Part Two…. And the Coup Goes on….

The coup situation has become even more grim:

• Air travel out of the country is very limited; the airport has been closed for a few days

• It is uncertain when the airport will reopen

• Outbound communications are minimal; you are able to make a few local calls, including to a US Consulate employee staying at your hotel

• Communications with your office have been impossible for the past few days; the coup leaders physically cut the communications lines

With the ticket situation scarce, you and a team member go to the airport to buy the tickets there. You are first in line but somehow it still takes hours to buy the tickets. At the adjacent airline’s ticket window, a near riot breaks out in a stampede to get tickets. Fortunately, just a glare and some M-16-assisted shoves by the soldiers quiet the crowd in seconds—but you are edgy and nervous with about 60 people behind you shoving you up against the ticket counter. Four hours later….

Success! You have your tickets to leave! Finally, you call your office to give them the good news that you have secured seats on the second flight out of the country. But wait—your Regional Manager [located in another foreign country] orders you to stay in your current location for an extra day or two, and then go in the opposite direction to a different country; otherwise, his budget will show a variance. But what of the risks in remaining in a hostile environment? What of the ongoing and additional risks to your team and to the sensitive information you have? Unfortunately, he’s not concerned with those risks and orders you to get tickets to go to the alternate location.

The Operations Manager is NOT happy when you inform him of the change in destination. He now must arrange for and accompany you to the office’s travel agent located in the heart of the battle zone. The agent prepares the tickets and you are ready to leave—but wait!-- the manager is not authorized to sign for the air tickets—but his secretary is! However, he cannot ask the secretary to come into a battle zone controlled by tanks and armored personnel carriers. You call your office and explain the situation to the Regional Manager, but he thinks you are making up the story. Grudgingly, he agrees to speak with the Operations Manager who confirms the circumstances and explains the situation to the Regional Manager as well. Finally, the Regional Manager agrees to let you take the original flight—but threatens that you will be responsible for the budget variance). You and your team finally go to the airport the next day and do take the second flight out of the country and arrive at the new location (not in the United States) about 3:30 a.m. local time.

More to come...

Last Week’s Quiz Question:

What Vermont family is known for producing Olympic ski champions and runs a low cost ski hill behind their home?

Answer: The Cochrans of Richmond, Vermont.
http://www.cochranskiarea.org/history.html

Winner: Glen Calvo

This Week’s Question:

How many gallons of sap does it take to produce a gallon of maple syrup?

The winner receives a GPS with alarm feature that sounds when you have overshot your airport.

Send your entries to: jorlando@norwich.edu