Diplomacy over Honesty.

Hi there, today I would like to enlighten you with a journal entry about my work.

That's right, a critical reflection of my work. (Proceed reading with sarcastic overtone)

For the past few weeks I have been shooting emails back and forth to keep in touch with relevant people,
Talked to relevant parties on the phone,
Write up stuff for the event wherever needed,
Visited relevant people wherever necessary,
Do lots of exciting tasks here and there as assigned by my supervisor.

I have this sudden desire to critically reflect on my exciting tasks like sorting out paperwork and typing up documents and such, because it is such an amazing experience that I would need to put it down in pen and paper to immortalize it forever.

Okay.

I have no idea where this mojo came from, but I just want to rant my heart out at this post. I am not very pleased about writing these so-called journal entries, honestly, it's almost I'm banking on something dramatic is bound to happen in my work life. Describe a situation at work, how did you feel about it, yadda yadda. Yawn.

The reality of work is - it's boring, yes you learn a lot during the progress, but I do not see what is there to be gained to reflect on, like, oh hey look I found this cool new feature on Microsoft Word when I was doing this document up for my boss! It was so mentally-stimulating, I am bursting with enthusiasm to write it down on paper to show it to my internship class.

Hahaha, no seriously, I was being sarcastic. I stumbled upon new stuff when I learn, I absorb it, end of story. Ultimately, I have benefited. Difficult people? Everyone deals with them - no need on long-winded elaboration or a blow-by-blow account of how you felt in that context.

This journal thing almost feels like reality TV to me - none of it really has substance, and even if someone did a real good job about it, I would never forget lots of these 'someones' have continuously complained under their breaths that these journals are utterly silly and getting in the way of real work. If they did a good job and complained a lot, it means that they have one hell of a skill by managing to sugar coat things, ending it with colorful icing on top to fool someone. And I correlate this journal-writing thing with reality TV because it's all about how you feel and stuff like that - it's work for god's sake - everyone just wants to get it done and that's it. And the whole internship workshop feels like just smokes and mirrors - everyone is so eager and smiley-faced when asked whether they were pleased with how everything was - and  right after our course coordinator turns her back and leaves the room, wham everyone starts complaining about this and that.

Come on guys, I thought Kiwis are supposed to fare really well on the low-context scale? Be explicit about your thoughts when necessary!

And don't even get me started on the paperwork that needs to be filled, all in the name of protocol. I can't bear it when I see my academic supervisor having to go through the exasperation of going through the amount of paperwork needed. Valia has been extremely supportive towards my internship all this while, to which I am highly grateful - I do not see what good am I doing for her by burdening her with all that paperwork.

And for the sake of sounding diplomatic, I would like to clarify that I have absolutely no problems with the way the internship course is implemented, none at all, because in the name of diplomacy, everyone just needs to contradict themselves in the name of being diplomatic (just imagine how many times you've said: "oh, Tom is sweet and all, but he is such a bastard for -insert misdeed here-".)

Seriously, why even bother sugar-coating when you are really, really dissatisfied with something?

It's all in the name of diplomacy, folks. Diplomacy, because it's a way more important value to uphold than the value of honesty.

I certainly hope I don't get into trouble writing this, because if this is what critical reflection wants of me, this is what I provide.

That is all.