A little on what I'll be doing...

I will be going to Banda Aceh, Indonesia to be part of a United States Agency for International Development project.

A little about the project...

My project supports the peaceful and sustainable transition to democracy after the landmark Indonesian presidential election in September 2004. We manage grant programs to support projects targeted at conflict prevention, mitigation, and resolution in areas deemed "hot spots." The Aceh Province was the hardest hit area by the December 2004 tsunami. Before the tsunami, My company was only one of handful foreign companies with offices in Aceh. Right after the tsunami, the project was one of the first organizations to channel aid into the region. Since then, our work in the region have mostly been providing grants to the rebuilding initiative in Aceh. Since January 2005, we have distributed over $8 million dollars to local NGOs and communities.

A little bit about what I'll do out there...

I will be the Regional Office Manager based in Banda Aceh and be responsible for all aspects of managing the Aceh Province field offices including supervising 11 local staff and overseeing the guest house. The house lives 20 people, so it will be like managing a frat house! On a more serious side, I will also act as the company rep in Aceh and interact closely with the international organizations and NGOs.

Currently, I'm slated to be in Aceh for 6 months. If all goes well, I may be out there for an additional 6 months. I'm very excited about the opportunity and about joining a fantastic team out there. It will be a very different, with Aceh being VERY Muslim and conservative. Although headscarves are not mandatory, I will have to pretty much cover my arms and legs while I'm out. Also, no alcoholic beverages in Aceh. I may ask some of you to DHL me some potent potables. =)