Holidays Begin in Health Centre

As is his want, Ato S comes bursting into my office unannounced and he is brandishing my “revised” contract. Amazing the expediency for the School of Inertia. He must be having major problems with me. However in true school fashion they still manage to fuck up and he has to hand-write and sign each of the four copies. I tell him to leave them with me and i will review them later. He tells me i look shit and need to check out the Kalisco Health Centre instead.  And insists i pass him on all receipts directly to him too.

With a return of the vomits means i find myself in a third Health Clinic and this time it’s brother Derbo who gets the pleasure of escorting me whom is back in town for treatment at the moment..

It takes just over an hour before i get to see a doctor who recommends a blitz of 2 different antibiotics. I face a week holiday for Ethiopian Easter convalescing at home with travels off the cards till i have some semblance of health.

Sympathy

On a personal level i really like 62 year old diaspora Rasta Mrs R. but she is a blabbermouth. However it is clear that my staff are aware that i am both very sick and off the pay-roll and it’s totally embarrassing. They are both sweet and sympathetic, as i try and smile it all away. 

Contact and Contract

Not since his mass explosion in my office have i had an email response from Ato S. And i have sent many. Suddenly he is writing to me.

Dear Ato Mountain,

Since Finance has brought to our attention that your contract is

still unsigned and needs to be in order to effect payments, would

kindly ask you to have a signed contract which will allow us to

"continue until July 2013" as you have indicated.

We confirm that we accept your assessment to have you continue

in your role as Head of Primary "in the interests of stability" until

July 2013.

However, please find a way so that we can have a signed contract.

Regards

I respond immediately asking him to make the necessary alterations that were amended (in hand) on Ginger Warrior’s contract - flights and medical cover included. The ball is clearly in their court and they need to sort it expediently to cover their own asses.

Bull

Boss is busy. She has spent months hob - hobnobbing with the Ministry of Education and the British Ambassador as she tries to organise the "official" opening her latest venture, a school in Bahir Dar. She finally responds: -

Dear Mountain,

I am afraid I was not aware of the discrepancies you refer to. (More complete lies. GW has been badgering her since October with these).

The tone of your letter to me implies that I personally am withholding your salary. This is obviously not the case. (This is so not obvious to me - who knows which of these manipulative Machiavellian shits. Boss is after all Advisory Director, should she not be leading?)  It was news to me in January that you had not signed your contract, and I have never had a discussion with you or received any written communication from you on this matter. (Why would i even bother? I get no response whatsoever or occasionally a heap of BS)

Kindly address your requests/comments to Ato S and Sly Giraffe, who are the people with the ability to deal with your demands. (This is somewhat difficult as i have had no responses to some 20 odd emails sent to them in the last month).

Caught between a rock and a hard place.

Helping Hand

I have been very sick, but after a couple of weeks, i finally feel vaguely human again. Symptoms varied over the fortnight, but have included a variety of headaches, migraines, vomiting (morning especially), fever, lethargy, loss of appetite and my throat feeling like i am trying to swallow a complete mako shark.

I am 8 kgs lighter, had two blood and urine tests, chest x-ray and blood pressure taken regularly. Nothing conclusive has been found. I have now tried four hospital and clinics in Addis and have been totally unimpressed with all of them.

So weak at one point, i faint during my chest x-ray. The sheer look of relief from the nurse and radiologist that they haven't just killed a ferengi (white man) as i gain consciousness is a classic moment indeed..   

It’s not been pleasant, but i am grateful for so much support. Ms J forces me to join her for lunch, Ginger Warrior invites me to family dinners, Ato Frank chauffeurs me around to and from First Health clinic, work and home (as i remain car-less for almost a month), and Mrs R has brought me a kilo of delicious white honey.