Stomach in roaring bad mood, was collected and deposited at Delegation. Met lots of people whose names I don't remember, and had embarrassing facial recognition problems when it came to local staff. Have a feeling was introduced to the same person twice and didn't realise it. Generally very nice people with a few exceptions. Will reserve judgment on those until later date. Advisor/boss person very nice and I think she expects great things from me, which is slightly frightening. Working in unit (which consists of 2 people) managing programmes and projects with civil society partners. Attended a meeting with local UNICEF staff who apparently have much to learn in the ways of the EC's budgeting and finance framework and accountability of their projects. That makes 2 of us. Trawling through 160 page document on Aid Delivery Methods, and Project Cycle Management. In French. Laughing at the thought of Dad reading some of the translations of management jargon/terminology, which are already fairly preposterous in English. With limited knowledge even I can see ridiculousness of translation of some of the terms. Forgot to mention have unfairly nice office, all to myself. Even have a balcony with a view on a busy street. Though still no shagging internet. Maybe it’s a form of bissutage in these parts? Oh, also met Head of Delegation (big boss. Literally, very tall) and felt like I was being brought to the principals office. Very nice, though punctuates speech with knowing silent gaps and intense stares. Slightly disconcerting. Also, staff have coffee every morning at 9:15 (since most people have been in for a while by that stage). The prospect of coffee and chocolate at that time of the morning quite nauseating, so have managed to sit quietly with my nerdy glass of water. Afraid they will judge me when they discover I don't drink coffee. Or eat chocolate at dawn. So far limited participation in 'light conversation' during civil-service-esque morning 'pause café' but hopefully will improve when they discover I am a human being, not just a stagiaire.
2 comments:
the morning coffee scenario reminds me of the scene at the end of L'Auberge Español when he is shown the drinks despenser in the office and they are all really boring talking about heating and then he does a legger hehehehehhe
morning choco-pause eh? mmm... You could have a tisane, to look slightly less weird? that's a fairly acceptable drink to choose in french-speaking environments no? or just go with expectations of irishness and crack open a bottle of becks...
delphine
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