Dossiers and Legal Action

I don’t give a shit if i am released from my contract. I so love my gorgeous children, but i don’t need this kind of aggro. 

All three Heads descend on School Founder Ato S in a coffee-bar near the Secondary campus. I have brought over my green folder with the updated Senior Management minutes where it is clearly recorded that Dr No will not assist anyone with anything. I guess he has been busy with his “dossier collection” on Ginger Warrior and myself. I am “accused” of interviewing prospective employees myself, which under no circumstances would i ever want to do, and making a digital recording in a meeting. On this one, i am guilty as charged – i recorded myself when i was giving some INSET training to Admin. 

I have made a number of fuck-ups so i’m not impressed with his due diligence and am rather scornful of his endeavours. Unfortunately (as usual) Ginger Warrior has to take the brunt of it.

Secondary staff seem even more lackadaisical and defiant, than my own. Ginger Warrior called in two repeating reprobates before the end of the term with the meeting being concluded with GW telling them to “fuck right off”. Respec’! Together with the fact that GW changed the Physics achievement grades from A to C (no-one in the entire history of the school has ever achieved any higher than a B before). Ethiopian Education Law states that only a teacher can change a grade on a report card in the National Ethiopian Curriculum (and we operate  Dr No tells the two teachers (the Physics teacher hasn’t even passed his probationary period!) that they may well have a court case to pursue. GW does have a small Swiss army knife in his office, but rumours abound that he pulled a knife on a teacher!

All this is waiting to greet Ginger Warrior on his return from Nairobi, and, not surprisingly he feels as sick as a pig. Ato S endeavours to reassure him, saying that only the school is liable, not GW. Ato S says he doesn’t give a shit and is happy to be challenged in a court of law.

Political Challenges

I hate politics at work, but with only a couple of exceptions, it inflicts itself on me. Not least here at school.

Since Ato S. buggered off for a six week business trip overseas, Dr No has been attempting to sabotage by hook or by crook.

He point-blankly refused to do anything to assist anyone. Now that all staff are under the direct orders of Ginger Warrior and myself bar the slimey and lecherous Mr A., he informs us it is all in our hands and he has negated everything, from ensuring there is water my school to getting contracts out to staff.

Worse still, both GW and myself have been warned form three different sources to watch our backs as he is trying to build up a dossier of “evidence” to have these two “newbies” removed from the school.

Yet, he remains the gate-keeper and nothing has moved forward. Indeed, it is worse than ever before! I am a pacifist who has never thrown a punch in his life-time, but back in October i envisaged punching him with all my might directly in the face!

From the original six members of SMT, the three Directors remain in what is now three. Even the ever affable (if somewhat spineless) Ethiopian returnee Ato T. (Director of pre-university) admits no-one can work with dastardly reptile.The air is thick with despair and complete disillusionment.

Ato S has returned back to Ethiopia and Boss arrived back from England today.

It’s time for a show-down and quite likely the End Game. We send an email out to Dr No, Ato S and Boss for a meeting at the earliest convenience for a Review of Term One and Ways Forward.An oxymoron if ever i heard one.

An Eye and a Lens - Bishoftu

A few more fave pics from Bishoftu - a gorgeous paradise outside Addis.

Xmas Mach 2

It's Ethiopian Xmas and i can't resist heading off to Bishoftu this time with Loco Lobo in tow. It's also Rob and Anna's last week in Bushoftu as their one year work permit comes to an end.

Tribal hostess Sera prepares a super large Coffee Ceremony for her guests on Christmas Day, but it's only me who is drinking the stuff. Six cups later and i'm completely buzzed up!

The Return of Loco Lobo

The Crazy Wolf in his natural habitat - the luxurious Sheraton Hotel

Zev is one wild Israeli guy whom i met on my travels in Uganda in 2010. He invited me to stay in his home in the uber-hipGerman Colony in Haifa the following year and we cruised for a few days around Northern Israel. 

From his 1^st visit in 2010 he now makes his fourth to Addis and he feels so much at home at the Hutma Guest House in Piazza that he doesn't feel it necessary to relocate to Gerji. 

The Wild Wolf spends his days making a soda and a cake last all day at the Sheraton Hotel where he tries to find some business here that will give him an excuse to relocate more permanently in Addis. He is here for a while. I suspect there will be some shinnanigins immenently.

Cleaning Up The Shit

I am finding it difficult to settle back at work. The students don’t return until the 9^th of the month, and i don’t wanna be on the back foot at the start of the term. I have been on site every day, but finding it impossible to accomplish anything and find an excuse to bail out.

I should be happy. Finally, following a two failed sales-lots, i have finally overseen the removal from all the shit in the basement. And it’s a quite impressive hoard too. Rob quite fancies a few pieces of wood and there are a few good plastic chairs to be had too! But, of course, it would not be “correct procedure” for him to have any of it.

I’ve instructed Ketima to clean and paint up the rooms, and Martha (Resource Manager) is amazed at her new space and i instruct her to organise shelving for resources centre. My Role Play Room and AV/Media Room will really happen. I’m completely thrilled.

In Love With Beautiful People

It is for my delightful students that i am prepared to fight tooth and nail to develop genuine quality teaching and learning to my school.

I sooo love my kids. All 448 of them!

These photos were taken at the “End of Term One” production.

Our students aged from 2 – 15 presented a wide assortment of skits, with a superb balance of Amharic and English offering, from drama, songs, poems and Nursery Rhymes making my school appear to be an international one with a wide enrichment of curricular and extra-curricular learning.

It was way too long – some three and a bit hours, but i felt so proud of each and every one of them throughout it’s duration.

Every time i feel like throwing in the towel – and there have been many, the only thing that drives me forward are my beautiful children.