Orientation

There are 25 interns in the class of 2011, all assigned to locations where Grassroot Soccer operates, including South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, and the Dominican Republic. All 25 of us met up in Hanover, New Hampshire a week ago for a four day long orientation. For the first two days, we stayed in a log cabin in the woods of New Hampshire near Moose Mountain. It was incredible getting to know each and every one of my fellow interns as well as learning more about Grassroot Soccer. We did everything from ice breakers to climbing moose mountain and playing the water drums in a nearby lake. Despite no electricity and running water in the cabin, we all survived and returned to Pierce's Inn in Hanover tired, dirty, probably really smelly, but very excited to learn more about our future with GRS.

For the next two days of orientation, we dove deeper into the business aspects of GRS and what was expected of us as interns. The highlight of the orientation was that all the Board of Directors were in town for an annual meeting so we were able to meet some really incredible people that are part of the organization. I have never been more impressed with a single group of people and all the amazing stories they had about how their involvement with Grassroot Soccer. Whether it was hearing from the founders of the organization or the ladies in the finance department working in the States at the Norwich office, each individual was inspirational and dedicated to GRS. It was really a great event.

Before I  knew it, Sunday arrived and we were all due to the airport to catch flights to our final destinations. It was very sad saying good-bye to all the friends we had just become close with. However, many promises were made to travel and visit the different sites and I certainly intend to uphold that commitment. The wonderful thing about getting to know all 25 individuals in our intern class is that although we will not be directly working with everyone, we have now developed an entire network of individuals who we can bounce ideas off, relate to, and stay with on our adventures around Africa! 

After lots of hugs and good lucks, I boarded the airplane at Logan airport for the six hour plane ride to Heathrow airport in London where I would have a nine hour layover until finally reaching Cape Town on Tuesday morning. The butterflies fluttering in my stomach was a sure sign of the excitement and anticipation for all that was to come!