Tuesday, February 9, 2010

VVIP+language camp = brain damage


I m quite shocked when I was called to my boss’s office yesterday. She wanted to break the “good” news to me. I could feel that something bad was coming, so I gathered all my might and walked into her room.

Yup! Indeed! He informed me that our unit’s English Camp (intended to participants from 4 polys in northern region) would have to be postponed. I was.. yeay! Why? Since I have been appointed as the project manager, I have been working for the proposal for the past few weeks. I got a sample from an ex-colleague of mine, so I have edited and submitted it, so now I can just throw them away. But, keep your seatbelt intact coz worse is coming...

Let me first describe how I want the camp to be. I want to have a simple yet memorable English Camp where at the end of the camp, the participants would feel tired and satisfied. A few hiccups here and there would be ok, but, I want participants to come to me and say, “En… We want more!” That is all I want it to be. But my boss is a bit ambitious. She wants it to be big and if possible she wants the press to know about the camp. By looking at the number of staff here, I m really sure that there is nothing much can be done. I can now see their colors. I have spent the last 6 months observing them, and now I know who can work well, and who would be the benchwarmers. In all, work here would be more tedious than my previous workplace. Here everything needs to be 'grand' and everything must involve everybody, doesn’t matter whether he or she is willing to participate or not. The tension builds when those benchwarmers have the time to enjoy and relax, while the others have to perspire their kidney out (wow! Absurd choice of word).

There is this one staff, which I really think, wants to be the project manager so bad. Today he told me that he is not really believe that I can do it since I have no experience in doing or conducting such activity before. He keeps on telling me that the activities for the camp must be this and that. Gosh! I guess he doesn’t know me.

Previously, years ago, I handled English camp too. We invited some staffs from other polys and of course participants from our own. To tell you the truth, --well, I m not trying to boast--- but I was the one who made the camp livelier. I created the judging system, the flags, polished up the activities and most of all, I kind of ran the whole show too. The main project manager handled a few things and later he did other things which I can’t recall. He talked a lot about this and that but lastly, it was I, and of course with some help from others, who ran the whole program.

Not to forget the English Race. At first, all of them were against the idea of having such activities. I was so stressed out! I asked my English club members to run the show, and we did it! After that, English Race 2 was a big success. English race 3 did not materialize since my new boss insisted on something else, and I was so busy with Annual Report and bla bla bla bla. But students and lecturers have been asking for more of English Race. I am so proud to be the project manager, the person who initiated it there. I did not sleep for nights just to prepare for the event.

Later, I handled Night of Enchantment! Again, students were scared to participate. They questioned the purpose of the event. They question my objectives. The result was tremendous. Students loved it! Even though it was not up to my par, and to me, what they did was far below my standard, but they did it! They wanted more. but then...then… I furthered my study!

I wanted to tell the person who doesn’t believe in my capability, that I can actually do it!. Well I may look young, but don’t question my ability, coz you’ll never know.

Ok…

About the language camp.. My boss will never cancel the event, but she wants to postpone to next semester and she wants it big! My boss wants the camp to be huge and she wants at least a 'menteri' or a politician to come and officiate the event. This is because the event will be dragged out of the normal budget, and it will be put under a special project which will use a different, special budget. If I m not mistaken RM40 mill will be allocated for the new budget. My boss wants me to get at least 10K for the camp. I am quiet shocked. First, I have never dealt with ‘menteri’ before.. Well I had once dealt with ‘menteri’ KPT last two years when he came to PTSB for a glamorous officiating ceremony. However, I didn’t deal with him directly. We used agent. However, for this language camp, the ministry wants us to deal directly with the menteri without any help from any consultant! OMG! It’s a big thing, how can 13 staffs in my department work on it! Well 13 is like a big number. But not all 13 can work well. There are some gaffes and giraffe here and there. So, I don’t know. If it is a poly’s work then, I think it will be ok, but now this is like… a unit’s work! So?? What do you expect? And that might be the reason why one of my colleague said, I don’t think you can do it! Huhu! We’ll see.
I don’t think this is workable. I think this is just a dream that take efforts -- i mean BIG EFFORT-- to be fulfilled. But look again, if it does happen and it is a success, my career would jump to the next level. A so-called-young lecturer with minimal experience has actually gone further and does an event which is big. But, if it doesn’t work, they will point to me and say, “no wonder la, it didn’t work! A young inexperience lecturer has been given the role as the project manager, what do you expect?”

I don’t know. My life is getting better these days. I m happy with my life, and my problems have seemed to go away and I love where it is heading. I have a simple life, a just nice life, some cheerful friends and not to forget I have the best brother one could ask for!

I m getting better and happier, and I want those that I cherish the most to be happy too. Let us spread the happiness k! huhu. XOXO ^_^

1 comments:

Norjulia said...

woh!~ speechless....BUT i know u can do it...demi masa depanmu...ecewaahh...ekekeke..

chaiyok!!!

Post a Comment