OSR 12 classmates meet in Kiev, Ukraine

Julie Baker and Linda Knudsen McAusland both happened to be in Kiev, Ukraine last month for different reasons. Linda, a current volunteer with the Peace Corp in L'viv, Ukraine, will share news of her experience in Ukraine in an upcoming newsletter. Julie was visiting as part of her role at PATH, a nonprofit global public health organization. PATH has an office in Kiev where the staff work with the government and local partners to improve health of people throughout Ukraine and in neighboring countries, focusing on health issues and risks such as tuberculosis and avian influenza preparedness.

Julie shares some of her thoughts on the trip to Ukraine and traveling for PATH….

I really enjoy the places I get to travel and the people I get to work with on behalf of PATH. There is always something new to learn and many interesting people to get to know. On this trip, I was traveling with another Seattle colleague, Christine, to provide project management training to our Ukraine colleagues. Training in PATH's field offices is particularly interesting to me because so many of the trainees are trainers and facilitators themselves. I've found that by observing them, even in a participant role, their behavior gives me clear signals on how to modify my facilitation style to be more effective in whatever culture I'm working in. For example, in Ukraine, my normal call to get the participants in their seats after a break - "Alright folks, find your seats we're going to get started." - may not have been as well received as what was demonstrated for me by a participant - "I welcome all my colleagues to join us for the training please." This much more polite invitation resulted in the missing participants rushing to the seats with apologies while the rest of us laughed at the formality of the invitation (or at least that was what I was laughing at.) I've also learned that these details, although small, make a big difference in my credibility and their comfort with me. Christine and I were pleased that by the third afternoon of the training, they were still laughing and allowing us to lead them through the end of the session.

I often encounter new and unexpected things when I travel that make me laugh. On this trip, I learned about central heating in Ukraine. Christine and I were sharing a two bedroom apartment. In our jet lagged state after 15 hours of travel over 14 time zone changes, we searched the apartment high and low for the thermostat control. Confounded and exhausted, we abandoned our search until someone in the office could give us advice the following day. In the end, the apartment got so hot we had to open the windows. The following day, we learned that central heating means that the heat turns on in October and turns off in April (I may have the months wrong, but something like that). The only way to control it - in your home, office, anywhere - is by opening and closing windows. I guess we did find the thermostat control on our own after all!

After only four days in Kiev, I headed to Accra, Ghana to facilitate a 1 day strategic planning meeting. Changing from a wool coat and gloves to sandals and capris, I welcomed the warmth and humidity. Within 48 hours, I was back on the plane returning to rainy Seattle. During this 9-day trip, I spent 40 hours in a plane, and 17 hours in airports. International travel is not without its challenges, but so far the experiences and the relationships have made it worth it.