Last weekend we had our first AIDS initiative meeting with the new volunteers. It was fun because a lot of the volunteers came to Yerevan so we got to get some work done and then hang out. Since I only live two hours from the capitol, I woke up early Saturday morning and headed in with Hector. I have started taping my second documentary, so for those who I send it to, you will get to meet Hector. I did some taping in the morning and then got ready for my meeting.
It started at 2:00. There were about twenty or so volunteers there. A rather good turn out. It wasn’t the 32 people that signed up to come but that happens. I was still happy about the turn out. The meeting went on for about an hour. Our new Country Director was there to see how things went and she stressed the importance of the HIV/AIDS Initiative in many countries. My impression was after that speech and being there that she would stay more than five minutes, but no, she left. We covered a lot of stuff ranging from the continuation of the presentations to getting packets together to organizing a “flashmob.”
Now, I didn’t know what that meant and Im going to explain what it is for you Mom and Dad. A flashmob is when you get a bunch of people together and do an organized activity in a public place. What we are going to do is get shirts printed and get other organizations to join and we are going to go out to Republic Square on December 1st, or World AIDS Day. There at a certain time we are going to just be walking and when the clock hits the hour, we are going to take off our jackets and just be wearing our shirts in a frozen position for about five minutes and then after five minutes, just put out jackets back on like nothing happened and continue walking. We are hoping to get the Armenian Red Cross to come out there so that they can be there and give out information. Basically, it is a ploy to get the general public to start asking questions. The first one being “what the heck was that” and then “huh, I want to find out more information about whatever is going on.” Apparently they have been done before and they have been successful. (However you would define “success” in this situation)
After that, I hung out with some of my friends I hadn’t seen in a while and then went to the US Embassy for a fundraising party. Some of my friends I worked with when I was teaching for FLEX were there so I got to see them and that was fun.
The morning, I got ready and left pretty early to come home.
This week was rather uneventful. I taught some classes but it seemed like I had to go to Martuni almost every day to get stuff done for my grant. On Tuesday, I met with my school director and he said that we would meet the following day and that I should be at the mayor’s office at 8:45am. So, I got there at 8:45 sharp and in true Armenian form, the mayor and the school director got there at 9. Awesome. We went inside and the mayor said that he was busy after three minutes of talking. I just sat there thinking “I thought that they arranged this meeting...” Anyway, I went back home not in the best of moods. The next day I came back but got to the office at 9 and met with the mayor. Apparently my school director forgot about the meeting so we had to wait for him.
We went over the plan of the project and again talked about the distribution of responsibility. Things were going to work out well. I went back to the school and met with the contractor who said that he would measure everything. I looked at him and asked him “what do you mean you are going to measure everything.” He said that he wanted precise measurements. I told him he should have done the first time he took measurements. I don’t think he took me seriously the first time, but now that I actually have the money, I think his mindset has changed. It was very aggravating. I told him that I can’t get more money and that if he is short on anything, the money is going to come from the village. He responded by saying that the money was enough. I was with him re-measuring everything and surprisingly, after however many years he has been doing this, he has a good eye because with about every measurement, he was almost spot on.
It was my turn. I looked at my budget and try to see how much everything was. The school director got everything organized and the stuff was delivered to the school. I had to bring the money. So I went to the bank and told them I needed them to raise the limit on my withdraw amount. That is what they did and then I withdrew 700,000 dram or about 1600 dollars from the bank.
You know when you do something bad and you know you’re doing something bad you are supposed act normal. Yeah, well, easier said than done. I had my shoulder bag with me and as soon as the 700,000 dram came out of the ATM I stuffed it in my bag. I was basically on top of the ATM so that no one could see me take the money and shove it in my bag. So, already I looked suspicious. Then as I was walking I had the bag on my back and the strap across my chest. About 50 meters into the walk I got self conscious and put the bag in the front even though there are two plastic clips and a lot of velcro holding the flap shut including a large velcro strap on the inside. So, strike number two with the “acting normal” thing. Lastly, when you try to act cool in a situation, you rarely do and this was the last act that tipped me off. My eyes were bugged out of my head and my head would swivel everywhere at everything that happened. If I was walking on the street, and people were passing me I hugged the wall or walked into the street so that everyone was at least an arms distance away from me.
So, imagine a guy straddling an ATM, then walking with a bag in the front of his body and then walking quickly with bug eyes hugging walls and walking in streets... Basically it looked like I was cracked out.
On the bus, I embraced my bag and had a death grip on it until I got off the bus and back home. I didn’t tell a soul that I had that much money, including grandma. Not that I don’t trust her, but more so because the village talks and I don’t need Grandma telling our neighbors that the American has a crapload of cash in the house by accident...
I paid my school director and got a signed paper saying that he received payment. I let out a sigh and he asked what was wrong and I told him that I don’t like having that much on me. He said not to worry about it. I told him next time to go to the bank and I would pay for everything there and he could handle keeping that much money. To that, he simply laughed. I don’t know what that means.
So that was my week of excitement. Ground-breaking begins on Monday... or Tuesday... or whenever they get around to it, but soon. Im going to be glad when this is over. All this money exchange, getting people to get their part done, etc.
It has been raining a lot here. About every night it will just pour rain. The surrounding mountains already have snow on them. Winter is coming. Crap. I got out my heater and remember when I put it back in the box. It seemed like it was just yesterday. Geez. I got my down jacket out and am waiting for it to fluff up and get ready for me to wear. I wear my toboggan almost every night. Im sure soon the gas heater will be constructed.
Today, I am leaving to go to Yerevan to see one of my Armenian friends get married. Its going to be pretty sweet. Maybe. This is my first true Armenian wedding.
Laura if you still read my blogs... are you alive?
I am spending Christmas in another country. Looking forward to that...
I bought my tickets to go to Spain to see Kamran. Really looking forward to it because Ill meet up with Will, TJ, Derek, and Alex. (Mom and Dad, you don’t know the last two... Derek is Amanda’s Boyfriend/Fiance). Anyway, after almost two years, it will be nice to kick it with the fellas. But there is a winter standing in the way between now and then.
I guess that’s all I got to say right now. Yup.
Until next time...
No comments:
Post a Comment