First of all a massive thank you to the legend that is Michael Ryan: The very special delivery of Bacon Tayto crisps has arrived and was accepted by the Irish as a peace offering for my shameful sin of (unknowingly) eating his last 2 cherished packs of Bacon Tayto crisps. Secondly my new set of radiators for Suzi is here. I am hoping to have her up and running again by Sunday. 3 months later… Yeay!
Sadly but out of necessity I had to turn my back to the library and life as a volunteer. The gold mine will include accommodation for everyone working on site. The camps are currently being build and there is a huge pressure from Newmont - the operating company - to get these finished by the end of June. Newmont wants everyone currently living in rented accommodation to move into the camp on site as soon as it is finished (or let’s say inhabitable). There lies the problem. I wouldn’t be able to live on site with Rory unless I am employed and working on site myself. Renting our own place somewhere in the village is not an option. For safety reasons alone Rory’s employer wouldn’t allow it. The good news is, I was able to get a job on site with Group Five, a South African Construction Services Group in their Document Control department. It’s quite a change from SAP, not as stressful for example which surely isn’t a bad thing. Although that might change. The job itself is nothing fancy. Very basic admin type of work all around keeping drawings and transmittals in order and up to date for the engineers on site. Occasionally I’m helping the head of Health & Safety with some of his admin work and I am supporting with IT related issues. As Rory, I am now working Monday’s to Saturday’s (the sweet life of laziness is over). Both Rory and I see this as a foot into the industry. It’s a good opportunity for me to learn more about construction and gain experience and hopefully this should help to sell us as a package to a future employer should we decide to do this again. Should nothing come out of it, at least I get paid and the bike trip back to Europe is financed. Or perhaps I will have learned how to speak Afrikaans at the end of it. Who knows.
The construction site is something else, it’s imposing. Even more so since I’ve never really been on a construction site of that scale (or ever?) unless I count the time when my parents built our house. Might I add, I was 7 years old then and easily impressed. I’ve checked with the bosses whether it would be cool to take snaps of the construction site and share them with friends. Got the green light so I must take some soon and give you an impression of what life on site is like. It’s kind of cool to finally be able to see what Rory has been talking about and explaining to me.
It’s a shame I won’t be able to see the library opening its’ doors. I am not sure will it ever. The village has not been very supportive lately. Two families are arguing over the chief rights as one family claims to have been there forever and the other says they were there even longer but had been living abroad or something silly like that. As a result community decisions that would normally be made by the chiefs are no longer a simple matter of discussion. Sammy from BigStep is struggling bad financially. He hardly ever had money for Petrol as was and now his car has finally broken down. Because of this he has not been able to come to the village to push the project and settle the issues with the chiefs. Also he has been lacking support from the mother foundation in the Netherlands. Both financially as well as in terms of direction, which is disheartening.
Very frustrating to see something potentially great, along with the work that has already gone into it, go down the drain. I will try my best and keep supporting Sammy’s efforts with BigStep Ghana where I can. For now there isn’t much I can do but hope that my boys at the library will continue on their own and manage somehow. Maybe someday a little shnoddy kid will actually reap the benefits and have access to study material it would otherwise never have had.
On a different note. Despite our original plans we have made the decision to travel to Germany on our next break at the end of June/beginning July. We will spend a few nights at my brother Bjoerns’ and Alexs’ place and then spend the last week in Berlin (where else?!). About time Rory got to arm wrestle my brothers and meet the parents. Since Bjoern lives only a stone throw away from the Nuerburgring I’ve booked Rory into a Formula Racing Training. He is well excited as you can imagine.
Big up to my buddy Dennis McHugh and his lady Marian who recently got married! Wish I could have been there with you for a boogie. Seen a few snaps. You guys look absolutely fabulous. Hope the day was as special as you wanted it to be and more.
Daniel and Gudi made it back sound and safe from their amazing trip on a Royal Enfield through Nepal my sources tell me. Looking forward to hearing all about it. Good luck with the move also!
That’s it from me for now. In the words of the infamous Mark Conlon: Keep it light, keep it bright, keep it gay.
Ciao
Storm before the rain
My new office - the container with the roof
All office furniture was made by our own carpenters.
I've added the shelf to the original design. Stylish!
I've added the shelf to the original design. Stylish!
