I finally booked my flight this weekend. It's so strange, but actually having the ticket (or a printout of the itinerary with a barcode on it) makes everything so much more real. I had to rearrange my flights a bit because of availability - I am officially leaving on May 18, and returning on August 12. 27 hours of travel time, including a 1.5 hour layover in Atlanta, and 1.75 hour layover in Tokyo. So, add it up, and we're looking at around 23.5 hours of actual flying time. Now that is something I'm not really looking forward to!
Between studying (or rather, in lieu of) I have been packing up various things in my apartment, as well as my suitcase. The girl who is subletting my apartment is moving in next Tuesday, so I'm trying to get this place somewhat in order before she comes. I suppose it's a little strange that I have an open suitcase sitting in the floor in my living room with things already packed, but I am so excited to leave that any step in that direction makes everything feel more real. I just can't believe it's really happening - I'm going to spend 3 months in another country. I feel like something is going to happen that will delay my trip, but I felt like that going to India and I know it's just nerves because I am so excited to go!
I emailed my boss to give her my flight information, and she seems very excited to have me. As I mentioned earlier, the new attorney that I will be working under starts a week before I arrive, and I also found out that there will be another female legal intern from the UK coming in June. I also found out more about the projects I will be working on while there - they include setting up a Resource Center that houses a library of migration materials; working on migration/gender research projects; and providing mediation services and a legal helpdesk. I will also be working with their Public education and Outreach program, which includes working on projects to do with HIV AIDs education; the Day Off Campaign; STOP, a campaign to stop the sex trafficking of women and children; and Media communication. Finally, I will also be working with Corporate Responsibility (CSR) Partners to help build the CSR network and expand volunteer resource pool of professionals and researchers. I am excited and I feel pretty confident that with all that, they will be able to keep me busy!
There probably will not be too many other updates in the next couple of weeks - I have to prepare for exams and get the rest of my trip in order. But look for more to come as my departure date draws closer - I hope to post more regularly once I get over there and have more to keep y'all updated on!
:)
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Friday, April 17, 2009
T Minus 30 Days!
I can't believe that I will be leaving for SING in only 30 days. This year is going by so fast - it seems like just yesterday I was searching for opportunities, reviewing my resume, writing my cover letter, and spending hours and hours sitting in front of my computer sending out resumes all over Asia. I can't believe how well everything has seemed to work out in preparation for my trip. My federal work study money has been secured, my job is providing me a place to live, my boss is very excited about my arrival, my visa has been approved (to which I give thanks to the Singaporean Ministry of Manpower - wow you guys are fast!), and my apartment is rented out for the summer to a lovely undergrad from MC.
Now that all the "big" things have been taken care of, I find myself asking so many questions: Can I buy the shampoo I like (Pantene) over there? What about deodorant? Makeup (Clinique)? Should I take my hair straightener with me or just buy one over there (voltage/AC adaptor?)? And then of course there are questions about my job, people I'm living with, meeting friends, going out, etc, etc, etc.
But more than all of that, I wonder about the part I will play while I'm there. I wonder about what it will be like day-to-day, how much interaction I will have with migrant workers, and what I will be able to do to help them improve whatever situation they have found themselves to be in. I have been imagining how things will be, dreaming about it even, but until I'm there I don't know what to expect. My boss hasn't told me too much, and I think that has to do with the fact that a new attorney is starting the same week I am. I will be working directly under her, so I suppose I will be doing whatever tasks she delegates to me, but I wonder what exactly it entails. I wonder if it will be like what I experienced when working for James & O'Brien Family Law - will it be the same type of work or different? Will I be drafting documents, sitting in on interviews with clients, what?
To be honest, part of me has anxiety about this new adventure. I am incredibly excited - make no mistake - but at the same time I am fearful that I will not catch on to the duties of my position fast enough, or I won't like it, or that I will not like Singapore as much as I am expecting, or I will be a disappointment to my boss. Obviously, I know that much of this comes from the great desire I have to be good at this, to love Singapore, and to be sure that this is what God is calling me to do. I think I'm afraid that I will get over there and all will be wrong and then I will feel lost and confused.
Of course, the majority of my brain dismisses these fears as hogwash; it tells me, "Ashley, calm the heck down. All will be ok, better than ok, it's going to be great. So chill out and stop worrying. This is what you're suppose to be doing." I sure hope the majority of my brain is right! :)
Now that all the "big" things have been taken care of, I find myself asking so many questions: Can I buy the shampoo I like (Pantene) over there? What about deodorant? Makeup (Clinique)? Should I take my hair straightener with me or just buy one over there (voltage/AC adaptor?)? And then of course there are questions about my job, people I'm living with, meeting friends, going out, etc, etc, etc.
But more than all of that, I wonder about the part I will play while I'm there. I wonder about what it will be like day-to-day, how much interaction I will have with migrant workers, and what I will be able to do to help them improve whatever situation they have found themselves to be in. I have been imagining how things will be, dreaming about it even, but until I'm there I don't know what to expect. My boss hasn't told me too much, and I think that has to do with the fact that a new attorney is starting the same week I am. I will be working directly under her, so I suppose I will be doing whatever tasks she delegates to me, but I wonder what exactly it entails. I wonder if it will be like what I experienced when working for James & O'Brien Family Law - will it be the same type of work or different? Will I be drafting documents, sitting in on interviews with clients, what?
To be honest, part of me has anxiety about this new adventure. I am incredibly excited - make no mistake - but at the same time I am fearful that I will not catch on to the duties of my position fast enough, or I won't like it, or that I will not like Singapore as much as I am expecting, or I will be a disappointment to my boss. Obviously, I know that much of this comes from the great desire I have to be good at this, to love Singapore, and to be sure that this is what God is calling me to do. I think I'm afraid that I will get over there and all will be wrong and then I will feel lost and confused.
Of course, the majority of my brain dismisses these fears as hogwash; it tells me, "Ashley, calm the heck down. All will be ok, better than ok, it's going to be great. So chill out and stop worrying. This is what you're suppose to be doing." I sure hope the majority of my brain is right! :)
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Greetings!
Greetings blog reader! The purpose of this blog is to keep all of my family and friends back home updated on my adventures working and living in Singapore, since I won't be able to call home much. It's also a way for me to record my adventure and have a forum for posting my pictures.
If you don't know the story of how and why I'm living in Singapore for 3 months this summer, let me enlighten you. I am working for a NGO (non-governmental organization) that provides legal aid to migrant workers in Singapore. Specifically, the organization that I am working with, H.O.M.E., provides legal aid mostly to domestic workers. You will see their name in the video I am posting. Another great link is a story Human Rights Watch did in 2005 on the plight of domestic workers. You can read it here. It's a great intro to, from speaking with my boss, what is going on in Singapore right now.
I will be working in the legal aid section, primarily doing international law research. I don't know too much else yet; HOME just hired a new attorney that will be starting the same week that I do, so I suppose I will be assisting her in whatever capacity I am needed.
I am so excited about this opportunity and the experiences and people I'm sure to encounter. I will try to keep the blog as up-to-date as possible, as I'm sure it will be much easier to keep a running diary of all my happenings than tell each of you individually. Thanks for reading! :)
If you don't know the story of how and why I'm living in Singapore for 3 months this summer, let me enlighten you. I am working for a NGO (non-governmental organization) that provides legal aid to migrant workers in Singapore. Specifically, the organization that I am working with, H.O.M.E., provides legal aid mostly to domestic workers. You will see their name in the video I am posting. Another great link is a story Human Rights Watch did in 2005 on the plight of domestic workers. You can read it here. It's a great intro to, from speaking with my boss, what is going on in Singapore right now.
I will be working in the legal aid section, primarily doing international law research. I don't know too much else yet; HOME just hired a new attorney that will be starting the same week that I do, so I suppose I will be assisting her in whatever capacity I am needed.
I am so excited about this opportunity and the experiences and people I'm sure to encounter. I will try to keep the blog as up-to-date as possible, as I'm sure it will be much easier to keep a running diary of all my happenings than tell each of you individually. Thanks for reading! :)
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