on the job: momentarily looking “sus”
Three weeks ago was a good week at my organization: I was busy, I felt useful, I did some administrative stuff (read translating), but I spent a good bit of time with the beneficiaries, there was planning and spontaneity. I can’t say that anyone other than me noticed any of this, but I’m calling it a win for me. Here’s what I’ve been up to…
Without any real guidance/assistance/support as to what I should be doing (now that Trandafiri 2009 has been completed), I decided to do what I’d do at any job, get something going. So I’ve started a Grupul Saptamanal (Weekly Group) where the beneficiaries will do individual and group art projects, and wellness and cooking groups.
From a therapeutic perspective, let me explain my rationale for such a group. The beneficiaries I work with all have a mental illness and/or mental retardation of some flavor. Most are 18 or over, meaning they’ve finished whatever schooling they are going to get from the state. My organization is a sheltered workshop, so these beneficiaries make products. They are taught how to make them, step-by-step and every day they make the same things. It’s very assembly line, cookie-cutter stuff. Please don’t read this as disdain for such work — it definitely gives these clients a sense of accomplishment and usefulness while maintaining routine. But my goal overall right now (other than to make Romanians smile) is to get them to color outside the lines, to make decisions, to be messy and creative and not worry about whether it’s “right” as long as it’s what they want. This group should be fun, different, and focus on improving social skills, following directions, being expressive, working as a team, and reinforcing basic life skills.
And off we went…. the first week, we made masks in preparation for Halloween.
The next week (of Halloween), we carved jack-o-lanterns and made seeds the following Monday.
And somewhere in those two weeks we had a great day of weather and we decided to take a “short walk” which turned into an 8 mile hike through the hills. (David & I had recently done this trail.)
But since that two weeks of success with lots of busy-ness and productivity, I’ve been walloped. I did talk to folks about doing a regular Thursday group with beneficiaries. People were excited. This Monday I was asked to “watch” the beneficiaries. So we hung out and munched on our pumpkin seeds and talked. Tuesday I was asked the same because the workshops were crowded. I clarified that I wanted to PLAN before having a group with clients. And I was told that I just needed to watch them (which I heard as babysit). I kept positive, listened to music with beneficiaries, stood my ground about Wednesday and reminded people about the Thursday group. But Thursday, there were spontaneous “visitors” and I couldn’t use the conference room. So I thought, Friday would work. But that didn’t work either because of something else.
I’m trying not to get discouraged. I reminding myself that this is part of the rollercoaster that is Peace Corps and that I do have something to offer as a development volunteer. I’m keeping my eyes open for opportunities at my organization and elsewhere in town. A?a….. vedem (so….. we’ll see).