TMT: Orientation.

I have a one week intense training coming up in a week.  It is called Technical Management Training (TMT) designed to give an overview of the whole mission/project life cycle at NASA and to prepare future NASA leaders.  It is held twice a year at NASA facility in Wallops Island, VA, where it is famous for its hot summers, mosquitoes, rockets, and balloons.  Last week, we had our orientation.

The agenda is daunting: our days are planned from 8 am to 8:45 pm.  Topics look exciting.  I admire the level of detail at which everything is planned.  We just cannot help it, it is how we get things done. Whether it is a satellite we are launching or a seminar we are organizing, we plan and schedule everything with back up plans for different possible scenarios.  This is mainly why the chaotic life outside work is at times hard.   Our coordinator even reminded us about what types of clothes we need to bring, what will or will not be available in our dorms, that we wear our badges on the bus and not put it in your handbag just so that it does not take too long for us to pass the security check!  I mean how long would it take to take out our badges from our purse/bag?  They have printed car notices so that our cars don't get towed when left on center for a week.  They have printed cafeteria menu of Wallops, reminded everyone if you have religious or dietary restriction that are not taken into account to call the chef, the phone number is there, what should be done if we needed medical care and attention, what if an emergency occurred, etc.  The Director of Engineering attends all sessions every time the course is offered and fills in for any instructor who could not make it last minute: one year a plane could not take off due to fog and it had seven of the course speakers, he filled in for all of them.  I just love the care and attention they give us, the responsibility and honor they feel for serving the organization and educating us.  "Forget about your work and projects.  If you are pressured to make a deadline, let us know.  We will talk to the project manager or your supervisor.  This is important.  You do not want to miss this by checking emails.  It is one week of your life.  You want to learn as much as you can", they kept emphasizing.

Then we went around the room to introduce ourselves.  Everyone is asked to tell something about themselves that others would not know about us if we did not.  I was the first one, so I just said I love going on long walks.  I have three nieces and enjoy spending time with them.  I figured my name and accent always at some point trigger the question of where I am from, so I decided to offer a different piece of information.  Then, I heard introductions of one engineer/scientist after another.  "I have a black belt in Karate", "I love working on cars", "I used to be a professional ballet dancer before becoming a biophysicist!",   "I am living my dream.  Since I was four I wanted to work for NASA.  I could not because I was from Columbia.  When studying engineering in Columbia I was playing soccer professionally.  I was asked to consider playing for the national team professionally.  But I said no, sorry. I want to become an engineer for NASA....  I applied for immigration, got a job as a contractor first, ..., congress had to get involved...now I am here." (the response to which was "we are glad to have you with us"), "I just got married to a Turkish man and I play Guitar" (she is an African-American lady), "I am also a professional middle eastern dancer!",  "I do not look like it, I do not sound like it, but I am Japanese.  My father was in military in Japan when I was born, so I have both U.S. and Japanese citizenship",  "I love the Lord and I direct the music in our church",..., Wow! What an interesting diverse group of people!  I must have sounded so boring to them!

The orientation was over.   I was deep in my thoughts, "it would be a nice week getting to know these people, hear their stories", as I was walking down the hallway towards the exit.   One of my classmates, comes quickly to catch up with me.  "Hi.  I work with Rick X and Dave Y", he says.  I knew the people he mentioned from two different projects and teams.  "I have heard a lot about you.  Between the two of them, I have heard your name a lot", he continues.  "Really?  They talk about me.?", I wondered.   "It is nice to meet you, I will see you in class in a couple of weeks", and we exchanged goodbyes.

I am glad he cared to talk to me.  He cheered me up.  After all, some may look forward to hearing my stories just as much.