Injections

One of my less brave KG gals

When your government lacks transparency, the rumour-mongering is often intense. My school is a microcosm of Ethiopia - secretive, bullshit and deceit.

Back in January or February, i heard rumours of an outbreak of meningitis in the South of the country. In March, there were a “few” government confirmed cases in Awassa, and a vaccination programme was implemented. Last Tuesday, with the next batch of the 50^th Anniversary of the African Union, there is a government press release stating the country was now clear of meningitis.

Then on Wednesday afternoon i am informed that the Addis Ababa municipality are now vaccinating all students in Addis on Thursday and Friday and to get a letter of consent to parents within the hour. I end up having to keep the classes an extra 10 minutes to get the letter out to all students and we wait with baited breath with a flotilla of medical related questions and queries from anxious parents.

My beautiful kids are also anxious, and fearfully ask “when are they coming?” I have no definitive answer to give.

Thursday come and goes, and kids are even more anxious. Solomon, one of my Grade Four teachers worked for the Ministry and he calls to get a heads up on when we might get a visit. At lunchtime he finally gets word that The Ministry of Health are on their way. Unfortunately however, it means that many of my Pre-Kindy kids will miss out as some 20% leave at midday.

Come 2o’clock and i am highly sceptical that they’ll make it over when Ginger Warrior calls. The Government Nurses have turned up on the Secondary site.

Come today and six nurses turn up at 9am. We start with the Pre-Ks kids and slowly grind through the students. Most are brave, and it’s the older children that are the most fearful, including Mickey (a self harmer) and Kevin, my ADHD boy with an appalling home-life.

I am armed with hundreds of smiley face stickers and sit and hold hand with the more reticent students. The nurses disappear for lunch and have to be shepherded in from the Pavilion Cafe opposite the school after an almost 2 hour lunch-break to finish the job.

The last Grade 5 student is punctured 15 minute after home time.    

The vaccination itself only covers A and C type, not all four strains of the disease. It is quite unstable and needs to be kept refrigerated. It also has a very short life-span. I am sceptical of it all and only myself and a handful of staff members don’t take advantage of this “freebie”.

Championship Play-Offs

my gorgeous niece Daisy - also a Watford fan

I have never been to the “New” Wembley – The Home of English Football, but unbelievably, my home town team Watford will play Crystal Palace there on Monday 27^th  to determine which team will play in the cash cow - the Premiership - in August. Indeed it is the most lucrative match in World football – worth around £120 million pounds.

I have been paid, there is a Bank Holiday in Ethiopia that week, and as Tin reminds me, "You're The Boss". I check out Ethiopian Airlines return trips and it’s not crazily expensive.

Watford have made hard work of it, dramatically failing to grab automatic promotion on the last day of the season, and then winning their semi-final in the most spectacular of circumstances against Leicester. It has not been conducive for my health.

Watford have been on the Premiership twice before lasting no longer than 10 months during each spell. It’s depressing losing most weekends, so i have mixed feelings about what promotion will bring.

Kudos

Friend, but heavy gossiper Rasta Rosenburg tells me how much the staff at my school respect me, not least now for my “bravery”. Apparently, as a “ferengi” (foreigner often White) i should have flown back to my home country for medical treatment and not holed up in Ethiopia.

I was a little concerned that Ma was prepared to have me airlifted out of Addis last week, but it really was never going to happen. Wait till my staff find out i have no “domestic staff” and they’ll think i am completely bonkers.

Water - Line

Head of Admin Ato Sin has done in four months what Dr No failed to do in six – we finally have a direct water line to the school in what should mark the end of trucking water in.

Undoubtedly a landmark moment for the school. Now i just need some more liquid soap, soap dispensers and ceiling fans.

Belated Pay-Day

I went to Ginger Warrior;s late on Tuesday night for the first leg of Watford FC’s Play-Off Semi-final as they try to make the giddy heights of English Premiership football.

I bring round my “adjusted” contract and they witness the ominous signing and requested Ginger Warrior to pass it to Deputy General Manager Sly Giraffe. GW informs me he simply snarls at the transaction.

I get a call from Abdul in accounts on Friday checking my bank account details and it appears i am about to receive my April salary.

I head up to a new branch of Dashen Bank this afternoon with my passbook to check out my savings account. It’s more much more modern than my branch, and there is proper electronic ticketing and a few flat screens showing the numbers, cubicles and an animal documentary of lions savaging humans with a soundtrack of contemporary Afro-Jazz.

I have been paid.