Missive from parts of Africa

A light hearted and sometimes serious look at moving 6000km into a place in Africa: April 2007. Promoted back to South Africa, the missive will continue to track my foray's into deepest Africa as and when I get there.

Name:
Location: Joburg, Africa, South Africa

Thursday, July 29, 2004

And the race has begun!

There are certain things about a tomato that bring a glint to my eye. Put a huge amount of white pepper on a raw tomato and I am a happy personage. Based on the fact we get 1/2 a tomato on our dinner plate every night, I should be happy. This was not the case due to the fact our dinner is nuked in a microwave to warm things up. Ergo - the tomato becomes this icky red thing that gets left over when I have finished.

Last night - the tomato was taken off the plate before it was nuked. There looking at me quite hoppily was a bright red, raw, firm tomato. Lashings of pepper later, it was duly despatched down the gullet and I had a hint of a smile on my face.

Today! - The hint of a smile is a rueful one, as the adage "if you cannot peel it - do not eat it" comes to mind. I am starting my weight loss program after been up 1/2 the night reading my book while sitting on the loo, and any food that passes my lips, gets processed in 30 mins. I am melting!

Now that everyone is aware of my bowel habits. A bit more news of my happenings:

I formally have a house, as soon as they paint it to make it habitable and install a shower. $750 a month (payable 12 months in advance as is the norm here) and has 4 bedrooms 2 bathrooms and open plan kitchen, lounge and dining room. Not bad - basic and a place that I will soon be able to call home. Will move in around the 12th of August.

I am also getting a car. This is mainly cause I am sick and tired of waiting for a vehicle to become available so I can move around. It will be a rental ($75 a day) until the contract is finished and vehicles become available.

The office are painted so I am happy - everyone else is cause as they say "it is a much brighter place to work in". If anyone wants to paint their offices - or anything else for that matter - a shitty brown yellow color (refer the start of this post) - you need your head read.

First month end that I am running and besides the fact I STILL cannot get the asset billing to work it is running quite well. Steps I have gone thru to get here on the assets was for someone to realise that the company with the asses actually was not set up to do billing, and once that was done (2 days), we now realise that I STILL do not have the correct access to the data entry screen. I swear I am going grey!!!

Getting my first care packet from down south (thanks nessers) with replacement Captain Morgan which was finished at a braai on Sunday night, some more books and some SA Ciggies. I am smoking summit called LONDON which retails to the local spaza shop for c6000 (around R4.80) for 20's. Cough Material of NOTE!!! - but has enough nicotine to keep the wolf from the door.

Our line has been upgraded to 128K (WHOO HOOOO) and u can se the difference.

It appears to be a month end weekend, which means everyone knocks off on Friday at 12:30 and comes back on Monday morning. I assume that means I am not working this weekend as last date for ac input is tomorrow - soooo I may be able to get the Golf clubs and Camera out and go for a drive and see if I can get lost. (Sign posts are not a big thing in this place)

Other then that: Life is not that bad now that I am getting my feet wet. Should be in full swing in another few weeks!!

Have a happy one peoples ( well the three people that actually read this blog)

:>


1 Comments:

Blogger Angie said...

Ree, don't you get bottled water there? Office looks much better and sure a better place to be working in. Look forward more pics of your surroundings. By the way, send me a message with your new cell number ..... miss you.

5:44 PM  

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