How to work effectively with the US and Pakistani staff at USAID in 2006

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What does a few days in P help me see?

This morning, I realized how thankful I am for my two year sabbatical in DC. Particularly, I am grateful for time to reconnect with my people, Anna and I have a weekly urban retreat, I go to Chicago monthly to watch Marlie's stomach grow and Kari's apartment become even cleaner and I get to talk on the phone, non stop with HD. My relationships with friends in the US have changed by being in DC, I am closer to them, reconnected, I see how this will buoy me when I move here in the summer. I also think, make the most of being in the US, dont worry about spending money. This expensive phase will be short lived. Ok, Brent, I am on my way to Colorado for President's day. Indy, wanna go?

US Sabbatical plan:

1) Improve posture--lots of Iyengar yoga and pranayama
2) Realize that shopping at Whole Foods is like going to a Theme Park it is so fun.
3) Get my finances in order, i.e. shed MorganStanley, and start tracking receipts through Microsoft Money. Consider renting Condo as an executive rental.


Main thought on moving here this morning is:

I have a huge fan. My future boss has spent the last 2 weeks talking me up around the enclave. This morning, waiting for the Embassy bullet proof shuttle to pick me up, another woman, obviously American, said, "Oh you are the famous Program Officer. I have been hearing about you for weeks."

It helps to have support.

Who will I become in Pakistan?

I just had lunch with a colleague in the mission here. She has a cold. She is exhausted. When I asked her about her social life, she said, "I do not have a social life. None. After working 12-14 hours a day, seven days a week, I dont have the energy to try."

This mission represents, so far, based on my sample size of two, my worst fears about USAID. The mission here is managing 150 million dollars a year, plus 50 million a year for earthquake reconstruction on a staff of less than 20 people--about $10 million dollars in program funds per person. This compares with our Jamaica progroam, 81 people managing $18 million, about 220,000 of program funds per person. Jamaica is grossly inefficient and Pakistan is dangerously understaffed.

The combination of pressures here, terrorist threats, restricted mobility, constantly being stared at and a gargantuan work load undo some people. My colleague is undone.

Is it possible to work a 45 hour work week here? Is it possible to build community? Pakistan is not Islamabad, she said. Lets hope not, but is it possible to get out. Is it worth studying Urdu for 7 months to come here for a year? Should I jump ship now or stay for 2 years. Can I find ways to nourish myself in a male dominant, high threat culture, with a relentless work load? Do I want to try?

More later.

Had tea with a second colleague. First, I have to point out how counter intuitive it is to have tea at the American Club (read not for Pakistanis), within an American gated embassy, within a guarded embassy enclave, in an isolated city that is "not Pakistan." So where am I?

She was very positive about life here. Does she feel like she is under house arrest? No. Not being able to walk around the city is restrictive, not being able to travel to our project sights in Baluchistan is annoying, and having to take an travel in an armored vehicle and take an armed guard to see a poor micro borrower in Karachi is maddening. But the life is good. There are plenty of international people in Islamabad to be friends with outside of USAID. And her week is filled with yoga, horseback riding, acupuncture, and bike rides in the mountains. As she said, "if you are an outdoors person there is no reason not to be happy here."

Her hot tips include: Spend the first week meeting your partners, take the FSNs out for tea, and don't let the office be your whole world.

PS She works a five day work week.

What are my assumptions about Pakistan?

My assumptions are:

1) The American staff in the mission will be low quality, lack good people skills and be petty. I can give alot in this area.
2) The Pakistanis will be very capable.
3) I will be shocked by seeing my first real islamic country
4) I will work very hard.
5) I will love the food.
6) I will make one friend, a Pakistani woman, who will help me decode the culture
7) The highlight will be Christmas in Lahore with Raheem
8) I will leave prepared to study Urdu and go.
9) I will pay close attention to how we strengthen middle range structures, what they are, community groups, private sector, I will learn alot about the banking sector because of the paper I will write.
10) The language will baffle me
11) I dont expect to feel any anti-americanism.