I recently applied to be a facilitator for this monthly motivational camp for underprivileged students. It's organized by this non-profit, non-government organization that works on addressing education inequality in Malaysia, which I personally think is a wonderful cause.
I thought it would be a fun thing to do - I'd have something else to do other than my Master's research, I'd be doing something I actually enjoy doing in the form of teaching people, and I'd be meeting and working with new, intelligent, like-minded people. I've been in my comfort zone for who knows how long now; I thought it was about time I got back out there and challenged myself again.
I then got selected as a head facilitator after a Skype interview, in which I was asked (among other things) to provide an example as proof that I am, in fact, compassionate. I thought that was a strange one - it could have been worded another way, I suppose - but I guess you need some way to weed out the sociopaths. Sociopaths can actually fake compassion, though, which would deem that question pointless... but anyway, I digress.
Things have officially started now. I went for a training session at an office in KL, where I discovered what I was actually in for. Almost everyone there seemed to be brimming with positivity and peppiness, which is probably what you'd expect from people working in the business of motivation and inspiration. It is, however, the complete opposite of the aura I'm usually perceived to project, but I guess sometimes you need a different approach. Not everyone is into the whole blinding-optimism thing; I know I don't get particularly inspired by that stuff, and I'm surely not the only one.
There was then a Skype meeting, in which the task I had at hand was explained to me in more detail. I'm not gonna lie - it sounds really hard. It's a lot of work, and more so especially since no one in my team (more on that later) has any experience working with this organization before. But I guess I made the decision to accept it the moment I signed up for it, and I'll just have to do my best to meet the (pretty lofty) expectations that I've been set.
I then got assigned to a school in Rawang, a place I don't believe I've ever been to. The team I'll be working will consist of myself and six others, all of whom happen to be girls. I've worked as the only guy in an otherwise all-girls group before, but it's a new challenge this time as the racial composition isn't quite what I'm used to. I'll be meeting a few of them later this week (most of them for the first time); hopefully we'll be able to get along and work well together.
On top of that, there's also the Master's research I'm being paid to do. I've been going way too slow, if I'm being honest - this month marks six months since I first submitted my study application to MMU (though I did only get approved in February), and I'm only about halfway through my proposal. I've been procrastinating far too much, and I'll really need to dig deep and find the motivation to step things up.
I find it a bit ironic that I'm getting paid to study and paying to work (it's volunteering, innit) as a camp facilitator. Just another on the list of things I didn't plan on doing after graduation, I suppose, and also inevitably soon to be on the list of things I didn't regret putting myself through. Life is a journey, and all that.
It's late at night and I really should be getting some sleep, but blogging is good for a soul that needs a place to just ramble and not care (too much) if anyone sees. I mean, if I wanted someone to read my thoughts, I would have written it out on Facebook. The stuff I write here these days probably doesn't really benefit anyone too much other than people with at least a passing interest in what I get up to.
Well, that's that. Here's hoping I have a productive day tomorrow.
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