Rockstar needed for office & people job! (berkeley, p/t)

[carla]

[color=indigo]Hey there fellow burners, [/color]

Thanks for taking time to read this post - I currently seek a great assistant for the coming months before the Burn and rather than just posting on Craigs List, thought I would drop a line here too, as I'd rather hire a burner than anyone else, and many of us could use a little work! [i]A little about me, and a little about the part-time position offered... [/i]

My name's Carla Orvis Hunt, and Evolution will be my fourth year on the playa. [i]My theory about dust:[/i] it's so alkaline that it actually balances our acidic selves out and makes us feel slightly different (to say the least)... please feel free to inquire more about me or my thoughts on the burn...

I'm a writer of fiction who happens to be committed to being the director of Host Families in the Bay Area for Edu-Culture International (ECI), for this year before I begin grad school in writing. I love my job, I'm helping kids, and even though it's slightly stressful, it well-utilizes my organizational abilities. Plus, my last student leaves and I turn my phone off and head to Tahoe for a few days before the burn... nice timing!

Altogether, I'm currently responsible for finding 400 host families for European teenage students arriving (from Spain, France, Germany & Austria) for a month this summer - they're here to work on strengthening their conversational ability in English and also to experience a bit of the American dream. Host families VOLUNTEER to have a student live with them... there are more details of course, but it's basically providing meals and a safe, welcoming place to be in exchange for learning a bit about another culture. It's perfect for families with kids!!

ECI is a Berkeley-based organization, with offices in Spain, Costa Rica (one person) and England. It's a tiny team, with a lot of strong, dedicated and smart people behind it. We wear a lot of hats (for me, fuzzy ones).

[color=indigo]Fun, but also a lot of work, and I very much seek someone smart, capable of multi-tasking on a very people-oriented level, with great office & communication skills, that loves to travel. [/color]Fluency in Spanish or French a major plus but unrequired.The position being offered is both in and outside of our Berkeley office - part time, and growing from now until summer.

Flexible schedule. Decent starting pay for a non-profit - $14 an hour with possibilities for negotiation after a bit, commission possible if you want to help find host families, and bonuses definitely workable. Depending on you, it could be full time for summer, and could lead to great opportunities for you if you want in the future - ECI definitely hires people that know how to work... Nice, mellow office where you can wear whatever you like.

[b]This spring, you would be: [/b]
*talking with potential host families and explaining program
*communicating with host families that have already signed up, answering questions, and helping to ensure the best matches
*helping me match students to families
*brainstorming ideas for better ways to find families
*basic office tasks (phone, email, copying)
*sometimes communicating with our European offices
*helping with some data entry as I'm revamping our software system

[b]In summer, you would be:[/b]
*continuing to communicate with families as students begin to arrive
*attending Host Family Orientation meetings in the evenings with me, throughout the Bay Area
*helping meet students at the airport
*checking on some students as needed, in person & via phone
*assisting me with handling random situations as they arise (help! I caught my European teen smoking cigarettes! is a call I often answer ... or better yet, help! do you think it's okay that my European host teen is flirting with my daughter?)

So... long story short, last year I walked into ECI's office, and discovered how much they truly needed help. I've come a long way toward helping revamp and revitalize their systems and programs, and would love to hire a rockstar with a self-reliant outlook to help from here to the Burn. I'm pretty easy to deal with - a 31 year old Pisces with a strong work ethic who brings her 10 yr old dog with her most places.... ECI is a good company with a heart, and though they have their issues, I have to say I've never ever been able to be so much myself at a job - and I've worked a lot. They watched me compress (and decompress) last year with a few chuckles and a lot of interest, and fully supported me being me.

For more info, best to call me direct on my cell 510.847.8295, but also check out our website at www.educulture.org.

Again, so much thanks if you've read this far, and if you have, give a call!

namaste,
Carla Orvis Hunt