I've had many people ask me why I chose the name I did for this blog.
Well, actually, that's a lie. Not a single one of my over five thousand readers have ever bothered.... Seriously. But I'll answer the question anyway, just in case you're wondering.
There are a number of sayings here in Africa that are used to mean the same thing. "Well, It's Africa," "T.I.A. This is Africa!" and "You're in Africa!" These are all sayings usually heard at the most irritating, unfortunate time.
You've just had to stand in a five foot long visa line for eight hours. "Well, It's Africa!"
You have just found out that the forms you need from a bureaucratic office cannot be given to you until you drive home and bring the employees back some paper to print them on (common). "T.I.A!"
Your car has just broken down 3 hours from town a day after you've bought it. "You're in Africa!"
As though you need to be reminded. Though the sayings should keep things lighthearted or add a little perspective, the frustrating part of hearing these sayings is that they are often used by people who are making dismissive excuses instead of choosing to help make things right.
So I have chosen to tackle the subject of infrastructure over the next month... and never is the T.I.A. topic more pertinent than when it comes to frustrations with infrastructure. Last week our house got hit by lightening and took out our internet for days. The day it was fixed our borehole pump broke, leaving us with no water beyond a small backup tank. (Oh, why do I wait so long to do the dishes?!) I won't mention our oven, front gate, electric fence, toilet, guest bath tub, kitchen sink, generator, or light fixtures, plural. All of which broke last week. What would a week be without at least four hours of quality time with repairmen? Welcome to Africa, land of twisty ties, gum, and bricks... they can repair almost anything. For a day.
I am finally online again and will post again soon... Sorry for the delayed blog post but, Well, It's Africa....
