Logistics Response Training – Preparing for a major humanitarian crisis.

Whenever a major disaster, or conflict, strikes somewhere in the world, a significant humanitarian crisis can occur. In order to respond, thousands of humanitarian actors deploy to the affected areas to manage the crisis. It goes without saying that the logistics coordination required during these periods of disaster is complex and demanding. It’s for this reason that the UN and groups of NGO’s came up with the concept of the “Cluster”. A ‘Cluster’ is a group of organisations joining together to provide the best, coordinated, response to a humanitarian crises. There are different types of Clusters and the one I was recently involved with was the Logistic’s Cluster. The Logistic’s Cluster is led by the World Food Programme (WFP) and draws on a considerable number of Logisticians from various other UN Agencies and NGO’s. They run a special Logistics Response Team training course in Brindisi, Italy, and I was privileged to be selected for the 11th training course (LRT11).

The course was based on a simulated 7.2 magnitude earthquake in a poor country that is suffering from conflict – it doesn’t get much worse than that. Over 1 million people were affected, with 100,000 killed and 500,000 in need of urgent lifesaving assistance. The scenario was very realistic and for a whole week we were immersed in a simulated humanitarian crises. Within the first 24 hours we had to carry out a needs assessment and make a recommendation to the Humanitarian Coordinator whether a Logistics Cluster should be set up. We quickly assessed a number of gaps and needs that required to be bridged and they included: Land and Aviation transport, Warehousing, and Logistics Information coordination. There were 11 of us in the team, all drawn from different backgrounds and different organisations. Some of us spoke English as our first language, but some did not. There were 21 Agencies who were playing the roles of participants requiring to get aid to the people of the mythical country, Brinland. We were required to meet with all of them, organise assets, respond to their requests, develop plans, deal with other emerging issues, including the deteriorating Security situation, intermittent IT, conflicting information, and harsh living conditions.

No nice Hotel for me! We were all housed in portacabins which we slept in, showered in, and worked in. We averaged around 4 hours sleep a night as we struggled to develop ourselves into a coherent, functioning, Logistics Cluster. Within the first 24 hours I had helped write our Concept of Operations (CONOPS) and commenced planning how we were going to bridge the various gaps in the Supply Chain. We had endless meetings with the various agencies on the ground, as well as trucking companies, warehouse providers, the airport company, local cargo haulers, and a very difficult government minister who’s unreasonable demands and tantrums were expertly played by one of the WFP facilitators.

Throughout the week we had run-ins with the local military and customs, and at one point half of our team was kidnapped by armed soldiers. We struggled with endless communications difficulties particularly because our team was split in two and we had to work remotely from each other for the first 3 days. Sleep deprivation meant that simple tasks became very difficult and simple mistakes were made, particularly towards the end.

Once we had an agreed CONOPS’s we secured trucks, helicopters, and temporary warehouse facilities in a number of strategic hubs throughout the country. We then developed Standard Operating Procedures (SOPS) for all 21 participating agencies to use when they wanted to move cargo to the Distribution points for the people in need of assistance. We also had to develop an Appeal for funding, and considerable time was spent gathering information on costs for labour, trucks, helicopters, communications, electricity, food for us, petrol for our vehicles, and other costs that we incur when we run these operations. Once we had put together a budget, I was tasked with putting together a presentation to Donor Governments seeking the money to fund our operation.

Initially, I thought I would only be presenting to the WFP facilitators, but I was shocked to discover that they had arranged from real donors to be at the presentation. I worked very long hours on the Thursday night to try and get a simple, but powerful presentation together and as the hours slipped away into the early morning, I was becoming more stressed at the thought of falling on my face. It was a very demanding time. I did not have sufficient information, and the information that I did have, was contradictory and the facts were hard to obtain. Supported by an outstanding team of very experienced and professional logisticians I was really pleased when I finally pulled it together.

On the final morning of the course a number of senior government officials arrived at the camp to get an overview of the training and to participate in the Donor Brief. They were primed with a number of difficult questions and they really put us through our paces. I was surprised at who was present, including Karen Johnson, the US Charge d’Affaires to the UN. I provided my formal presentation and ended with a plea for $12.1 million dollars based on our needs assessment. Micaela, my colleague, did an awesome job answering the tough questions and together we pulled it off. All of the Donors provided excellent feedback and all of them agreed to provide the funding (simulated only, unfortunately, I didn’t see one cent of it). Afterwards, when we got the opportunity to meet with the Donors in an informal setting, the US Charge d’Affaires mentioned to me that our presentation had been as good, if not better, than real ones she had attended. I was over the moon and finally realised all our hard work had paid off. Of course all the hard work was put in by the great team that I was working with. Irving, Micaela, James, Bryan, Alison, Judit, Modher, Rizwan, Max, and Loic are a great bunch of highly skilled, caring, funny, and decent people. I can’t wait to work them again.

A couple of the team who have been deployed to Haiti for that terrible Earthquake told me that the week was very realistic. I received excellent feedback from the facilitators and I am now on a roster to deploy should a real crisis occur somewhere in the world. It certainly makes all the hard work seem worthwhile, but I hope I never have to deploy. Whilst I will do so willingly, it’s not an experience I would wish to endure any time soon.

I’m now back in Jerusalem in the warm, with a little cat rubbing at my legs. Life is certainly good, and the experiences I continue to have are nothing short of outstanding, fulfilling, and awesome.

Yet another urgent meeting a Stupid O’Clock in the morning.

The boss (Bernard) providing a serious overview

I’m not very religious but…

I am not a regular church goer, and I lost my faith in the Catholic Church many years ago, but occasionally I do feel at peace at Mass. I do not understand why, nor do I try to figure it out.

Karen and I thought that whilst we were here in Jerusalem, that we should make an effort and learn about some of the more interesting traditions and the history of the region. Religion, as much as we detest the miserable role it has played in so many people’s lives, features very strongly here and today, being Good Friday, is no exception. We were warned to keep clear of the Old City, as today is an especially busy day for Christianity. Last night, over 2000 years ago, in the Garden of Gethsemane, which is about 15 minutes from our apartment, Christ was arrested by the Romans at the urging of the Jewish hierarchy. Today, 2000 years ago, he was Crucified on Mount Golgotha. Today, as in today, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre (not the Holy Septum, as one confused lady in Christchurch put it – thanks for telling us that Paula!) stands on the spot where Christians believe Christ was put to death. Being warned to stay away, due to protests, crowds, and threats of violence from competing religions (they’re so nice here), we decided to stay close to home, but I realised that I needed to change some money so we ventured out to our favourite money changer on the Arab side and we found ourselves 15 meters from the Old City. We saw very few people, so decided to wander in and have a look around.

After spending awhile, and my newly changed cash, of which we purchased a hat, a juicer, and our very first Hubbly-Bubbly Smoking Pipe which, incidentally, we have taken to smoking on the odd occasion, we wandered closer and closer to the Christian Quarter. Upon entering the square of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, we realised that there were not that many people. It was busy but for a Good Friday, I was really surprised at how easy it was to get into the Church, We actually made it all the way up to the Alter of the Crucifixion, an incredible golden chapel that Christians believe is the very place where Christ was crucified.

We then spent some time standing at Christ’s Tomb listening to the singing of the Hymns by the gathered religious types. It was quite nice and was an interesting way to spend a couple of hours. To be in such an historic place seemed a bit strange, but we are slowly getting used to living in this incredible part of the world. I wish I could share it with some of my family and friends.

On Sunday, we intend to go to St Stephen’s (appropriate) for Mass in French. That will be another experience.

Tomorrow, due to the incredible weather (it’s in the low 30′s now) we will go to Jaffa (Just south of Tel Aviv) and have a swim in the Med. I miss the sea.

My Fleet Manager, Afram, has invited us for a Bus tour of Northern Israel on Monday. We are to join him and his brother at Mt Scopus Hotel for breakfast at 6.45am then we will head off to Tiberius, Haifa, and Galilee for the day. I have only really looked around the Occupied Palestinian Territories so far, mainly for work reasons, so having a bit more of a look at Israel should be interesting too.

Good Friday outside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre

A Priest showing around some visitors to the Church of the holy Sepulchre

Christ’s Tomb on Good Friday.

The Hookah and the Juicer…

Alter of the Crucifixion, lots of people touching the rock, under the Alter, where Christ was Crucified.

Qumran – The Dead Sea Scrolls

In 1947 two Bedouin shepherds found a cave in this area and discovered some old papers stored in some old clay pots. Over the years, many pots and caves later, it was realised that these papers, or scrolls, were significant and began to be studied. It is believed the Scrolls were written by the Essenes, a breakaway Jewish Group who studied their scriptures and were very devout. They lived in the hills, that are just out of Jerusalem, next to the Dead Sea. There is lots of debate around the scrolls, who wrote them, and what they mean, but they have been dated to around 250 BC and 68 AD. Experts believe the Scrolls shed light on the sources of Jewish wisdom and literature and some of them provide the background for the beginning of Christianity and so they are considered very vital for both Jews and Christians alike.

What’s quite exciting for us, is that Karen has joined a group called the Jerusalem Expat’s Network, or JEN. JEN is a networking group and they do lots of different and exciting things. Karen has always had an interest in archeology and as a result of her contacts in JEN she is working with the French Bible and Archeological School which is run by the Dominican Monks. They are currently working on putting together the Dead Sea Scroll Pots for the Rockefeller Museum. Karen has been working on a massive jigsaw type thing (it’s been doing her head in) but to actually be touching and working with such ancient history, is really special. When we found out that Qumran was so close to us (40 minutes from the Apartment) we had to go.

Only 40 minutes from Jerusalem, Qumran is an easy destination and a great way to spend a few hours during the weekend. It only cost a few Shekels to get in and the veiws are amazing. We could see right over the Dead Sea to Jordan and we had a great look around and a very interesting climb up to some of the more remote caves.

After our climb and look around, we headed about 2kms up the road and went to a beach side resort for a swim in the Dead Sea. It’s still quite cold here, but the temperature at the Dead Sea is around 25 Degrees. The Sea is 400m below Sea Level and is always much warmer the Jerusalem. It was a nice swim and our skin always feels amazing after being soaked in the mineral laden water and mud. We are so lucky we live so close to this wonder.

On our way home we popped into Jericho and had a quick look around. We want to go back there as we still need to have a proper look around. Heading back out past the Checkpoints we stopped at a roadside restaurant and had traditional Arab BBQ. A massive meal with Hummus, Bread, Salads, Fries and beautifully spicy and succulent chicken, all for less than $9.00 each. We really consider ourselves to be so fortunate to live in this wonderful part of the world. Whilst some of the attitudes are disappointing, we have never been treated rudely or with hostility by any of the Arabs living here, even though some of their living conditions are very harsh.

Karen climbing the Mount near where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found.

Karen in front of the Aquaduct which fed the small number of buildings near to the caves where the Scrolls were found.

The Bedouins threw a stone into this cave and heard the sound of breaking pots, so they investigated and found the first of over 900 Scrolls.

Climbing up to some of the caves was a bit tricky. Next time we’ll come more prepared as it’s an awesome view.

Looking down towards Wadi Qumran

There are no safety rails and whilst the path is marked, it’s a bit dodgy. Still, lots of fun.

Looking towards Jordan over the Dead Sea

It’s a long way down. One false step and it’s all over. To give you an idea of the height, those cave entrances at the bottom of the cliff, are about twice the height of a person.

Living and Working here for nearly 1/4 of a year!

It does not seem like it, but I have been here nearly 3 months and despite the busy workload, I can honestly say I have never been happier nor more excited about what I am doing. It has been made even more wonderful by the arrival of Karen, Ned and Nessie (our two cats) who are all settling in to life here in East Jerusalem.

From a work perspective, I remain very busy. Working 9 to 10 hour days, and a few hours every weekend, is demanding but it is great to see results and knowing that we are making a positive impact on the people that we are here to support. There is a lot of work to do on changing some of the outdated processes but over time I am confident I can make some positive impacts. I have already commenced a review on some of our business processes and I am encouraged by the generally positive response from my team.

A few days after Karen arrived I visited the Warehouse Operation that I manage in the Northern part of the West Bank. Fortunately Karen was able to come and as this was her first visit into the heart of the West Bank, it was quite exciting for both of us. Nablus is a wonderful place to visit and we were absolutely spoilt by the Area Officer and my deputy who shouted us lunch, and showed us around many fascinating areas. It was extra special, knowing that not many Westerners visit here, because it is well within a supposedly dangerous part of the West Bank. We both really enjoyed the visit and felt very safe. We even went into the old city of Nablus, which had been badly bombed during the second Intifada (between 2000 and 2005). We visited a Cafe where they specialise in Kenefe and it was delicious.

In Nablus they make the most outstanding sweet called Kunefe. Here it is being produced.

However, we were not actually there just to eat. We also visited the Warehouse in Balata (some work to be done there), and one of UNRWA’s Health Clinics in Qalqilya. We had a great chat to the Director (Doctor Hashash) and he took valuable time out of his day to show us around his hospital. He was justifiably proud of what he has achieved and I was pleased when he asked me for help on a few issues. I am pleased to report that on my return to the Field Office, I was able to sort out most of his problems. His biggest one, though, is the lack of an Ambulance. Apparently, the old one broke down, and the Israeli’s have put restrictions on them obtaining a new one. This is one of the sad realities of life in the West Bank, and it is hard sometimes to understand why there are certain restrictions. Both Karen and I are keen to go back up there soon, and I am planning on visiting all the regions as often as possible.

One of the other highlights was my visit to Gaza in February. It is a pretty tough existence down there, but the UNRWA staff make the best of it and we had a very nice day and night with them. Karen had not arrived at this stage, but even if she was here, due to the security situation, she is not allowed to enter the zone. However, I still had a great time. During the day we did a fantastic tour of the whole region and I was really impressed visiting a school, hospital, food distribution hub, and the Training Centre. Again, the Area Officer was very impressive. His knowledge, passion, and energy was just outstanding and it was a real privilege to accompany him as we visited the most tragic refugee cases and discuss their challenges. There are many positive things happening in this region, notwithstanding the horrible nature of the existence of this area. Being right next to the Mediterranean, it is deceptively beautiful, but the reality of life here is very tragic. The locals are not allowed to move in or out of the region and it is surrounded by a solid fence and armed guards. There are rocket and mortar attacks almost on a daily basis and the Israeli’s regularly bomb the area to kill suspected insurgents. Of course many civilians are caught up in the destruction, and the inevitable results are saddening. There seems no end to the violence, and the feeling is that this part of the complex web of conflict will last for many years to come. The sad prediction is that the situation, not only in Gaza, but in the West Bank too, is most likely to get worse before any lasting peace is achieved.

Food distribution operation being carried out in Gaza.

I also carried out a quick visit to Amman for the day to carry out Contract Negotiations with one of our suppliers. It was nice to catch up with colleagues in the HQ and I supplied a stash of coffee to Andrew, who gratefully accepted it. The grind of getting in and out of the West Bank can be exhausting due to the overly pedantic and pointless processes of the Israelis but each time I become more adept at the ritual and in time it will seem normal. I have a couple of friends in New Zealand who I know would never stand for the bullshit and would most likely explode at the border due to the inane and senseless things you have to do. For example, we have to drive through a number of gates. All our details are checked and we are given a little coloured bit of paper that is promptly thrown away at the next gate when we are handed another little piece of paper. They also carry out a head count of people in the car between each gate, as if we may have magically beamed someone into the car during our 20 meter journey between gates! When we arrive at the terminal we have to go through a normal customs clearance process (no problems with that) then go to an office and be registered and checked against some list, we are handed a piece of coloured paper and then go to another office where a man painstakingly records the details of the vehicle we are driving and then we have to go back the first office and get another piece of paper showing that we have received the necessary pieces of paper, then we have to present ourselves at a box where someone will hopefully give us the necessary blue piece of paper, in exchange for all the other bits of paper we have very recently collected. All of this seems to confirm that we have received lots of paper and we are now cleared to drive through another gate, where the blue piece of paper is carefully checked and placed in a rubbish bin. All of this is generally achieved with a scowl and a rude grunt (sometimes real words are used) by the young border guards. Sometimes, we do come across a good one, who laughs and jokes with us, sharing in the sense of the absurd, and that makes us feel a bit better. I realise they have a job to do, but they could do it so more efficiently and still achieve their security aims, without too much bother, but I have noticed that ‘process’ and ‘compliance on meaningless process’ are far more important than achieving an effective outcome. Arriving on the Jordanian side is much more pleasant. The guards there too have their processes, but they are more efficient, happier, and polite and we are soon on our way. It is daunting getting across the border the first couple of times, but I am told that, in time, I will be expert at it.

In the last couple of days I have been informed that I have been selected for a training course with the World Food Programme in Brindisi, Italy, in mid April. The course is a real time exercise aimed at training specific UN personnel on how to react to a large and developing crises. A number of UN Agencies have joined together and are called the Cluster (may be appropriate) and the World Food Programme is the Logistics Cluster lead. My role, as a student, will be to help plan a response to a pretend disaster and then put our plans into action. The course is run over 7 days, and I get some sort of accreditation which will help with future employment opportunities and will come in handy if we are faced with the real thing. At this stage I am planning to stay on for a few days after the course and fly Karen over for a bit of a break. It should be fun.

The most exciting part of the last couple of months has been Karen’s arrival, followed very quickly by our two seasoned little travellers Neddie and Ness. Karen’s trip got off to a false start when her flight was delayed 24 hours in Auckland. Emirates were wonderful and put her up in a lovely hotel and she even found time to visit a couple of friends in Devonport. It was a lovely way for her to leave NZ. Unfortunately though she ended up arriving into one of the worst weather events in the Middle East in 20 years.

Her original arrival date was supposed to coincide with the final day of a conference I was attending at the Dead Sea, Jordan (most pleasant, by the way). The plan was that Julie (our friend in Amman) would pick her up from the Airport and bring her to the hotel where she could sleep for the afternoon. At the end of the conference we would be reunited and spend a lovely night at the resort then travel back to Jerusalem the following day. Unfortunately, with her delayed departure from NZ, she actually arrived on the day I had to return to the West Bank. Not to be phased by this, we arranged for a UN Driver to pick her up and deliver her to us near the Border and then we would head home. However, it snowed a little bit in Amman and people panicked and all driving was cancelled for UN personnel. No one bothered to tell us this (it was 18 degrees at the Dead Sea) and we did not realise what was happening. By the time we understood that no one was going to pick her up, she had been anxiously waiting at the airport without knowing what she was to do. Seizing some passer-by’s phone (her’s was no longer working) she called me and we quickly conferred. Fortunately, my boss in the HQ offered to get in his car and pick her up from the Airport and drop her at the Border. He received two bottles of wine in exchange for her, and he seemed satisfied that this was a reasonable deal. No sooner had he deposited her, we were on our way and back across to exchange more bits of paper with the Israeli Border Guards. No amount of frustration could dull our excitement at seeing each other again and we had a great trip back, nattering away like old buddies reunited. It was such a happy day.

Karen's first day in Jerusalem. She couldn't believe it, until I threw a snowball at her.

Exhausted, but a trooper to the end, Karen got up the next day and we headed to Tel Aviv Airport to meet Ned and Nessie who had just spent the best part of three days travelling from Wellington, to Melbourne and Singapore, with an overnight stay in London. After a very long and frustrating delay at the Airport (more paper) they emerged blinking and confused, but very happy to see us. We then returned to our apartment and started the process of building our home again. After 3 weeks, all three of them, have settled in very well. The Cats do not seem interested in going outside, which is good, because we are on the second floor and the wild cats are plentiful and tough, so they are both better off curled up on the couch in the afternoon sun.

Karen has joined the Jerusalem Expats Network (JEN) and has been on a couple of really interesting local tours already. She has been to her first meeting with the expat ladies and signed up for everything that was on offer, including the book club, and on Tuesday she did a visit to the Churches of the Mount of Olives.

The Church of St Mary Magdeline on the Mt of Olives. Karen and her ladies from JEN visited here the other day.

Next week she is making Easter Eggs and then having lunch with the Network ladies. The JEN is a great way for UN partners and wives to get to know each other and their new home. I am a bit jealous because pretty soon, Karen will know more about the area than me, but at least it gives us some great ideas for things we can do at the weekends.

The next big event for us is for me to go back to Amman in early April for more meetings, and then we have the arrival of our sea freight from New Zealand. We will finally be able to make the apartment more like home. Then I am off to Italy and then it’s May! The weather has still been quite cold, and surprisingly wet, but as the weeks move forward, we can definitely see a change in the weather as it slowly warms up. We are looking forward to summer here in our new home.

Our apartment in East Jerusalem, Sheikh Jarrah. All the buildings have to be built with this sandstone, which makes them all a bit the same, but inside it is nice.

We went for a 15km walk on Saturday and found the Garden of Gethsemene where Christ was arrested. This is the Church they built in the Garden.

We visited Bethlehem. This is the Church of the Nativity, built on the grounds of the stable where Christ was born - they say. I got this photo just at the right time of day.

Ned ensuring the back of the Couch is up to his standards.

Nessie deciding that this could be a good place to hide

The first 3 weeks

Well, the first three weeks have flown by quite quickly. I’ve moved out of the hotel and into our apartment. I’ve been for my first trip into the Occupied Territories, and I’ve become more familiar with my immediate neighbourhood. It’s been a slow, but steady journey, and I am very much taking one day at a time, and I am quite enjoying it. There are challenges and oddities, but overall I am still very positive and I have not regretted for one moment my decision to leave the Navy and start a new life here. Karen, Ned and Nessie are constantly on my mind, and I miss them a great deal, but Karen and I speak regularly and we are both in a very positive frame of mind.

A few of my vehicles

From a professional perspective, I am finding the job quite interesting, but certainly not as technically challenging as my previous job in New Zealand, as Supply Chain Commander. The role here is much more basic, in terms of the types of things we deal with. We have a quarterly Distribution Programme where we take delivery of food, package it, and then distribute it to the registered refugees in the various camps in the Occupied Territories. We receive our funds, primarily from Donors, and when we have enough money we work with the Relief Department to identify the needs. Mingled in with this quarterly project, is the Emergency Relief and we also assist the World Food Programme with their requirements.

I have found myself signing hundreds and hundreds of documents, in what is a very manual and process intensive operation. The amounts I am dealing with are very small in comparison to my previous $2m delegation, but nonetheless, it is still important work. My team are all very proficient but as expected there have been some issues relating to misunderstandings primarily through different expectations and styles. However, I have spoken with my section heads and they are fully supportive. Differing values, cultures, language, and resistance to change, all factor into my day-to-day work. Process and status play a large role here. Meetings are dominated by sweeping, grand statements. Action Points, Measures, Performance Indicators and Deadlines do not seem as important. This is something quite foreign for me, and there have been occasions when I have had to lower my expectations, but also there are times when I have been pleasantly surprised by the excellent job that does get done. Overall, it’s just a different way of doing business; a bit long-winded and drawn out, but not the end of the world either.

My first trip into the Territories was for a fairly mundane meeting on Fixed Assets. I have a Support Section in Ramallah, which is a focal point for delivery of supplies that are purchased from within the Territories. We also have a small garage and warehouse there, so we can continue to operate as effectively as possible. It was interesting driving from East Jerusalem into the territories. We had to go through an Israeli Checkpoint, but in our UN Vehicle and with our ID’s there were no problems, and in fact mostly there are not too many hold ups. Occasionally, our buses bringing our staff to and from work are stopped, or if there is an issue, they can be delayed, and sometimes many of my staff don’t make it into work on time.

We’ve had a few successes recently and my team can be justifiably proud of their efforts. For twenty years we have been waiting for some approval, certificate, bureaucratic signature, or something, to allow us to commence building a girls school in the Territories. Late last week we had confirmation that the paper work had been approved, and so building can commence. I am just waiting for the certificate to arrive on my desk, and then I will process this weighty contract for the Director’s signature and building can commence. There were many very happy people when the news came through.

My Fleet Manager has proudly put together a Driver Safety campaign and he is busy travelling the region scaring drivers into submission with his gruesome photos of smashed cars and horror stories about dangerous driving. I was shocked when I first arrived at the number and regularity of vehicle accidents, and I confess, I have yet to get behind the wheel of a car. I will, I promise, but some of the driving here is quite worrying.

Our office block was destroyed by fire last year and we recently moved into a new building. The Commissioner General of UNRWA visited and cut ribbons, made speeches, and viewed offices. When he saw mine, he turned to me and said that it was better than his, so I am wondering how long I will be allowed to inhabit it.

Last week a small delegation of Material Inspectors arrived in my office and invited me to breakfast the following day. It seems to be a normal event that at around 10am people break away from work, and have a meal. I was pleasantly surprised by their generosity and when I arrived they had all their staff standing to attention (sort of) and this lovely spread of food laid out. They had paid for it themselves and it was nice to spend some time getting to know them a bit better. Of course, the conversation was eventually, and deftly, manoeuvred to the issue of pay and allowances. I tactfully threaded my way through the thorny subject and spoke in a more pronounced and quicker Kiwi accent in order to throw them off the scent a bit. It seemed to do the trick when I saw their eyes glaze over.

Where I get most of my food from

From a personal perspective, finding an apartment close to work and within walking distance of shops and restaurants was a nice achievement. The apartment is only small, and there is no real room outside for the cats because we are on the second floor, but I am hoping they will get used to being inside cats and we can take them onto the roof from time to time. This apartment is not the one that I mentioned in the last post, but it is a little nicer, warmer, and safer too. The UN Security people have checked it out and they have given it the OK. It is in Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood and is owned by the Husseini Family. They are a Palestinian family who have lived in the region for centuries. They own a large block of land, which has not been appropriated, unlike lots of Arab Land here. The neighbourhood is primarily populated by Embassy and Consulate Staff, so it is very safe and quite nice. I think Karen and the Cats will be happy.

The apartment living room

I am slowly finding my way around and my Real Estate Agents have been fantastic. They have got my Internet up and running, taken me shopping, cooked me soup, rang me up and asked how I am doing, and generally made me feel really welcome.

As for shopping, I have purchased towels, bath mats, food, and cleaning gear and that’s all I seem to need. I have found a really nice little superette about 5 minutes from our place that sells alcohol free beer, Soya Milk, and very cheap fruit. In fact I bought a weeks worth of fruit for less than $NZ7.00! Language foul-ups tend to dominate, and when I asked the shopkeeper for Pepper, I was presented with Capers. I slowed my speech, and loudly announced “Pepper” to him, and he nodded, and exchanged my jar of Capers with an identical jar of Capers. Exasperated, I started making shaking actions with my hand, which looked suspiciously masterbatory, and there were concerned looks from the staff. I then said to the Shopkeeper, “It’s goes with Salt, on the table” and he then gave me a jar of salt. I told him “No, I want the other thing that goes with Salt” and so he gave me sugar. It was at this point that his young son announced something and disappeared over the road to the opposition’s store. The shopkeeper and I stood there trading condiments and sexually suggestive hand signals until his son returned with a small tupperware container with the sacred pepper inside. It was a moment of triumph but the shopkeeper still insisted on putting his bloody jar of Capers into my shopping bag. I’ve never eaten Capers and I’m never going to, so I handed them back and he looked most upset. The incident has become known as The Caper, Caper. I am sure they’ll be many more.

Last night my boss from Amman visited and we all went out to dinner to a restaurant about 5 mins from the apartment. It is lovely and I can see Karen and I really enjoying eating out and getting to know the neighbourhood. It will be quite exciting.

At the moment, we are working on getting Karen’s Visa from the Consulate in Wellington, and once that’s approved, the UN will organise her flights. Hopefully, we can get Ned and Nessie on the same flight, so Karen can be with them all the way. This will mean we only have to go to Tel Aviv Airport once to pick up the family. I’ve also heard that the Israeli’s love animals, so they should make the process of getting the cats in quite easy, but then again some Israeli’s have been extraordinarily rude too.

Fingers crossed that we’ll get some good news and then Karen, Nessie, and Ned will be on their way. I am sure there will be some cock-up to test our resolve, but I am equally sure we will find a way to deal with whatever comes our way.

Balcony off our room

First Week in East Jerusalem

It’s always difficult starting a new job, with new processes, people, terms, acronyms, and ways of doing business, but starting in a new country on the other side of the planet, away from Karen and the cats, and familiar surroundings has been a real challenge. However, I am pleased with how my first week has gone. Karen and I both agreed before I left, that no matter what, we will always try to remain positive about this new phase of our lives and we will look beyond our own fears to the possibilities of fun and adventure, and this strategy has paid off.

I arrived in Jerusalem last Sunday and despite some initial trepidation I maintained my positive outlook and have really embraced this new world. It is a slow process and venturing out of the hotel is one of the first things I did this last week. I didn’t go far, just a couple of km’s up to French Hill for a look around and to use the ATM, which promptly rejected my card. So for the first few days I was without any money, however the UN took care of that and I have been advanced a small amount to get me through.

I am still battling my inevitable cold, but it is not so bad that I can’t function. I am making good use of the Hotel Gym and I am beginning to sleep better, although I do wake at around 3.00am most mornings. Then I am woken again at around 4.45am as the local Mosque commences it’s call to prayers. The call fades out at around 5.00am and then comes back with a vengeance at around 5.15am – it must be to hurry up the late-comers!

I am up at around 6.00am for a few push-ups and sit-ups and into the shower. Then it’s down to breakfast that consists of a strange mix of food. Vegetables, sour cream, cottage cheese, cheese, cold meats, and bread are common for breakfast as well as cereal and yoghurt. The coffee is weak and I desperately miss a good Flat White – there would be a killing to be made here if some enterprising Kiwi were to open a proper coffee shop, although I have yet to explore the whole neighbourhood and I may be surprised yet.

I am staying at a nice hotel called the Ambassador. It is in the Suburb of Sheikh Jarah and is only about 12 minutes walk to the UNRWA Compound where I work. It is cold here, but not any colder than a New Zealand Winter. The locals tell me that it is unusually cold and we may have snow. It snows very occasionally here in Jerusalem, so I think we will be very happy with the climate in the coming years.

I commence work at around 7.15am and my Secretary, Rihab, has everything ready for my arrival. They have offered to send a car and driver for me each morning and seemed surprised when I told them that I was happy to walk. Rihab has my office heater on, and my daily schedule printed and then she gives me a full brief on what I am to do for the day. I have never once, had to wonder what I am next to do. She is thoroughly efficient and very attentive. She has bought me tissues for my cold, coffee for my addiction, and a caring motherly nature, that makes feel thoroughly welcomed.

My immediate section heads are all long-serving UN staff all from the local area. Most of them are Palestinians who are permitted to work in Jerusalem by the Israeli Government. They are all very experienced and seem to know their jobs very well. I have a deputy called Mustafa, and he is a complete gentleman. My sections are broken into Logistics and Purchasing for the whole of the West Bank UNRWA organisation. Logistics includes a Fleet of over 345 Vehicles, ranging from cars, vans, 4WD’s, Armoured Vehicles, trucks, dump trucks, and other specialist vehicles. We are responsible for coordinating the use of the vehicles across the whole organisation as well as maintenance. I have a maintenance section here in Jerusalem, in Ramallah, and Nablus as well as a mobile maintenance facility that can travel the region carrying out repairs. I have a large number of Drivers and Mechanics who are responsible for operating and maintaining the fleet and I have a number of Dispatchers who coordinate the movements and usage. Afram and Nablis are my Fleet Manager and Vehicle Control Officer, they spend a large amount of time investigating accidents and working with the team to get the best out of our ageing fleet. They are both excellent managers and very eager to show how professional and hard-working they are. I am well served by both of them.

Logistics also includes a number of Warehouse operations from the North of the Region to the South. I have yet to be fully briefed on the Warehouse side of the operation, and I see that appears in my schedule for early next week. However, at the moment, the Jerusalem Warehouse is half full of Rice and Flour. We conduct a quarterly distribution of Food to the most poor in the region, and this is carried out by the other part of my Logistics Operation called “Distribution”. Tony runs all of this, as well as the Fuel Pump, Basic Commodities, and General Warehouse. I am looking forward to working with him as we plan our next quarterly Distribution operation.

The procurement side of the organisation is very similar to my previous role in the Navy when I was managing the Supply Chain. Headed by Faris, they arrange the purchase of all the supplies UNRWA needs to keep itself functioning. It is a large operation but appears to be run very well. Rula is my Contracts specialist and I authorised my first large $4m contract (not for my signature, but for the Director’s) the other day. She explained it very well, and I was very comfortable that the process had been thoroughly examined before we proceeded.

Getting supplies into the West Bank can be problematic as the Israeli Government insists on very tight controls. Therefore, we do need to be very pedantic with our paperwork and clearances. To this end, I am very pleased to have Jane who is my Acting Ports Documentation Officer (PDO). It is a critical role and extremely important. She has been working in this area since 1982. We are in the process of recruiting an International Staff Member for the role of PDO. As I understand it, there are certain restrictions on local staff members when working in Israel, and so having International Officers, like myself, in certain key roles seems to allow the operation to work. It is a difficult concept to understand, but it is what it is, and everyone seems to make the best of the situation.

The final part of my organisation consists of the Admin Section. Rihab, my secretary is assisted by an assistant and my budgets officer, a fully qualified Accountant called Reem, is assisted by another assistant too. I am flush with staff, and they have been doing the job forever, so there are excellent processes in place and the operation seems to run smoothly.

In my first week I met with all my senior staff and they all made me extremely welcome. I had a meeting where I introduced myself and they all asked a lot of questions about New Zealand, my wife, my family, my cats, my shoes, my jacket, and anything else that sprang to mind. Meetings here, involve a lot of talking and gesticulating. There is much repeating of statements, reinforced by sharp hand movements and furrowed brows. This is quite confronting when first experienced and at first I thought people were angry, but I soon realised that they are just very anxious to make a good impression.

I have tried out humour and so far, so good. My first attempt at a joke came when I met with the Mechanics who all immediately insisted on a pay rise. Surrounded by around 20 of them standing in the Motor Transport Section was a little intimidating, but I was very direct with them and told them that I would not lie, and that I would assess each reasonable proposal and forward it to the Director. They appreciated my honesty and then invited me to breakfast – if I could guarantee them a pay increment – I told them it had better be a bloody good breakfast! There was a brief pause and they all burst out laughing and then there was a round of jokes and more laughter. They are a good bunch, who work hard, and are not paid that well, but resources are scarce here and there are, as my Deputy tells me, many hidden soldiers in UNRWA who deserve recognition too. Incidentally, my Fleet Manager, Afram, is a body builder and is a massive man-mountain. He takes it upon himself to accompany me to these meetings, just until I am more sure of myself, not that I have any security concerns, as I have quickly realised that everyone is incredibly friendly and keen to impress.

House Hunting has been busy, and a bit frustrating. The reality is, nothing will be perfect, and we did not expect this, but we are anxious to get a good place in a nice area, away from protestors, near shops, near work, with 2 or 3 bedrooms, and a balcony in the sun for the cats. None of these combined options will bbe possible. The apartments are very different from our ones in New Zealand and none are 100% suitable and all of them are very expensive. I did find a lovely one that is brand new with a balcony in the sun and in a good area that was about $US3000 per month, but due to protest action around the streets, the UN will probably not let us live there. There are certain sensitivities that we must respect. Most of the other places are miserable, or too far away. Last night I found a lovely but very small top floor apartment that is in a perfect location, near shops, and work, but there is no balcony for the cats. So, as a fall back option, and if I can’t find anything else that’s suitable, Karen and I have agreed to ask the Landlord if we can have it for 6 months until something else comes up. The Cats will just have to get used to being inside, but its small and they may go stir crazy. If Karen is not working, she will be at home with them during the day and can take them onto the roof for a play. This is not ideal but the apartment is fully furnished and all the utilities, including Satellite TV, and Wireless Internet are included in the price. It’s an excellent deal, and very tempting. In the meantime, and over the next few days, I will continue to look and if we don’t find anything then we’ll have another talk about this place and make a decision. It will be good to be out of the hotel and fantastic to have our little family all together again. I miss them a lot.

Overall, life is interesting, challenging (but in a good way) and I am very sure that our decision to come here was the right one.

Dinner in the Hotel

Day One

My first day as Field Procurement and Logistics Officer was a bit daunting but very interesting. I have met most of my senior staff, and the Deputy Directors, as well as a brief meeting with the Director. Everyone was very welcoming.

UNRWA Field Office is based in Jerusalem slightly in the West Bank. It’s almost impossible to tell where the line runs and in reality the Israeli’s control the region. I am still learning all the ins and outs, so I will reserve any more comment for another day.

The UNRWA buildings are an interesting hodge-podge of very old, to brand new. Fortunately, or unfortunately, my office had a fire last year so I am in a brand new building. My office is very smart and everything is brand new. Whereas the Director and his team are in an old 1940′s British Police Fort.

I have yet to get my UN ID, so I am required to be accompanied to the office each morning. I could walk from the hotel, as it is only a few minutes away, but in the meantime, I’ll have a driver pick me up.

This morning, my boss picked me up, and he showed me around. The job is surprisingly similar to the one I had in New Zealand when I was running a Supply Chain. The issues, problems, challenges, and successes are very similar in nature. The good news is that I appear to have plenty of staff who are all very experienced and willing. Nothing seems to be a problem, although there are issues that need to be resolved. I have a lovely Secretary, her name is Rihab, and she is very helpful. My Deputy is called Mustafa, and again, he is also extremely helpful. He comes from a village in the West Bank and has already invited Karen and I to visit him and his family. He told me that his house is my house – what a lovely introduction.

Rihab has everything under control. My new office has been completely sorted out, perfectly. She proudly told me that she picked out the new furniture, and it is very nice too. She also provided a timetable of meetings and things I need to do for the following week. Every minute of my day is filled with important events and she keeps me moving from meeting to meeting. Whilst I was talking to Mustafa, a man arrived to install a Water Cooler/Boiler in my office. I can now help myself to hot and cold water and Rihab will get me a mug and has invited me to bring in my own special tea and coffee.

My immediate reports assembled in my office at 1230 for my first introduction. It will be a challenge to remember all their names, as they are all unfamiliar and I will have to work hard to pronounce them. I apologised in advance for any offence and forgetfulness and they all seemed to understand. I was caught on the hop a bit as I had to quickly come up with an introduction, but after a few seconds I rolled on with a bit of history, expectations, work and leadership style, and the feedback and questions from them all was most encouraging. I was pleased, and relieved, to see many smiles and nods as I talked and I tried to ask questions from each of them about their individual areas. A good discussion was generated about a range of issues, and everyone wants more time with me to discuss their issues further.

I have a very large organisation of at least 200 people. They include Port Office, Material Inspectors, Distribution personnel, Supply Control, Warehousing (in Jerusalem, Hebron, and Nablus) and a very large Transport Fleet, including many Drivers and Mechanics. On my first walk around I was amazed at how friendly all the staff were. The Warehouse staff want me to come and have coffee with them, the drivers all smile and shake my hand when I meet them, and the office staff are all extremely polite and pleasant. It is early days, and of course there will be some issues as time goes by, but I hope the professional, polite attitude will prevail.

On top of all this, I am still suffering from Jet-lag and I am fighting the inevitable head cold that seems to get me every time I fly. I am also busy looking for a home to live in and to arrange for Karen and the cats to come up. It’s certainly busy, and challenging but so far, so good.

Brand new office, new desk, new pens, new water cooler, new me!

Arrived

After a very long 34 hours, or so, of traveling I’ve finally arrived at my hotel in Jerusalem. My first introduction to my new job was after I arrived in Amman, where I was issued with a UNLP, or Blue Passport. This allowed me to easily negotiate Jordanian arrival procedures. With bags collected my driver, Mahmoud, took me and one other UNRWA Director to the HQ.

My introduction at the HQ was very pleasant. I met many of the staff members who have been working on my arrival. It was lovely to meet Jumana and the others who have taken excellent care of me. When I met the Head of HR, I passed on my thanks. I also met Neil, the Head of Logistics, and I spent some time catching up with Andrew, my old friend from New Zealand.

After catch-ups and introductions, I was feeling quite jet-lagged, but we still had to drive to the West Bank. This 90 minute drive can sometimes be very difficult if the Israeli Security Personnel are unsure of who you are. We negotiated the Jordanian exit very easily but were confronted by a number of checkpoints, form filling, checking, double checking, and finally a complete bag inspection and passport checking. It took some time, but was pretty painless, and the young Israeli Security staff members escorted me to the front of the queue and moved me along quite quickly. For the uninitiated it is confusing, but I understand the job they have, so I can’t complain.

On arrival at my hotel, I tried to settle in, but was very tired and a bit down. I realise how much I rely on Karen when I am traveling, and I really miss her. But we both know we’re doing the right thing and life here will be interesting.

My new boss, Tim, arrived at the hotel at about 5.00pm and invited me to his house for drinks at 7.00pm. His place is literally 3 minutes walk. I showered, changed and continued sorting my bags for a couple of hours, then I walked over to Tim and Cheryl’s. It is quite cold here at the moment, and the wind makes it very chilly, but it’s more pleasant than a New Zealand Winter, so I could certainly get used to this. Tim and Cheryl made me feel very welcome and I met another lady from UNRWA who works in Gaza. It was an interesting evening, but I struggled to keep my eyes open and excused myself at about 8.30pm. I had been on the go for over 40 hours.

After a good sleep, I woke to the Call to Prayers from the local Mosque. I’ve heard from others how they find the Call annoying, but I found it beautiful and stirring. It is a lovely, long, drawn out song, and very deep and sonorous. It fills the morning and is strangely moving. I wonder if I will continue to think this in the coming months.

It’s about 5.00am and I am now wide awake. Karen and I had a great video chat on Skype, it was lovely to see and hear her again. I will get up soon and go to the gym, have some breakfast and then explore a bit. I am going to meet the Real Estate Agents today.

I ampleased to be here. A little uncertain and worried about how we will fit in, but I am also confident that we will meet the challenges and make a good life here in The West Bank.

Getting closer to a new life

Since my last post a number of things have happened that have moved us closer to our new life overseas.

I have now completed most, if not all, of the UN Pre-joining formalities. The most important was my medical assessment, which I passed on my final day of work with the Navy. Once I had scanned and emailed off the results, the UN Doctor advised the HQ that I was cleared. They then very quickly processed my travel and provided me with the E-Tickets on Christmas Day! I fly out in early January and should be on the ground working on 9 or 10 Jan.

My new boss has sent me a number of reports and documents to read; I can see I will be busy. UNRWA is quite a large organisation and there are many points of contact that I have been required to liaise with. They seem very efficient and everything has gone surprisingly smoothly. Both Karen and I are notoriously organised and we have lists, gantt charts, plans, and files for just about everything. It’s awesome getting through this with Karen; she makes everything so very easy.

I have been doing lots of reading about the history of Israel and the West Bank, and I am conscious of the controversy that surrounds the region, so I am deliberately not saying too much mainly because I feel I don’t know enough and also because it is important to maintain an open, non-judgemental mind. We are not too concerned about the security situation because we have already received very good advice from the UN and there is a very supportive ex-pat community in and around Jerusalem.

Karen and I have just returned from Christchurch where we had Christmas with family. Sheryl and Mike put on a lovely Christmas Day lunch for a large group of us, and we visited my Sister Dy and her husband Richard and their two girls Georgina and Kate. We spent most of the day with Mum, Paula and her family. Summer has just come out of hospital and she was in a bit of pain, but as usual she is dealing with it all extremely well. It was great to see the family again. On Boxing Day Karen and I spent quite a bit of time with Dad and Lynn. It was also lovely seeing them too. Yesterday, we visited Uncle Alan and Joyce; Alan is now the proud owner of my Navman GPS – good luck, and don’t get lost.

Christchurch is still suffering the impact of the September 2010 and February 2011 Earthquakes and the the day before we flew down (23 Dec) a large Earthquake struck again, but fortunately no major damage occurred and only one person was injured, although my Cousin Jess had a lucky escape when a man reached out and stopped a shelf full of food from falling on her whilst she was in a Service Station. We felt a couple of aftershocks when we were there. It’s a horrible feeling seeing friends and family obviously battling with the pressure of these Earthquakes, but they all do it so bravely. Mum in particular is amazing in the way she deals with it all, especially noting her disability that makes it hard for her to move quickly. Someone is watching over her, I am sure.

We are now back at home in Paraparaumu with Ned and Ness, who really do not like being left alone or taken to the Cattery. I hope they will be OK for the big flight to Israel.

My plan is to update this blog from time to time, so friends and family can catch up with what’s happening.

My story about Sir Peter Blake

It’s been 10 years since Sir Peter was tragically killed whilst undertaking an expedition on the Amazon River. I thought I would share a personal story about this lovely man.

I had the privilege of meeting him onboard one of the Royal New Zealand Navy’s Frigates that was berthed in Wellington Harbour acting as Guard Ship for the start of the next leg of an international Yacht Race. It was 9 February 1997.

Many dignitaries had gathered onboard that day to celebrate the race. His Excellency, the Governor General, Sir Michael Hardie Boys, fired the Canon and in typical style, Wellington’s ferocious wind scattered the fleet of competing yachts almost instantly. The VIP’s and invited guests on the Frigate then commenced tucking into fine wine and food on the sheltered Flight Deck of the Warship. It was a great day.

As Flag Lieutenant to the Admiral, my job was to attend to him and his immediate guests, however Admiral Welch, as was often the case, waved me away so I could enjoy myself – he was a lovely man to work for.

On the day in question, my elder Sister Dy, was giving birth to her first child. I had my mobile phone (large) close by, ready for that important call.

Whilst standing on the Flight Deck, glass and phone in hand, Sir Peter Blake, internationally renowned sailor, adventurer, and gentleman, walked up to me and introduced himself – as if he needed to! Making polite conversation, in the notoriously roaring Wellington wind, I asked him if he was planning on sailing back to Auckland, where he lived. He laughed and said “not in this wind”. His ironic sense of humor is well known, and considering he’s sailed in the worst possible conditions this planet has to offer, and his sailing prowess is legend, he would have easily handled the conditions.

Suddenly, my phone rang and my Bother In Law, Richard, happily told me that Dy had just given birth to a little girl. He told me they were naming her Georgina.

I rung off and, obviously excited, blurted out to Sir Peter that I was an uncle and my new niece’s name was Georgina. He quickly grabbed the glass out of my hand and headed off through the crowd. I thought it was a little strange, but he soon returned with two glasses of champagne, one for him and one for me. He then proposed a toast to me, and everyone in earshot, which was just about everyone, including a bemused Admiral and Governor General, by loudly claiming “To Georgina, who was born, just a moment ago”. Lots of people smiled and clapped, and many congratulated me, as if I done something remarkable. All the while Sir Peter was smiling and laughing and telling people, complete strangers in the main, the wonderful news. The day sort of turned into an impromptu celebration of Georgina’s birth, with lots of toasts being drunk throughout.

I thought, afterwards, what a lovely man he was to make such a fuss and to be so sincerely, and genuinely happy for our family; a group of people whom he had never met and knew nothing about, and yet he was able to be so generous, funny, and real.

Sir Peter Blake’s human qualities endeared him to so many people and whenever I mention this story to those who knew him, they smile and nod, as if they fully expected that of him.

Sir Peter has been described as an inspirational leader. I think one of his most significant leadership qualities was his ability to be a ‘real’ human. He was able to put people at ease, no matter where they sat in the social strata, and he genuinely liked people.

I’ll not forget that day. It was memorable for many reasons, and I am pleased to report that Georgina, and her younger Sister Kate, are now growing up into lovely young women. But for me, just to share this special moment with Sir Peter was, and continues to be, a real privilege.

I was so fortunate to meet him and I can see why others were drawn to him and his genuinely caring nature.

“To Sir Peter, may you rest in peace”.