Just like that seeing a big bird of prey flying

I’ve worked since I was twelve and often more jobs at the same time. First as a babysitter and bringing flyers around the neighborhood. When I was 15 I started working at café the Zwaan and babysitting on the side. Later, I got, beside the Zwaan, some small jobs like parties and so on where I helped out and, not to forget, the fundraiser jobs we did for the scouting. And now here in Nepal I got my first office job, a nine to five job. I now realise that I had no clue what that meant haha. Somehow I connected an office with being boring, might be “grownups complaining about work” or talk about “long hours at the office”. Plot twist kids: I absolutely love this job! (So far at least, cause it’s only been a week haha)

The office is a 10 minutes walking from my home here in Kathmandu. We have a room on the top floor so every morning I am reminded to work out more because after the 4 stairs I hear my heavier breathing. The team consists of Hedda, the big Dutch boss 😉, the Nepali core team, Suraj, Shrai and Asmita, and the two interns Eline and me.  We all have a seat at one big table where we work. Next to our room is another room with some sofa’s, a kitchen and a roof terrace. Downstairs is the bigger office of Hedda’s husband and his company and more important, every morning that is where to find coffee hahaha. Everyone in the team is really nice and committed to the organisation Mountain Child Care! They work hard and with a smile. I couldn’t have wished for better colleagues!

On Monday I had a first morning at the office and we spend all our time on discussing my to Do list. My main project is rewriting the QuestTribe training days with the team. However I first need to go on QuestTrek myself, the 22d of November, before I can really start on these days. So to keep me busy I also got a million other little and big tasks within the foundation. For example, the big responsibility for the fundraiser event HeartFire, yes I am of course promoting in my blog: Check it out https://www.facebook.com/events/463339914522266/. Mountain Child Care want to be less depended on sponsors and more dependent on funding from their own activities, doing what they do best. This means more QuestTreks but also events like HeartFire. HeartFire is on the 11^th of January and is an inspiring day filled with workshops and all the money is for the foundation. This is one of the main things I will be working on the next months.

So on Tueseday I started on the to Do’s and noticed something that put my patience to the test… European folks be prepared: setting goals connected to time and wifi is not ideal…. It took ages to fulfil the simplest tasks due to bad wifi connection. I tried my best to work as effectively as possible… yet if I can’t connect I’m left with just accepting this and waiting. I have to admit, once I let go of the “I have to!!!” -idea, I was doing great. The day went by and I did finish as much as possible. And at 5 my working day was done.

Even with the bad WIFI, I already learnt so much. I’m working with new programmes online creating promotion material for example.  I’m learning about customs in Nepali ways, how we approach partner organisations and the youth. I really try to connect with my colleagues and we have plenty of interesting topics to discuss, from customs to philosophy. Also, Mountain Child Care is going to make a transition to a new name (announced 2d of December!!!), which makes me aware of the long list of to do’s that comes along with something like that. Anyway, I am planning on learning an awful lot more haha and I’m very pleased to be able to share my own ideas and get things done.

The more I work for and with Mountain Child Care the more I want to do for this foundation and their vision! I’m so grateful for those who sponsored the organisation, thank you! In My next blog I will share some of the things I learned about Nepali, their customs, NGO’s in Nepal and more.

Namaste