Giving my time

Thinking on the previous post , I want to point out that I always do volunteer work whenever I am unemployed. In my last volunteer position I was supposed to help out with translations and be an interpreter when needed. I ended up instead filing documents, updating databases and doing some number crunching. Overall, I did not enjoy the experience, as has been the case with other volunteer positions.

I think the issue is that I always volunteer in positions related to the hispanic community, and boy, are we fertile folks! Except me, of course. Somehow I always end up with someone's baby on my lap and lots of small talk about parenting.

I don't want to discriminate against my own community, but I really have to stay away for a while. My current work contract is for three months. After that, I'll probably seek another volunteer position, but not as a Spanish interpreter. I'm not sure what I will do, and maybe it's better to put it off until later. Who knows? Maybe this positions turns to be permanent and I get to keep working instead.

Gee, thanks for the reminder

No kidding, tell me something I don't know. That's paper waste, ready to be recycled. I never noticed the sign when I got the bag at the store. Boy am I glad.

I'm tired of the mommy craze. I don't want to sound jaded but I already feel very much excluded from normality. Why all this recent "mom" upheaval?

Last December I volunteered as an interpreter during a workshop. The workshop was not targeted specifically to moms, though it was expected that a lot of mothers would show up, and so daycare was provided.

All the attendees turned out to speak Spanish, so the speaker decided to do the workshop in Spanish, and my services as interpreter were no longer required. But oh, would I mind helping out with the kids? I said clearly that I would rather help with something else. I ended up serving coffee and bagels and distributing instructional materials. So I got to listen in during the workshop. There was a lot of talk about empowering moms, how moms can improve their lot, moms can really succeed, moms can do it, moms this, moms that. I kid you not. This workshop was for anyone, not just moms, but apparently the speaker was really into mommyhood.

Sigh. I should have gone next door and face the kids instead.