Wherever you go, there you are: 30 Degrees of Difference

My long term forecast here in Kingston is fairly consistent with highs of 28 degrees and little cartoon suns across the board. Granted it's never a good idea to take a weather forecast as the be all and end all, but the rainy hurricane season officially ended a few days ago and the hurricane websites have shut down for the season. When I get back to Canada, however, I'll be greeted with highs around -2 degrees and predictions of a snowy winter. Now, don't get me wrong. I'm as enamored with the start of real winter as much as the next good Canadian - who doesn't love the sight of quiet streets draped in sparkling white? At the moment though, I’m more focused on the slight difference in temperature, which is high on the list of things I'm not overly keen about (along with such joys as a return to unemployment). Considering I get goosebumps when the sun sets and there’s a slight breeze these days, it’s going to be a serious adjustment period. Most of my coworkers think it's ridiculous that I'm heading north for the winter, regardless of the fact that my placement is up. I tried explaining some of the fun that comes with the colder weather, but found that the most accepted answer was that I was looking forward to being home for the holidays.

Although I'm not sure the number 30 does it justice, another vast difference I've been left to accept is my original expectations versus the reality of my internship. It’s the reason I hesitate when people ask me what it is I'm doing (for those rare occasions "working with the UN" doesn't suffice), and the reason that some family members don't have an answer when asked what I'm doing. My official title is "Capacity Building Assistant", and my job description had included proposal writing, assisting with the implementation of capacity development activities, networking with other organizations, organizing seminars and training sessions, and helping to develop metrics with marine researchers. I had partially attributed my last minute switch to Colombia as to why my first two months didn't fit with that job description. I had thought things might shift once I was actually in Jamaica, but it turned out that my supervisor here had other tasks in mind for my work. I started off with comparisons of the structures and mechanisms between IOC and other organizations. Developed lists of government donor agencies, their priorities and how Caribbean ocean matters fit the bill. Created documents, charts and analysis on funding, member representation and legal mechanisms based on decades of IOC reports, best practices of other organizations and gut instincts when research failed me. All of my various documents ultimately came around to one issue – how IOC can strengthen and adapt to current and future needs. By no means will my documents be presented at meetings or in anyway be used as drivers of change. More likely my supervisor will find what he feels are the strengths in what I have written, and incorporate my research into any initiatives he undertakes to propose change in the organization.

I've been working on my final report for Dalhousie on my experience, which has given me a chance to point out the discrepancies and do a bit of reflection on the positives and negatives of my experience. A new intern has already been hired and will be arriving in January as part of the next cohort with the program. I've already e-mailed the new intern, and offered any help I can provide - particularly in the "don't do what I did category". Which, obviously, will include the topic of the proper visa needed to work in the UNESCO office. A delightful girl from Sweden arrived a few weeks ago to intern at the office, and I have to admit I was a touch jealous at the three days it took to arrange her permit, compared to my six week struggle. It made me feel less incompetent when she also had some trouble with finding a place to live, and luckily it works out perfectly for her to take over my apartment when I go. So, live and learn - I was the guinea pig intern in Jamaica, and both Dalhousie and UNESCO will be able avoid some of the difficulties I face.

I know, I haven't posted in a while, and my apologies to those who have continued to check in. As I'm aware no post is as interesting without some visuals I'll try to make up for my silence with some photos. Unfortunately I don't have any candid shots of my cubicle to go along with my words of work. So, instead, a couple pictures to go along with the idea of biodiversity, which was one of three topics I wrote should be among IOC's main focuses (along with disaster mitigation, and climate change).

Mexican Peacock flower - I pass these flowers in Kingston on my way to the grocery store.

Bougainvillea - A very popular flower around the island, most common in shades of pink and orange. I have a half-dead pink one on my balcony - and I swear it was half dead when I moved in!

Unknown - I don't know what this flower is called, but the pictures is part of a series I took while at the Great Morass in Negril. Mostly I enjoy it because of the bee.