May8 Written by:Kayle
5/8/2009 11:10 PM
So after the week I had of trying to accomplish things and getting no where and after deleting our blogs off the webiste (at least, so I thought), I decided that there was no point in trying to rush the processes of Africa. I've learned this in the past, but was reminded of it this week. What do I mean by that? Well, Africa has a way of doing things that is backwards, inefficient, doesn't make sense and takes a long time. BUT, the system does somehow work and eventually things will happen and get done in their own time. There is no point of rushing the process because if you do, you'll only get frustrated. So I resigned to give up my "American-ness", the part of me that tries to accomplish things efficiently, timely and properly, and decided just to be Zimbabwean and wait!
Well, today was such a surprising day filled with accomplishments! We've had a painter here for about a month painting the house, which has really helped in making this place feel like home and to clean it up a bit. However, many of the rooms he has finished just don't feel completed because the curtains are not hung up. I had a lady make curtains for some of our rooms. She said it would take 3 weeks and it has taken 3 months. She has told me for the past 2-3 weeks that she'd come out and hang up the curtains, but has never come. I would call everyday asking when she could come and the answer was always "next week" or "tomorrow". Anyway, she showed up at the house today with a crew of people to hang up the curtains. We had no electricity for the drill, but I quickly "made a plan" and started the generator, connecting up as many extension cords as possible to reach their drill! SO exciting!
As if that wasn't amazing enough, the electrician that I called ALSO showed up at around the same time! We are having guests stay at our house next week, but the element in the hot water heater of the guest bathroom wasn't working. So he came out and changed the element as well as did a few odd jobs around the house that needed electrical attention! Wow!
Bonnie, our maid, and I spent the rest of the afternoon putting Calvin's room together (with his new curtains up), and preparing the guest rooms now that we have curtains and painted bedrooms! Because of today, 4 rooms in the house are completed (ok, except for pictures being hung)! So exciting to feel American again and accomplishing so much in one day!
Tags: