my field presentations as well as learn more about the culture.

So far so good. It was a very lovely first full day- working and in Ghana. Like any other time abroad, I enjoy not having a million things to do but just getting to work on my assigned task. So I'm watching Aljazeera (an international news tv station in English, which is awesome to keep up with the news!!) and will probably go grab some dinner in the hotel shortly. Last night I had Okra Stew with goat meat with fufu (a cassava based food that has the texture of raw bread dough). It was good but tricky to eat, I understand why most Ghanians skip the silverware and just use their hand to eat.

After hearing all of the great stories about being in the field from Scott and Allen, I can't wait to go out myself to get this other aspect of Ghanian life. I'm really happy and relaxed after my first day and am interested to see how the rest of my week goes. While the other volunteers are amazed at the length of my assignment (almost 6 months) and didn't even know assignments could last this long, they think it's great. I can tell the office isn't used to long-term volunteers either but they are really excited to have me here for so long and as with any other communications department, I understand always wanting to do things a little better, wanting another set of eyes and wanting to take more on but need the additional support to make this happen. Okay, I'm getting hungry now so I'll go grab some supper and have a relaxing evening :) Even though it's a Costa Rican saying, I want to sign off with a term that literally translates as 'pure life' but means 'everything has a way of working itself out,' 'it's all good,' and 'no worries,' among other things and encapsulates how I'm feeling: pura vida!

I'm in Ghana!

After months of excitement, weeks of packing and an 11 hour plane ride- I have made it to Accra, Ghana! I was glued to my window like a 5-year-old as we descended and although extremely jet lagged, I couldn't help but notice the infrastructure. Other than a few very large, paved roads, all of the streets are red dirt roads. From the aerial view, I could see patches of farm land and noticed that there was a lot of farm land but it seemed to be small patches and a variety of crops planted next to one another- I'm interested in learning more.

At the airport, I was greeted by the driver for ACDI/VOCA and met up with another volunteer, Scott. Scott is a rancher from New Mexico that focuses on ag economics and has been on several volunteer assignments with ACDI/VOCA over the past year- he briefly mentioned the assignment he was on last month in another African country. It sounds like this guy is very active in the Farmer-to-Farmer program! It was really nice to ride with him from the airport to our hotel because he has been here before and knows the ropes, which never hurts when I only managed 3-4 hours of sleep on the plane!

The drive to the hotel was really interesting. Scott let my ride up front and there tons of vendors on the side of the street and one of the first vendors I saw was selling cocoanuts like in Thailand and Costa Rica where they machete the top and you can drink the cocoanut milk with a straw :) I'm excited!!!

I also saw this large building that was all glass windows and a really interesting architecture style being built. I was told by Scott and many in the U.S. that Ghanians are extremely nice- I can't wait to actually start meeting some people.

While this isn't my first time abroad, I am still interested by so many things that I see. Even something as small as seeing some chickens running around the street outside our hotel, a place you wouldn't normally expect them. It's funny because I feel sometimes I come off as green or naive because of the little things that I still find interesting; while I know my stuff, I don't think I really come off as an 'experienced world traveler.' :)

Uniquely though, I can already sense that this is the most underdeveloped country I've been to. The roads from the plane were a giveaway yes, but traveling around and seeing more vendors than actual stores was a cue as well. I know the next few weeks will bring a lot of great experiences- culturally, professionally and personally.

This evening I am meeting with Scott for dinner since he seems to have a good grasp on the hotel area and I can ask him some more questions as long as the jet lag waits to kick in too bad :) The hotel has wireless internet (music to my ears :) and my room is really nice- with a personal air conditioner, refridgerator with freezer and a small electric stove. I'm really pleased with the hotel so far. Sorry if this post is a little scattered, or more all-over-the-place than usual, blame it on the jet lag :)

Internship Blog #2: Informal Learning: My Favorite Part of Class

Check it out at The Xplanation.

(Julia Shuck is a student intern at The Xplanation, writing a regular column on education and working behind the scenes in our research department.)

I get to class and, like my peers, sit in my usual spot- humans are creatures of habit. This is my favorite part of class, the five to ten minutes before it actually starts- sometimes. It just depends on the atmosphere that the teacher has created.

My favorite classes are those where the class is open to interaction with peers and the professor, which hinges on if the professor has created a relaxed atmosphere. The best class examples I can think of this semester are Gender and Communication and Major World Religions.

The Gender and Comm class has about 20 students but because the lecture includes a lot of dialogue and we are often asked our opinions, there is a need for an open and relaxed atmosphere. Now, before class we may chat about a test someone is studying for, someone may come in and talk about their bad morning or we might ask for an update, like how’s Terry’s baby doing.

The ability of the professor to set the atmosphere so that we are comfortable chatting before and after class with those we may not know so well helps in the class dialogue because we are more comfortable offering our opinions and ideas. I believe this started when the teacher would come in at the beginning of the year and for the few minutes before class, would talk about her latest internet dating escapades. By breaking down barriers and being open with us, it helped us in turn to be more open with her as well as our peers. I’m not asking that every professor talk about their date nights, but offering some personal information helps students to connect and enjoy the class more.

My Major World Religions class is its own animal. This is a lecture class of about 120 students ranging from freshmen to senior. I love the atmosphere at the different parts of the room. I have come in late to find the back of the room working on their laptops or checking out Facebook, where being relaxed and social (although not neseccarily with those arund you) in the norm, while the students in front pay attention. Normally, I sit in the front of the class, coincidently with an old friend and students in my class discussion lab. The atmosphere in the front is 180 degrees from the back. As we come into class we chat (with each other) about the latest homework assignment or new theory. At the end of class we talk about what we’re going to do for our term paper and help each other. In the middle of class, my old friend and I discuss the lecture and our reactions.

My favorite day was when we had a few minutes before class and I asked about the professor’s baby. He has missed an entire week of class and never mentioned the newborn; it was just a side note from his Teaching Assistant. He asked if we wanted to see pictures and was surprised when we said yes. I believe the loudest “ahhs” came from the middle of the room as we saw pictures of his newborn and then his other tatertots- we had thought this was his first child! While it didn’t seem to occur to him to share the excitement of his newborn, it was what we as student connected with. While I don’t expect full disclosure from any professor, showing us a bit of their personal side or what happens outside of class helps build rapport and credibility, professionally and as an individual.

My advice to professors: don’t waste the few minutes before class starts. If you want students to feel like they can come to your office hours, maintain focus during class or feel like they can speak up, break down the barrier of professor v. student and show us your human-side.

Xplana: Informal Learning: Tailgating

Also available at thexplanation, this is the first blog post I created for my internship!

The blog is also pasted below- enjoy!

(Julia Shuck is a student intern at The Xplanation, writing a regular column on education and working behind the scenes in our research department.)

Informal learning. It’s something I do as a university student everyday but never imagined it had an actual name until I heard Michael Feldstein, member of the Sakai Foundation, speak at our annual Xplana event. Feldstein’s presentation focused on the importance of informal learning at the secondary education level and the need for these institutions to tap into informal learning opportunities. The problem is that there aren’t many examples of how to blend the two and universities don’t know where to start. So, I’m going to do it; I’m going to be the snitch that talks about how college students learn informally. (No worries, I’m the youngest child so I’m good at snitching.)

Before embarking, I think it’s best to make sure we’re on the same page. According towww.mariaconner.com, learning happens on a spectrum with four areas:

• Formal learning- taking classes or attending work meetings
• Intentional learning- reading, studying
• Unexpected learning- social media, internet surfing
• Informal learning- from friends and family, joining a sports team

The universities have formal and intentional learning figured out, but there’s a disconnect when it comes to unexpected and informal learning. How, where and what do we, as college students, learn outside of the lecture hall?

Use Case #1: Tailgating

Saturday was my last football home game. As the last home game of my undergraduate career, tailgating was not an option. After arriving to our end destination, the pirate flag, we started to mix and mingle. In the midst of the chatter, I met someone in my college and it was instant bonding. There are some things you can’t explain, you just have to experience it and a college with a small town atmosphere is no different. While I didn’t intend to, I was learning more about another degree in my college and as an ambassador, it’s my job to recruit high school students and be informed about our different degree programs. I learned more about the Parks, Recreation and Tourism (PRT) degree during half time of the football game than I had the previous four years. And it was more fun and memorable learning about the degree this way as opposed to reading the PRT info sheet.

Once the cold became too much to handle we headed downtown to watch the game on TV. We bumped into another group of long lost friends. While texting a roommate I was asked which photography professor I knew- Katie is taking a photo class next semester. Lo and behold, Joe will be Katie’s professor next semester. Being friends with Joe instead of a student, I started to tell her what makes him tick. I didn’t tell her what it was like to be his student, I told her what it was like for him to teach a class of students that are constantly texting and think this is going to be an easy class so they don’t put forth much effort. While the cell phone comment gave her a stunned look, she was ready to give it her all and explain to him that she was in this for the long haul. Not only did she get “backstage” information but on the spot she determined how she would handle the situations as they came her way.

Could attending game day be a more informal way of learning? Better yet, could it be a more unexpected? The day ended at a bar where everyone had their game players and bounced back and forth between trivia on the big screen and word games on the handheld devices. Who is Ronny Cox anyways? (He’s an actor, singer-songwriter, thank you smartphone!)

Xplana: Next is Now

Check out this youtube video: Next is Now.

This was my first project at my internship with MSB Textbooks, the largest buy back and resale textbook company in the U.S. based in Columbia, Mo. I helped to conceive the idea of what the video would look like and then researched statistics to include in the video.

Personal inspirations for the video: girleffect.org

Geared toward higher education institutions and their administrators, this was a great chance to target an audience I've never thought to target.

I hope you enjoy!

Getting to Samara, Costa Rica...

Arriving in Liberia, Costa Rica was very interesting! The “airport” was comparable to the sheep pavilion at the Missouri State Fair. There was no wall between the tarmac and the pavilion where customs was. There were walls on the sides and a large exit at the doorway. The top few feet around the building had openings for a breeze. There was a small conveyor belt for luggage to the right and a information desk and restroom to the left.

I grabbed a taxi and began the 2+ hour drive to Playa Samara. I was a little nervous driving through the medium and small sized towns, but had a great chance to speak Spanish with my taxi driver for the first time in more than a year. He got me to feel more comfortable about my Spanish and would correct me every now and then.

We got to town and by then I was more excited than nervous, I think the few hour ride and Hubert really helped. I was just going to have him drop me off in town, but he was very adamant about making sure I made it to where I was staying. He let me use his phone and I called Barbara to get directions. It took a little bit of calling back and forth but he finally got me to where I was staying and he was very excited for me because it ended up being on a farm. JWe had a lot to talk about because I like seeing how agriculture varies from country to country and Costa Rica’s is quite different from the U.S.. Also, the taxi driver, Hubert, and I were both raised on farms so we had stories and words to share. (Finca is Spanish for Farm). We got along really well and he was great! I was taking pictures with my Nikon and he would slow down or pull over whenever he saw me taking photos, which wasn’t necessary but nice. It was really neat because an hour into the drive he pulled over on a really pretty landscape and we got out and took some good photos, which was fun. A few times we got out to look at the wild monkeys! He also stopped in Nacoya, the largest town on the way to Samara to help me find a SIM card for my cell phone, he asked around and we went to a few stores, but all were closed so he told me when I could get them in Samara.

Hubert gave me his number and told me to call him a day in advance when I was ready to go back to the airport and he could pick me up from wherever because he enjoyed driving me to Samara.

I spent the rest of the day meeting my roommates and relaxing and getting some to-go food from a local restaurant. It was a very calm night, which was very nice!

Jean, Lolita and Beans!

Sunday June 13

I woke up on my first Sunday around 8:30 a.m and when I left my room, I met Jean who moved in earlier that morning and was doing the TEFL course too! We went grocery shopping at The Iguana. We then came back and tried to make rice and beans. Lesson of the day: you’re supposed to soak your beans for a day or two before trying to cook them. You live and learn! They never did get that soft but were still okay.

We ended up having rice and beans, and I made way too much rice so it’s possibly enough to last me another week!

Also while we were trying to cook, Lolita, a parrot kept bothering us. We had been told my the other girls staying in our house that she would bite your toes so we were kind of afraid of her. We kept trying to shoo her away but she was pretty adamant about hanging around. Eventually, Cristina gave us a broom and Lolita really hates the broom.

The Cristina’s son, Estaphon, drove us to the beach, which was really nice. We walked around the beach for a bit. We saw our roommates and I got a surrong to use as a beach towel since I

only brought one towel with me. We went to an internet café for a bit and checked e-mails and then sat on the beach and chatted for awhile. We went in the ocean and played in the waves, which was a lot of fun.

Sitting on the beach we saw other girls that Jean had met that were also taking the TEFL course. We made plans and met up with the girls to go out for dinner. We went to a restaurant on the beach and it was amazing!

I ended up getting a cheeseburger because I had a headache and wasn’t hungry but knew I needed to eat something and it was fantastic! The flavor of the cheese exploded in my mouth and was so good. We then stopped at Super Samara, the grocery store and went back to the girl’s house and chatted for the rest of the evening. Jean and I left around 11 p.m. We were really tired early since the sun goes down at 6:30 p.m. but were determined not to go to bed at 9 p.m.!