Internship

One of the classes offered through my program is an internship for credit. You submit a resume, they try to match you with a Jordanian NGO or company, you go to some classes and write a case study on your organization and it counts as college credit. Though I'm not actually doing this program for school credit, doing an internship sounded like a really good experience. I had some trouble finding an organization, but at the last minute I was offered a spot at the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature and I have been working there since the beginning of October.

It's been a really interesting experience, especially since I've had to keep a journal of my work and my thoughts on the organization to help me write the case study. Writing the case study (the final version is due today) has also been really interesting. It's forced me to take note of details and ask questions I might not otherwise think to, and really helped think deeply about the mission and functioning of RSCN in particular and NGOs generally.

I've actually been working in the Public Relations department, which I have to admit was not exactly my first thought when I decided I wanted to intern with an NGO, but has definitely been a good experience. I've been doing a lot of different things, ranging from as boring as entering membership data to exciting things like getting a free trip to one of the Reserves. I've probably spent more time doing data entry than anything else - RSCN has a new free membership program called Friends of RSCN that always has some new names and emails to enter - but its hardly been the majority of my time. I have also had to spend quite a while recording and trying to fix email address that come back undelivered, which is pretty similarly monotonous, but I've also gotten to write quite a few (English) press releases and articles, which has helped me learn a lot more about the organization. In addition to writing English, I also occasionally edit it, as in tourism brochures and sometimes my supervisor's emails.

Probably the most exciting part of my internship, though, was the day I got to go to Dana Biosphere Reserve in southern Jordan with a team doing evaluations, computer work, and interviewing for a new manager. That was a really great day, partly because I got the opportunity to talk to a group of employees with perspectives and tasks I don't normally really get to see (almost all the staff in Amman speak English, so communication is not a huge problem), and partly because Dana is absolutely gorgeous. I walked through the village and down to the gardens, but didn't go too far because it was hot. I got to visit both the fruit preserving and silver working workshops, where local women create products for the RSCN gift shops. One of the things RSCN really emphasizes is combining socio-economic development with environmental conservation. Dana was actually the first place they started a handicraft enterprise, and now they have workshops at all the Reserves, employing local women who have very few other opportunities for work. (Sorry if I sound a little bit like a press release; at this point I've written so many articles and brochures about the Reserve and RSCN that I can't help it.)I got to talk to some of the villagers working at the Guesthouse and workshops as well, partly in English and partly in Arabic, which was really interesting as well.

I've also gotten to attend a few RSCN events. The first week I was there, they were having a clean-up in Amman National Park, so a friend and I went. Most of the time was actually spent waiting - I helped by passing out membership brochures - and then listening to the Minister of the Environment speak. Afterward we spent about 45 minutes picking up trash, which to be honest didn't make a huge dent - litter is a big problem here, and people don't seem to think twice about just throwing garbage out of car windows and so forth.

A few weeks later, we had a jewelery launch for a line of necklaces created by a Dutch designer using rocks from the shores of the Dead Sea. That wasn't super exciting, another visit from the Minister, some of the Cafe's amazing herbal tea, and browsing through the gift shop. The stuff there is really nice, although pretty expensive for Jordan. I guess its going to a good cause, though.

One other really excellent part of my job is the office I work in. The Public Relations Department has its offices directly underneath the Cafe, and the window next to me looks out over downtown and across to the Citadel on the hill on the other side. (The neighborhood I work in is called Jabal Amman, meaning something like "mountain of Amman," with good reason.) I had an exciting moment wandering around downtown the other day when I encountered the "Quick Sandwich" sign I stare at when I get writer's block on one of my articles.

Also really enjoyable is the Arabic fondness for sharing food. There are occasional big inter-departmental breakfasts (at 1 in the afternoon - meal schedules are weird here) and sometimes smaller breakfasts with the other employees I work with. The food is basic, pita and things to dip it in, but always really good, and its nice to relax and meet the other people in the office.

Overall, its been a really rewarding experience, and despite my complaints while struggling to write it, I think being forced to write a case study was really educational as well, and I'm glad I did it. (It's pretty long and probably not of interest to everyone, so I won't post it here but if you are interested in NGOs and the environment and would like more information about my experience at RSCN, just let me know and I can send you the case study.)