9/25/02

Here’s a little more about what I’ll be doing at work for the next while:

I’m attempting to follow one training class through the entire process at the center. Initially, trainees attend an orientation session to familiarize them with how things work at the center. Usually, when they walk in the door they know what kind of skills training they want. The specific satellite centers offer different things; for example, the Choiseul center where I go some days focuses on traditional arts and crafts like basketry, carpentry and pottery. They also train in the more typical areas like cosmetology, computers and hospitality. A group of trainees who go through orientation at the same time will attend "soft-skills" sessions together as well. Soft-skills are programs about communication skills, customer service skills, and preparing for a job interview. This is what I’ve been doing so far. I’ve been with a group of 8 at the Castries office, and a group of about 100 in Choiseul. I add my opinions when necessary, but mostly I just observe. Today our session at the Castries center was on proper health and hygiene. I was the lucky one who got to present a segment on how to correctly put on a condom.

Anyways.

From there, the trainees go into their skill-specific class. I probably won’t go to all of these; there are too many. I may focus on the ones that lead to opening a small business, such as car repair or cosmetology. Not like I know anything on those topics, but I need to see what the trainees are getting for entrepreneurship training. Ultimately, that will be the focus of my job, but for now I’m familiarizing myself with the people and processes. After the skills training—and in some centers instead of the skills training—the people go to "job attachments" or apprenticeships. Many times the trainees go right from that into a job at the same location. In other cases, the trainees go through more extensive career counseling. I’m really looking forward to sitting in on some of those sessions. I think I’ll be able to pick up on more of the issues of unemployment through one-on-one sessions rather than through the groups.

While I’m sitting in on these sessions, I’m probably going to be revising the official written modules for these soft skills sessions. The written materials are a bit out of date, and I’m hoping to add some new instructional activities to them. Peace Corps has resources on things like that, and I’m trying to integrate the Center’s modules with some of these new things.

To prepare for my entrepreneurship stuff, I want to go to a session at the center on Small Business Marketing. A Canadian volunteer who’s working at the center teaches it. Along with that, I’d like to get out into the community to investigate what kinds of markets exist for people hoping to open their own businesses. This is still a little vague so far. My thought is to find out, for example, who buys flowers from a professional flower arranger? Do they even work on a freelance basis? Can that be marketed to the tourist/wedding industry? Is there some sort of wedding network with cake decorators and dressmakers? Could people set up a co-op? What have people with these skills done in the past?

That’s my plan so far. Peace Corps is big on us having goals and three-month plans and things like that. They worry that if we jump right into our official jobs, we’ll burn out. For me, I need to find out the lay of the land before I can do anything, and this is kind of a structured way to do that. (Unfortunately I can’t do it from the beach).

Speaking of the beach, I went with Tom & Mary and Deb to a really nice beach this weekend. It’s just north of town in the touristy area. The water is really clear, and the sand is nice with no sea eggs. I’m thinking that it will be a good recommendation for people who come to visit. It’s easy to find and near many restaurants and bars.

For the most part, we try and stay away from touristy areas. Everyone usually thinks we’re tourists anyways, so I try to avoid situations where people will be even more inclined to think that. Even still in my own neighborhood, the loser guys will shout at me asking if I want a taxi or if I’m going to the beach. I’ve only been walking to work for three weeks now.

To be a little more visual about it, I’ll admit that when I first got here I was weirded out every so often when I’d look around and realize that I was the only white person in the room. I just never have that experience at home. But this weekend it was honestly strange to be at a touristy beach where there are lots of white people. I know that will be even more strange going home. I even find myself staring when I see other white people around town. I think, are they other volunteers? Are the tourists? Are they white Lucians? I can’t imagine what the Japanese volunteers on-island must feel about that! Luckily, I feel like the weirdness factor about me being different has worn off more here than it did in Ecuador. I felt like a freakshow most of the time there. Maybe they just stare more.

I guess I get so bent out of shape about tourists and being taken for a tourist because I feel like when people think that about me, it diminishes the work I’m here to do.