Rather Stressful Week

Blah.

Lack of updates due to nervous breakdown.

So much has been happening, haven't had time to think.

So, motorbike GBH aside...

Major issues with the money we were supposed to receive from Charlotte Wilson Memorial Fund. They agreed to give us GBP 962 in funding, and Fina Bank agreed to give us the wrong account details. Money left UK, never arrived in Rwanda. As I sent the e-mail quoting the wrong details I'm in charge of sorting it out.

We do have an extremely nice man at Fina Bank helping to work it out. The account name, location, swift code and most of the account numbers were all correct, so one of three things should have happened:

1. The money was returned to the UK citing no such account existed
2. Fina Bank put it in a 'suspended account' until they could work out who it was for
3. Our account was credited with the funds

None of these have occurred. So where the money is... who knows. This is a point of major stress.

Our office is still closed due to issues with cashing a cheque for dictionaries which should have paid the rent. So, I have nowhere to work from but home at the moment. Doesn't cause too many problems, as I do a lot of work from home, but makes it very hard to meet colleagues and exchange information as most of them don't have internet access.

Nakumatt, Kigali's huge supermarket, were going to sell our dictionary in-store, which would help to raise funds. Unfortunately, the nice manager who was arranging this disappeared off the face of the planet and was replaced by somebody else. No one thought to contact us and re-arrange our meeting or provide a meeting with the new manager. I didn't know until I went in to ask why nobody had been in contact, and why the old manager's e-mail didn't work anymore.

I then wrote a letter to the new manager explaining the situation and asking him to contact me. He never contacted me.

The problem is that we left a sample copy with the store to barcode it for sale. Now the dictionary seems to have disappeared. So, instead of helping us set up sales through the store, we're now down one dictionary with nobody to talk to. I hope to meet the new manager some time tomorrow. Not feeling hopeful.

Also did a ton of washing yesterday as my guard vanished for a week. Sod's law, he returned today. I think he's had malaria or something, so I won't get on his case about it. He's generally really good.

Finally, a very good friend was arrested and spent most of the week in jail. Was a very long story and very stressful for all involved. However, I've now visited a Rwandan prison, which was an experience. The policemen looking after him/them (few people involved) were absolutely lovely and really went out of their way, which made the process a lot easier than it could have been. But hopefully he's being released today, pending further investigations.

So, quite a long couple of weeks.

In addition, there's been a lot of faffing about booking my return tickets. Two weeks and not a word on when my leaving date will be. Driving me a bit nuts, as I want to get organised, but I've been assured I should hear something by next Tuesday.

I'm ready now. I'm already winding down in my own head and heart, but things always seem to get busier and more complicated when you are trying to untangle yourself and leave. Happens with every job.

On the up-side, Rose is doing really well. We raised the funds to open the first Single Parents Network shop in Nyabagogo. She's been to Uganda and bought all the stock, and tomorrow I'll give her the money for the rent and front sign. The shop will be a place for her to sell imports from Uganda, plus an office for the Network and a place to sell second-hand clothes and handmade crafts to raise money for single parents. Multi-purpose :)

The only concern I have is the problem so many businesses have here. Once a business starts to become successful, landlords up the rent and keep going, often until businesses have to close because they can't afford it any more. It's a really infuriating and counter-productive habit, but the landlord of this property refuses to say she won't do this. It's an area for concern, but there's really nothing you can do about it. Just have to wait and see what happens.

So, given all these issues mounting up, I've decided to do something silly.

I called D last night. We're going to see Holy Jah Doves on Saturday night. It's Kassim's last gig as he and Lies are off to Belgium.

[NB 2013: Where they still live, with baby Noah and the recently-born twins!]

I hadn't spoken to D in months. And I know what I said last time, and the time before that, and the time before that. But what's a girl to do? All of this weight and responsibility makes me feel like doing something reckless. With one month left I might as well spend as much of it as possible having fun. With no 'relationship' ties looming, I'm sure we can manage that between the two of us. And, well, he always has done something to me. I'm nervous about seeing him again after so long. It's a nice feeling. Something to look forward to whilst working my arse off on other issues.