Office Politics

Friday February 26th 2010

Forgetting that the Olympics were on last night, I was sorely disappointed with my lack of an opportunity to relax and enjoy some Thursday night television. I did, however, find some time to head up to the roof to work out for a little bit, which felt good because I hadn't done that in a while.

I've realized that I really don't actually enjoy working out, I just enjoy the feeling of accomplishment that I recieve when I finish with exercising. I liken it to eating vegetables. They certainly aren't the tastiest dish that I prepare, but a very necessary one, and I feel very much like an adult when I prepare a separate vegetable dish for myself. I also think about how it must make my vegan friend Ellen happy when I do that too.

Because I had driven La Batalla yesterday, I got to drive into work this morning. As ridiculous as the morning commute is here in Tegucigalpa, I really enjoy the freedom of having a car. I was able to take my time getting ready, and enjoyed a nice full bowl of Post cereals before leisurely strolling to the car and making my way to the office.

Accidents are still very confusing to me here, and I saw another two on the way to work this morning. One I just saw in my rearview mirror, but the other was when I driver trying to turn left onto a busy road just pulled straight into a car that was stopped at a traffic stop. He just drove right into the second car's driver's side door. They both got out, yelled at one another exchanging blame, and then got back in their cars and drove away. Baffling.

When I got to the office, I had already recieved an email from a co worker letting me know how upset they were about something that another co worker had said about them. They wanted to know if I could talk with them later. A short time after listening to my companion vent, I was asked to look at an email that someone else sent a different member of our office. I spent this whole morning analyzing and helping my friends try and deal with the inner office politics of the CCD. Some of the issues were considerably more serious than others, but several people had concerns today.

I had to keep reminding the advice seekers that not only is this really my first office experience, but that my job requires me to stay out of involving myself with inner office disputes, concerns, or issues. I was heavily warned before I came here that my position as a white male might be seen as leverage that people in the office would use to try and tip the scales in their favor. When I first got here, I didn't really see any of my coworkers capable of using me in that way, but the more and more that I am here, the deeper I can see into the fog surrounding this office.

Again, with this being my first office experience, I'm not sure how much of this is typical, or how much of it is unique to the CCD and our situation here. Either way, I don't like it. I sometimes don't know how Michael Scott puts up with it all.