Well, with just under two months left I have started to work on wrapping up my projects. And, I am happy to report that I have FINALLY finished up the computer project that I have been working on for over a year. The idea for the project came to me from a previous volunteer who lived in the district and explained the situation to me. I learned from him that there were many mayors offices in our district that didn't have a computer in their office. It was hard for me to believe at first, how could a district in Moldova (a country that prides itself on excellent internet accessibility) still have local government offices working without a computer.
So, from that day forward I began the long process of identifying the offices without a computer. The list turned up with 10 offices of the 23 offices didn't have a computer. This led me to my second step. Finding computers. This was a long and arduous process. From writing grants, to having donors fall through, to disagreements between myself and my non-profit partners.
Finally, after I had nearly given up all hope on seeing this project through to fruition I revived an email telling me that there were second-hand computers available through a major office in Chisinau that would be donated to project without a fee, if I could find transport to retrieve said computers. After a few phone calls the project was 'back on' and pick-ups were being arranged.
After we had received the computers we were alerted to the next hurtle. The computers were not equipped with hard drives or RAM. Now, I knew going in we would need to find new hard drives so we asked each office receiving a computer to pitch in order to cover the price of the hardware. I didn't realize that this sum they had contributed needed to somehow expand to cover the cost of RAM, installation fees, plug convertors, and cables. This all was going to be more of a challenge than my for a mere dusting of the monitors.
The next step was to find out where to buy the needed parts (in case you didn't know RAM is a temperamental little b;#<h). So, the hunt was on. After a couple months at a stand still I was getting antsy to get this resolved and the daily visits we were receiving from the mayors who had been promised a computer was becoming harder and harder to explain. Finally, after an exasperated conversation with my host mom she gave me the phone number of a local computer repair specialist in town. I reluctantly went into his shop the following morning expecting to hear the usual 'I can't help you' response. But, instead he said 'Sure, I will come by later today to check them out'.
Sure enough, he looked over all the computers and was happy to report that they all would work if he ordered the needed parts. YES! This was the news I had been waiting for, for months. Later that day he sent me over a price quote on how much the work would cost. We were 4000 lei short. How would we be able to finish this thing if we couldn't pay? After long discussions with all of the mayors, explaining the situation we were able to get them all to contribute a bit more for their computer. This contribution, paired with financial support from the head of the NGO and a generous citizen in the capital allowed us to finally finish refurbishing the computers.
Pick-up of the computers happened quickly after the computers had finally been prepared. I don't know who was happier; the mayors receiving a computer for their office or me seeing the computers leaving mine.
Now it was time to organize the second half of the project. Training the mayors and their staff on how to use their new technology. We identified a computer teacher at the local school and chose a date that would allow us use of the computer lab (over a school break).
The morning of the training I arrived at the school. I wanted to speak with the instructor before the workshop began to make sure he was on-board with the agenda. I was disgruntled when I arrived at the school and the only other person there was a young woman who was the representative sent from her village. 'Where is the mayor?' I asked. 'He won't be coming. They sent me in his place.' ... I'd like to take this opportunity to explain that we had the mayors sign multiple contracts stating that they would be receiving their computers contingent on their attendance at the workshop.
So, not only was I standing in the abandoned school five minutes before the workshop without an instructor, but the one person that was their to attend the workshop had been sent because the mayor was 'too busy' to bother to show up to the workshop that he had agreed to attending. Needless to say I was not a very happy volunteer in that moment. Finally, five minutes after the workshop was supposed to begin the instructor rolled in. An older man, tall and broad. It was clear he had been doing this for awhile, especially when I asked him if he had looked at the agenda and if he had any questions his response 'I have been doing this for over 30 years. I know what I am doing.' 'Uh, oh alright well I just thought I would check.' 'No, I have go this. Also, we will have a break every hour.' ...I later learned that the breaks were because he smokes like a chimney.
He was a loud and aggressive teacher. But, he was good. He was very good. He used stories that made it easy to understand information that could easily become complicated. It reminded me of the saying 'If you can't explain it simply you don't know it well enough'. Well, he could explain it simply, and before I knew it nine of the ten mayors offices had arrived and everyone was entranced by the boisterous professor at the front of the room.
At the end of the workshop I felt a sense of relief. I did it. It was over. And, though none of the mayors came up and thanked me for helping them equip their office with a computer I would like to think that every once in awhile when they send a work-related email or electronically store their files they will think of that annoying American that made them wait months for their computer. I realize this is a romanticized viewpoint, but I am happy to report that even after two years of being a committed and often frustrated peace corps volunteer I haven't lost the little optimist inside me.
All for now,
Peace
So, from that day forward I began the long process of identifying the offices without a computer. The list turned up with 10 offices of the 23 offices didn't have a computer. This led me to my second step. Finding computers. This was a long and arduous process. From writing grants, to having donors fall through, to disagreements between myself and my non-profit partners.
Finally, after I had nearly given up all hope on seeing this project through to fruition I revived an email telling me that there were second-hand computers available through a major office in Chisinau that would be donated to project without a fee, if I could find transport to retrieve said computers. After a few phone calls the project was 'back on' and pick-ups were being arranged.
After we had received the computers we were alerted to the next hurtle. The computers were not equipped with hard drives or RAM. Now, I knew going in we would need to find new hard drives so we asked each office receiving a computer to pitch in order to cover the price of the hardware. I didn't realize that this sum they had contributed needed to somehow expand to cover the cost of RAM, installation fees, plug convertors, and cables. This all was going to be more of a challenge than my for a mere dusting of the monitors.
The next step was to find out where to buy the needed parts (in case you didn't know RAM is a temperamental little b;#<h). So, the hunt was on. After a couple months at a stand still I was getting antsy to get this resolved and the daily visits we were receiving from the mayors who had been promised a computer was becoming harder and harder to explain. Finally, after an exasperated conversation with my host mom she gave me the phone number of a local computer repair specialist in town. I reluctantly went into his shop the following morning expecting to hear the usual 'I can't help you' response. But, instead he said 'Sure, I will come by later today to check them out'.
Sure enough, he looked over all the computers and was happy to report that they all would work if he ordered the needed parts. YES! This was the news I had been waiting for, for months. Later that day he sent me over a price quote on how much the work would cost. We were 4000 lei short. How would we be able to finish this thing if we couldn't pay? After long discussions with all of the mayors, explaining the situation we were able to get them all to contribute a bit more for their computer. This contribution, paired with financial support from the head of the NGO and a generous citizen in the capital allowed us to finally finish refurbishing the computers.
Pick-up of the computers happened quickly after the computers had finally been prepared. I don't know who was happier; the mayors receiving a computer for their office or me seeing the computers leaving mine.
Now it was time to organize the second half of the project. Training the mayors and their staff on how to use their new technology. We identified a computer teacher at the local school and chose a date that would allow us use of the computer lab (over a school break).
The morning of the training I arrived at the school. I wanted to speak with the instructor before the workshop began to make sure he was on-board with the agenda. I was disgruntled when I arrived at the school and the only other person there was a young woman who was the representative sent from her village. 'Where is the mayor?' I asked. 'He won't be coming. They sent me in his place.' ... I'd like to take this opportunity to explain that we had the mayors sign multiple contracts stating that they would be receiving their computers contingent on their attendance at the workshop.
So, not only was I standing in the abandoned school five minutes before the workshop without an instructor, but the one person that was their to attend the workshop had been sent because the mayor was 'too busy' to bother to show up to the workshop that he had agreed to attending. Needless to say I was not a very happy volunteer in that moment. Finally, five minutes after the workshop was supposed to begin the instructor rolled in. An older man, tall and broad. It was clear he had been doing this for awhile, especially when I asked him if he had looked at the agenda and if he had any questions his response 'I have been doing this for over 30 years. I know what I am doing.' 'Uh, oh alright well I just thought I would check.' 'No, I have go this. Also, we will have a break every hour.' ...I later learned that the breaks were because he smokes like a chimney.
He was a loud and aggressive teacher. But, he was good. He was very good. He used stories that made it easy to understand information that could easily become complicated. It reminded me of the saying 'If you can't explain it simply you don't know it well enough'. Well, he could explain it simply, and before I knew it nine of the ten mayors offices had arrived and everyone was entranced by the boisterous professor at the front of the room.
At the end of the workshop I felt a sense of relief. I did it. It was over. And, though none of the mayors came up and thanked me for helping them equip their office with a computer I would like to think that every once in awhile when they send a work-related email or electronically store their files they will think of that annoying American that made them wait months for their computer. I realize this is a romanticized viewpoint, but I am happy to report that even after two years of being a committed and often frustrated peace corps volunteer I haven't lost the little optimist inside me.
All for now,
Peace
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