condolences

offering these gerberas to family and friends who have departed.

anyway, i was a bit shocked to hear of the death of Lieutenant Colonel Renerio Batalla, the Philippine Army officer who died of malaria while on international peacekeeping assignment in Sudan last week.

the UN secretary general sent his condolences to the family.

what shocked me about this is number one, the reality that there are still some places where malaria happens. second would be, that malaria can still actually be a cause of death. and lastly, how bad is the condition in sudan? i mean, weren't there doctors or why weren't they able to treat him?

hmmm... o yeah, i remember the questionnaire that one has to answer when applying for a post in the UN's peacekeeping missions.

Mission Readiness

It is very difficult to define what being ready for mission service really means. How can one possibly prepare for the unexpected?

There are, however, some basic ways in which you can assess whether or not you are the kind of person willing to meet the challenges of the field, and to benefit from the experience both personally and professionally. The following provides you with some questions to help you determine your own suitability for mission service. We suggest that you consider them very carefully before making the decision to apply:

• Would you feel comfortable working in a foreign country, where the culture, language and customs are different from your own? Do you have the curiosity and energy to learn the local language(s), culture, history and political climate of a mission? Could you be sensitive to cultural and gender differences when dealing with both the indigenous population and United Nations colleagues?

• Would you feel comfortable leaving your family, friends, and personal obligations for a period of 6 months or more? The majority of the missions are considered special, or ?non-family?, which means that staff members are strongly discouraged from bringing dependents and family members to the mission area. The United Nations does not assist family members with visas, transport, or other services provided to staff. Furthermore, family members are not included in the security arrangements made for United Nations personnel.

• Are you prepared to endure the daily hardships and potential hazards of mission life? These hardships and hazards may involve meager accommodations, fluctuating food and water supply, adverse climate and health conditions, restricted communications with areas outside of the mission, and security risks within potentially hostile circumstances.

• Are you enthusiastic, self-motivated, and independent? Do you have the capacity to be a true team-player, dedicated to working with others in group decision-making? Are you willing to work 7 days per week, 15 hours per day, if necessary?

• Would you characterize yourself as having patience, understanding, and grace under pressure, as well as a sense of humor that can defuse potentially awkward situations? Are you self-confident while recognizing both your own weaknesses and strengths? Do you view change as inevitable and respond to it as a source of renewal and improvement?

• Are you well-organized, structuring your time efficiently and setting realistic goals and priorities in the context of a stressful, potentially chaotic environment? Do you exercise good judgment and feel comfortable making decisions that may have profound ramifications?

• Are you, to the best of your knowledge, in good overall physical and mental health? In order to be approved for mission assignment, all staff members must undergo a full medical examination and be cleared for service by the United Nations Medical Director.

i answered most of the questions with outright "NO"... some i answered with a hesitant.. "ummm--yeah, i think so..."

what did you expect?

wait, let's just put it this way, if Paris Hilton survives Rwanda, then i think i'll give this a try.