Day 2 of Training with The Advocacy Project. A lesson on video recording and editing from Greg Walsh. The most challenging day of the week for me!

This week of training with The Advocacy Project has provided me with a shiny new set of tools. Some of these tools are hammers and nails that I can use anywhere. Once I arrive in Kathmandu it should be easy to compose a photo or a blog post. Just like using a hammer and nails. I’ll see a loose board take out my hammer and nails and fix it right then and there. The same will be true for my photography and writing. I’ll see something interesting and snap a picture or take a note down for later. However, other skills will only be useful under the right conditions.

Just last week as I was using my cordless drill on a wooden frame, I found out that my drill bits were already very dull. So I got onto Best of Tools and figured out a way to sharpen them instead of buying another expensive set. The same way goes with my camera. When I notice that the lenses and sensors have all become dusty after a days out of taking photos on an unforgiving environment, I take time to remove the dust and carefully do that.

I think of everything I’ve learned about editing websites, creating content, and using social media as an electric saw. With strong internet connectivity I’ll have a powerhouse at my fingertips. I’ll be able to use my resources to bring attention to CONCERN and promote their presence to a larger audience. However, without the internet my saw becomes inoperable. I’ve been told I’ll have much better access to internet than many of the other fellows, but I still have an image of myself holding an electric saw, the wheel spinning slowly as I try to apply it ineffectually to a block of wood.

Nevertheless, with all that I’ve learned this week I know some of the most important tools are the ones I already had. Patience, ingenuity, organization, these are my hands. They are part of me and without them all the other tools I’ve received would be rendered useless.

I’ll be leaving for Kathmandu, Nepal on Sunday with my metaphorical toolbox overflowing. I look forward to using these tools to the best of my ability and keeping my readers updated!