The issue of men (and in particular the lack of attractive single ones) continues to be a constant gripe for the women of Darfur. Since my disastrous experience with the self-absorbed aid worker a few months ago, I've started to work again on Fridays.
I know we're here to work (and trust us, in the absence of the Friday men, we're finding it hard to be dragged away from our desks for even a day), but that doesn't mean we would be adverse to being knocked off our feet by that knight-in-shining-landcruiser.
Most of us, alas, have not had the pleasure.
What's worse, the huge number of intelligent, attractive and interesting women in Darfur have tipped the odds so overwhelmingly in favour of the single boys that it seems the few remaining members of the species hardly make an effort to woo us anymore.
Chat up lines in Darfur have become accordingly dire. A fellow aid worker emailed me recently to complain about this trend, having just been subjected to, "I've seen so much today, I just can't face sleeping alone."
"That's nothing," my housemate sighs when I read out the email to her. "At the last NGO party, I spoke to a guy who tried to lure me over to his guest house by bragging about the super-size box of condoms he managed to get off one of the medical NGOs. Thankfully, he fell asleep on top of the drinks cooler after his fifth cup of Janjaweed juice (highly potent and absolutely vile homebrewed alcohol that is served up at aid worker parties)."
I blame it on the "Darfur goggles", a condition we unfortunately seem to develop whereby one's usual dating standards drop by about a mile and cringe worthy chat-up lines or terrible excuses for not calling somehow become almost cute.
One friend has become so desperate she's approached her human resource manager and demanded proof that her organisation's recruitment for Darfur positions truly corresponds with their gender-balanced philosophy. "Seriously, are there no male doctors and engineers anymore? Why the hell can we only get qualified women into these jobs?"
Enough is enough. I have promised the ladies to note their displeasure and have started asking former male colleagues (in particular hot, single ones) to apply for posts in Darfur. Blog readers fitting this description, please take note and check out Reliefweb.
posted by sleepless in sudan @
10 comments
10 Comments:
I'm going to apply!
You are a lucky. Luckier than you realize!
Respectfully,
John
The problem with these organizations is they want individuals that are Academicly skilled vs. one that is skilled worldly "School of hard knocks".
The following qualification is for an "observer-advisor" in Afghansitan. You actually think someone who is wealthy enough to have a Masters is going to risk their life? I'm sure they'd be more confortable making more money in a safer enviornment.
Don't get me wrong; I know there out there but, they are few and far between.
I've been trying for years to get on with the UN in any peacekeeping mission. Instead I'm hired by "military-contractor" "private security" companies. And all because I do not have a degree.
I don't know, it just seems like a waste to me. I know many men who would jump at the chance to be where you are doing what you are doing but, for what ever reason througout out their lives they never got a piece of paper saying they have a degree. Even though these men have years and years of "real-world" experience making good money elswhere they are turned down.
I would imagine the UN and the different aid organizations are no different than the "private-security" field. It really isn't what you know but, who you know that gets you the job.
Not only that but, with the current way of this world the CIA and other intelligence organizations trys to stick their ugly-bloodthirsty, selfish nose into these organizations anyway they can.
Qualification and Skills required:
An advanced degree (Masters) and at least five to ten years of experience in monitoring and evaluation of development programmes and projects.
Experience in managing development-related projects.
Knowledge of organizational administration.
Experience in working in crisis/post conflict countries.
Knowledge of UNDP corporate tools and ability to represent UNDP corporate goals effectively.
Fluency in English and working knowledge of Dari/Pashto would be an asset.
Excellent writing and communication skills.
With all due respect!!
I'm not angry or attacking you personaly if that's how it comes off. I'm just frustrated at the system.
John!
Don't freak out but, I've posted a picture for you.
You have to visit my blog to see it, though!
No, I'm not stalking ya; I'm just bored tonight and after reading your latest entry thought I'd post a pic for you and my readers.
Have a good night!
John
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
John: I'm certainly no Don Juan, but a word to the wise: there's something fundamentally creepy about beginning a sentence with "no, I'm not stalking you."
And as for the correlation between academic degrees and the willing to risk one's life, I can't say that I agree with you. There is a large number of highly educated men and women willing to eat sheep eyes in Tajikistan or be caught between a Maoist-shaped rock and a hard place outside of Katmandu.
So while the "school of hard knocks" is certainly nothing to denigrate, having a good grasp of geopolitics and the workings of international law can oftentimes be more helpful than knowing how to throw a hand grenade, particularly since the last time I checked, none of the P-3s at UNDP or Oxfam were shooting a kalashnakov.
Don't worry - 30 year old guys are mostly pigs anyhow (I was one). Your clearly doing something of meaning, and building some interesting life expierences. THere are people lonely all over the world, doing less fullfilling work. Hang in there, and Merry Christmas.
So unfortunate that we- you and myself- have been created in such a way that we cannot stop hoping for a hot man!
Please visist my website - a collection of my inspirations - gofreenow.blogspot.com
I hope you enjoy it!
I dunno if I'm a hot guy or not, let you be the judge of that, but I spent many an evening lying on my bed looking at the darfur sky, whishing I had hot babe in my arms. I'm a nurse, fieldco for msf, and sure, I agree, from a girls point of view, there probably are not enough guys in darfur. I'm here and waiting.
gp
I've been working in South Sudan and the situation is quite different here - the men outnumber the women by quite a large number. I felt like a piece of meat when I first arrived in town. I'm surprised to hear that the women are doing all of the emergency work in Darfur, my experience has been that it's still very much a man's field. I came across this website which I thought you might enjoy: www.humanitariandating.com
Best of luck!
Nice post you'd shared. I like you blog. Keep posting.
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