Where to Start?
What is more interesting to read about: the ultra muscle-y men who are ex-military cops who we hung out with last night (they are training Azeri special units in anti-terrorism techniques, and these guys are HUGE), or trying to negotiate a lease through a Russian interpretor (they always sound like they are yelling and arguing, but apparently they aren't...just like Sicilians ;) and how we were at an impasse over the landlord's wish that I hire her cleaning lady once a month (and pay for it myself) because it turns out I am living in the apartment above the President's brother (no wonder there are guards!) so I have to have clean windows!
Or should I describe the power outage our office had today in the middle of the afternoon, and we just went on with our fancy meeting with five representatives from another international organization in the dim, with computers and all sorts of technical equipment yelling loud beeping noises at us for nearly an hour until the power magically returned. I could desribe the fun of being driven to the United Nations in our big dark Ford Explorer, with our lovely formal driver Javonshir and going through all the security for an intro meeting to catch me up with the projects we are collaborating with UNIFEM on.
No, I think I'll express my minor nervousness but enthusiasm for the next week of adventures that are planned for me. The current plan is that I will move into my new apartment (above the President's brother of course) on Sunday/Monday, and have two normal work days Monday and Tuesday with meetings at the U.S. Embassy. Then I am flying to Georgia! Georgia...the country that my lonely planet guide recommends that one has hostage insurance for (which I don't have). I am going to attend a 3 day Domestic Violence training in Tblisi (Its a train the trainer training and 2 days are for training law enforcement and 1 day is for victim advocates). Interestingly, the two trainers are Americans and I have seen one of them at a national DV conference in the states. Busy times. And really so interesting. I could go on and on about how people speak about "gender issues" here and have no idea what they are talking about and sort of seem to resent even the topic being on the agenda - they do it grudgingly and with no training or information or dialogue. So it will be interesting to see what Georgia is planning to do on the domestic violence issue.
Or should I describe the power outage our office had today in the middle of the afternoon, and we just went on with our fancy meeting with five representatives from another international organization in the dim, with computers and all sorts of technical equipment yelling loud beeping noises at us for nearly an hour until the power magically returned. I could desribe the fun of being driven to the United Nations in our big dark Ford Explorer, with our lovely formal driver Javonshir and going through all the security for an intro meeting to catch me up with the projects we are collaborating with UNIFEM on.
No, I think I'll express my minor nervousness but enthusiasm for the next week of adventures that are planned for me. The current plan is that I will move into my new apartment (above the President's brother of course) on Sunday/Monday, and have two normal work days Monday and Tuesday with meetings at the U.S. Embassy. Then I am flying to Georgia! Georgia...the country that my lonely planet guide recommends that one has hostage insurance for (which I don't have). I am going to attend a 3 day Domestic Violence training in Tblisi (Its a train the trainer training and 2 days are for training law enforcement and 1 day is for victim advocates). Interestingly, the two trainers are Americans and I have seen one of them at a national DV conference in the states. Busy times. And really so interesting. I could go on and on about how people speak about "gender issues" here and have no idea what they are talking about and sort of seem to resent even the topic being on the agenda - they do it grudgingly and with no training or information or dialogue. So it will be interesting to see what Georgia is planning to do on the domestic violence issue.
posted by K. at 8:06 AM
2 Comments:
You should have tea with the president's brother!
Each new post you make nearly surpasses the last, in terms of excitement and intrigue. After only a few posts, I feel like I'm reading a suspenseful John Grisham thriller, but one that it is dangerously real.
Thanks for sharing. I look forward to reading your next post.
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