Youth Voices: Bienvenido al IICA!
Youth Voices: Day-to-Day at EARTH University |
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| Youth Voices: From Colorado to Delhi - A week under the same sky 
Today marks my first full week at IICA. This exciting milestone seemed like the perfect time to fill you in on what I have been up to and my thoughts so far.
At the beginning of this week, I met with the full gender and youth team (those based in Costa Rica and Spain) to discuss my role as an intern this summer. We discussed a few possibilities, such as writing articles, creating a newsletter, updating curriculum on the platforms, etc. After just 30 minutes, we had to pause and move into the next meeting without any specific action items for me to complete. Changes like scrambling eggs on a gas stovetop instead of an electric one or taking cold showers instead of steamy ones were easy to take in stride. However, adjusting to the work culture and general pace of life in Costa Rica has been a bit of a challenge for this Type A personality.
As some of the other BR/WFP interns have already alluded to, time is typically more concrete for Americans compared to other cultures. Everything from deadlines, arrival and departure from work, and break times are much more relaxed here. Taking multiple breaks a day is encouraged. Sometimes, I will enjoy a sweet treat or coffee with my team, other times, I wander around IICA's campus and appreciate the fact that they have chosen to incorporate color into the workplace through elaborate gardens and vivid murals instead of color-coded Google calendars with back-to-back meetings.
On the bright side, I have had plenty of time on my hands to explore IICA. Allow me to take you on a tour of my home away from home away from home...[CONTINUE READING]