Training Days

Got a late start today, but I made my way to the central office of the Organizing Obama Campaign in NYC. My night was sorely interrupted by the loud pitiful cries of my neighbor's dog, who apparently spent the large part of the night outside of her shed. And I have reason to believe she was tied up outside, because even though the shed door was wide open, she was crying under my window, even when it started pouring two hours into our ordeal! I was so mad at 5am that I called 311 and left a message with ASPCA.

After oversleeping to compensate, I packed up my laptop and headed out to the midtown west office. It definitely is a workstation, with open space for chairs to be put in any necessary team formation, small desks manned by youthful and energetic staff and volunteers, and conference and office rooms along the far wall that alternated having their doors wide opened and closed for individual interviews with upper Field Organizers. It was exciting and a little bewildering to figure out what started when and who to report to or gain information from, but after a while of sitting around, I was given my directives for the day- learn VoteBuilder, the Democratic Party's database, and start entering call logs! I have worked with many databases before, so it did not take me long to get in the flow of this one (take that, resume!). My timing was off to perticipate in the voter registration training, but I have a general idea that that will take some more time. I think that since logistically I decided going to Virginia or Ohio for the next two months wouldn't really work with my budget plan, I will throw myself into a part-time fellows position, where I still have an opportunity to excercise leadership skills while balancing my job and job-searches and singing group.

In addition, MA just sent me a Groupon for an online accelerated TESOL course that would prepare me to take the certification exam offered by Cambridge. Got it! So definitely after this election I will be working on getting my hours logged towards teaching English as a second language. Sooo, excited now. I am really stepping outside of my comfort zone with some of this volunteering, but I feel that it is what I really need to do to prove to myself that I always had it in me. What's next, world?