Acronyms

Most of my friends could tell you how much I hate abbreviations. I'm not shy about expressing my disdain for them--I mean, "totes"? "whatev"? Are those extra syllables really that hard? And don't even get me started on "bro"...

Anyhow, the one form of abbreviation I can understand using is acronym. Acronyms are great--they make it easy to talk about things with long names in quick conversation or via text message. I've been having problems with acronyms lately, though, because here's the thing about them: if people don't know what the letters stand for, they're completely lost.

So I apologize to any of you who might have heard me say months ago that I'm working with UHDP and ECHO through HNGR and missed the fact that I'm interning in Thailand for the rest of 2011. My bad.

By way of explanation:

During my sophomore year of college I was accepted into Wheaton's Human Needs and Global Resources program (HNGR). As part of this program, I was given probably the most exciting opportunity of my life so far--completing a six-month internship and independent study in a developing country. I spent most of this year working with the HNGR office to determine where I'd go and what organization I'd work for. In the end, we found the Upland Holistic Development Project (UHDP), an organization operating in Chiang Mai province, Thailand. UHDP partners with the Educational Concerns for Hunger Organization (ECHO), and runs their Asia office. I leave to start my internship on June 13th. (So soon!!)

I'll mostly be working with ECHO Asia's Seed Bank project, located at UHDP. According to my communication with them so far, my daily work might include any and probably at some point, all of these things:

• Assisting with seed bank crop production (planting, maintenance and harvest) in the field plots
• Assisting with planting/transplanting in either the seed bank or UHDP nursery.
• Assisting with seed cleaning and packaging.
• Assisting with taking inventory and filling orders.
• Assisting with purchasing errands in Fang, Chiang Mai or elsewhere.
• Assisting with data collection associated with various tests and field experiments being carried out at the seed bank (e.g., effect of vacuum storage on seed viability and seedling vigor, effect of three different levels of sunlight on vegetable fern growth and production, effect of vacuum seed storage and other measures on the control of seed storage pests).
• Helping to manage and maintain the resource library.
• Helping to maintain the office demonstration garden
• Assistance with the ECHO Asia Agriculture and Community Development Conference
• Assistance with developing technical materials (bulletins, PDFs, and website)

Add in my HNGR readings, responses, and assessment letters, not to mention designing and implementing my independent study and learning to live and work in a completely new culture, and I think it's safe to say I'm in for a busy six months!

I'll keep you all updated as much as possible via this blog--I think. I've never attempted this blogging thing before, so no promises about how regular I'll be. I'll do my best to post pictures and stories and thoughts about how much I love and miss you all, though.