today we had intern/new hire orientation at iib. from 9:30 to 4 we sat and listened to presentations, some really engaging, some not so exciting. and we had an hour lunch, and the beginning of the day involved some dunkin' donuts munchkins and coffee (i've taken to saying "cawfee" lately... i like it).

some points i picked up from orientation:

• i knew our organization helped to resettle immigrants and refugees, and in doing so we have to "americanize" them, acculturate them, explain things that we all assume are so basic now that we're so used to it. still, i didn't realize how very basic some of these things are. one woman told of numerous cases where after just a few days, a worker from the office would have to help clients unclog their toilet because they hadn't been flushing. they simply weren't used to plumbing. another told of refugees who spoke fluent english, but who had to be shown how to hold a pencil (fluent but illiterate). it reminded me of amara and his mother (see previous post). he, the five-year-old boy, could recite his abc's. his mother had to copy her name from a printed form. the letters were little more than abstract shapes to her.
  


• living on $983/mo for a family of 7 in boston is not easy. now, couple that with poor/no language skills and travel-weariness and you have the situation some find themselves in.


• the people i work with are extremely congenial, helpful, and, above all, dedicated. they're making a strong case for working in the non-profit world after graduation (hopefully during masters' studies).

tomorrow i get to wear jeans to work because all afternoon i, along with other interns and a full-time staffer, will be picking up furniture that will go to furnish a refugee family's future apartment. i don't know if we're bringing it to the apartment tomorrow or what, but it's supposed to be a 12-5 ordeal, which means i'll have about 3 hours of work to do in the morning (only 2 if they let me take lunch at 11). it'll be nice to get out of the cubicle.

I wish you and Meg could be here with me! I thought of you today at that museum because you would have loved it. P.S. you could use an update...I'm tired of reading how you are oriented. :) Hope you're enjoying your internship!