Finally, a visa!

To be honest, I'm not really sure exactly what or whom I'm writing these "updates" for: personal journal, correspondence (mass e-mail substitute), general interest, foreshadowing for those who may find themselves in a similar situations, forum for rant/dialogue/communication? Probably a little from all of the above. All I know is that it’s been strongly advised that I keep a record of my journey, and the takingITglobal site came highly recommended by Terri Willard at IISD. But I won’t get too far ahead of myself. First, some background info & relevant links...

It seems like forever ago that I started the process of applying for permission to enter Mexico. I suppose it's only been a couple weeks. Still, for what was supposed to be a two-business-day process, it's been long enough. For some reason, the Mexican Consulate in Toronto decided they needed special permission from Mexican Immigration (in Mexico!) to release my visa, which meant I had to wait for my documents to travel across the continent, be reviewed, and be returned before they could be stamped and signed all the way back here in Canada. So, today’s acquisition of a little green booklet emblazoned with “ESTADOS UNIDOS MEXICANOS: SECRETARIA DE GOBERNACION” has been the highlight of my day. Next stop, Mexico City.

I will soon be embarking on a 6-month internship at the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), stationed at their Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean in Mexico City [or, in Spanish, according to the "actividad authorizada" on my "DOCUMENTO MIGRATORIO DEL NO IMMIGRANTE FM3": REALIZAR PRACTICAS PROFESIONALES EN LA OFICINA REGIONAL PARA AMERICA Y EL CARIBE DEL PROGRAMA DE NACIONES UNIDAS PARA EL MEDIO AMBIENTE EN MEXICO, D.F.]. Note: If you are especially sensitive to long agency names (and the acronyms used to describe them), please skip the rest of this section. For those more detail-oriented folks, I’ll be working on the Global Environmental Outlook (GEO) for Youth project in the Department of Early Warning and Assessment (DEWA). My Young Canadian Leaders for a Sustainable Future (YCLSF) position is being administrated by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and funded by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) via the Canadian government’s (Human Resources Development Canada - HRDC) Youth Employment Strategy (YES) Youth International Internship Program (YIIP), soon to be called the Young Professionals International Program (YPIP). Phew. Did you catch all that?! If you’re hungering for more, follow the links below.

For more information on my position, see my job description at:
http://www.iisd.org/interns/current_positions.asp?id=55

For more information on me, check out my intern bio:
http://www.iisd.org/interns/viewcurrent.asp?bno=561

You can also link to other current IISD interns here:
http://www.iisd.org/interns/current_list.asp

For those who find my new career direction unexpected, I know that my academic background in Social Psychology and Women’s Studies hardly seems a logical lead-up to my delving into the “sustainable development” industry (for definitions of SD, see http://sdgateway.net/introsd/definitions.htm). However, after doing over a year of corporate communications and project management work in the Strategy & Business Development department of a Vancouver-based wealth management company, followed by a stint doing workshop facilitation with Toronto high school students through a local NGO, I can’t think of a better next step. After all, this position combines my passions for travel, the environment, social change, youth, and communications, while providing me a chance to get international work experience at a highly respected, world-renowned organization… What more could I possibly ask for?!? Needless to say, I’m really excited for this opportunity to work with UNEP!

In late August, I attended the one-week intensive training course at IISD in Winnipeg. Here, I was privileged to meet 12 other IISD interns being sent to placements in countries as diverse as Sri Lanka, Costa Rica, Guyana, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, India, Romania, Malaysia, and England. Topics covered spanned from networking and communications to leadership style evaluation to country-specific cultural training. The wonderful food and “extra-curricular” programming (including an afternoon trip to Lake Winnipeg and great times in the guest house) were added bonuses. The training sessions, influenced greatly by the energy and input of participants and organizers alike, proved informative and inspiring. I left Manitoba feeling more prepared, and especially more supported, for the move to Mexico City.

On the downside, because of the visa delays, I had to switch my flight from Thursday, September 11, 2003 (the week before my contract was set to start) to Wednesday, September 24 (the week afterwards). Talk about a bummer: I missed what could have been a once-in-a-lifetime chance to experience the Mexican Independence Day fiestas, which took place last weekend! This date change also means that, rather than having almost a week to adjust to life in Mexico (language, geography, culture, etc.) before reporting for duty, by the time I land, I will already be behind schedule at work. But no pressure ;) Oh well, at least I’m gaining a pre-departure understanding of the true meaning of "manana, manana," which to date has been but an empty expression…

At the moment, there are all sorts of things circulating in my head. Everyone I speak to seems to have some different piece of advice or wisdom to impart about Mexico City. So far, I’m expecting a huge, crowded city with unbelievably high pollution and crime rates, balanced out by very low rental housing vacancy rates. I’m expecting to have to watch my back, my belongings, my food & drink. I’m expecting to struggle with the Spanish-speaking environment until I’m immersed long enough to attain some level of fluency, which, despite my attending Spanish Conversation Club meetings, I’m afraid I haven’t mastered yet. But I’m trying not to worry too much about the negative things I can’t control – my grandmother does that enough for both of us ;) I’m also expecting friendly people, beautiful architecture, and an enriching work environment. I’m expecting amazing weekend trips outside the Districto Federal (D.F., what locals call Mexico City). I’m expecting to learn and grow and absorb more, or at least differently, than I’ve ever done before.

Anyways, I should probably get packing. In theory, I should have been all ready to go weeks ago, but I always seem to find a way to stretch things out to the last possible minute. Now that I’ve gotten most of the important stuff out of the way (visa, passport, currency exchange, etc.), it’s time for those incidentals – like tracking down some maple syrup to bring to the lucky person from the office who takes in a stranded, homeless Canadian for her first few days in a foreign country. Okay, I want to enjoy these last days in Toronto! Must stop procrastinating and actually go do stuff!

Hmmm… By the time I write next, I will probably be in Mexico (pronounced Mehico!). Crazy! (or should I say Loco?!)