boo hoo! super stressful! aggghhh!

On 6/13/07, Megan Harrington wrote:

So, have you talked with Margaret/Keren about your plans to not return
with the group? And do you have some kind of letter you are signing
releasing the University from all responsibility?

Thanks…

___________________________________________
Megan Harrington Wilson
Jessie F. Richardson Foundation
15900 SE 82nd Drive, Clackamas, OR 97015
mharrington@jfrfoundation.org
Ph: 503.408.4754 F: 503.255.5929

______________________

Megan,

I have expressed my intention to remain in country, both to you and Keren from the very beginning of involvement with the service project and it has not changed.

I was not informed that I had to release the University from liability or get an OK from Margaret when making a free will decision..
If this is necessary I will happily do so.

Iam now going to express my dissatisfaction with you and the level of organization surrounding our travel and other arrangements.
Myself and two other members of the group have repeatedly expressed our plans to stay in Central America beyond the dates of the service project and you either didn't believe us or ignored the issue. Wyatt, Steven and myself where informed by you that the change fees would be nominal (around $100+fare deviation or none at all if arrangments where made pre-purchase, see 25 Jan em from Michelle) and so we planned our budgets around these numbers, as it turns out the additional fare is, as outlined in the below em from Laura dated May 27, $392 + $100 change fee, not to mention the fact that this information only came to light 3 days before final changes to the tickets could be made (May 30) and I did not get this info until June 4th, for days after any changes could be made.
The result is that Wyatt decided to discontinue travel post project due to increased cost. I have no idea how Steven's plans have changed.
I have payed for a round trip ticket, will likely only be able to use half and then have to buy another one way so that I may fly out from the city i desire and return on the date desired. At this time it will cost approximately $545, one way, from Managua.
I have arranged travel for groups of up to 17, taking into account personal desires and wants, it's can be difficult but issues are resolved easily when delt with promtly.
I know that it can be difficult to deal with travel agents and time crunch's but we are the customers and they are providing a service.
If the service is not acceptable go somewhere else or deal directly with the source(airline) of the service.

Money is money, it comes and goes but I like to decide where my money goes.
I think your a good person but I believe you have continously discounted and ignored Wyatt, Steven and myself in regards to these travel arrangments. It has cost Wyatt an additional life experience, myself, at min, an additional $486 to continue my trip plus some fast taliking in Managua to salvage some of my return fare, I don't know what Steven is doing.

I will not be unhappy for long but be aware that I am not interested in any more wasted time or money.

I have CC'd Keren and Margaret as I believe they should be made of aware of the issues surrounding this episode.

Seth Moody

____________________

Seth-

Thanks for expressing your feelings about this. I understand why you are frustrated/angry and it is definitely best to get this out of the way now. I am sorry for any role I may have played in causing you stress and costing you money.

My role is difficult because I am an intermediary who often does not have complete information and is not able to make final decisions. I had heard early on from you, Wyatt and Steven (and Norm actually) that you interested in extending your stays, and I brought it up with Margaret and Keren, who expressed serious reservations. And I had thought that several months ago when you dropped by the IOA to discuss it with me, I had said that you should really just approach Margaret or Keren directly about the issue, since they would have to give the final approval and I would not be able to help much. I told Wyatt and Steven the same, and Wyatt did eventually do that, and when I heard back from Margaret and Keren I immediately contacted the travel agent who gave us the information.

Most importantly, I sent the email below back in February, and you did not respond. I took your lack of response as a lack of interest, which was probably a mistake.

Again, this is not to say that I don't understand your frustration or refuse to admit any guilt! I just want you to know that I really have tried to be responsive throughout this process.

Thanks,
Megan

___________________________________
From: Megan Harrington
Sent: Monday, February 05, 2007 2:08 PM
To: 'earp1420@yahoo.com'; 'Steven Zarnfaller'; 'norb@pdx.edu'; 'Seth Moody'
Subject: Extended Stays

It looks like we may have some issues with the University and with IOA regarding student extended stays. Keren requests that each of you write up a little proposal with your reasons for wanting to stay longer in Nicaragua and your plans, and then we’ll take those proposals to the various administrative parties and see what we come up with.

One thing to think about is that if students do end up staying past the date that everyone else returns, the University would want to completely write off any official connections to that student’s further travels, for liability reasons. This probably means that anyone who is considering a Capstone project should not consider any work done in an extended stay in Nicaragua to be part of that Capstone. I know that some of the projects we’ve proposed seem like they would necessarily include some time on the ground in Nicaragua, so I’m not sure exactly what Keren has in mind for these ones… But you’ll need to think about your Capstone projects as things you will accomplish here in Portland, as far as I know.

Thanks!

___________________________________________
Megan Harrington Wilson
Jessie F. Richardson Foundation
15900 SE 82nd Drive, Clackamas, OR 97015
mharrington@jfrfoundation.org
Ph: 503.408.4754 F: 503.255.5929