What is your work like?

As you can see, I work in a house that appears more like a wedding cake than an office building. INGOs (International Non-governmental Organizations) are basically stuck with the Pakistani chintz architecture that has made its way over the border. As you can see, modern style houses are nothing but elaborate and gaudy. I learned the other day that the office originally had light fixtures with martini glasses, complete with squizzler sticks and green olives, all over the place. They obviously replaced these with something a bit more office appropriate while we rent the place.

My office is on the bottom left of this picture. The office may appear large, but the staff of forty are pretty well squeezed in as tightly as we can. I currently share my office with my assistant, Shahab, and the Afghan Masters team. Wahid Omar, an Afghan-American from Boulder, and Massoud are developing the first ever masters program here in Afghanistan.

Our work schedule different than that in the states. Muslim faith has Friday for its day of prayer. Accordingly we have our weekends on Friday and Saturday and work Sunday -Thursday. Official office hours are 8am – 4:30pm. Though with the time difference it is often necessary to work in the evenings if you need to connect with folks on the other side of the globe.

Other than those things much of the workday is pretty similar to elsewhere. I generally have a meeting offsite once or twice a week and otherwise rarely depart from the two blocks between office and the guesthouse between Sunday and Thursday. Thus, Thursday is generally the night when folks are ready to get out of the house and go out for dinner.

Miel

1 Comments

  1. Shadewilson on October 26, 2007 at 7:10 pm

    Miel,

    I am so proud of your adventures side and admire your willingness to experience such reality in your journies. Your sense of wonder is a blessing to get to experience with you and I am looking foward to your updates and view points on your experience as you are in Afghanistan. I am very amazed about anyones willingness to experience such adventure. Maybe I may someday have such courage.

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