Categories: phd
Tags: Romania, phone, fieldwork, Bucharest, communication
Date: 23 May 2006 13:15:21
I've been trying to arrange a meeting with someone important in Romania who would be really brilliant to work with on my fieldwork next year, but have been coming up against some snags. Teacher and I wrote an introductory letter in good academic Romanian, which we both felt was the perfect mix of interesting without sounding desperate (even though I am really). Plan A was to email them, however the email bounced straight back. Undeterred, Plan B (contact via the organisation's website) swung into action. However apart from the window saying "thanks for contacting us" I've heard nothing else. Plan C was attempted this morning (faxing my letter) but all we got was Mrs Electronic BT Woman telling me I'd put in too many 00's for the international access code (even though I hadn't, and my Dept's administrator kept trying for me and she got the same message). She also tried phoning the number (as phone and fax number are the same) but the same thing happened. Undeterred, it looks like Plan D is next - snail mail. If I don't hear anything before I leave next month then I may have to get onto the carrier pigeons. Either that, or just turn up unannounced, but being a bit of a chicken I'd rather not do that if I can help it. This is all par for the course dealing with Romania, and something I'm going to have to reaquaint myself with, but I'd love it if it would go just a wee bit more smoothly.
Besides, being a chicken in Bucharest is not a good thing at the moment. 40 streets have apparently been quarantined for up to 3 weeks because of bird flu, not in the sector where this person is based, but even still it could make life interesting. Oh well, never a dull moment...