The annual trip to CERN went off this morning. I'm not able to go this year, but as usual I have been heavily involved in the planning and organisation.
As I was dealing with last minute paperwork yesterday I got to wondering whether I am too much of a pushover. Surely the teachers should be doing this stuff themselves? I know that my HoD panics and flaps and is not the most organised person in the world, so I do all this stuff for him because at least that way I know it will be done properly.
For the CERN trip I have:
* Organised getting the passport details from all the students (making photocopies, recording info in a spreadsheet)
* Booked the flights
* Liased with the school transport manager to book the coach to the airport
* Printed out the boarding passes
* Arranged the groups for the guided tour
* Organised which students are sharing which rooms at the hotel (HoD booked the hotel)
* Downloaded and printed out maps of the hotel, highlighting where the nearest bus stops are
* Printed out timetables for all the buses that the group will need to take between Geneva airport, CERN and the hotel
* Organised all the above paperwork in a file for HoD to take with him
Genuine question to any fellow technicians reading this - Am I an idiot? Should I have said no a long time ago to doing all of this?
Once they get back from CERN we start all over again, as it's only 7 weeks until the trip to Rome and the Vatican Observatory. Arrgh!
Idiot no...too kind hearted maybe. I can't help thinking those tasks should be in a clerical /admin workers remit or even a classroom assistant ot TA's as you have in England. Im sure it all goes very smoothly but think of the flac you'd get if it didn't and Im sure its not like you have anything else to do with your time .... yes I jest! :-)
ReplyDeletePS they must all be rich kids to afford trips like that. Our lot can barely go to the nearest nature reserve due to lack of dosh
ReplyDeleteComforting to know I'm not the only Technician organising the school CERN trip..... :-)
ReplyDeleteI don't believe that technicians time is best spent doing admin work. Who does your science technical work while you are in front of a computer?
ReplyDeleteIn an emergency yes, we all do whatever we can to help, but as a matter of course? No.