I had a bit to do with disaster relief in the UN World Food Program around 1999-2000. What a revelation.
For starters the amount of money is staggering. Topups in the tens of millions all the time. 100 million dollars is like chump change. Much of that was from Japan and I wonder if the japanese are still able to keep up those obligations. Second, I asked for 2K/week (tax free) and they just said yeah ok, but the other people there said I was getting shortchanged, they were all pocketing around 20K/month, I just didnt know I could have asked for that. They all had ski huts in the alps and yachts etc.
Third, some people were doing all the work and others were doing nothing except drive around in brand new landcruisers and pretending they had been out doing something.
Fourth, it was a fuckfest. Theres an understanding that whatever happens in the field stays in the field, so all the people with partners at home get things going on a temporary basis, I had a couple offers out there that I passed up. Being married did not seem to bother too many others though.
Fifth Its chaos, you go in somewhere and people from various agencies like MSF or red cross try to claim the best cleanest area of whatever building is standing and working, by shouting the loudest, and you just have to stand your ground and shout back or be pushed around and get the short end of the stick.
6th, you are essentially camping, people organise their own tarp, sleeping bag, mosquito net, backpack, lots of portable foods, and there may not even be a toilet, or the toilet smells so bad and is so filthy you choose to have a small shovel and your own paper instead. Fishermens vests with lots of pockets for little pocket tools, and what have you are really popular. But they provide you bulletproof vests too outside the 'green zone compound'.
7 In rome at the HQ there are many pictures on the wall of people who lost their life by driving down the wrong road or walking down the wrong street, or even the wrong remote village with guys with bones through their noses, feathers in their hair, holding primitive weapons, that maybe just dont like your face. Plus plenty of food trucks roll over cliff faces on really bad roads and youve got another hall of famer.
8 The paramilitay police and army from 3rd world countries treat it all like a big holiday. The ones from US, UK and Oz, are the opposite and act like its the opportunity of a lifetime to maybe see some action and shoot someone. eg, when locals start getting angry outside the gate african soldiers just fire a few shots in the air, if you drive in that same gate with a permit in a UN vehicle but go slightly faster than walking pace australian soldiers will put a rifle through your window against your head, just to tell you to slow down. Aholes.