23 April 2008 .... My desk at my office at the US Embassy is almost cleared of work. My supervisor Stephen Stark takes me to lunch. My colleague Grace Madi says ... Eish bhuti, now I know its final. 24 April ... My colleagues at the office organise a farewell tea and my colleague Pamela Mfobo bakes a delicious banana cake. Carol Wilson and I reminisce about the good old days. I hand over a file of business contacts and networks to my colleagues. I stare at the safety gas mask and other emergency evacuation aids on my desk and I think ... Glory to god that unlike counterparts at embassies in Kenya and other places, Ive never had reason to use any of it. 25 April .... I send my last official email and my colleague Julius Chamane clears me off the computer system. The US Consul General Steven Coffman hosts a farewell reception for me at the US Consulate in Killarney. My colleague Poalina Milasi and I go and see our last Jhb movie together. 26 April .... Roy Wilkinson packs up my house in Johannesburg and I board my flight to Port Elizabeth 27 April ... First morning in Grahamstown. All shops are closed; even coffee shops! There is nobody in the streets. Im reminded its Freedom Day. I lock myself in my guesthouse and I tjank! I look at the box of chocolates in my welcome pack sent to me by Lynette Marais. I promise myself to only open it if I last a hundred days in Grumpytown and I start counting down to the 100 days party. 28 April ... I go on retail therapy. I now own the most expensive bicycle in Grumpytown. I cycle and cycle and cycle ... Pizza for dinner. I dont like pizza. Im bored. I think of how my colleague Stephen Stark spent his first few days in Jozi ... No water and lots of Facebook. I sign up on Facebook. 29 April ... I go off to Port Alfred. I look at the sea. I think of Ingrid Jonker and I think .... Nah, the waters too cold. 30 April ... I return to my guesthouse. I have no internet. I tjank some more. 1 May ... I meet for dinner with Tony Lankester and Lynette Marais at Ginos Restaurant in Grumpytown. They drink red wine and smoke ciggies. I settle on a glass of white and I think .... Yo! Lynette, twenty years? I could literally feel four hairs on my head turn grey. 2 May 2008 .... I leave for work at 7:30 to avoid traffic. I discover that there is no traffic in Gtown. I get to the office in 5 minutes. I go back into High Street for coffee. At 7:55 I get back to the office. My first day at work. Danielle makes great tea. Terri organises my life and provides me with a list of who is who in Grumpytown. Kate fills me on details about the Fringe. Two hours into the job, Tony and I discuss launching the Hands On! Masks Off! Programme. The journey begins ...
Posted on: Tue, 22 Apr 2014 08:02:54 +0000
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