TIA

"This is Africa, Maria, this is Africa!" Afra looks at me with comforting eyes, tries to calm my irritable nerves and explains that this is Africa, so I better get used to it. If you can't beat them, join 'em. When in Rome, do as the Romans. I know, I know. I must adapt to the local cultures and vibes, but after of have seen the 12th person at the seventh office in four days I'm getting slightly annoyed with the disorganisation of UCT and wonders why they want to spoil our time along with their own, and not just fix our registration straight away.

It all started on Tuesday last week when we were to register. The twelve of us rocked up at the postgrad humanities building, sat through an introductory lecture and stood in line for 15 minutes only to be told that the form we needed to fill out was unavailable. I know I can get far with a smile and a friendly attitude so went into another line and asked the guy there. Not surprisingly he managed to produce the form we were after. Everyone filled it out and stood in a new line. After 15 minutes we were told it was the wrong line and was sent to a new line, only to be told when we finally reached the office that no, really we should have been in the first line afterall. When we reached the lady there we needed another form from an office that was closed, so come back tomorrow please.

Well, "tomorrow" was last Wednesday when Kari and me went on a winetour instead, but Sigbjørn was stuck at a hot office for hours, filling out loads of forms, none of which were necessary, and paying 300 rand, also unnecessary.

Thursday we wanted to try our luck again and went to IAPO, the international office. Here we were shifted back and forwards between three people, taking copies of passports and in general just doing admin stuff until we finally had the required stamps and could go to the humanities undergrad building. IAPO is located on the lower campus, humanities on the upper, but I was in good spirits and dragged the Zambians and Sudanese all through campus in the schorching heat. When we reached the Beattie-building we were met with signs that due to an appeal their office was closed for the day, so come back tomorrow will ya?

Yesterday my limits were reached, but I nevertheless needed to register so headed once again to the Beattie-building. After waiting for one lady we were told to go to another who marvellously enough had the right form. She sent us back to postgrad humanities building to fetch signatures. Rudi signed one place but refused to sign any other and told us to go back. We knew we needed at least one more signature so asked a second guy who sent us to a third lady who sent us to a fourth guy who signed one place and told us to go and see the dean to get the last signature. As I was about to knock on the dean's office, Charity came running and said I better not, as the dean had nearly bitten their heads of as she had nothing to do with the registration. So we went back to the grumpy lady in the Beattie-building, told her the story and finally got the last clearence.

TIFA - This really is f...fantastic Africa!