Sink or swim?

I did not start this Blog with the intention of writing about my work, I write mostly about Brazil as people always ask "what does Brazil look like?", "what are the poeple like?", "where have you travelled to?" However work is a large part of my life here, it occupies most of my time and my thoughts and is in fact the reason why I am here in Brazil, so it seems only right to write a little about it.

I arrived here as a newly-qualified conductor, to a project that had been operating less than six months. I was, by my own choice, thrown in at the deep end and it was a case of sink or swim. I had so much to learn in my first year, I started working alongside another conductor, but within six months I was on my own, sole conductor of the Project Com Amor, and that is the way it has stayed for the last two years. At university I had many mentors and a large support system of other students and conductors, I was never alone. But I found myself straight out of university and my own boss, not everyones cup of tea, but it worked for me. Along the way I have learned so much about team management, I have a team of professionals all with different experiences and qualifications, each one vital to enable success of the project, each one a friend.

In the short time I have been here I have worked with more than 20 families from all over Brazil, each one compassionate for my work and courageous to trust in a profession about which they know little or nothing. Each parent or child I meet I learn a little more and make changes to both my professional and personal habits. I am I teacher, I teach my students, but all the while I too am learning.

During my time here I have designed furniture, designed room layouts, chose wall colours and fixtures, assessed and re-assessed students and staff, designed and redesigned programs, visited students schools, given lectures and workshops, planned social events for those associated with the project and more. I have done many things in a short time, I had to learn fast and the experiences I have passed will help me in my future plans. Speaking to a fellow conductor friend tonight we make plans to meet for the first time and for me to observe her work. When she asked what I hoped to see and do, I reply that I want to watch and learn, I know I still have so much to learn.

I am pleased to say that I did not sink, I swam and still am swimming, each day with a little more ease.

P.S. Thank you Susie for inspiring me to post on my Blog today, even though it is late and I, like you, am tired.