Team Tuesday (27/7/2010)

Hello hello,

It’s team Tuesday and I was compelled to write something about our team …

Well, there are now 3 team members in the Berne office today. Matt left yesterday for Rio to help on the peer facilitators training for the LAYS (Latin America Youth Summit). He and Louise are currently strolling Rio and waiting for our peers to reach their destination.

Kath is at the moment taking Capoeira and Portuguese lessons but asked  the participants of the LAYS to look up for facts and figures of their home countries as this information will prove valuable for some of the workshops we will be holding.

 

 

That leaves Fran, Zahid and myself to try to hold the front.

Fran is trying to cope with her bridesmaid’s role at her sister’s wedding and though she’s constantly complaining about the dress she’ll need to wear we all know she secretly loves it.

 

A piece of exciting news she has is that we will be distributing in 76 countries our toolkit through a partnership with Peace Corps (http://www.peacecorps.gov/). A big thank you to Simon Moss who was instrumental on the realisation of this toolkit that will now be used by hundreds of young people around the world to design and implement their projects.
 

For those who were wondering about Zahid…. He is our new intern and our very own Changemaker!

He’s been with us for the last couple of weeks, so I asked him to write up his impressions of Berne and the team:

‘Walking through Bern station with no one to welcome me, German speaking, Stared out,

I was uneasy from the start.  Had I made the right decision? Was Switzerland really the place for me? I knew I was doing this for one reason only, Global Changemakers and making that difference.

Moved into Gabby’s spare room, surrounded by amazing Swiss views and that unusually sounding donkey across the road, it wasn’t home…But it was the closest thing to it. I will always remember the hospitality I received and Gabby’s continuous “EAT, EAT”… It felt strange to leave Gabby’s and moving to my own flat…like leaving home AGAIN. The new flat is amazing; roommates are crazy, wanting to jog around Bern at 3AM and go to random parties uninvited… It’s an Experience after all.
 
In my 1st week as being the new intern, I shared my thoughts with my good friend BoBo (Bongani), “what is it like at the office?” he asked… And my famous reply “everyone’s old, I feel out of place”… out came the “LOL”… Things have changed… These oldies seem more youthful/ childish than me… Random laughter in team meetings, garden gnomes cleaning Fran’s room and other things which shouldn’t be mentioned. It is now my 3rd week of work here, and I feel part of the furniture, everyone has made me feel so welcome… And I think it will be hard to leave…

I am actually enjoying work, which I never knew I would. I love the fact that I get to keep in touch with all you Global Changemakers, it makes my move to the GCM office so much more worthwhile. One thing I’m hating is Katherine’s continuous Excel sheets…I’m sure she doesn’t need them, and just likes to keep me busy.. That’s all for now… Contact me if you need anything, I am now the “insider” at GCM office.. ‘

That’s it for today Changemakers, enjoy your Tuesday and I shall see some of you tomorrow on SKYPE from 13:00 -14:00 CET