Abstract
(Editor's Note: The A.FA Delegate from the Alamo £.xbibition Bird Cluh (A.EB.CJ i11 San Antonio, Texas had neier attended an A.FA conoention before. She had tbe creatiuity to keep a journal of her daily aatinues and thoughts while at the contention so sbe could report back to her club with some accuracy (these no/es are addressed to her club) and also reflect the ambienceandfeeltngs that preoailed. Her notes were sent to me by a third party mole and I belieoe them ioottby ({f puhlication so all the members of tbe A.FA can share tbe sense of wonder and excitement-« and more besides=that comes untb at/ending one's first A.FA contention. SLDJ
I t is Aug. 5th '97. the night hefore my first AFA convention and I am scared to death. My palms are soaked. I had tried on every piece of clothing I own and decided, I have nothing to wear, even though I hought three new outfits. I don't get it... ...
So I had a great idea, "Let's start a diary of some type to share with others." That means you. A.E.B.C.. Well, I fall asleep around 2 A.M. and wake at 4:45 A.M., 15 minutes hefore the alarm goes off. YOU CAN'T TELL I'M NERVOUS.
It takes me two hours every morning to feed and clean all the birds, dogs, cat, kids and, don't forget me. Trisha, the second delegate, arrives on time. We're off to our first convention.
August 6, 1997, we enter the House of Delegates hoping we don't trip on the way in. We were not prepared for what happened next. They gave us a tote bag and a beautiful name tag that read, in hig letters, FIRST TIMER.
This is a "sign" that means HUG ME and they DID1 l felt as if I were at a family reunion. We voted on By-Laws (what a nasty word) at the Delegate meeting. Every club, I don't care who you are, knows what happens when you say BY-LAWS.
If it had heen the wild wild west, they would have sheriffs at the door taking side arms. After a long, heated discussion, we finally voted. when I receive my new copy of the new Bylaws, I will give them to A.E.B.C.
We went over the "Chain of
Command," what a wonderful idea. I thought, why can't we (A.E.B.C.) use something like this. So l will give these ideas to our president to look over and present to the members. So look forward to these new ideas coming soon.
Afternoon-it's time for PIJAC certification seminar. This is an extra class l really wanted to attend, and I'm so glad I did. For a new aviculturist, l didn't know a lot hut this class taught me a whole new side. If you are like me, you listen to other people talk about their birds. But when they start saying things like WND. PBFD. or PIJAC. what do these terms mean' You stand there wondering if you should askhut you are afraid of looking dumh so you stand there and pretend you know and understand everything. Then the instructor says "I've heen there. I know what you have been
going through." And hands out copies of Illness/Disorders Identification and Treatment. Oh, by the way, PIJAC is short for PET INDUSTRY JOINT ADVISORY COUNCIL
What a night at the San Antonio Zoo. We loaded into three buses. At 7 P.M. we arrive at the zoo. Here you and 300 people are coming through the gates to hear our first greeter say "Hr· We all look around. Again we hear "HI." Then to our left we hear "HELLO, I AM OVER HERE1" Then simultaneously 200 bird lovers groan "A\Xf\VJ1•· Our first greeter was a Double Yellowhead Amazon. What a great welcome.
We then follow our tour guide hack to the bird aviaries where we had a Fiesta made for a queen· or king. There were steaks, chicken, corn on cob, beans, salad, and cookies. They even had Margaritas, beer, wine. ice tea. lemon aid, and cokes.
Trisha and I had just a little too much fun.
You should have been there. the zoo was great. We walked around asking questions and checking out all the birds we wished we had.
We just mingled and got to know our fellow aviculturists.
What a wonderful first day. Oh, hy the way, my nerves, I don't know just where they went hut I lost them around 8:01 A.~1. this morning when I received my first welcome hug.
I want to thank you for giving me, as your AFA Delegate, this opportunity to represent A.E.B.C. at the 1997 AFA convention. It was an experience I will never forget. [ hope that some time in the future you will all have a chance to attend one also.