What A Day! New Internship

So happy about today, despite it’s rather chaotic beginning. It began with me making a confusing phone call to a non-for-profit that is based in Moscow. The reception was horrible and I could hardly understand anything the woman was saying. Finally, I just gave her my email address and ended the conversation. I felt pretty incompetent after this call, because I felt that my language skills were insufficient. But Irina, my program director, had called another organization, Комитет "Гражданское содействие", or Civic Assistance Committee, and had made plans for me to meet someone there to discuss the possibility of an internship. And, as luck would have it, the main office of the organization is within walking distance from my apartment. I had found this organization online and was excited, but nervous to be meeting with them on such short notice. So off I went.

But of course, I got completely lost, in the torrential freezing rain and wind. After about 20 minutes of waffling around, I had given up any hope of finding the office and planned on heading home and changing into a dry pair of clothes, when I spotted two elderly women. When lost in Moscow, always ask elderly women; they are helpful 99% of the time. They directed me to the right street and I finally found the building.

I gathered my courage and went inside, only to be told that the woman I was to meet with was busy. But the man at the front desk dropped me off, to my surprise, at the desk of an American student. We made small talk and I was introduced to a number of people, all within their twenties and all whom had graduated from RSUH, where I am studying! We talked and talked and I learned more about the organization. Then everyone except the American went off somewhere, so we chatted some more and I found out she is fluent in Uzbek! Which is just about the coolest thing ever! And then I met the director of the children’s center and it was decided I would start working there on the 17^th. We exchanged contact info and that was that!

While I was in America, preparing for my time here, finding an exciting internship seemed like such a remote possibility. And here I am, soon to start an internship with an amazing organization! I’m just over the moon; I don’t think it could get any better than this. 

Here are two items I got at the organization, the first is a postcard, the second is a sticker.

"It all depends on perspective"
On the left, "Migrant", on the right, "Human being"

"Racism: Dead end"