There is a saying here...TIA...this is Africa. We have found this to be very useful and a way to remind ourselves that absolutely NOTHING is going to work correctly the first time around, be easy to find, purchase, put together, or use, and that we should always ALWAYS expect a delay. I try to be positive on Facebook, in my blog, etc. but if I am to project an accurate picture of life here, I must also include a post on the fact that very, very few things have just plain worked out.
Exhibit A: Cable Television, aka DSTV. It was one of the first things we did when we got here and we finally just now have it working correctly (thanks to our neighbor Lawrence who happens to work for DSTV and got us personally in touch with an installer). Literally...today. Hey, TIA. We have had multiple installers here for multiple days, some channels, then no channels, then some channels on one TV, then no channels on two TVs, and every error code you can imagine, just short of the screen flashing TIA and laughing at us.
And then there was the patio furniture. We went to a store called Makro which is a little like Costco/Sam's Club with a Walmart-type grocery store in it (a handy store to find when just moving to a foreign country). I found some patio furniture I loved and wanted two sets. First it takes no less than a half-hour to find someone to help us. Once we find the guy, he says, "let me check the system to see what we have in stock." I have now learned that you are best off just to turn around and walk out as soon as you hear those words. The "system" in every store we have been in has not indicated accurate stock and apparently they actually have to build "the system" before they can check it because you will need two days' worth of food and water if you're going to wait it out. The other funny thing about "the system" is that I have never actually seen the computer that is being used, if that's what "the system" is. Anyway, after about an hour - no joke, Ben pooping his pants, the kids fighting, jet lag kicking in, Jake sweating, teeth gritting, Ben pinching Quinn, and a hanging egg chair tipping over on the kids, the guy tells us he has 2 sets in stock. Perfect, we'll take them. The guy tell us he just has to find a fork lift to get them down. After another 20 minutes or so he comes back to inform us that he can only find 1 of 2 boxes for the second set but we can take one set and then when he finds the other box he will call us. This is Saturday. On Tuesday we still haven't heard from him so I call. The guy isn't there but Guy #2 will have him call me tomorrow. No call. I call. Bad news, there is no second set and it has been discontinued. None of the other stores have them. Of course. I tell him I want to buy the floor model. He has to talk to his manager and guess what? He's not there until tomorrow but Manager will call me. No call. I call. I can buy the floor model but its in bad condition...I can come in TOMORROW to look at it. I go to Makro and - wait for it - it takes a half hour to find someone to help me...and Ben poops his pants. The floor model is in perfect condition but now Guy #1 has to find his manager to see if he will discount it for me (why did I even ask???). It takes a half hour to find him. Manager says, "Good news! Its on sale because its discontinued and I can give you free delivery for your trouble." I can honestly tell you that this story is not at all exaggerated and is pretty typical for this kind of purchase.
My other favorite is this... Let's say you go into a store looking for A. Of course, the sales person will have to check "the system" which is a garaunteed half hour with no definite answer upon their return. "The system" shows there are six A's in stock but they are not on the shelf. Now, while there are no A's to be found, there might be B which is very, very similar to A but its not A and you asked for A. This is what kills me...wouldn't you think the sales person would say, "We don't have A, but this B might work." Nope. You asked for A and you are going to walk out empty handed unless you find B yourself or specifically ask for something that might work in place of A. I can't tell you how many times we have walked into a store for the second time, asked the same question, were shown B, and were told, "Oh well last time you asked for A." Want to see Jake's head spin 360 degrees?
Or how about the day I go to my cell phone carrier store to pay my bill. Nope, you can't pay the bill there. You get the "banking details" for that store, go to the bank next door, take cash out of the ATM, fill out a deposit slip, and have the cash deposited into their account. What?!?!?!? Honestly, as I write this I am laughing at some of the things we have learned to adjust to but when it is happening - and god forbid you're in a hurry - it is incredibly frustrating. Our neighbors across the street travel to the US quite a bit and Sandy says, "We're always so amazed when we go to the States how everything just works." It is true.
Oh well...TIA baby!
Exhibit A: Cable Television, aka DSTV. It was one of the first things we did when we got here and we finally just now have it working correctly (thanks to our neighbor Lawrence who happens to work for DSTV and got us personally in touch with an installer). Literally...today. Hey, TIA. We have had multiple installers here for multiple days, some channels, then no channels, then some channels on one TV, then no channels on two TVs, and every error code you can imagine, just short of the screen flashing TIA and laughing at us.
And then there was the patio furniture. We went to a store called Makro which is a little like Costco/Sam's Club with a Walmart-type grocery store in it (a handy store to find when just moving to a foreign country). I found some patio furniture I loved and wanted two sets. First it takes no less than a half-hour to find someone to help us. Once we find the guy, he says, "let me check the system to see what we have in stock." I have now learned that you are best off just to turn around and walk out as soon as you hear those words. The "system" in every store we have been in has not indicated accurate stock and apparently they actually have to build "the system" before they can check it because you will need two days' worth of food and water if you're going to wait it out. The other funny thing about "the system" is that I have never actually seen the computer that is being used, if that's what "the system" is. Anyway, after about an hour - no joke, Ben pooping his pants, the kids fighting, jet lag kicking in, Jake sweating, teeth gritting, Ben pinching Quinn, and a hanging egg chair tipping over on the kids, the guy tells us he has 2 sets in stock. Perfect, we'll take them. The guy tell us he just has to find a fork lift to get them down. After another 20 minutes or so he comes back to inform us that he can only find 1 of 2 boxes for the second set but we can take one set and then when he finds the other box he will call us. This is Saturday. On Tuesday we still haven't heard from him so I call. The guy isn't there but Guy #2 will have him call me tomorrow. No call. I call. Bad news, there is no second set and it has been discontinued. None of the other stores have them. Of course. I tell him I want to buy the floor model. He has to talk to his manager and guess what? He's not there until tomorrow but Manager will call me. No call. I call. I can buy the floor model but its in bad condition...I can come in TOMORROW to look at it. I go to Makro and - wait for it - it takes a half hour to find someone to help me...and Ben poops his pants. The floor model is in perfect condition but now Guy #1 has to find his manager to see if he will discount it for me (why did I even ask???). It takes a half hour to find him. Manager says, "Good news! Its on sale because its discontinued and I can give you free delivery for your trouble." I can honestly tell you that this story is not at all exaggerated and is pretty typical for this kind of purchase.
My other favorite is this... Let's say you go into a store looking for A. Of course, the sales person will have to check "the system" which is a garaunteed half hour with no definite answer upon their return. "The system" shows there are six A's in stock but they are not on the shelf. Now, while there are no A's to be found, there might be B which is very, very similar to A but its not A and you asked for A. This is what kills me...wouldn't you think the sales person would say, "We don't have A, but this B might work." Nope. You asked for A and you are going to walk out empty handed unless you find B yourself or specifically ask for something that might work in place of A. I can't tell you how many times we have walked into a store for the second time, asked the same question, were shown B, and were told, "Oh well last time you asked for A." Want to see Jake's head spin 360 degrees?
Or how about the day I go to my cell phone carrier store to pay my bill. Nope, you can't pay the bill there. You get the "banking details" for that store, go to the bank next door, take cash out of the ATM, fill out a deposit slip, and have the cash deposited into their account. What?!?!?!? Honestly, as I write this I am laughing at some of the things we have learned to adjust to but when it is happening - and god forbid you're in a hurry - it is incredibly frustrating. Our neighbors across the street travel to the US quite a bit and Sandy says, "We're always so amazed when we go to the States how everything just works." It is true.
Oh well...TIA baby!
Love it. My sis in law shares the same sentiments living in Hong Kong. Some days she's just in tears. The Christmas tree that cost over $100 sight unseen and just praying it wouldn't be dead :) you are amazing and having the journey of a lifetime. Thanks for sharing. Hugs.
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