In with the New, Out with the Old

There will be some challenges in the new assignment. One is that MCA-Armenia may be better known for what it didn’t do than what it has done: “Through rehabilitation of high-priority rural roads in the road lifeline network the Rural Road Rehabilitation Project was aimed at ensuring better access to economic and social infrastructure. The project successfully encouraged the adoption of important road maintenance legislation, rehabilitated 24.4 kilometers of rural roads and completed detailed road designs for more than 570 kilometers. However, as a result of the June 2009 meeting of MCC’s Board of Directors, after Armenia experienced declines in the MCC Ruling Justly category, the MCC did not resume funding for this Project.”

They fixed only 25 km of roads out of a planned 570! Of course, this makes PR for what was accomplished all the more important! Another challenge is something that the MCC-Washington person said – there is always an issue with farmers. The ones she spoke to last week were having a major rodent infestation. I guess the way to overcome that might be to note what might be better this year than in the past.

And speaking of the past – how things ended with Homeland Handicrafts. Well, I went into the office on Thursday morning to tell Tim I was finished. I didn’t have a lot of time because I had been invited to the gravity system event. When I got there, he was upstairs on the phone. I had one loose end to tie up – getting feedback on some items I had left at the Cafesjian Museum and getting the items back. I did that (and learned that she wants the items! Nice to leave with a success story) and Tim was still on the phone and I had to leave… so I emailed him to say that I had found another assignment. Not the best way to tell someone, but maybe for the best, because then he had time to process it.

I had worked on a final report for Peace Corps, and I left a copy for him. I offered to have coffee with him – I suggested Friday morning and he said no so I shifted my day around and then he said he could but I had already changed my plans so I suggested the afternoon and late in the day he texted to say he couldn’t make it…. So we finally met face-to-face today and had coffee. I hadn’t had Armenian coffee in a while and I was in the mood for some! He seemed to have already moved on and to have many other irons in the fire. I did offer to consult as time permits, and that was that.

It was harder to break it off with the OSCE – the handicrafts in the Syunik region are a big part of their sustainability plan, whether they do it through Homeland Handicrafts or not. I wrote a final report for them as well, with ideas on next steps – trainings and local initiatives – and I met with them in their office earlier today. They want me to go to the next meeting with them, which is back in the south next Monday. Next Monday is supposed to be my first day in the new office! I finally agreed to ask my new counterpart – after all, if they are so busy recovering from the big events of last week and this, maybe Monday isn’t the best day to start after all. But if it is, OSCE has my report and they can convey the recommendations. I’ve also been in communication with many of the PCVs who were working with Homeland Handicrafts, and again have offered to consult as time permits. All in all I think I have left things on a good note.