Tackling an Internship

Let us pretend you fly around the world.

Then you decide it would be really cool to have an internship on the other side of the world. 

Let’s make it an internship with a NGO. (Non governmental organization, think non-profit)

I mean, you’ll learn a ton, and help make the world a better place, right?

Ok. Here we go.  Betcha didn’t know what you were in for.

          Let’s say you have an important meeting to determine said internship.  Lets have it at the 4 Seasons Hotel, the swankiest place around. Suppose said meeting is at 3:00.  As the American, you prolly arrive 2:50. And only that late because traffic was mess.  You can never find a quick taxi around here…But ten minutes early is respectable.  Shows you care and are responsible. Dedicated. Punctual.  Some one they can look forward to having on the team.   So you sit and wait for your potential boss.  Wait. Wait. The waiter asks if you’d like something.  Not knowing how this should go, you decline, maybe assuming you shouldn’t get something until your potential boss does.  Or what if they don’t order anything? Then who pays? How rude…besides waiting to see what they order clues you into to what you should order. 

Finally. Your potential employer strolls though.  You discreetly check your watch, 3:15.  Confused and perhaps a bit miffed, you stand to warmly greet this stranger.  If you’re lucky, you don’t get a handshake, but a series of check kisses.  That you can’t pull out of until they do or it’s rude.  (Like, you only want to kiss me 4 times? Sad face, ok….)

Then your potential boss breezes though, finds a different seat, order a drink and asks why you haven’t?  Hmmm….ok lemonade please.

So you sit and discuss not what the internship will be or anything, but how your boss came to be in this position. A snippet of personal life story.  You find out crazy details, like your boss was mugged in Spain, and later had dinner with the mugger’s mother.  Your boss continues then wants to know about you.  Why are you in the Middle East? Ok, I got this.( But when do we talk about the internship!?)

So then a short discussion of what the organization does , their role, benefactors, ect…then you ask so what will I do?

Well, now, I’m not sure of that yet, but you have the position. Huh?

Ok. So – uh oh your new boss checks the time, and realizes there is a meeting in 10 minutes across town…makes a call, “might you mind if we move that back a half hour? Ok.”  Takes the bill. Drops you off near you home, so your taxi fare is cheaper. And agrees to call later this week with more details.

Wow.  Mixed message much? So turns out Arab time works different.  Even for things like class and business.  Like 15 minutes late is no big deal, where do you have to be that’s so important anyway? Relax.  Have some Shai (tea).  Actually, some kids showed up to offices early and secretaries didn’t know what to do with them.  Like that’s how rare it is.  10 minutes early and the secretary doesn’t know where to seat you.  

So the whole thing is just a different style.  Things will get accomplished, so why worry?.... right

My internship started like this.  3 weeks later, I have finally scheduled a meeting with the person who runs my local CBO (community based organization) where I will be actually working. Yeah.  Last week, I managed to get an appointment at the main office to figure out the other details, like which CBO.  Minor things…

I know its about embracing culture and here the culture says don’t worry, things will happen, probably all at once, but at Jordanian pace. Unfortunately, for an internship when I’m only here for 3 months, that pace is a bit too slow for accomplishments. Its been a real process.  Like pulling teeth from a large monster made of molasses in January.  Slow and difficult and strange and new.

Hopefully I can get you an update of what my internship will be in the near future since I have this fantastic meeting tomorrow. Details don’t seem to be a priority, so we’ll see.  Also, many organizations here, the idea of intern is foreign and they don’t have real job descriptions. 

For instance one of my friends was told by her boss, “I don’t like the term intern.  Create a title for yourself.  Use manager of something. I don’t know, get creative.” 

No joke.  I mean, awesome for your resume. But groups are unsure about having to pay interns, even about stipends, or what the role should be or afraid we’re there to steal jobs.  It hard to explain nope, here is free labor.  Do as you will with them.

And might I point out, that lemonade? Nothing but lemon water.  No sugar.  Not sure what the means, but I kept adding sugar cubes from the tray meant for tea.  At least it was fresh, I guess…