Dec. 2005, George Mason University
When I received my folder giving me details about what my assignment would be in Romania I remember being excited and pondered what 'Institutional Development' implied. I remember thinking how great it would be if I was matched with an org. focusing on minorities or human rights. With these assumptions I was quite surprised to find out seven months later that I would be working with two organizations: one in a village and another in the city which at first glance have nothing in common with my background--drama and children!

June 2006, Ploiesti
Sector leaders give workshops on NGO sector in Romania, project management, tools to evaluate projects: SWAT analysis, anyone?  And so on to help prepare us for two years. Plus we had a practicum to give us some idea of what we MAY be doing the next two years. Weeks later PC/sector leaders matched us to organizations they believed best suited one's experience and skills. (Of course there are a few other factors.) After my practicum in an orphanage I thought I would be in huge trouble if I received an assignment that dealt primarily with kids!  As things turned out I got assigned to two NGOs which benefit children and high school students. But again, me and drama; how did this happen??? My performance in the Wizard of Oz play back in 7th grade wasn't exactly top notch...

Regarding technical skills I still have questions as to whether mine are best suited to these NGOs but that said abilities which I have but didn’t consider two years ago have come in handy. The drama org. requires one to be very independent and to motivate others for support with projects while the other organization (in the village) needs one to be extremely flexible and be willing to keep at it when progress is stalled or backtracked. I have come to realize working with children can be fun and that, to my surprise, I am pretty good at it.

Present Day
Please keep in mind that these are just two NGOs in Romania, other NGOs may very well run similar to those in the U.S.  These two very different ones are just what I am familiar with.

Educational Drama Association in Romania (EDAR)
The org. is national with six members serving as the board, there is a headquarters but this is for paper only.  The address one would see on the website is for the bank account only. There are no phone numbers for EDAR, to talk one must contact an individual member. I was assigned to Rm. Valcea because the President of the org. is an Engish teacher. For this reason I work inside of a school. Going in does not imply me working in a nice office suited for EDAR; Ha, if only!  My 'office' can be smelled from down the hall as it is the smoking room for teachers; the president of the NGO is a smoker which is why I come here to work sans fancy desk with nameplate!  This room is multi-functional because it has the one teachers' computer which is shared by EDAR, and others (i.e. students helping teachers) which means my time of doing official work is rarely completed in one sweep.

I am currently writing this at nearly midnight and yet I have no set time of when I will go into work tomorrow. I like efficiency and punctuality but in regards to work schedules I have yet to encounter such traits.  I communicate with other board members but primarily I work with my CP every day. That is it, ONE PERSON, which can be both good and bad. It is nearly November and I can finally fix my schedule regarding times to come in because the school schedule is now fixed. For roughly a month (school began Sept. 15^th) one teacher is charged with creating the timetable/schedule of classes for all teachers. (Timetable organizer is an extremely powerful title!) Every day teachers must look at a chart to see when and where they teach...a very frustrating time, to say the least. I do a lot of work by myself but still I need to collaborate with my CP which is difficult when I do not know what time she has class--chaotic to say the least which makes me believe it will be hard to readjust to a 9-5 job after this!  

I have come accustomed to working at any hour and doing errands whenever there is a short break because more than likely that break will turn out to be much longer. For these reasons my daily schedule can look like this: 8 am run, 9 am buy fruits/veggies at the market, 10-11 work (at home), 11-1 laundry/lunch, 2-4 tutoring, 4-7 work (at school), 8-9 meet a friend, 9-midnight stare at my computer and realize my biggest regret: not purchasing a DVD player with it.

If I were to give myself a title I suppose project assistant would be most accurate.  Prior to PC and still in PST I figured I would share my skills/experiences such as membership recruitment, fundraising, or networking but while those may be valuable to the org. members do not focus on them but rather projects--contests, camp, teacher conference--so I have become Project Assistant Extraordinaire!  I can't stress just how important it has been to be able to change plans/ideas and revise expectations. This is much easier said then done but once these adjustments are made work becomes actual work rather than miscommunication or floating ideas.   

Asociatia Copiii Sperantei 
This is the NGO I work for in the nearby village (pop. 6,000 maybe). The org. consists of a few volunteers and members are the local children. Yes, the org. has a mission statement, an accountant (whom I have never met), and a board but it has no set meeting times nor do board members get together to discuss the last year's budget...what budget, they would ask. Matters are discussed over a bottle of beer. I have never been to the village and NOT asked if I would like to share some beer. When working on the playground beer, not water, was passed around. In this past year and a half I have not necessary increased the amount of beer I drink but rather where. Sharing a beer before, during, or after our duties has become so routine I now expect one to be offered which doesn't imply I always accept I know this will be a big adjustment for me when I return to the U.S. In fact my tutor made a joke saying she wishes she could be at the first meeting I attend looking perplexed because there is no beer being offered. I am NOT suggesting that those involved in NGOs just sit around drinking beer--far from it, but discussing work matters during the day over a beer can be a regular occurrence.  

In regards to work schedule and daily tasks for ACS, I can't really answer that because I don't have any. When a project is being completed my schedule consists of waiting for a text message to see when to stop by...usually once a week. The most appropriate title for me here would be ________ (fill in the blank) and feel free to change that every day! I will bike to the village stay for two or three hours and after discussing the work with my CP and the three other volunteers I return home. The NGO does not meet daily...sometimes not weekly so there are no daily tasks to speak of. If my CP needs something he texts me and I get it done (come talk to the children, join us for Halloween, prepare a presentation to give to the principle on project management, etc). But overall, I cannot predict what I will be doing in a month for ACS. Perhaps this is good, perhaps not. The org. is not at a level to have/need daily tasks therefore I focus more on helping it sustain itself within its capacity. Sure I have loftier goals for the organization as I think it is quite valuable but I know they cannot be achieved until the basics are planted.   

In other words the NGO is local, make that, very local, so things a 'normal' NGO has ACS doesn't need. Why get a local phone line when organizers live three houses down from each other on the same street (there is only one main street), and why have internet when few of the beneficiaries have computers? The NGO needs are far more basic then that and this is where I try to lend a hand. Strategically I try to throw in a few useful things here and there: talk about proper budgets and accountability when working on a grant, for example hoping some of it will connect with the organizers. Encouraging organizers to meet the members/children once a week may seem like a small task but here it is huge. If I leave Romania at a point where ACS has weekly discussions or organizers are working on the next project--Harvest Day or environmental education I will have done my job. That then requires a celebration with colleagues at the bar across the school on the one street.