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rounded by breathtaking landscapes, had numerous
significant archeological sites and offered some fantastic day
hikes. It was easy to envision how the development of a museum
there would give tourists a good reason to spend time (and
money) in Llica.
However….., to make an already long
story just a little bit shorter….it took me almost a full year
of bumbling through and improving my language skills to
recognize that there was more to the story.
The mayor who had dreamed up the project years
earlier, secured the loan and requested a PC volunteer had
died in a catastrophic auto accident 2 years prior to my
arrival.
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There was significant turnover in the leadership
following his unfortunate departure.
The mayor in charge when I arrived was either not
qualified or not empowered to manage the
responsibilities.
Six months after I arrived at my site, yet
another new mayor was elected and he did not support the
idea of going into debt for a museum when his town did not
offer basic services.
When I finally had all of this sorted out I had
to agree with the new mayor!
Fortunately I
was able to request a new site and spent the second year of my
service in another worthwhile project. |
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However, I don't see the time I spent in Llica as a
loss in any way (though it has taken me a few years to fully
appreciate that fact).
The valuable lesson I learned is
that sometimes supporting people who decide NOT to complete a
project is just as important as helping them make it happen. I
know that in my case it was!!! I actually believe that the
museum plan can come together for Llica some day….once they
have completed their more pressing public works
projects!
Linda Gruneisen is the Human Resources Director
for a specialty retailer in South Florida.
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happen in early spring! Steven will be returning soon
to the U.S., so he will likely shift to a local time-zone
position at that time.
Losing Two
Members:
Bill Sherry, Eastern Time Zone member whose two-year
term ends March 1, 2004, has announced that he will not be
running for election. Bill has been serving as our webmaster,
a job he has offered to continue, and Membership Coordinator,
which he will give up, as only a board member can hold that
position.
I will be resigning from my
position on the board and as Election
Coordinator in
March, as I will be moving to Mexico and will not be able to
arrange for sending and receiving ballots by mail.
Postal ser
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vices where I will be are still somewhat
unreliable.
Need New Members!
Other standing board members
include: (elected) Ken Rustad, Mountain Time Zone; Patt
Behler, Central Time Zone; and Hugh Pickins (Eastern Time
Zone). Since bylaws allow for membership from five to fifteen,
there is room for more!
Please consider board
membership! Most Board work is conducted by
e-mail. Ken Rustad continues to provide overall coordination
of our efforts, but he -- and the rest of the other board
members -- could use help with making and keeping this a vital
and useful organization.
As Membership Coordinator, you
could help get the word out and encourage others to join
AMIGOS.
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The Election Coordinator position requires some fairly
simple tasks --
preparing and mailing ballots, counting
and reporting votes in coordination with the Elections Judge
-- whenever a board member must stand for
re-election.
This organization has great potential as a
vehicle for sharing
experiences, communicating, staying up
on host-country affairs, initiating projects, etc. New energy
and ideas are both welcome and needed. If you are a member of
AMIGOS, you are eligible to petition for board membership, by
contacting me at ckinsman2@aol.com or
505-242-9207. Your petition will be submitted to the board for
consideration. It's an easy process, so don't be shy!
Carolyn Kinsman,
Election
Coordinator
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