I recently moved into my permanent office at work. I've been in a temporary location as more office space has been built. As of October 2009 IRC-OPE was granted the contract to provide Cultural Orientation to refugees in our region prior to their departure to the US. We are in the process of adapting the current orientation inherited from IOM who held the contract before us. The new orientation will focus on information the refugee needs during their first 30 days in the US with a section focused solely on the airplane ride since this will be most refugees first experience on a plane.
The new grant has required us to acquire more space and build offices within that space for the Cultural Orientation staff. The space is now finished and it has freed up an office for me as opposed to the cubical type situation I've been in for the last 4 months (can you believe I've been here 4 months now?).
The office, while fairly large, has no window and very strong air conditioning which I have no control over so I've placed a wrap in the office to keep me warm. The AC air intake vents are located in my office so it creates a wind tunnel sound effect, very similar to what we experienced in the IRC-SLC office.
You can see from the photos that my office sports some treasures of which I am very proud! One of those treasures is a photo taken by a friend of mine of a little girl in Mongolia. This is a piece I fell in love with immediately and which attracts the attention of everyone who enters my office. Another of my treasures is the IRC yellow "PORTAL Passport" which was developed in our SLC office. This passport is given to each adult refugee arriving with IRC to SLC. Inside they can collect the contact information of each organization that provides services to them and includes a calendar for them to keep track of their appointments. My passport has been signed by my former coworkers in SLC and has many well wishes which I like to read on occasion to remember the amazing people who carry on the work of resettlement in the US.
Another treasure is my Statue of Liberty presented to me by my former boss and mentor. It is a symbol which reminds me of why I do the work I do.
"Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"
It brings me great joy that America remains a country that welcomes those that no one else claims, stateless citizens who have endured decades of mistreatment, who have been passed back and forth between unwelcoming countries, people who aren't free to practice their traditions or religion without worry of persecution, just as many of my own ancestors who came to the US seeking freedom. Sadly my mormon ancestors further experienced this persecution within the US and were forced to flee their homes on several occasions. It makes me think of the Somali Bantu, the Karen, the Lost Boys of Sudan and many other groups who have found refuge in the US.
The last of my treasures comes once again from my friends in Salt Lake City. It is a quilt that hangs on my wall. Each square was decorated by IRC team members with memories and well wishes. The significance of this piece needs no explanation. This is another piece that captures the attention of those who enter my office. It is a piece that puts a smile on my face and reminds me of the honor I had to work with an amazing team of dedicated, hard working, caring individuals. These are people who work above and beyond what many people do in their jobs. Their work inspires me. From, Leah who locates and orchestrates housing, to Zaw who picks them up from the airport at midnight and provides an orientation upon arrival so he doesn't get home to his family until the wee hours of the morning and then shows up to work the next morning. Valentine and the other caseworkers who provide services and guidance for 2 years and Josh and Robert who conduct employment orientations and then engage refugees in employment searching...a frustrating task these days. There is Tanya who provides immigration assistance, the health team, numerous other staff, countless volunteers, interns, managers and many others who provide vital services to refugees.
Finally, you will notice my office is filled with files. They represent those families who are engaged in the struggle to become approved to start a new life in the US. Families who are struggling daily in their current situations hoping for a brighter future. Again I am blessed to work with a team of tireless staff who take their jobs seriously; their job to collect data and information to be presented to the US government who will decide if they will be accepted into the US. I am proud to be a part of this new team and to have the opportunity to be engaged in such an amazing cause.
Anyway, here are the photos of my new office! :-) And just a reminder that the views expressed here are my own and in no way reflect the views of the IRC. :-)
You can see the photo of the Mongolian girl hanging on the wall
Yes, there is a couch in my office! I haven't used it for a nap yet.
Would that not bring a smile to your face everyday?!
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