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------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------{ December 19, 2006 }
I'm still in Santo Domingo...almost a week later
The Artesan Fair ended Sunday and I was supposed to go home yesterday but I will be going home tomorrow instead. Let me start at the beginning of the incredibly stressful week at the fair. As I said in my prior post, the coffee didn't come until late- about 3 or so on Thursday. All 440 pounds of it. The old secretary, Monica, came with it. We hauled it over to the table and started selling. The entire week at the fair, we only sold 101 bags. I got so much advice about how we could have done it better which, thank you very much, I knew already but didn't have time to do because I just got to my site and also because there was practically no support from my organization on the last minute planning. The last minute planning is typical here, but I definitely should have had more support. The fair was from 8am to 8pm Thursday through Sunday, and I was alone at the table at least half that time, if not more. At an Artesan Fair with Dominican products, why should an American be alone selling the products? Granted, most Dominicans have a LONG way to go as far as customer service is concerned, because they time they were actually there they didn't sell any coffee unless someone said 'I want to buy this coffee.' No chatting it up and talking about the Association unless the person directly asked. So 1) late coffee, 2) people besides me only there half the time. Let's continue. It was really hot the whole week, so not only was I by myself a lot, I was beat from the heat and sun. Saturday I had a Coffee Committee meeting at 4 and then Romeo (our Country Director) had a Christmas party starting at 5, both of which I really wanted to go to. Well, my project partner who came on Saturday around 10 had to leave at 3 and I was going to be alone because he had a 'committment.' Obviously, so did I and I, unlike him, had been there all week and was also going to be there all alone on Sunday but he is a micro manager who makes decisions and then that's how it is. So, he left. My PCVL (PCV Leader- they have one for each sector) was in charge of the fair and had to be there anyways so she watched my table for a few hours so I could go to the meeting and then I told her just to close it up around 6:30 because I needed a break and wasn't going to come back.
As I said, we only sold 101 bags the whole time. Honestly, without exaggeration, if I had been able to swing brewing the coffee there I believe we would have sold, at minimum, double that amount if not more. However, due to lack of time to plan and me just getting to my site and having a lot of other things to do and other people not helping plan for the fair, that didn't happen. This begs the question- how were we going to get all the other coffee back to the Juncalito since no one could come pick it up? I left 95 bags at the Peace Corps office to sell, but there were still a lot left. Well, Francis (my project partner), when he was at the fair had met a guy who had a tourist shop and wanted to buy some of our left over coffee to sell at the shop, but at a much cheaper price with very little profit margin so Francis said no. Francis then called him again on Sunday and got the price up a little bit, not enough to do if it were a regular thing, but to get rid of some of it so we wouldn't have to take it back, we sold 120 pounds to them. A representative from the store was supposed to come get it on Sunday. He comes and says I am supposed to bring it on Monday. As if I can carry around 120 pounds of coffee, and, that I'm going to bring it to where I'm staying and bring it back to the same area the next day? I don't think so. So after much confusion and phone calls, we get it to the store but then I had to come back the next day to pick up a check for the coffee because they couldn't give it to me there. More trouble, thanks much. Even with selling that coffee, there was still 120 pounds that needed to go back to Juncalito, which, again, they asked me if I could take it with me on the busses. I said no because I am not their employee and also that it was impossible for me to do that, and very unreasonable for them to ask. I didn't mention that last part, but I will be having a lengthy discussion with them shortly about what my role is at the Association. So they sent Juan to come get it, which I feel bad because he had to then take it on the bus and everything, but it really is not my job and it was too much for me to manage. He came and got it yesterday morning.
Yesterday I was running around trying to get a bunch of things done so that I would be able to leave on time to catch the bus in Santiago on time. I got on the bus to Santiago and half way there, I realized I forgot to get the check for the coffee money. Then when I got there I had to turn around and go right back to Santo Domingo, but I couldn't get the check yesterday because I got back too late, and wasted 400 pesos on that round trip. In my defense, I would have had to stay last night anyways because I wouldn't have had time to get the check and do all my other errands in time to catch the bus, although I wouldn't have had to stay tonight also. It took forever to get the check today and when we first went, the people who needed to sign for it weren't going to get there for another hour and a half or I would have actually made my bus today on time. All in all, it was stressful and I felt really unhappy with the lack of support from my organization. I talked to Joy, my 'supervisor,' yesterday about the whole situation so we could work out how I should approach talking to my Assocation. I've got a lot of work to do on that front.
Aside from all those issues, I really enjoyed the fair. The artesans were interesting to talk to and I got to see a lot of my friends, eat non campo food, and have a good time. Also, thanks mom and dad for the Christmas package! For others who have inquired, I am always up for some chocolate, I could use some more flash drives for all the pictures I've got and I need some good markers, which you can't find here. I don't really need anything, but since you keep asking. I'm not picky, if you send me a card with a paper clip in it I would be happy because it's from you.
Posted by katie on December 19, 2006 12:54 PM | Permalink
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