Thread: Employment Opportunities

Originally Posted by BBC

but instead, I have accepted a direct contract to the UN up until 30 Jun 11. I am now what is called...a UN 'Consultant'. The experience to date with the UN has confirmed my belief that the UN is a huge monolith that moves at glacial speed.

Anyway.....I'm writing this sitting at home in Melb.

Welcome home!!

I know what you mean about the UN, I was very much a victim of the
UN "hurry up and wait" system in east timor in 2000! Incredibly frustrating!
(not to mention there seemed to be a competition to see who could wear a beret in the silliest manner... and every few days there was a new contender!!

Glad things are going well, enjoy your stay and rest...

digger

Glacial is a great description. Did some work with them in Saudi mid-90's and they had some pretty good conditions back then. Good on you for getting the job. Sounds like you have a very good long term plan.

Cheers
David

Also - wrt your TIA acronym, we used to use AWA quite a bit when we lived in Nairobi: Africa Wins Again....

Originally Posted by spudboy

Glacial is a great description. Did some work with them in Saudi mid-90's and they had some pretty good conditions back then. Good on you for getting the job. Sounds like you have a very good long term plan.

Cheers
David

Africa Wins Again....

Yes, can recall that one as well....

Will be spending a lot of time in 'Nai-robbery'...not a bad place, with a beautiful climate.

Will try to get some great Series photos of all the Landy tow-trucks in Nairobi. They are pretty much the same as what is used in Kampala, Uganda.

Saw a classic the other day..without my camera...an S3 rescuing a Toyota LC. I am sure there will be ample opportunity.

BBC - Missed your posts for some time, sorry to read about your loss...

Hope everything is going well now, all the best,

Dave.

Been busy. Finished off my previous contract and then had to travel back to Melbourne to engage onto a UN Consultancy. With the need to get back to Melbourne and then return to Nairobi to attend some compulsory training it only left me with 4 nights at home.

My ‘Love & Kisses’ was deeply engaged in Uni exams at the time. So as to not distract her, I kept the fact I was coming home to myself, and then walked through the door. I then spent the 4 days assisting her as much as I could, ferrying her to and from exams.
Time went all too quickly, then back on a plane to Nairobi; UN travel for that distance is business class!!!

Back into Nairobi and into the bureaucracy that is the UN….eeeesh! Then 4 days on a course at the Peacekeeping Training Course so we can be ‘safe’ in Mogadishu. It was interesting, practical exercises involving mass casualty incidents, hostage situations, road blocks and kids with guns. Interesting being on a course with so many civilians who had never been exposed to that sort of training.

Then, back into Mogadishu. Before, as a 3rd party contractor, travelling around into the various locations in Mogadishu in AMISOM convoys, was up to my judgement. Now, I have to have a note from me Mum and clearance from New York.

Went forward yesterday to a new Forward Operating Base (FOB ) to inspect a newly dug water bore, and see the base in general. I was the very first UN staff into this location. It is a Burundian FOB and, in general, it was in pretty good order.

This shot were taken from the sniper post overlooking the surrounds. This area was taken over with force and still remains contested.



Some locals relaxing:



The bore, down to 144m:








a tidy worksite…not:





On the way home I took this video of some of the typical street life between the University & Airport Bases, travelling via Km 4:

[ame="http://s926.photobucket.com/albums/ad107/jr230898/?action=view&current=DSCN3327-1.mp4"]DSCN3327-1.mp4 video by jr230898 - Photobucket@@AMEPARAM@@http://vid926.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vid926.photobucket.com/albums/ad107/jr230898/DSCN3327-1.mp4@@AMEPARAM@@vid926@@AMEPARAM@@926@@AMEPARAM@@ ad107/jr230898/DSCN3327-1@@AMEPARAM@@mp4[/ame]

The week before I went back to a Training Centre which is currently being built. In my previous job I’d played a part in recce’ing and measuring up the site. Was good to see it coming to fruition.







Something Russian:


This Somali TFG Officer was dressed to the ‘nines’ and obviously proud of his role. He was fluent in Italian and I am sure he’d probably been part of President Said Barre’s regime…before everything went ‘turtle’.




A proud and distinguished man…imagine what he has seen in his life?



My 2nd Xmas in Mog is coming up then, as from 26 Dec, I am out and on my way down to Mozambique to catch up with my wife and one daughter. To spend a couple of weeks with family and, hopefully, do so driving around in South Africa and catch up with some friends.

thanks very much again for yet another update, it is really good to read some on-the-ground reports from a part of the world we would otherwise hear little about -

that old dude with the henna whiskers would sure have seen a bit in his time (couldn't call him a "geybeard")

thanks for the video too... was that carpark towards the end of the vid the airport carpark ? If so, Macquarie Airports are actually missing out on isome income !

... & we're glad you got a replacement camera ...

have a safe trip to Mozambique after Xmas

all the best with your "new" job (the title of this thread conveys quite a bit I guess)

Originally Posted by 87County

thanks very much again for yet another update, it is really good to read some on-the-ground reports from a part of the world we would otherwise hear little about -

that old dude with the henna whiskers would sure have seen a bit in his time (couldn't call him a "geybeard")

thanks for the video too... was that carpark towards the end of the vid the airport carpark ? If so, Macquarie Airports are actually missing out on isome income !

... & we're glad you got a replacement camera ...

have a safe trip to Mozambique after Xmas

all the best with your "new" job (the title of this thread conveys quite a bit I guess)

Thanks.

Yes, the carpark was outside the Aden Abdulle 'International' Airport (not yet ICAO recognised) and no, you don't YET have to pay for parking.

This is a view of every location (the yellow pegs) I have had to travel to in Mogadishu; most of them multiple times:

[IMG][/IMG]

The insurgent centre of gravity (COG) is their control over the economic centre of town, Bakara Market. AMISOM is making ground on them.

Originally Posted by BBC

Will be spending a lot of time in 'Nai-robbery'...not a bad place, with a beautiful climate.

Well, I am off to Nai-robbery myself at the end of the month. Hoping to avoid the robbery bit though.