A Day in the Life of a CCA Intern in Mongolia

So, what’s it like to intern at the Mongolian Cooperative Training and Information Centee on behalf of the Canadian Co-operative Association?

Here’s what a general day is like, when I am not off with the team doing field work in the Gobi:

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9:10 AM – Run out the door to work

Walk, walk, walk, check watch, walk faster

9:30 AM – Arrive at work, turn on my computer, check emails

10:00 AM – Correspond with potential funders, partners, maybe a Skype meeting with Kati at CCA HQ

11:00 AM – All-Staff meeting to discuss projects

11:30 PM – Do some translation and editing of documents

1:00-2:00 PM – Go out for lunch with the girls

2:00 PM – Work on a proposal for funding

4:00 PM – Work on a project component (designing invitations, developing activities for the training, etc)

5:00 PM – End of day!

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Contrary to popular belief, most of my work is actually in an office.  However, I am blessed to be able to travel for work so often, and that every day is different.  It’s pretty to common to spend mornings, afternoons, or entire days at a conference, workshop, or training session (last week it was the Oyu Tolgoi mining office and the next day, the Asia Development Bank ).  Working with MCTIC is always an exciting learning experience and it has really made me want to gain more experience at an NGO.

Work Road Trip to the Gobi

A couple weeks ago, I went back to the Gobi, this time by a 12 hour car ride.

Not the most comfortable experience, but it was still really fun to spend time with my colleagues.

MCTIC was there to provide training and to act as a facilitator between creating a legal agreement for fodder between a large mining company and local herders.  If you’ve studied development you would know that 99% of the time, locals and mining officials don’t really mesh.  But I was so impressed by the entire process.  Discussion and debate was animated.  For the most part, participants were successful.  At the end of the first day, MCTIC drafted an agreement, which we went through line by line without the mining reps present and tweaked it until it was perfect.  Then, we passed it by vote.

It was great to see participatory development happening right before me. I also had the opportunity to interview some of the participants and why they joined a coop in the first place (video to come soon).  After a full day of discussion and a second day of training, we headed out to the Umnogobi Energy Centre (different from the first Energy Centre I went to in Dornogobi).  It was also built by Dazanravja and I am lucky enough to say that I visted both of the only Energy Centre’s in Mongolia.  Thanks MCTIC!

We stayed in a ger, star gazed (I saw four shooting stars!), played cards, and at sunrise, woke up with all the other Mongolians staying overnight to worship and absorb energy from the Gobi sun  from a holy peak at the Energy Centre.

Jubilation as the sun first peeked over the horizon, followed by beautiful singing, palms extended towards its warmth

It was a lovely and eye-opening work experience.  I am leaving for the Gobi this Thursday for some more field work, this time in monitoring and evaluation….I wonder what I’ll learn next 🙂