Traits of a Development Worker!

This is from the Guelph Chapter's working partner, Alanna Peters. She is currently working in Burkina Faso (West Africa) as a long term overseas volunteer (referred to as OVs or LTOVs) working on the improving the mango value chain. This is her response when we asked her for some traits of a development worker...its pretty funny.

Alanna Peters:

1. Patience - as things will always take longer than expected and your working in a context that doesn't always make sense to you



2. Ability to laugh at yourself - you are bound to make cultural blunders



3. Ability to self motivate - Often you are left alone to make you work happen and it is not always easy to see the point and purpose, but you need to value the little successes as much as the big ones. Also nothing/no one is going to come to you it's up to you to find friends and things to do so get out there.



4. Balance - ability to keep all aspects of yourself in balance: mental, physical, emotional and social. To know when one area is taking too much of your energy and how to bring yourself back to a balance. This has tobe one of the hardest parts and is constantly being challenged.



5. Curiosity, desire to learn - you learn sooooooo much while being overseas and working in the development context, it's great but can betiring



6. Constant questioning - it's the only way to understand!



7. Be humble - Know that you really don't know that much about the context and the complexities, know that your judgments are culturally learnt and may not apply to the new context/culture, be willing to say you don't know - people will respect you more if you are honest about your ability/knowledge than if you pretend you know and get caught later



8. Have a strong stomach - You are going to get sick as food, water, germs are all different, be ready to be acquainted with the latrine on more than one occasion, and laugh if you have an accident, I think the statistics in EWB is that 90% of OVs poo themselves at some point - so far I've been lucky, but keep your fingers crossed, just don't let it phase you



9. Determination - constantly push yourself, this is not always easy as you are tired some times, but with language it is absolutely necessary



10. Keep criticism in check - This is your criticism of yourself, of others and from others. For yourself try not to be too hard on yourself when things don't work out or are slow. Of others, try not to compare ways of doing things with ways you are used to back home. From others, be ready to accept criticism and to let some of it roll off your back. Here people are less gentle in their opinions as they are in Canada, in other words they are direct despite your feelings, but don't take it the wrong way



11. Dedramatize - it is never as bad as you think it is, you just need to take a step back and relax then you will see it for what it is



12. Have fun and enjoy the experience and exchanging with people!

*I hope that helps.

Alanna