1 00:00:02,040 --> 00:00:04,309 - The views and opinions expressed during this podcast 2 00:00:04,309 --> 00:00:06,180 are those of our guests. 3 00:00:06,180 --> 00:00:09,780 No one person speaks for A.A. as a whole. 4 00:00:09,780 --> 00:00:10,860 - Our primary purpose 5 00:00:10,860 --> 00:00:13,230 of carrying the message of Alcoholics Anonymous 6 00:00:13,230 --> 00:00:15,360 is fulfilled in many ways: 7 00:00:15,360 --> 00:00:18,870 from one alcoholic to another, outreach from a professional, 8 00:00:18,870 --> 00:00:23,640 through A.A. groups, PSAs, podcasts, it goes on and on. 9 00:00:23,640 --> 00:00:27,690 But perhaps most significantly, through our literature. 10 00:00:27,690 --> 00:00:30,817 The very name of our organization comes from its first book, 11 00:00:30,817 --> 00:00:32,850 "Alcoholics Anonymous," 12 00:00:32,850 --> 00:00:36,000 a publication that has sold over 30 million copies 13 00:00:36,000 --> 00:00:37,560 and counting. 14 00:00:37,560 --> 00:00:39,030 From the General Service Office, 15 00:00:39,030 --> 00:00:42,540 our publishing department now provides hundreds of resources 16 00:00:42,540 --> 00:00:44,160 designed to help individuals 17 00:00:44,160 --> 00:00:46,740 navigate their recovery journey. 18 00:00:46,740 --> 00:00:47,700 In this episode, 19 00:00:47,700 --> 00:00:50,850 we'll explore the deep impact of A.A. literature, 20 00:00:50,850 --> 00:00:54,180 sharing stories and insights that highlight how these texts 21 00:00:54,180 --> 00:00:57,750 can resonate profoundly with those seeking change. 22 00:00:57,750 --> 00:01:00,750 My name is Nathan, and I'm an alcoholic. 23 00:01:00,750 --> 00:01:01,982 Welcome to GSO. 24 00:01:01,982 --> 00:01:04,649 (upbeat music) 25 00:01:10,170 --> 00:01:13,543 Producing and licensing a vast array of materials worldwide, 26 00:01:13,543 --> 00:01:16,920 A.A. World Services' fellowship-owned publishing program 27 00:01:16,920 --> 00:01:19,133 is a highly respected professional publishing house 28 00:01:19,133 --> 00:01:20,880 in its own right. 29 00:01:20,880 --> 00:01:24,210 At the helm is David R., Publishing Director. 30 00:01:24,210 --> 00:01:25,590 - Hello. 31 00:01:25,590 --> 00:01:28,320 - You must've seen a lot of changes in publishing here 32 00:01:28,320 --> 00:01:29,550 in the past 10 years. 33 00:01:29,550 --> 00:01:31,170 - Oh, yeah. - Can you share 34 00:01:31,170 --> 00:01:33,630 on some of your experiences with these changes? 35 00:01:33,630 --> 00:01:38,070 - We've focused intently on, as I see it, 36 00:01:38,070 --> 00:01:41,400 two areas of carrying the message. 37 00:01:41,400 --> 00:01:44,850 Number one, we're a program of attraction, 38 00:01:44,850 --> 00:01:49,003 and number two, A.A. is all about inclusion. 39 00:01:49,003 --> 00:01:52,560 A.A. is inclusive, never exclusive. 40 00:01:52,560 --> 00:01:55,290 And over these past 10 years, 41 00:01:55,290 --> 00:01:58,470 we've seen so many new tools and new ways 42 00:01:58,470 --> 00:02:00,930 to help facilitate that. 43 00:02:00,930 --> 00:02:03,360 Primarily, attraction. 44 00:02:03,360 --> 00:02:06,538 We've seen a whole rise in visual culture. 45 00:02:06,538 --> 00:02:10,710 They used to call some of the pamphlets the grays. 46 00:02:10,710 --> 00:02:12,450 - This is true. - And so now, 47 00:02:12,450 --> 00:02:13,993 we feel like we've turned on the lights. 48 00:02:13,993 --> 00:02:18,660 A.A. now can look more like the Fellowship itself: 49 00:02:18,660 --> 00:02:22,410 colorful, vibrant, full of life, living in grace. 50 00:02:22,410 --> 00:02:25,140 - How is new A.A. literature created? 51 00:02:25,140 --> 00:02:28,620 Can you break down the process from its initial idea 52 00:02:28,620 --> 00:02:30,180 through conference approval, 53 00:02:30,180 --> 00:02:32,970 writing collaboration, publishing? 54 00:02:32,970 --> 00:02:35,440 - So all of our items of literature 55 00:02:36,390 --> 00:02:39,633 originate out of what we call expressed need. 56 00:02:40,740 --> 00:02:44,430 And that's one of the most beautiful things 57 00:02:44,430 --> 00:02:46,353 about our publishing program. 58 00:02:47,280 --> 00:02:51,993 It all starts from the A.A. membership itself. 59 00:02:52,890 --> 00:02:55,590 And so an idea could originate 60 00:02:55,590 --> 00:02:58,500 from an area, or a committee, or a group. 61 00:02:58,500 --> 00:03:00,330 And these ideas 62 00:03:00,330 --> 00:03:03,900 for, say, originating new items of literature 63 00:03:03,900 --> 00:03:07,080 or revising items of literature 64 00:03:07,080 --> 00:03:10,830 that have already been conference-approved. 65 00:03:10,830 --> 00:03:15,000 And most of our items of literature are conference-approved. 66 00:03:15,000 --> 00:03:16,500 That means something. 67 00:03:16,500 --> 00:03:20,730 That means they have gone through a rigorous process 68 00:03:20,730 --> 00:03:24,690 of ideation, how they originate; 69 00:03:24,690 --> 00:03:26,850 fleshing out the idea; 70 00:03:26,850 --> 00:03:31,850 participation by A.A. members themselves, by the fellowship, 71 00:03:32,220 --> 00:03:36,150 in the creation of the item of literature. 72 00:03:36,150 --> 00:03:39,570 - Do you have an example of this expressed need 73 00:03:39,570 --> 00:03:42,060 of some new literature that's out now? 74 00:03:42,060 --> 00:03:44,820 - One of the most thrilling examples 75 00:03:44,820 --> 00:03:47,460 is our newest item of literature, 76 00:03:47,460 --> 00:03:51,480 the "Plain Language Big Book," subtitled, 77 00:03:51,480 --> 00:03:54,502 "A Tool For Reading Alcoholics Anonymous." 78 00:03:54,502 --> 00:03:55,335 - Yes. 79 00:03:55,335 --> 00:03:57,930 - The expressed need for plain language 80 00:03:57,930 --> 00:03:59,970 or simplified language 81 00:03:59,970 --> 00:04:03,090 is a concept that, for decades, 82 00:04:03,090 --> 00:04:07,080 has been brought forward by A.A. members 83 00:04:07,080 --> 00:04:08,460 regarding our literature. 84 00:04:08,460 --> 00:04:12,150 How can we take some of our items of literature 85 00:04:12,150 --> 00:04:15,120 that were written so many years ago 86 00:04:15,120 --> 00:04:19,530 and make them accessible for folks in the 21st century? 87 00:04:19,530 --> 00:04:22,140 - The "Big Book" was published in 1939. 88 00:04:22,140 --> 00:04:23,520 - Exactly. 89 00:04:23,520 --> 00:04:26,490 So something that was written in the 1930s 90 00:04:26,490 --> 00:04:30,900 reflects the language and style of discussion and writing 91 00:04:30,900 --> 00:04:32,310 of the time. 92 00:04:32,310 --> 00:04:35,760 And the "Big Book," so beautiful in its language, 93 00:04:35,760 --> 00:04:39,480 for some people, presents a barrier to understanding. 94 00:04:39,480 --> 00:04:41,310 - Right, things are different now. 95 00:04:41,310 --> 00:04:43,170 And our literature can reflect that. 96 00:04:43,170 --> 00:04:48,150 - Even in the 1940s and '50s, there were folks in A.A., 97 00:04:48,150 --> 00:04:51,900 our archivists tell us that called the "Big Book." 98 00:04:51,900 --> 00:04:55,020 That's really a highfalutin language there. 99 00:04:55,020 --> 00:04:57,570 That's pretty flowery. 100 00:04:57,570 --> 00:05:02,250 Even Dr. Bob, at times, created his own pamphlets 101 00:05:02,250 --> 00:05:05,070 to help illuminate the 12 steps of recovery 102 00:05:05,070 --> 00:05:08,310 and A.A.'s program. 103 00:05:08,310 --> 00:05:10,140 - So decades ago, 104 00:05:10,140 --> 00:05:14,467 the fellowship was calling for plain language, 105 00:05:14,467 --> 00:05:15,840 "Big Book" and other literature. 106 00:05:15,840 --> 00:05:20,520 Why does it take so long for it to come to fruition now? 107 00:05:20,520 --> 00:05:24,510 - The process for all of this is quite painstaking. 108 00:05:24,510 --> 00:05:27,840 In 2021, the General Service Conference 109 00:05:27,840 --> 00:05:30,630 voted in favor of developing a draft 110 00:05:30,630 --> 00:05:33,030 of the "Plain Language Big Book." 111 00:05:33,030 --> 00:05:35,970 That set about a process that took years 112 00:05:35,970 --> 00:05:40,020 of forming committees, selecting a writer, 113 00:05:40,020 --> 00:05:43,200 working with A.A.'s professionals in the office, 114 00:05:43,200 --> 00:05:48,200 and creating this incredible painstaking collaboration 115 00:05:48,600 --> 00:05:53,600 of writing, rewriting, editing, tweaking, polishing, 116 00:05:55,290 --> 00:06:00,290 all in efforts of bringing forth the spiritual resonance 117 00:06:01,440 --> 00:06:03,990 of the original "Big Book." 118 00:06:03,990 --> 00:06:08,730 - About how many people inside the fellowship were involved 119 00:06:08,730 --> 00:06:12,240 in getting the "Plain Language Big Book" published? 120 00:06:12,240 --> 00:06:14,613 - That is remarkable to share. 121 00:06:15,840 --> 00:06:17,460 Hundreds. 122 00:06:17,460 --> 00:06:19,890 When you think of all these committees, 123 00:06:19,890 --> 00:06:22,740 you think of three years of conference members 124 00:06:22,740 --> 00:06:27,090 reviewing progress reports, sample chapters, 125 00:06:27,090 --> 00:06:29,703 and the finished draft itself. 126 00:06:30,660 --> 00:06:33,300 So many folks in A.A. had a hand 127 00:06:33,300 --> 00:06:35,463 on the development of this project. 128 00:06:36,360 --> 00:06:37,193 - There's a lot of people 129 00:06:37,193 --> 00:06:40,020 that are incredibly passionate about the "Big Book." 130 00:06:40,020 --> 00:06:42,570 and when they heard about the "Plain Language Big Book," 131 00:06:42,570 --> 00:06:44,160 they were worried that it was being replaced. 132 00:06:44,160 --> 00:06:47,160 Is that, at all, what's going on? 133 00:06:47,160 --> 00:06:50,370 - That was never the intention of this project 134 00:06:50,370 --> 00:06:54,570 and is not the reason for the book. 135 00:06:54,570 --> 00:06:59,570 What we have keyed on is to make a tool available 136 00:06:59,910 --> 00:07:04,800 that can be used as an entryway, a doorway, an archway, 137 00:07:04,800 --> 00:07:09,330 to walk through some point of entry and access 138 00:07:09,330 --> 00:07:13,320 for someone who is setting out to read the "Big Book." 139 00:07:13,320 --> 00:07:14,400 So this, in no way, 140 00:07:14,400 --> 00:07:17,310 is intended to replace the "Big Book" itself, 141 00:07:17,310 --> 00:07:20,880 the beloved basic text of "Alcoholics Anonymous." 142 00:07:20,880 --> 00:07:22,860 So we took much care 143 00:07:22,860 --> 00:07:27,330 in deciding what would be presented original text 144 00:07:27,330 --> 00:07:31,680 right next to plain language explanation. 145 00:07:31,680 --> 00:07:36,680 And we arrived at a few parts of the "Big Book" 146 00:07:37,410 --> 00:07:41,250 being presented that way in the "Plain Language Big Book." 147 00:07:41,250 --> 00:07:43,710 There's a chapter called "The Doctor's Opinion" 148 00:07:43,710 --> 00:07:48,710 that has letters written by a noted expert on alcoholism 149 00:07:50,130 --> 00:07:53,640 that contains some, one might say, 150 00:07:53,640 --> 00:07:56,700 dated medical terminology. 151 00:07:56,700 --> 00:07:57,750 And so there, 152 00:07:57,750 --> 00:08:02,750 we present side by side original and plain language 153 00:08:04,200 --> 00:08:08,340 so readers can see very clearly what is being discussed. 154 00:08:08,340 --> 00:08:10,080 Once A.A. members 155 00:08:10,080 --> 00:08:13,710 get their hands on the "Plain Language Big Book," 156 00:08:13,710 --> 00:08:15,810 the spiritual resonance, 157 00:08:15,810 --> 00:08:20,810 the beauty of the words of this book will be felt. 158 00:08:21,420 --> 00:08:25,470 And this will be a very important item of literature 159 00:08:25,470 --> 00:08:28,539 for the next century of Alcoholics Anonymous. 160 00:08:28,539 --> 00:08:30,240 (pensive music) 161 00:08:30,240 --> 00:08:32,220 - For more information about A.A., 162 00:08:32,220 --> 00:08:35,636 please visit our website at aa.org. 163 00:08:35,636 --> 00:08:36,780 (pensive music) 164 00:08:36,780 --> 00:08:39,750 - What about individuals who can't get their hands 165 00:08:39,750 --> 00:08:41,010 on the physical copies, 166 00:08:41,010 --> 00:08:43,650 and I'm talking about persons in custody 167 00:08:43,650 --> 00:08:45,090 or the visually impaired, 168 00:08:45,090 --> 00:08:48,240 how would they gain access to our literature? 169 00:08:48,240 --> 00:08:49,770 - Oh, this is a very good question, 170 00:08:49,770 --> 00:08:52,710 and another focus of ours is accessibility. 171 00:08:52,710 --> 00:08:57,710 How do we ensure that anyone anywhere 172 00:08:57,870 --> 00:09:01,020 can experience the hand of A.A.? 173 00:09:01,020 --> 00:09:03,360 We like to think, and in that hand, 174 00:09:03,360 --> 00:09:08,360 maybe a book, a link to the website or the meeting guide, 175 00:09:09,930 --> 00:09:14,930 or perhaps for those who can't hold in their hand 176 00:09:15,510 --> 00:09:19,620 or read printed material, digital. 177 00:09:19,620 --> 00:09:23,190 And so we have escalated our publishing program 178 00:09:23,190 --> 00:09:25,350 to meet that need. 179 00:09:25,350 --> 00:09:30,060 This is very recent, folks can download the audiobooks. 180 00:09:30,060 --> 00:09:34,620 They could listen for no charge on aa.org, 181 00:09:34,620 --> 00:09:37,920 another wonderful tool for access. 182 00:09:37,920 --> 00:09:42,660 And we have reached out to corrections, 183 00:09:42,660 --> 00:09:46,020 jails, prisons through tablets, 184 00:09:46,020 --> 00:09:50,640 so folks in custody can access eBooks and audiobooks, 185 00:09:50,640 --> 00:09:55,640 and they can read, listen at no charge in custody. 186 00:09:56,820 --> 00:09:57,660 - Can you tell us a bit 187 00:09:57,660 --> 00:10:00,902 about the Navajo translation of the "Big Book"? 188 00:10:00,902 --> 00:10:03,570 - Oh, one of my favorite experiences, 189 00:10:03,570 --> 00:10:07,470 just a standout experience in the past few years 190 00:10:07,470 --> 00:10:12,470 was the completion of the Navajo "Big Book" 191 00:10:12,720 --> 00:10:14,970 in audio recordings. 192 00:10:14,970 --> 00:10:17,610 The native language is pronounced Diné. 193 00:10:17,610 --> 00:10:21,990 It is an audiobook available in CDs. 194 00:10:21,990 --> 00:10:23,310 Why In CDs? 195 00:10:23,310 --> 00:10:27,270 Because that's what the Fellowship asked for. 196 00:10:27,270 --> 00:10:32,270 This book project started arguably in the 1970s 197 00:10:34,410 --> 00:10:39,000 with tapings that were made in folks' living rooms. 198 00:10:39,000 --> 00:10:41,340 It took years, and years, and years 199 00:10:41,340 --> 00:10:45,900 for the folks of the Navajo communities 200 00:10:45,900 --> 00:10:50,900 to achieve what they felt best represented the integrity 201 00:10:51,810 --> 00:10:54,330 of the original English "Big Book," 202 00:10:54,330 --> 00:10:57,540 as all of our translations seek to do. 203 00:10:57,540 --> 00:11:01,290 - Here's a short portion of Chapter 5, "How It Works," 204 00:11:01,290 --> 00:11:04,064 from the Navajo translation of the "Big Book." 205 00:11:04,064 --> 00:11:09,039 (speaker speaking in Diné) 206 00:11:19,830 --> 00:11:21,930 What else is new from publishing? 207 00:11:21,930 --> 00:11:26,930 - First up, our A.A. service manual is just coming off press 208 00:11:28,110 --> 00:11:33,110 after a couple of years of polishing and committee work, 209 00:11:33,300 --> 00:11:38,300 making the service manual as accessible as possible. 210 00:11:38,640 --> 00:11:41,250 In the pamphlet lineup, "Black in A.A.," 211 00:11:41,250 --> 00:11:42,930 in English, French, and Spanish, 212 00:11:42,930 --> 00:11:46,200 featuring new stories to sharing the experience, 213 00:11:46,200 --> 00:11:48,360 strength, and hope of fellowship. 214 00:11:48,360 --> 00:11:51,600 Also, "Young People in A.A.," 215 00:11:51,600 --> 00:11:54,810 recently revised with fresh new stories 216 00:11:54,810 --> 00:11:59,040 and illustrated with really wonderful illustrations 217 00:11:59,040 --> 00:12:01,590 that benefited in particular 218 00:12:01,590 --> 00:12:05,880 from wide participation of young people in A.A. 219 00:12:05,880 --> 00:12:08,660 And then we also have the new booklet, 220 00:12:08,660 --> 00:12:11,550 "A.A. for the Older Alcoholic," 221 00:12:11,550 --> 00:12:15,300 also featuring fresh stories that show a very wide swath 222 00:12:15,300 --> 00:12:20,300 of the A.A. older alcoholic fellowship. 223 00:12:20,370 --> 00:12:22,050 - I heard about a Fifth Edition of the "Big Book." 224 00:12:22,050 --> 00:12:23,070 How's that coming? 225 00:12:23,070 --> 00:12:24,810 - Very exciting. 226 00:12:24,810 --> 00:12:29,810 Over 2,500 story submissions have been read and reviewed 227 00:12:31,890 --> 00:12:33,900 and are being considered 228 00:12:33,900 --> 00:12:37,590 for an updated edition of the "Big Book." 229 00:12:37,590 --> 00:12:40,950 It's a very intensive multi-year project. 230 00:12:40,950 --> 00:12:43,290 And also very exciting, 231 00:12:43,290 --> 00:12:45,845 a work group has been moving apace 232 00:12:45,845 --> 00:12:49,125 on the Spanish "Big Book" Fourth Edition, 233 00:12:49,125 --> 00:12:53,430 which which will feature a polished translation 234 00:12:53,430 --> 00:12:55,530 of the original text 235 00:12:55,530 --> 00:12:59,910 and fresh stories representing a very wide swath 236 00:12:59,910 --> 00:13:03,270 of the Spanish-speaking A.A. fellowship. 237 00:13:03,270 --> 00:13:06,510 So, stay tuned, much more to come. 238 00:13:06,510 --> 00:13:08,010 - Alcoholics Anonymous 239 00:13:08,010 --> 00:13:11,160 is coming up on its 90-year anniversary, 240 00:13:11,160 --> 00:13:14,310 and A.A. is a lot of things. 241 00:13:14,310 --> 00:13:15,870 It is a spiritual program. 242 00:13:15,870 --> 00:13:19,050 It is also a literature-based program. 243 00:13:19,050 --> 00:13:21,060 It started with one book, 244 00:13:21,060 --> 00:13:22,590 and now all the fundamentals of A.A. 245 00:13:22,590 --> 00:13:25,860 are still found in our literature. 246 00:13:25,860 --> 00:13:29,040 Why do you think that remains true to this day? 247 00:13:29,040 --> 00:13:31,410 - The first meeting I went to, 248 00:13:31,410 --> 00:13:34,320 I stumbled into a meeting 249 00:13:34,320 --> 00:13:38,280 in the basement of a Catholic church, I am not Catholic, 250 00:13:38,280 --> 00:13:41,760 and at that meeting, there were books on each table. 251 00:13:41,760 --> 00:13:44,220 The book was "Daily Reflections." 252 00:13:44,220 --> 00:13:49,220 And folks proceeded to read one page of that book 253 00:13:49,380 --> 00:13:54,030 and have deep emotional responses to it. 254 00:13:54,030 --> 00:13:55,230 I was floored. 255 00:13:55,230 --> 00:13:58,560 Here were men talking about emotions, 256 00:13:58,560 --> 00:14:03,560 women just sharing deep stories together, 257 00:14:03,960 --> 00:14:06,570 finding this transformative experience 258 00:14:06,570 --> 00:14:09,240 based on one page of one book. 259 00:14:09,240 --> 00:14:10,560 At the end of the meeting, 260 00:14:10,560 --> 00:14:13,080 someone came up to me and said, "Are you new?" 261 00:14:13,080 --> 00:14:16,087 And I said, "Oh, yeah, well, uh-huh." 262 00:14:16,087 --> 00:14:18,517 "Well, do you have a book?" 263 00:14:18,517 --> 00:14:20,730 "Oh, I love books. I work in publishing," 264 00:14:20,730 --> 00:14:23,430 and I was blah, blah, blah, blah, blathering on. 265 00:14:23,430 --> 00:14:28,230 And he handed me a soft cover, "Big Book." 266 00:14:28,230 --> 00:14:32,100 The hand of A.A. carrying the message. 267 00:14:32,100 --> 00:14:37,053 That message was a "Big Book" handed to me, a stranger. 268 00:14:37,980 --> 00:14:40,950 It's how A.A. happens, 269 00:14:40,950 --> 00:14:45,690 and that story rings true still today around the world. 270 00:14:45,690 --> 00:14:48,300 - David, thank you so much for coming in today. 271 00:14:48,300 --> 00:14:50,850 - What a delight, I was so pleased to be here. 272 00:14:50,850 --> 00:14:51,698 Thank you. 273 00:14:51,698 --> 00:14:55,908 (upbeat electronic music) 274 00:14:55,908 --> 00:14:58,710 - To find a meeting near you, or a meeting online, 275 00:14:58,710 --> 00:15:01,344 download the Meeting Guide app on your mobile device. 276 00:15:01,344 --> 00:15:03,180 (upbeat electronic music) 277 00:15:03,180 --> 00:15:05,730 - David spoke of the importance of A.A. literature 278 00:15:05,730 --> 00:15:10,140 in all its forms, but also access to it. 279 00:15:10,140 --> 00:15:12,000 The share from our GSO guest this week 280 00:15:12,000 --> 00:15:15,690 is exemplary of this need for access to our literature; 281 00:15:15,690 --> 00:15:19,200 not just for himself, but for the entire Fellowship. 282 00:15:19,200 --> 00:15:20,820 - Hey everybody, I'm Michael. 283 00:15:20,820 --> 00:15:22,173 I'm an alcoholic. 284 00:15:23,610 --> 00:15:27,630 Well, I stopped drinking in February of 1982. 285 00:15:29,670 --> 00:15:33,060 And I was born with congenital glaucoma, 286 00:15:33,060 --> 00:15:36,164 so I've been visually impaired since birth. 287 00:15:36,164 --> 00:15:37,200 When I was young, 288 00:15:37,200 --> 00:15:41,400 I could see colors and more light than I can now, 289 00:15:41,400 --> 00:15:45,840 but I lived a crazy rebellious life 290 00:15:45,840 --> 00:15:49,590 and I was one of these guys that in high school, 291 00:15:49,590 --> 00:15:51,300 if everybody was doing something, 292 00:15:51,300 --> 00:15:54,150 I wanted to do it, even though I was blind. 293 00:15:54,150 --> 00:15:59,150 And one of the crazy things that I loved doing was drinking. 294 00:16:01,200 --> 00:16:03,572 I was always obsessed with booze, 295 00:16:03,572 --> 00:16:06,330 open a can of beer for my mother 296 00:16:06,330 --> 00:16:08,820 at a family gathering or a neighborhood gathering, 297 00:16:08,820 --> 00:16:10,710 that cold can in my hand. 298 00:16:10,710 --> 00:16:14,070 Then I'd get a sip or take a sip of somebody's highball. 299 00:16:14,070 --> 00:16:17,280 And man, I'm thinking, "Man, I want more of that." 300 00:16:17,280 --> 00:16:20,940 And I'll never forget the first time I took that drink. 301 00:16:20,940 --> 00:16:24,333 And let me tell you, it was Nirvana. 302 00:16:25,547 --> 00:16:27,030 It did something for me. 303 00:16:27,030 --> 00:16:30,090 It turned off all the fear, the anxiety, 304 00:16:30,090 --> 00:16:33,540 the low self-esteem, any hangups I had. 305 00:16:33,540 --> 00:16:37,110 And man, I loved that feeling. 306 00:16:37,110 --> 00:16:42,110 And I used alcohol throughout the years to be my friend, 307 00:16:42,930 --> 00:16:44,970 to help me wake up, go to sleep, 308 00:16:44,970 --> 00:16:47,850 to be funny, romantic, intellectual, 309 00:16:47,850 --> 00:16:50,217 whatever I needed it for, it was my friend. 310 00:16:50,217 --> 00:16:53,220 (pensive music) 311 00:16:53,220 --> 00:16:55,890 I eventually got to the point 312 00:16:55,890 --> 00:16:59,100 where it was all doom, gloom, and disaster. 313 00:16:59,100 --> 00:17:04,100 And I met people along the way who used to say to me, 314 00:17:04,297 --> 00:17:06,360 "You ought to come to an A.A. meeting." 315 00:17:06,360 --> 00:17:08,490 And I was thinking, "Who the hell are they 316 00:17:08,490 --> 00:17:10,080 to talk to me like that?" 317 00:17:10,080 --> 00:17:12,090 And then I got to A.A., 318 00:17:12,090 --> 00:17:14,820 and I wish I could tell you it was a smooth ride 319 00:17:14,820 --> 00:17:17,520 from the time I walked in the door, 320 00:17:17,520 --> 00:17:21,810 but I had a lot of ups and downs in my sobriety. 321 00:17:21,810 --> 00:17:25,860 But I didn't pick up a drink. And why? 322 00:17:25,860 --> 00:17:30,600 I was protected, and I had people around me who loved me 323 00:17:30,600 --> 00:17:33,720 and people who said to me, "Just keep coming." 324 00:17:33,720 --> 00:17:36,540 I just am so thankful for the people, 325 00:17:36,540 --> 00:17:39,030 especially the people I met in the beginning 326 00:17:39,030 --> 00:17:44,030 who have helped me through this journey. 327 00:17:44,287 --> 00:17:47,760 (gentle upbeat music) 328 00:17:47,760 --> 00:17:50,070 I mean, sometimes, being blind, 329 00:17:50,070 --> 00:17:54,480 I feel like, "Hey, I don't belong in this sighted world." 330 00:17:54,480 --> 00:17:57,450 Because when I first came into A.A., 331 00:17:57,450 --> 00:17:59,520 I could walk to meetings. 332 00:17:59,520 --> 00:18:02,733 I lived in a city that was like a grid, 333 00:18:03,780 --> 00:18:05,400 like here in New York. 334 00:18:05,400 --> 00:18:06,930 So you could walk to meetings. 335 00:18:06,930 --> 00:18:08,340 I had my seeing eye dog. 336 00:18:08,340 --> 00:18:10,440 I could walk if I couldn't get a ride. 337 00:18:10,440 --> 00:18:12,960 Now, I live near the Jersey Shore, 338 00:18:12,960 --> 00:18:16,740 and it's not as easy to always find a ride 339 00:18:16,740 --> 00:18:18,450 to and from a meeting. 340 00:18:18,450 --> 00:18:21,000 So, that is a challenge for me. 341 00:18:21,000 --> 00:18:26,000 Also, like anybody else, I had a lot of distractions. 342 00:18:27,840 --> 00:18:30,120 But also, I can tell you, 343 00:18:30,120 --> 00:18:33,090 I wanted to make myself an exception 344 00:18:33,090 --> 00:18:34,590 to certain things in A.A. 345 00:18:34,590 --> 00:18:37,170 because I said, "Well, I'm blind, 346 00:18:37,170 --> 00:18:41,340 so I can excuse this, I can excuse that." 347 00:18:41,340 --> 00:18:44,010 And there is no excuse. 348 00:18:44,010 --> 00:18:45,748 I had to learn that the hard way. 349 00:18:45,748 --> 00:18:49,020 (mellow music) 350 00:18:49,020 --> 00:18:52,230 Some of the other challenges I still have 351 00:18:52,230 --> 00:18:56,250 is I feel like I haven't read everything. 352 00:18:56,250 --> 00:18:57,450 I want to read more, 353 00:18:57,450 --> 00:19:00,000 like there's so much literature out there. 354 00:19:00,000 --> 00:19:03,720 And the "Big Book" is recorded, the "Step Book" is recorded, 355 00:19:03,720 --> 00:19:07,470 and the "Daily Reflections," I have in Braille. 356 00:19:07,470 --> 00:19:09,930 There's just so much literature 357 00:19:09,930 --> 00:19:12,660 that I can't get enough of it. 358 00:19:12,660 --> 00:19:15,090 The other challenge I have 359 00:19:15,090 --> 00:19:17,040 is some people don't know how to relate 360 00:19:17,040 --> 00:19:18,720 to someone who's blind, 361 00:19:18,720 --> 00:19:23,720 and they don't understand the whole concept. 362 00:19:25,020 --> 00:19:30,020 Blindness is one of the most feared disabilities in society, 363 00:19:30,360 --> 00:19:33,150 and it's not that they're not friendly to me 364 00:19:33,150 --> 00:19:35,520 or that they don't thank me for sharing 365 00:19:35,520 --> 00:19:38,820 and come and ask me for advice or anything like that. 366 00:19:38,820 --> 00:19:40,710 And there are a lot of people 367 00:19:40,710 --> 00:19:43,920 who come into the rooms with disabilities. 368 00:19:43,920 --> 00:19:46,920 Some of them are visible and some of them are invisible. 369 00:19:46,920 --> 00:19:49,470 And there are people who can't read, 370 00:19:49,470 --> 00:19:52,380 and they're embarrassed to tell you they can't read. 371 00:19:52,380 --> 00:19:55,980 There are people with mental disabilities 372 00:19:55,980 --> 00:19:59,400 and other impairments that they don't know what to do, 373 00:19:59,400 --> 00:20:00,780 they feel lost. 374 00:20:00,780 --> 00:20:04,504 And I think we have to find a way to make them feel welcome. 375 00:20:04,504 --> 00:20:07,200 (gentle upbeat music) 376 00:20:07,200 --> 00:20:10,110 - Not that we're experts in every disability, 377 00:20:10,110 --> 00:20:13,590 but we have to let them know, "Hey, come on in here. 378 00:20:13,590 --> 00:20:16,072 If you need a network..." 379 00:20:16,072 --> 00:20:18,060 Especially in the beginning, 380 00:20:18,060 --> 00:20:23,060 to understand things more thoroughly and to get active. 381 00:20:24,960 --> 00:20:26,610 I have to say I was blessed 382 00:20:26,610 --> 00:20:30,300 because I had a bunch of crazy dudes around me, 383 00:20:30,300 --> 00:20:33,810 and they told me, "Get in here and make the coffee." 384 00:20:33,810 --> 00:20:35,520 I was washing coffee pots 385 00:20:35,520 --> 00:20:37,650 and all that business in the beginning. 386 00:20:37,650 --> 00:20:40,380 But I can see where a lot of people with disabilities, 387 00:20:40,380 --> 00:20:41,673 especially blind people, 388 00:20:43,890 --> 00:20:46,320 a lot of people wouldn't say that to them. 389 00:20:46,320 --> 00:20:48,600 We have to find out who needs what. 390 00:20:48,600 --> 00:20:49,770 And hopefully, 391 00:20:49,770 --> 00:20:53,430 we'll intuitively know how to handle problems, 392 00:20:53,430 --> 00:20:54,810 which baffle us. 393 00:20:54,810 --> 00:20:57,900 But how do we get these people active? 394 00:20:57,900 --> 00:20:59,820 How do we get them to greet? 395 00:20:59,820 --> 00:21:03,090 How do we get them to help set up a chair, 396 00:21:03,090 --> 00:21:06,420 organize something, put out there could do something. 397 00:21:06,420 --> 00:21:08,730 And so I think it's a problem 398 00:21:08,730 --> 00:21:10,740 not only for people who are visually impaired, 399 00:21:10,740 --> 00:21:12,057 but who have other impairments, 400 00:21:12,057 --> 00:21:14,580 and I think they need to feel free 401 00:21:14,580 --> 00:21:17,445 to come forward and ask for help. 402 00:21:17,445 --> 00:21:20,220 (gentle upbeat music) 403 00:21:20,220 --> 00:21:21,900 As time goes by, 404 00:21:21,900 --> 00:21:26,040 I feel more and more blessed to be in this program. 405 00:21:26,040 --> 00:21:31,040 I am someone who never ceases to look past the magic. 406 00:21:33,570 --> 00:21:34,800 It's beautiful. 407 00:21:34,800 --> 00:21:36,300 And I wanted to come here 408 00:21:36,300 --> 00:21:41,300 and just make my foundation a little firmer, 409 00:21:41,700 --> 00:21:45,690 understand what's going on, understand where we came from, 410 00:21:45,690 --> 00:21:47,940 and to be part of it, 411 00:21:47,940 --> 00:21:50,760 to just have more appreciation 412 00:21:50,760 --> 00:21:53,610 for the program where we've come from 413 00:21:53,610 --> 00:21:55,856 and where we've evolved to today. 414 00:21:55,856 --> 00:21:59,106 (gentle upbeat music) 415 00:22:07,710 --> 00:22:09,930 - For more information about A.A. materials 416 00:22:09,930 --> 00:22:13,440 created to support those facing accessibility barriers, 417 00:22:13,440 --> 00:22:18,440 please visit aa.org and look for Accessibility Resources. 418 00:22:18,450 --> 00:22:20,550 - That's Misha who you hear every episode 419 00:22:20,550 --> 00:22:22,740 with the disclaimers and drop-ins. 420 00:22:22,740 --> 00:22:25,020 She's now the Public Information Staff Coordinator, 421 00:22:25,020 --> 00:22:28,020 but we first met her in the "GSO Tour" episode 422 00:22:28,020 --> 00:22:30,810 when she was on the Treatment and Accessibilities Desk. 423 00:22:30,810 --> 00:22:33,570 - Welcome, everyone, to the General Service Office. 424 00:22:33,570 --> 00:22:36,510 My name is Misha, and I am an alcoholic. 425 00:22:36,510 --> 00:22:39,240 - We wanted to have her back to tell a story of her own. 426 00:22:39,240 --> 00:22:40,740 Hey, Misha. - Hey, Nathan. 427 00:22:40,740 --> 00:22:43,410 - So, you and I had been talking about A.A. literature, 428 00:22:43,410 --> 00:22:45,540 and you told me this incredible story 429 00:22:45,540 --> 00:22:48,510 about an experience you had while you were abroad, 430 00:22:48,510 --> 00:22:50,940 and I was hoping that you could share that story 431 00:22:50,940 --> 00:22:52,440 with our listeners today. 432 00:22:52,440 --> 00:22:56,940 - You asked me about my own personal experience 433 00:22:56,940 --> 00:22:58,710 with the literature, 434 00:22:58,710 --> 00:23:00,750 and I thought about this story 435 00:23:00,750 --> 00:23:04,080 about something that happened before I came to work at GSO. 436 00:23:04,080 --> 00:23:06,060 - Mm-hmm. - So I was a grad student, 437 00:23:06,060 --> 00:23:10,230 and I was planning to be out of the country 438 00:23:10,230 --> 00:23:13,980 for more than a year doing research for my dissertation. 439 00:23:13,980 --> 00:23:18,540 And I was going to a place where, as far as I could tell, 440 00:23:18,540 --> 00:23:21,990 there wasn't very much A.A. 441 00:23:21,990 --> 00:23:23,760 And I'd been sober a while, 442 00:23:23,760 --> 00:23:28,170 and I felt like I had a good connection with my sponsor, 443 00:23:28,170 --> 00:23:30,900 and my home group, and steps, 444 00:23:30,900 --> 00:23:33,450 and all the tools that were offered. 445 00:23:33,450 --> 00:23:37,920 So I wasn't nervous about whether or not I would stay sober, 446 00:23:37,920 --> 00:23:40,110 but I was really concerned 447 00:23:40,110 --> 00:23:44,280 because I really wanted to make sure 448 00:23:44,280 --> 00:23:46,560 that I did everything I could 449 00:23:46,560 --> 00:23:50,010 to ensure that I would stay connected to the program. 450 00:23:50,010 --> 00:23:50,843 - Make's sense. 451 00:23:50,843 --> 00:23:52,200 It can be tough to stay connected 452 00:23:52,200 --> 00:23:53,550 when you're away from home. 453 00:23:53,550 --> 00:23:56,010 - So I reached out to the General Service Office. 454 00:23:56,010 --> 00:23:57,480 - Nice. - I was kind of nervous 455 00:23:57,480 --> 00:24:00,750 because I kind of didn't know what they did 456 00:24:00,750 --> 00:24:02,520 or who was going to answer. 457 00:24:02,520 --> 00:24:04,650 And the first person who answered 458 00:24:04,650 --> 00:24:08,040 was someone who connected me with LIM. 459 00:24:08,040 --> 00:24:10,320 - LIM, as in L-I-M? 460 00:24:10,320 --> 00:24:12,720 - That's the Loners and Internationalists Meeting. 461 00:24:12,720 --> 00:24:14,970 And that's this kind of wonderful service 462 00:24:14,970 --> 00:24:17,130 that's been around for decades, 463 00:24:17,130 --> 00:24:21,270 where A.A. members who are in places 464 00:24:21,270 --> 00:24:22,830 where they're on their own, 465 00:24:22,830 --> 00:24:26,010 they might be aboard a ship or in a remote location, 466 00:24:26,010 --> 00:24:27,750 they connect with one another 467 00:24:27,750 --> 00:24:31,110 in a kind of a print meeting and through email. 468 00:24:31,110 --> 00:24:32,910 And sometimes, they call each other, 469 00:24:32,910 --> 00:24:36,180 but they stay connected and they stay sober that way. 470 00:24:36,180 --> 00:24:37,080 - Incredible. 471 00:24:37,080 --> 00:24:39,930 And was GSO able to help you out with any resources? 472 00:24:39,930 --> 00:24:41,670 - The next thing that I asked for 473 00:24:41,670 --> 00:24:43,470 was literature. - Right. 474 00:24:43,470 --> 00:24:46,710 - Because I was planning to go to Bangladesh, 475 00:24:46,710 --> 00:24:48,780 and at the time, I didn't speak Bengali, 476 00:24:48,780 --> 00:24:51,690 the language that they speak there, also known as Bangla, 477 00:24:51,690 --> 00:24:53,700 so I had a language course set up 478 00:24:53,700 --> 00:24:54,750 where I was going to be doing 479 00:24:54,750 --> 00:24:58,740 this intensive language training, language learning, 480 00:24:58,740 --> 00:25:01,380 and I wanted to have a "Big Book" 481 00:25:01,380 --> 00:25:05,280 and any other literature that I could find in Bangla. 482 00:25:05,280 --> 00:25:08,370 And so I reached out, 483 00:25:08,370 --> 00:25:12,150 and the folks at the General Service Office hooked me up. 484 00:25:12,150 --> 00:25:13,650 It was really wonderful, 485 00:25:13,650 --> 00:25:16,920 and it gave me this sense of feeling connected, 486 00:25:16,920 --> 00:25:18,900 even before I got there. 487 00:25:18,900 --> 00:25:20,760 - That must have been reassuring. 488 00:25:20,760 --> 00:25:25,760 - Yeah, and it also gave me insight because that "Big Book" 489 00:25:27,300 --> 00:25:31,500 had been translated and printed in India 490 00:25:31,500 --> 00:25:34,860 for the Bengali-speaking folks who live there. 491 00:25:34,860 --> 00:25:38,100 - And what kind of effect did that insight have? 492 00:25:38,100 --> 00:25:43,100 - I started to understand that A.A. wasn't just in the U.S., 493 00:25:44,250 --> 00:25:45,420 or Canada, or Europe, 494 00:25:45,420 --> 00:25:48,930 that A.A. is really happening all over the world. 495 00:25:48,930 --> 00:25:51,330 And so I took my "Big Book" with me, 496 00:25:51,330 --> 00:25:54,510 and I got to Bangladesh. 497 00:25:54,510 --> 00:25:56,520 And while I was there, 498 00:25:56,520 --> 00:25:59,100 I connected with a couple of individuals 499 00:25:59,100 --> 00:26:02,850 who were sober members, and that was really wonderful. 500 00:26:02,850 --> 00:26:07,716 And I started to feel, though, a little bit squirrely. 501 00:26:07,716 --> 00:26:09,600 - Mm-hmm. - You ever get that feeling 502 00:26:09,600 --> 00:26:11,645 and you just feel like you're in your head too much? 503 00:26:11,645 --> 00:26:14,370 - Oh, yeah. - Maybe thinking too much. 504 00:26:14,370 --> 00:26:16,410 - Uh-huh. - And I knew 505 00:26:16,410 --> 00:26:18,390 from being a sober member 506 00:26:18,390 --> 00:26:21,270 that the answer for me to feeling squirrely 507 00:26:21,270 --> 00:26:22,590 is service. - Yeah. 508 00:26:22,590 --> 00:26:23,910 - There weren't any A.A. groups 509 00:26:23,910 --> 00:26:25,470 where I could be of service, 510 00:26:25,470 --> 00:26:28,440 so what I did instead was I reached out. 511 00:26:28,440 --> 00:26:32,640 I had heard about a guy who ran an orphanage, 512 00:26:32,640 --> 00:26:33,473 and I thought, 513 00:26:33,473 --> 00:26:37,170 "Well, I could ask him if I could be of service in some way 514 00:26:37,170 --> 00:26:39,420 to the work that he was doing with these kids." 515 00:26:39,420 --> 00:26:41,220 - Great idea. - So I gave him a call, 516 00:26:41,220 --> 00:26:45,120 and he very quickly and cheerfully agreed 517 00:26:45,120 --> 00:26:46,650 that I could come and help. 518 00:26:46,650 --> 00:26:48,277 He said, 519 00:26:48,277 --> 00:26:51,570 "There's something that I think you could help with." 520 00:26:51,570 --> 00:26:55,320 He said, "We have now, for the first time, 521 00:26:55,320 --> 00:26:58,560 a group of women staying here at this center." 522 00:26:58,560 --> 00:26:59,393 - Hmm. 523 00:26:59,393 --> 00:27:04,080 - They had landed at this orphanage 524 00:27:04,080 --> 00:27:07,020 because they had been ostracized from their families. 525 00:27:07,020 --> 00:27:08,700 Many of them had been rejected 526 00:27:08,700 --> 00:27:13,700 because I think their drinking behavior or their alcoholism 527 00:27:14,430 --> 00:27:16,371 was seen as something that was so shameful 528 00:27:16,371 --> 00:27:20,340 and such a problem in their families or in their communities 529 00:27:20,340 --> 00:27:23,550 that they had essentially been rejected 530 00:27:23,550 --> 00:27:25,500 or kicked out of their homes. 531 00:27:25,500 --> 00:27:28,290 And they had landed in the orphanage 532 00:27:28,290 --> 00:27:30,093 because they had nowhere else to go. 533 00:27:31,050 --> 00:27:33,120 We've been allowing them to stay with us 534 00:27:33,120 --> 00:27:35,130 here at the orphanage, 535 00:27:35,130 --> 00:27:37,470 and maybe you could talk to them. 536 00:27:37,470 --> 00:27:41,430 I was like, "Wow, sure, I'd be delighted." 537 00:27:41,430 --> 00:27:43,232 And so I went into the room, 538 00:27:43,232 --> 00:27:47,730 and I met this group of about 15 women, 539 00:27:47,730 --> 00:27:51,810 mostly younger women, but not all of them. 540 00:27:51,810 --> 00:27:55,650 And there were two social workers. 541 00:27:55,650 --> 00:27:59,970 And the sense that I got was that the social workers 542 00:27:59,970 --> 00:28:02,280 were really well-meaning, 543 00:28:02,280 --> 00:28:06,330 but they had no idea how to talk to alcoholics. 544 00:28:06,330 --> 00:28:10,920 They were kind of maybe scolding the women a little bit, 545 00:28:10,920 --> 00:28:13,410 telling them, "You should just stop. 546 00:28:13,410 --> 00:28:15,540 You should go back to your families. 547 00:28:15,540 --> 00:28:19,950 You should be good mothers, good daughters, good workers. 548 00:28:19,950 --> 00:28:22,050 You should not drink alcohol. 549 00:28:22,050 --> 00:28:25,020 You should get it together." 550 00:28:25,020 --> 00:28:26,730 So I listened to this for a while, 551 00:28:26,730 --> 00:28:28,915 and I wasn't picking up all of it, 552 00:28:28,915 --> 00:28:33,480 but I really was listening hard and trying to pay attention. 553 00:28:33,480 --> 00:28:36,720 - And then how did you approach the situation? 554 00:28:36,720 --> 00:28:39,930 - I talked about being an alcoholic, 555 00:28:39,930 --> 00:28:42,780 and I talked about some of the, like, shameful 556 00:28:42,780 --> 00:28:45,483 and terrible things I had done while I was drinking. 557 00:28:46,410 --> 00:28:50,610 And I was speaking in Bengali, maybe fragmented Bengali, 558 00:28:50,610 --> 00:28:54,270 but I could tell that the women were getting it. 559 00:28:54,270 --> 00:28:55,560 They were getting what it was 560 00:28:55,560 --> 00:28:57,810 that I was trying to tell them. 561 00:28:57,810 --> 00:29:01,140 And then I got to share 562 00:29:01,140 --> 00:29:03,723 that because of Alcoholics Anonymous, 563 00:29:04,830 --> 00:29:09,830 I was able to hold my head up, that I was no longer ashamed, 564 00:29:09,840 --> 00:29:12,660 that I was no longer a disgrace, 565 00:29:12,660 --> 00:29:14,490 that I was no longer somebody 566 00:29:14,490 --> 00:29:17,100 that my family wanted to avoid, 567 00:29:17,100 --> 00:29:19,380 that I could be a part of a family 568 00:29:19,380 --> 00:29:21,150 and a part of a community, 569 00:29:21,150 --> 00:29:23,640 that I was a good daughter, and a good sister, 570 00:29:23,640 --> 00:29:26,490 and a good partner, and a good worker. 571 00:29:26,490 --> 00:29:28,440 And that all of that 572 00:29:28,440 --> 00:29:31,740 was because of something called Alcoholics Anonymous, 573 00:29:31,740 --> 00:29:34,380 and that I owed my life to it. 574 00:29:34,380 --> 00:29:37,890 And that they didn't have to be ashamed either, 575 00:29:37,890 --> 00:29:39,810 that they could take this miracle, 576 00:29:39,810 --> 00:29:41,880 this thing that I had gotten, 577 00:29:41,880 --> 00:29:44,070 and they could change their lives too. 578 00:29:44,070 --> 00:29:46,440 - Wow. - And at the end, 579 00:29:46,440 --> 00:29:48,510 I was crying and they were crying, 580 00:29:48,510 --> 00:29:53,010 and I was able to give them my Bengali "Big Book" 581 00:29:53,010 --> 00:29:55,110 and say like, "Here's where the answers are. 582 00:29:55,110 --> 00:29:57,360 Here's where this message is. 583 00:29:57,360 --> 00:30:01,380 Here's where you can learn more about how to do this thing, 584 00:30:01,380 --> 00:30:05,070 about how to get sober, and stay sober, 585 00:30:05,070 --> 00:30:09,420 and help other people get this amazing gift as well." 586 00:30:09,420 --> 00:30:12,000 I don't know how the story ends for them, 587 00:30:12,000 --> 00:30:14,670 but I felt pretty confident 588 00:30:14,670 --> 00:30:19,670 that having a "Big Book" in their language in that place 589 00:30:19,680 --> 00:30:21,540 was going to make a difference. 590 00:30:21,540 --> 00:30:23,490 That it was going to mean that some people 591 00:30:23,490 --> 00:30:24,900 were gonna get the message, 592 00:30:24,900 --> 00:30:27,720 and that the miracle that I had been given 593 00:30:27,720 --> 00:30:29,433 might be given to them as well. 594 00:30:30,300 --> 00:30:32,310 So, yeah, I feel pretty. 595 00:30:32,310 --> 00:30:35,610 It was a pretty amazing thing to be a part of. 596 00:30:35,610 --> 00:30:36,600 - Yeah. 597 00:30:36,600 --> 00:30:39,057 Yeah, it was a pretty amazing thing to be a part of. 598 00:30:39,057 --> 00:30:41,610 - Part of what I feel so grateful for 599 00:30:41,610 --> 00:30:46,020 is that these two staff members took time out of their day 600 00:30:46,020 --> 00:30:49,560 to help make sure that I had what I needed 601 00:30:49,560 --> 00:30:51,960 when I left the country. 602 00:30:51,960 --> 00:30:54,330 For members, the way this works 603 00:30:54,330 --> 00:30:56,520 is that if you're going to someplace 604 00:30:56,520 --> 00:30:59,280 kind of off the beaten track, 605 00:30:59,280 --> 00:31:01,633 you might call the office or reach out to the office, 606 00:31:01,633 --> 00:31:06,600 email the International Desk, international@aa.org. 607 00:31:06,600 --> 00:31:10,380 And if you do that well in advance of your trip, 608 00:31:10,380 --> 00:31:13,500 that staff member might be able to help connect you 609 00:31:13,500 --> 00:31:16,920 to any A.A. members who might be in that place. 610 00:31:16,920 --> 00:31:18,870 It's pretty wonderful 611 00:31:18,870 --> 00:31:21,753 to be part of this international fellowship. 612 00:31:23,040 --> 00:31:24,077 - Thank you, Misha. 613 00:31:24,077 --> 00:31:26,790 (pensive music) 614 00:31:26,790 --> 00:31:29,040 - We hope you enjoyed this week's episode. 615 00:31:29,040 --> 00:31:32,130 Be sure to visit aa.org for access to, 616 00:31:32,130 --> 00:31:35,460 and more information about, A.A. literature. 617 00:31:35,460 --> 00:31:38,790 Be sure to subscribe, so you can keep coming back. 618 00:31:38,790 --> 00:31:41,550 - Thank you for listening to "Our Primary Purpose," 619 00:31:41,550 --> 00:31:44,520 a podcast produced by the General Service Office 620 00:31:44,520 --> 00:31:47,340 on behalf of the Fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous 621 00:31:47,340 --> 00:31:48,787 in the U.S. and Canada. 622 00:31:48,787 --> 00:31:52,287 (upbeat electronic music)