Okay, you need to know that there are frustrations. Let me whine just a minute.
1) I have been working on a donor agreement for seriously two weeks. First it has the wrong address from our church (no longer from Germany but now has to be the one in Italy) ok. Next problem is that the signature has to be from Angela and not from Steve any more, so change that. ok. Next problem is the wrong address of the beneficiary. ok. Change that. Then one person can't open the document. Another change. Then the beneficiary signed the wrong project (it's 595 not 265. duh!) so do that again. ETC ETC ETC. Got an email from the financial man in Frankfurt, 'please send the updated donor form so I can send the payment.' I want to do that, believe me. I really really want to do that....but let me slit my wrists first!!! AArgh.
2) We have a BIG activity on Saturday, basically intended for Italian National Service Day. We have two shipments of goods arriving to two different locations in Rome. One shipment to Rome 3 and one shipment to Rome 1. Simple, right? Well, first of all the shipment information is crazy detailed: combs (wide tooth or fine tooth) underwear (briefs or boxers and what size and how many) fleece blankets (heavy or light and what size and how many). Well it makes sense you have to be that detailed but the problem comes when they send in their requests and they don't have these details and it takes forever to get them! Then what address to mail them to, what date to have them sent, who will accept the shipment and what is their phone number and address, and we need a second contact as well. OK! But that is only the beginning of your troubles. So the first shipment made it, hooray. The second shipment? GET THIS. It was sent to Alessandria Italy to a chapel there! And somebody was there to accept the shipment and sign for it(what??)....in the meantime, Tom and I are waiting at our chapel in Rome Italy because we got a call that it would be delivered. We wait, we call (it's coming!) but nothing. We go home. We call Frankfurt who finds out that our shipment was sent to the WRONG chapel in the WRONG city. Oh, and your activity is in 2 days. Ooops. Frankfurt finds a company who will go back to the wrong chapel and pick it up but they can't find anybody who speaks English who will go to the chapel and open it for the company to collect the goods to bring to us. Conclusion? There is no conclusion other than I will never ever want to do this again!!! You will find me at the beach sipping a stiff drink!
3) BAML. I don't even want to go there. Just know that if every number, every transaction, every code isn't done perfectly and in triplicate, it gets flagged and you do it all over again or your card gets blocked. And it's complicated because every transaction has it's own personality whether it's a straight charge, a reimbursement, a cash withdrawal, a finance charge, etc. You want to hear a lot of grunting and sighing and grrrrrring, just hang around while we tackle BAML.
4)Volunteers, Journalists, and Film-makers. Now you would think these folks would be an asset. And I suppose they are, BUT here is the frustration. Example: Film maker wants to make a film of Abraham (story on my blog). We get Abraham all psyched to tell his story, which is not an easy thing to recount and remember, but he is ready. We have many people involved. After much work and arranging, the film maker CANCELLED. Why? Their paperwork wasn't all in order. We then have to tell a sad and confused Abraham that it is not going to happen. It sucked. Another example: a journalist wants to interview refugees. Can I set that up? I do. This journalist also enlisted other people to help and in the end there was myself, my boss, a couple in Frankfurt all contact this same person and same organization with the same request. Holy smokes, that organization/person will never want to deal with us again! Last example: volunteer asks for information, I dig around to help and set-up something. Thanks, found something else. Great. Oh well, it's all good.
5)Last whine for today. We often get calls saying they need this or that....and could you do it right away. It's usually because a 'big shot' is coming into town and everyone goes into hyper mode. Or some 'big shot' needs this for a meeting that is tomorrow. OR even we have had a 'big shot' ask for a meeting to be organized for the next day requiring lots of sacrifice on people and time, etc. Our latest request was fulfilled by Tom, for which I am very proud of him. Well, he did all the logistics and I provided a little help.
But guess what? I wouldn't trade this mission for ANY OTHER. It's perfect in our opinion. So there. All that whining is just fluff. The rewards way out weigh any of the inconveniences and frustrations. In fact, I have written it all out today just so I don't forget that this wasn't a perfect mission, just nearly perfect. Now this post would be perfect if I could add a photo, but how do you capture frustration in a photo???
PS. I double parked today for 2 hours. Literally parked behind two cars that could not move if they wanted to because I was parked behind them. I had a hair appointment and I parked there and went inside to see if they could tell me where to park. "Oh, they will honk if they need to move". Alrighty. Since it was just in front of the salon, I figured I could run out and move the car when needed. I never had to move the car. The hairdresser said, 'now you are 1/4 Italian'.....I have moved up the ladder. You should be proud of your mother! I admit it was a great feeling to block in two cars and have it be perfectly legit.
Oh and today I saw 4 guys watching as 1 guy drilled a hole. Very typical. Moral support is essential for sure.
1) I have been working on a donor agreement for seriously two weeks. First it has the wrong address from our church (no longer from Germany but now has to be the one in Italy) ok. Next problem is that the signature has to be from Angela and not from Steve any more, so change that. ok. Next problem is the wrong address of the beneficiary. ok. Change that. Then one person can't open the document. Another change. Then the beneficiary signed the wrong project (it's 595 not 265. duh!) so do that again. ETC ETC ETC. Got an email from the financial man in Frankfurt, 'please send the updated donor form so I can send the payment.' I want to do that, believe me. I really really want to do that....but let me slit my wrists first!!! AArgh.
2) We have a BIG activity on Saturday, basically intended for Italian National Service Day. We have two shipments of goods arriving to two different locations in Rome. One shipment to Rome 3 and one shipment to Rome 1. Simple, right? Well, first of all the shipment information is crazy detailed: combs (wide tooth or fine tooth) underwear (briefs or boxers and what size and how many) fleece blankets (heavy or light and what size and how many). Well it makes sense you have to be that detailed but the problem comes when they send in their requests and they don't have these details and it takes forever to get them! Then what address to mail them to, what date to have them sent, who will accept the shipment and what is their phone number and address, and we need a second contact as well. OK! But that is only the beginning of your troubles. So the first shipment made it, hooray. The second shipment? GET THIS. It was sent to Alessandria Italy to a chapel there! And somebody was there to accept the shipment and sign for it(what??)....in the meantime, Tom and I are waiting at our chapel in Rome Italy because we got a call that it would be delivered. We wait, we call (it's coming!) but nothing. We go home. We call Frankfurt who finds out that our shipment was sent to the WRONG chapel in the WRONG city. Oh, and your activity is in 2 days. Ooops. Frankfurt finds a company who will go back to the wrong chapel and pick it up but they can't find anybody who speaks English who will go to the chapel and open it for the company to collect the goods to bring to us. Conclusion? There is no conclusion other than I will never ever want to do this again!!! You will find me at the beach sipping a stiff drink!
3) BAML. I don't even want to go there. Just know that if every number, every transaction, every code isn't done perfectly and in triplicate, it gets flagged and you do it all over again or your card gets blocked. And it's complicated because every transaction has it's own personality whether it's a straight charge, a reimbursement, a cash withdrawal, a finance charge, etc. You want to hear a lot of grunting and sighing and grrrrrring, just hang around while we tackle BAML.
4)Volunteers, Journalists, and Film-makers. Now you would think these folks would be an asset. And I suppose they are, BUT here is the frustration. Example: Film maker wants to make a film of Abraham (story on my blog). We get Abraham all psyched to tell his story, which is not an easy thing to recount and remember, but he is ready. We have many people involved. After much work and arranging, the film maker CANCELLED. Why? Their paperwork wasn't all in order. We then have to tell a sad and confused Abraham that it is not going to happen. It sucked. Another example: a journalist wants to interview refugees. Can I set that up? I do. This journalist also enlisted other people to help and in the end there was myself, my boss, a couple in Frankfurt all contact this same person and same organization with the same request. Holy smokes, that organization/person will never want to deal with us again! Last example: volunteer asks for information, I dig around to help and set-up something. Thanks, found something else. Great. Oh well, it's all good.
5)Last whine for today. We often get calls saying they need this or that....and could you do it right away. It's usually because a 'big shot' is coming into town and everyone goes into hyper mode. Or some 'big shot' needs this for a meeting that is tomorrow. OR even we have had a 'big shot' ask for a meeting to be organized for the next day requiring lots of sacrifice on people and time, etc. Our latest request was fulfilled by Tom, for which I am very proud of him. Well, he did all the logistics and I provided a little help.
But guess what? I wouldn't trade this mission for ANY OTHER. It's perfect in our opinion. So there. All that whining is just fluff. The rewards way out weigh any of the inconveniences and frustrations. In fact, I have written it all out today just so I don't forget that this wasn't a perfect mission, just nearly perfect. Now this post would be perfect if I could add a photo, but how do you capture frustration in a photo???
PS. I double parked today for 2 hours. Literally parked behind two cars that could not move if they wanted to because I was parked behind them. I had a hair appointment and I parked there and went inside to see if they could tell me where to park. "Oh, they will honk if they need to move". Alrighty. Since it was just in front of the salon, I figured I could run out and move the car when needed. I never had to move the car. The hairdresser said, 'now you are 1/4 Italian'.....I have moved up the ladder. You should be proud of your mother! I admit it was a great feeling to block in two cars and have it be perfectly legit.
Oh and today I saw 4 guys watching as 1 guy drilled a hole. Very typical. Moral support is essential for sure.
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