July 12, 2007

Today at work I got an E-mail from the office manager telling the employees, “For Health & Safety reasons and due to the current high Security level in London we feel it is necessary to let you know what to do in the event of a bomb threat…The procedure will be as follows…”

I love how the minute I get over my fear of a terrorist attack, my office reminds me again of it. I think it’s pretty funny, in a bizarre kind of way. Hopefully I won’t have to use the office’s seven-step evacuation procedure.

All in all, my internship is coming along very well. I’ve been doing a lot of research and number crunching for G.G. One of the organization’s main goals is to provide clients with “cost per life change” statistics. This is the cost of a project (like building a clean water well in Africa for $1,400,000) divided by the number of people the well will help (like 250,000 people in a community). The dollar amount converted into British pounds is £696, 309.56, so that makes the cost per life change amount: £2.79.

I’ve found that on average for the food, water, health and education sectors, the cost per life change is less than $4. It amazes me that the money I typically spend on a Starbucks everyday could save a child from malnutrition and disease in Africa.

July 9, 2007

During my internship at G.G. I’ve learned a lot about the company and its operations. It is actually a for-profit company, unlike many other organizations that help the underprivileged. Instead, G.G. provides independent research and expert insight into clients’ investments and projects, which accounts for the 18 percent service fee. G.G. guarantees that 82 percent of an investment goes directly to the local project.

During my internship I’ve read and learned about atrocities occurring all around the world and how G.G. has intervened. Many G.G. projects deal with human trafficking, and one particular story detailed the rescue of a Romanian woman from slavery. She was tricked into working in another country, her passport was taken, and she had no way to get back home.

Crimes like these are unbelievable, but in reality happen all the time.

While in London I also have seen crime first-hand, watching stories on the news of car bomb after car bomb appearing in the UK.

At first it was startling because in Dallas I’m not really used to thinking about those kinds of things happening. I was worried to ride the tube to work (because of the 2005 tube bombing that killed 52 passengers), but after a few days I got over my fear.

I asked my co-workers at G.G. what they thought about their safety, and they said that they are actually used to hearing about bombs going off because of all the IRA terrorist attacks that occurred in the 1980s.

Some days I am more worried than others. I think my comfort level has to do a lot with the people around me as well. Most of the SMU students here in London aren’t really fazed by the attacks, and that makes me more confident and comfortable going out, riding the tube, and going to busy places.

One really has to go on with everyday life, get over his or her fear, and show up to work on time.