The dar chebab (youth center) where I do most of my volunteering has been mostly closed for remodeling for several weeks now. This coming on the heels of it barely having re-opened and kids trickling in as the school year started. That coming on the heels of it being closed for a good deal of time since it was the summer.
It recently re-opened, much to my relief and gratitude. One day recently some of the kids and the dar chebab moudir (director) and I started assembling a pool table which the government had sent to the dar chebab. At one point, I looked at the directions, which were written in English, along, of course, with accompanying diagrams. I pointed out that the directions were instructing us to affix the slate part of the table top to the wooden part of the table top before placing them on top of the legs of the table, which were already standing, per the directions. My suggestion did not meet with acceptance.
Coming on the heels of having so little work, having my reading of the directions essentially ignored, I became discouraged when I tried to actually be constructive by helping to read the directions, which were not in my companions' native language. I got up and left the room, retreating to the dar chebab moudir's office. I assessed the situation. I wanted to leave the dar chebab, since I felt like my fellows were not listening to me. I next thought, "If I leave here right now, this will be disastrous for my mood right now. And for my prospects of living and coping here in the longer term."
Once a couple of folks had left the game room, where the pool table was being assembled, and then soon after, the dar chebab altogether, I re-entered the game room. The folks who had left had seemed to be the least receptive to my suggestions. I again noted that the directions instructed us to first affix the slate part of the pool table top to the wooden part of the table top. My fellows then affixed the slate and wooden parts of the table top to each other.
Later, I mused that, when challenges occur, sometimes one just needs to take a step back and breathe a little bit. Then, after removing oneself from the situation for a bit, re-enter and try again. After all, and perhaps this is true even moreso for PCVs than for other people, things aren't always going to happen how and when we want them to happen.
It recently re-opened, much to my relief and gratitude. One day recently some of the kids and the dar chebab moudir (director) and I started assembling a pool table which the government had sent to the dar chebab. At one point, I looked at the directions, which were written in English, along, of course, with accompanying diagrams. I pointed out that the directions were instructing us to affix the slate part of the table top to the wooden part of the table top before placing them on top of the legs of the table, which were already standing, per the directions. My suggestion did not meet with acceptance.
Coming on the heels of having so little work, having my reading of the directions essentially ignored, I became discouraged when I tried to actually be constructive by helping to read the directions, which were not in my companions' native language. I got up and left the room, retreating to the dar chebab moudir's office. I assessed the situation. I wanted to leave the dar chebab, since I felt like my fellows were not listening to me. I next thought, "If I leave here right now, this will be disastrous for my mood right now. And for my prospects of living and coping here in the longer term."
Once a couple of folks had left the game room, where the pool table was being assembled, and then soon after, the dar chebab altogether, I re-entered the game room. The folks who had left had seemed to be the least receptive to my suggestions. I again noted that the directions instructed us to first affix the slate part of the pool table top to the wooden part of the table top. My fellows then affixed the slate and wooden parts of the table top to each other.
Later, I mused that, when challenges occur, sometimes one just needs to take a step back and breathe a little bit. Then, after removing oneself from the situation for a bit, re-enter and try again. After all, and perhaps this is true even moreso for PCVs than for other people, things aren't always going to happen how and when we want them to happen.
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