Being part of the WBFN Welcoming Team means working at the Heart of WBFN!

A new enthusiastic team has been forming since November. Read about who they are, what they do and why. Feel free to get in touch with them at wbfnwelcoming@worldbank.org or simply join one of the programs. They would love to meet with you!.

Florinda D’Eugenio (Italy)—I arrived in DC a year ago with a Master’s degree in Business Administration and Marketing and ten years of experience working for a private company. The first months were particularly hard. I was totally lost. Fortunately, I attended the Welcoming Coffee and the SOP, but what really helped me the most was a call from an Italian spouse, my buddy. She told me that I was not alone, “non sei sola”. From that moment on, everything was different. A few months later, I had joined the Welcoming Team, was organizing events, and was surrounded by many friends. Above all, I was helping others like me, giving them every support and a smile. It is incredible how much my life has changed. I had contacted WBFN to receive something, and I have discovered how great giving and sharing can be.

Elizabeth Arden (Kenya)—I first came to live in DC in March 2011. I have two children, aged 16 and 12, and have lived in East, Central, and Southern African countries, and in the UK. My background is in International Finance and Accounting, but due to relocations, I have ventured into business, micro financing, real estate and construction. Although I have lived in different countries for the past 17 years, I found it a challenge when I arrived in the USA. For the first time, I felt lost and restless. Then, one day I received an invitation to the Welcoming Coffee, and from then on, my life changed for the better. The session was an eye opener, introducing me to an array of opportunities in DC and at the Bank. Since then, I have kept busy through volunteer activities at WBFN and meeting and making friends. As I am a “people person”, I feel my social skills are very useful in reaching out to others who might be in the same situation as I was when I first arrived.

Sandipa Thapa Basnyat (Nepal)—We came to the US four years ago with our son. The transition was more difficult for a dual career couple with a six year old than we had expected. I was very frustrated in the beginning surrounded by just the four walls of our new house, unable to work, or drive, and without any friends! It being winter, I had no options but to hibernate. But, one day I received an invitation from WBFN for a Welcoming Coffee, so I decided to venture out, and this changed my life completely. I joined WBFN, made friends, started feeling good, and as I was volunteering, my self-esteem soared! Later through volunteering and networks within WBFN, I got a job. I now work at George Washington University as a career coach, as well as volunteering at WBFN. I feel the Welcoming activites at WBFN are crucial as they make newcomers feel included.

Ruth Bull (UK)—I arrived in DC in October 2011. I was excited but apprehensive about the move as I have travelled extensively but never lived abroad before. Back home I was an Intensive Care nurse, but here I would have to pass exams and be licensed in the US before I could work. So, whilst deciding what to do, I came to the WBFN Office. I attended a Welcoming Coffee morning, and it went from there. I was so nervous that day, but Maaike was so friendly and welcoming that she inspired me to be the same! I am now the presenter at these coffee mornings. They are where you can come and learn about the important issues, but also meet people and chat. Volunteering at the WBFN has helped me learn new skills, meet new people and most importantly help new spouses/partners to feel welcome!

Gulya Ishmuratova (Uzbekistan)—I came to DC in September 2011. Ten days after my arrival, I happily married my fiancé “now” husband. Back home, I worked in marketing and travelled in Central Asia but had never lived overseas. So, I was experiencing my first time in the US, in a new house, with a new role of a wife and daughter-in-law all at once! Of course, I felt really excited and happy but also stressed. Amidst all of our wedding preparations my husband told me about the SOP and encouraged me to attend. This was when I first met WBFN staff and volunteers and became curious about how I could also volunteer, as part of me wanted to do something. When I stepped in the WBFN Office, Florinda greeted me with her big smile! That’s how it all started! Maaike then taught me how to contact newcomers and how the Buddy System works. I think WBFN is all about great people who welcome you, help you, encourage you, support you, and make you feel at home!

Karen Manzanilla (Mexico)—Do you remember the first days when you arrived? I do! With many mixed emotions. But there were two people that I’ll never forget. The first was Rosa Lia Troch who invited me to the Welcoming Coffee. Since then, I have signed up for every event, where I have met people with experiences similar to mine—people from my own country, or who have two kids or an MBA and studied Industrial Engineering, even people who have also left their own businesses behind. The second was Nedi Rueda del Valle. She assisted me with housing, schooling, supermarkets, getting a driver’s license, etc. I arrived five years ago, and she was my “angel”, or as we now say, my “buddy”. When Maaike asked me to join the Welcoming Team and coordinate the Buddy System, I felt happy to do so, because I know how crucial a positive experience is for newcomers.

Samalie Nambuuya (Uganda)—We came here 4 months ago from the UK. I am trained in Finance and Accounting and worked for a micro finance organization in Uganda, then as an administrative assistant in England. At first I was excited about moving to a different country but, a few days after we arrived in DC, I thought, ‘This is not what I expected, not the change I wanted’. Everything seemed so complicated—I felt lost. My husband met Maaike at the Staff Orientation and told her about my difficulty. She contacted me, and we met at the SOP, after which she invited me and others to the WBFN Office where we met other volunteers and learned about their activities. I next attended the Welcoming Coffee and then signed up to volunteer in the MMMF and Welcoming. I always remember how I felt when I had just come, and I am grateful for the help that I received. If I make even one person’s life easier by providing information they need or by just being empathetic, I am happy. Currently, I send emails to newcomers and make calls. With time I would like to put on other hats also.

Marta Zonta (Italy)—I have been in DC since September 2011, moving here from a posting in Indonesia. Before following my husband overseas, I worked as a social worker in Italy for many years in the education of teenagers with family problems. I left with them an important piece of my life, but I’m also happy here where I can meet people from so many different countries. My belief in the cooperation between people is essential for me, and it was also my motivation to volunteer in the Welcoming Team when Florinda told me about the group. I have many things to learn because I’m new, but offering part of my time to WBFN is a lovely way to return all the support and smiles that the team gave me during the past few months.