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| A special thanks to Paul's daughter Alicia for designing our business cards and brochure. |
Monday, March 25, 2013
Business Cards and Brochures
Thursday, March 14, 2013
Charlie Parker, Jr.
The second team member I will introduce you to is Charlie Parker, Jr. (AKA Parker). Parker is currently living in Columbia, MO and hails from St. Louis.
Occupation: Coodinator of Diversity Programs for the University of Missouri-Columbia.
Education: Mizzou
Family: I have a set of twin brothers and two sisters.
Hobbies: Music, creative arts, reading and sports. My favorite thing to do when I'm not busy is to clean and play my 12 guitars. I also clean my firearm/knives collection.
What are you most excited about with this experience?
To see and connect with the people and their culture.
What are you least excited about with this experience?
Early mornings and unknowns (KG note: I strongly second this).
How in the world did you convince your work to let you leave for four weeks?
I convinced them that I am a CIA sleeper agent and had been activated for duty to Central America. No, but really, it's part of my research and career field, so they are extremely supportive.
What do you think will be the most challenging/scare part of the exchange?
For me, I will be that guy whose main concern is the safety of my team, so try to be watchful and enjoy everything.
How are you preparing for the exchange? (Trying to learn Spanish? Studying the culture? Preparing presenations? etc.
Well, I feel ridiculous because I actually know Spanish very well but I can not speak it fluently. I can read and understand Spanish pretty fluently, so I am working on speaking more in Spanish. I have studied the Latin American countries and cultures for awhile so I'm pretty familiar with their customs. I am also hoping to find my significant other in one of these four countries, preferably Costa Rica.
What are you passionate about?
I am extremely passionate about diversity and multicultural issues. I will travel the world researching, learning and working with people on creating a global perspective of diversity and the need for it.
What book are you reading right now?
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.
What is your hidden talent?
I'm skilled in the art of argumentation and advocacy in reference to communication. I have also practiced martial arts since I was 8.
What is your favorite food?
Latin American in its entirety.
What are a couple of item son your bucket list?
Stand in all continents and to raise my children until the age of 6 in a foreign country (random, I know).
What is your biggest accomplishment?
Waking up every morning!!
What are your pet peeves?
Early mornings, people who complain, control freaks and the sound of leaves crunching.
What did you want to be when you great up?
I always wanted to be a rock star/songwriter and to one day perform in front of millions.
Occupation: Coodinator of Diversity Programs for the University of Missouri-Columbia.
Education: Mizzou
Family: I have a set of twin brothers and two sisters.
Hobbies: Music, creative arts, reading and sports. My favorite thing to do when I'm not busy is to clean and play my 12 guitars. I also clean my firearm/knives collection.
What are you most excited about with this experience?
To see and connect with the people and their culture.
What are you least excited about with this experience?
Early mornings and unknowns (KG note: I strongly second this).
How in the world did you convince your work to let you leave for four weeks?
I convinced them that I am a CIA sleeper agent and had been activated for duty to Central America. No, but really, it's part of my research and career field, so they are extremely supportive.
What do you think will be the most challenging/scare part of the exchange?
For me, I will be that guy whose main concern is the safety of my team, so try to be watchful and enjoy everything.
How are you preparing for the exchange? (Trying to learn Spanish? Studying the culture? Preparing presenations? etc.
Well, I feel ridiculous because I actually know Spanish very well but I can not speak it fluently. I can read and understand Spanish pretty fluently, so I am working on speaking more in Spanish. I have studied the Latin American countries and cultures for awhile so I'm pretty familiar with their customs. I am also hoping to find my significant other in one of these four countries, preferably Costa Rica.
What are you passionate about?
I am extremely passionate about diversity and multicultural issues. I will travel the world researching, learning and working with people on creating a global perspective of diversity and the need for it.
What book are you reading right now?
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.
What is your hidden talent?
I'm skilled in the art of argumentation and advocacy in reference to communication. I have also practiced martial arts since I was 8.
What is your favorite food?
Latin American in its entirety.
What are a couple of item son your bucket list?
Stand in all continents and to raise my children until the age of 6 in a foreign country (random, I know).
What is your biggest accomplishment?
Waking up every morning!!
What are your pet peeves?
Early mornings, people who complain, control freaks and the sound of leaves crunching.
What did you want to be when you great up?
I always wanted to be a rock star/songwriter and to one day perform in front of millions.
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Until We Meet Again: Final Team Meeting
Around six months ago, I met four essential strangers. After many team planning meetings, the next time I see these people will be for a month straight. 29 days of an intense journey together.
We are less than three weeks away from our departure date and had our final team meeting yesterday. It's really incredible to see our hard work finally coming together.
We met to attend a Rotary meeting and to finalize our presentation. As soon as we arrived together, we had the same normal conversations. "Are you ready? How is your Spanish coming along? Do you know everything you will pack?" The answers this time were more filled with anxiety. Most of us are experiencing some level of anxiety. Trouble sleeping, nightmares, panic attacks, and (in my case) breaking a tooth (due to clenching my jaw so tightly in my sleep). Yep. I broke a tooth.
It actually felt better to discuss these anxieties with people in my same position. It's been really difficult to pinpoint why I'm so anxious and try to describe this to my friends and family. They generally just brush it off and comment on how this is a dream experience. Yes, it is, but it doesn't make the panic and stress any less real. It's not the vacation everyone thinks it is. It is work. It's crazy schedules. It's unknown.
I think it mainly stems from being away from my job for an entire month. Which is scary to prepare for. I know I just need to let the fears go and believe that nothing will fall apart upon my departure. Easier said than done.
After all of our worries were vocalized, we were able to move on to the productive part of our meeting. We first went over our gifts to bring our host families, special people and children we encounter, Rotary members, and our vocational partners. Think anyone can tell we're from Missouri?
Deciding on what to bring that is representative of yourself and your state that also packs well is a difficult task! We have been discussing gifts since nearly the beginning of this journey. If you were to pack meaningful gifts representative of Missouri, what would you choose?
Christi secured some amazing gifts for us to each take. Missouri Meerschaum Company was gracious enough to donate corn cob pipes and key chains to take. Did you know Washington, Missouri is Corn Cob Pipe Capital of the World? We can try to class it up all we want, but let's face it, four of us are from the Ozarks.
I had the idea to take take local honey sticks for children. Christi once again found a supplier to donate these. From our alma mater Missouri State! So thankful.
Other items we have included are picture-books all about Missouri (there goes ten pounds of weight in the suitcase). I have also included some items from OTC, Rotary flags, and a few Royals shirts. Most people are taking Cardinals items, so I have to represent the west side of the state! Along with Royals items, the Springfield Cardinals are also donating some items for me to take along.
With our gifts taken care of, we moved on to our presentation. We did a few edits and a quick run-through and we were within the timeframe we gave ourselves. Another note on the GSE experience, we don't know how long we will have to present. It could be 5 minutes or 20. And with five long-winded people, even 20 minutes is difficult. So that was an accomplishment.
After another round of discussing how to control some of our anxiety, we started discussing our return and the reports we would need to complete. It's a little surreal that it is already close enough to be discussing post-trip.
So, that's it. We have worked really hard in our preparation so now it's time to let go, practice a little more Spanish and make it to the airport on time. The next time I meet my team will on the way to El Salvador.
We are less than three weeks away from our departure date and had our final team meeting yesterday. It's really incredible to see our hard work finally coming together.
We met to attend a Rotary meeting and to finalize our presentation. As soon as we arrived together, we had the same normal conversations. "Are you ready? How is your Spanish coming along? Do you know everything you will pack?" The answers this time were more filled with anxiety. Most of us are experiencing some level of anxiety. Trouble sleeping, nightmares, panic attacks, and (in my case) breaking a tooth (due to clenching my jaw so tightly in my sleep). Yep. I broke a tooth.
It actually felt better to discuss these anxieties with people in my same position. It's been really difficult to pinpoint why I'm so anxious and try to describe this to my friends and family. They generally just brush it off and comment on how this is a dream experience. Yes, it is, but it doesn't make the panic and stress any less real. It's not the vacation everyone thinks it is. It is work. It's crazy schedules. It's unknown.
I think it mainly stems from being away from my job for an entire month. Which is scary to prepare for. I know I just need to let the fears go and believe that nothing will fall apart upon my departure. Easier said than done.
After all of our worries were vocalized, we were able to move on to the productive part of our meeting. We first went over our gifts to bring our host families, special people and children we encounter, Rotary members, and our vocational partners. Think anyone can tell we're from Missouri?
 |
| The cards on the right are my Thank You cards I had made from Etsy shop PaperFinch Design. |
Deciding on what to bring that is representative of yourself and your state that also packs well is a difficult task! We have been discussing gifts since nearly the beginning of this journey. If you were to pack meaningful gifts representative of Missouri, what would you choose?
Christi secured some amazing gifts for us to each take. Missouri Meerschaum Company was gracious enough to donate corn cob pipes and key chains to take. Did you know Washington, Missouri is Corn Cob Pipe Capital of the World? We can try to class it up all we want, but let's face it, four of us are from the Ozarks.
I had the idea to take take local honey sticks for children. Christi once again found a supplier to donate these. From our alma mater Missouri State! So thankful.
Other items we have included are picture-books all about Missouri (there goes ten pounds of weight in the suitcase). I have also included some items from OTC, Rotary flags, and a few Royals shirts. Most people are taking Cardinals items, so I have to represent the west side of the state! Along with Royals items, the Springfield Cardinals are also donating some items for me to take along.
With our gifts taken care of, we moved on to our presentation. We did a few edits and a quick run-through and we were within the timeframe we gave ourselves. Another note on the GSE experience, we don't know how long we will have to present. It could be 5 minutes or 20. And with five long-winded people, even 20 minutes is difficult. So that was an accomplishment.
After another round of discussing how to control some of our anxiety, we started discussing our return and the reports we would need to complete. It's a little surreal that it is already close enough to be discussing post-trip.
So, that's it. We have worked really hard in our preparation so now it's time to let go, practice a little more Spanish and make it to the airport on time. The next time I meet my team will on the way to El Salvador.
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