I spent the day at TEWA. It was a wonderful organization, filled with friendly people. My first hour was determining their needs. It soon became apparent that they needed help in marketing. The company has typically been an NGO focused on Fund Raising and Grant distribution. They decided to build a complex with large conference rooms, a cafeteria, a theater, beautiful lawns, and an office building with stores on the ground floor. Their goal is to rent out these buildings / facilities to cover the overhead cost of the organization to assure the sustainability of TEWA.
Meena, the marketing director, is chartered to increase the sales of the facilities, but she has no experience. She is excited to have help developing a marketing plan. Tomorrow I will present an outline of what I hope to accomplish during my 1 ½ months and get approval from top management.
We left early today because one of the chief managers is getting married tomorrow. In her culture, the reception is the night before and the groom does not attend. Everyone got dressed at the office and it was a beautiful sight. All the women were wearing their colorful cotton sari (Guniu). I was in my jeans and two scarves and a sweater and a jacket. They invited me to the wedding dressed like that. I refused because I was not dressed, but they insisted and I went to my first Nepali wedding reception in jeans.The bride was beautiful. We walked in and they were sitting on a couch as a reception area. After formal greetings, we sat in chairs and they brought food around… lots of food… all kinds of food… and I ate. So much for my upset stomach… I am going to regret it tonight. I thought that this was the meal because I did not see anything but chairs. I was wrong. There was a full buffet. So I ate again. Finally was brought back to the hotel on the back of a motorcycle.
I return tomorrow but for now am happy to be under three layers of covers in my bed.
Namaste
I don't know how you do it!! So glad you are blogging! Cathy
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