hmm..

was having a little chat with one 'colleague' (from another organisation that i'm working closing with)this morning about our work..

as a volunteer coordinator, sometimes we need to be really 'hyper' (am i using the right word to describe?) in order to bring up the mood and at the same time to engage the volunteers as well. and make them feel comfortable and hopefully can do away with all the initial 'shyness', 'awkward-ness'.. well.. if you never try it YOU WILL NEVER KNOW HOW TIRING IT IS and of course definitely physical and mentally draining.. how do you feel if you go to an event and everyone is so dead?

so he was sharing with me about his admin department's FEEDBACK (sounds more like COMPLAIN to me.. hah) about their volunteer department always not around in the office and seems like they are slacking and not working. hello? before you made this FEEDBACK.. did you actually think about the nature of work that we are doing?? any idea how different is it from your usual admin office job?

now let me share with you my experience.. firstly.. it is a MUST for me to give them a brief presentation about my organisation and the type of people that we are serving and pre warn them about things that might happen while they are here. and through out this 'brief' presentation.. i need to try my best to engage them to share with me and voice out their thoughts and opinions.. man.. it's really not easy.. okay as you know im not someone who can speak really well.. (although i can crap well.. but its DIFFERENT..) so i tend to get really nervous when im talking and will end up mumbling instead... break up into cold sweat (SERIOUS!!) sigh.. need to work hard on this..

ok next.. so everytime whenever there is a new group of volunteers coming in i need to be really HIGH in order to make them feel comfortable so they can enjoy the process.. and make it a fulfilling experiences for them as well as my residents over here.... and sometimes to the extend of acting like a clown? imagine yourself standing in front of all these strangers.. all these pair of eyes looking at me as if im some weirdo.. and everytime repeating the process over and over again.. (i guess i must learn to enjoy it... yeah..) and need to keep thinking of 'creative responses' to engage them and prompt them to keep sharing... ITS REALLY TIRING... seriously after every session I DONT FEEL LIKE TALKING TO ANYONE AND DO ANYTHING AT ALL.. there is a period of time when there are goup volunteers coming in everyday and im basically all worn out! argh..

to some of you it might seems that it is a very easy and relaxing job after all your job is all about meeting people to plan volunteer programs but there is alot of tiny details that you are not aware of unless you experiences it yourself.. like
how you need to keep coming up with new ideas..
how you need to liven up the whole atmosphere..
how you need to make everyone feel at ease...
how you need to prepare everyone beforehand..
how you need to be really HAPPPY FUN INTERESTING even though you feels like shit on that day.. sigh..

AND THERE IS MORE...

so next time think before you pass off any comment about our type of job.. and we definitely welcome you to join us and experience it yourself..

and yes.. im definitely enjoying my job although sometimes i tend to complain about it.. ahahhaa.