As you know, I posted the last two trips out of order. So Costa Rica was my third trip as a team member. I already had Nicaragua and Portugal booked for 2008 because they were being lead by the inimitable Mr Terry (Matao) Mattson my very good friend. But at this point I wanted to lead my own team and try to extend the good work being done by other leaders within HfH.
To this end I approached HfH International in the USA and explained what I wanted to do. I was told that maybe I should approach HfH GB as I am based in the UK. Even after all the time I had spent on HfH projects and trawling through their web site. I did not know HfH GB existed. I had never heard of them in the UK. If you mention Habitat here, people immediately think of the furniture store of the same name.
So after locating the GB arm of HfH, I applied to become a team leader with them. Their mode of operandi is different to that of HfH International. They only have about 6 open trips a year, no team leader involvement in creating the team. The trip is sold as a package and the team leader is no more than a tour rep, with less responsibility. That said. They do a great job. The projects are the same as HfH I projects, the teams still work their socks off to complete the task. And they do a great job. For me, I preferred the International way. So much more involvement, not only in putting the team together but also choosing a destination, working with the in country affiliate to put the project together. So much more rewarding and I believe a better experience for the team members.
But that said, I did my training and became a team leader for HfH GB. I was initially offered a team to Ethiopia. Great I thought, and accepted. As I started to get excited about Ethiopia and began researching the country, HfH GB changed their mind and offered me India. Ok so that's fine I thought and waited just in case they changed their mind again.
They didn't, and that is how I took my first trip into the depths of India. In doing so, I fell in love with the country and it's people.(for that I have to thank them) Not quite so the organisation of HfH GB. and that was the first and last trip I was involved in for them. To summarise, I was not sure some of the people who took part in the trip actually knew much about Habitat or it's ethos, or in one case why they were even there. But in every team there are a few people who shine through. One of these team members has returned on one of my Projects since, and is currently booked on another in 2013. He had previously been on another trip with HfH GB and certainly understood why he was there. A great guy and a pleasure to have on any of my trips. Another completely surprised me. At the time I thought he was quite disappointed with the trip but I now believe he and others were swept along on the misguided thoughts and opinions of one female member of the team. I was obviously wrong about him because he became a team leader for HfH GB and continues to lead trips when they are offered. In fact it was only one team member who caused the problems that disrupted the team as a whole and maybe I was not yet experienced enough to deal with it. But I soon learnt.
Upon returning from India, I approached HfH International and explained why I wanted to work with them and not GB. Fortunately they understood my reasoning and my next stop was Chicago for team leader training International style. But I am jumping the gun a bit here. It is still 2007 and I am heading for Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu Southern India.
Stay tuned for Kanyakumari 2007
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