If you were having coffee with me, I would be happy to have you visit and welcome you to my socially distanced corner of the internet…
Hello May…..
The first of May was a public holiday, Workers Day and it was on Saturday so it didn’t really have that public holiday vibes, people even expected Monday to be declared a public holiday as well but our constitution only allows that a Monday is deemed a public holiday when an official holiday falls on a Sunday… So yeah no Monday holiday.
If you were having coffee with me, I would tell you that for most of the people there really isn’t a difference whether a day is a public holiday or not, well that’s what you get in a country with about 10% of the population formally employed… Its easy to make a sweeping judgement about the state of things, like this image and video which went viral on the internet about youth cheering and running after the car of a flamboyant pastor and entrepreneur some in the hope he might throw money…
In a world of Summer and Spring with Spring being the older generation who were born into a world of sunshine, rain and promise, and the Summer generation born later in a world of oppressive heat, droughts and broken promises, I am a child of Winter, born somewhere between these two generations, watching the world spin between them.
If you were having coffee with I would tell you I am not quite old enough to remember the post-independence time, when everything seemed to be how it should be; yet not young enough to remember no better. I never used a computer until I was 16 years and I had my first phone when I was 19, I saw letters being replaced by emails and those overtaken by instant messaging and Social Media…
The older generation will look at the younger one and call it unfocussed and majoring on minors while the younger generation will look at the older and call it old fashioned and stuck to tradition that have no place in the internet age while I understand and relate with both of these generations. I watch how those who only remember the past engage with those who have the future ahead of them; one no longer has a place in the world while the other has no idea where their place is, as they don’t know how they got here.
If you were having coffee with me I would tell you that I was feeling pensive as I blew off the dust from the covers of my passport, its going to expire soon and I haven’t used it. (if you want to sponsor my world travels, *hint hint* I am not even picky, I just want to really know there is more to life…) Applying for a passport is quite an ordeal there is a whole lot of queueing and I don’t know if you have experienced that government bureaucracy where staff go on perpetual tea breaks taking forever to stamp a form that should take 30seconds. No wonder that green passport is gold..
A minister during a visit at the passport offices “arrested” someone who offered that for USD$30 would help him jump the queue to a position up ahead. See, what enterprising youth do is to wake up early morning (if not sleep in at the passport offices even) to secure positions at the head of the queue and then will sell off these vantage positions to people “serious” about their prospects of getting a passport. Well if anyone should be arrested its whoever has created such an inefficient system in a world where I should be able to apply for a passport online and have it delivered right at my doorstep..
If you were having coffee with me, I would tell you that while one mustn’t focus on the path behind that’s why the windscreen is larger than the rear view mirror… Still to know where we are going we have to know where we have been.
Interesting aside, my cousin’s truck with manual transmission developed a fault and only the reverse gear engaged so drove backwards for about 3km to get back home…
Quick question: which side of the ride do you drive when you are going backwards?
Winter is here, its cold and rainy, what season is it in your neck of the woods?
~B
Becoming The Muse 
Oh my….
Beaton you have reminded me of a stunt I used to play when driving to a certain area. One freeway off ramp was way too soon, then I had to drive past a perfectly placed ON ramp to reach the next offramp which took me way past where I wanted to go. Grrr
Finally one night, with friends in the car, I took that on ramp by backing off the freeway using it. My guests were thrilled. I was a hero for we all hated the water drive. So did it a few more times until a cop saw me from the freeway and was unwilling to follow me to issue the ticket I deserved.
I decided to just let that stunt drift off to the bin of stuff I sorta got away with.
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Haha who knew you could get up to stunt driving 🤣🤣🤣🤣
The things we sorta gotta away with.. Interest folder that 😎
~B
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In Uganda it’s supposedly rainy but even the weather forecast is never right enough….it can rain so heavy and shine so heavy the next days and you start to wonder which season it is. Basically we tell our seasons according to the day… It will probably rain today we shall see.
Hahaha the passport lines ,we have all kinds of ordeals people picking their passports here too and it’s always the stamp ….
All methods can be used but it definitely goes back to right timing you need to find the workers in some moods at some point of course unless you are a diplomat.
Your passport shouldn’t expire before you visit us ✌️✌️✌️ Ugandans gather here🤝🤝
Thanks for sharing always
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Haha I have come to the conclusion that we don’t really experience seasons in the distinct way they at said to be.. We have like hot wet season hot dry season and cold season 🤣🤣🤣 that’s about it
And your pocket can literally be picked in the queue 😅 being a diplomat or friends with one definitely smoothends life.
Thank you for visiting
~B
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Distinctly autumnal down here at Africa’s tip. Bureaucracy? Could Home Affairs work any more slowly? Blah!
Keep looking forward 🙂
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It’s like that is what Home Affairs is groomed to be full of red tape and frustration… No wonder no one ever looks happy on their ID pictures 🤣🤣
Thanks for visiting
~B
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Hello B!
I can’t believe it’s May! I should do folders but instead just label my posts as each month comes and goes. I wish you could use your passport, I totally understand the lines or queues, the process can be overwhelming I bet if it ends up expiring….
With this pandemic though, traveling is well, not happening really I guess. I’ll be excited when we can travel freely some day from country to country!
Thanks for the coffee! I hope you have a GREAT week!! 🤠🐴❤️
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Here’s to May Flowers 🥂
The monthly system just popped because after some time it gets hard to remember where everything is and to also declutter on drafts 💻
Yep not going anywhere soon and there’s talk of vaccine passports too the future looks awkward
Thanks for visiting
~B
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The last time I applied for my passport I boldly announced in a very authoritative voice that I had a chronic illness and if am delayed they may have to rush me to the hospital when I fall unconscious. That worked wonders and I was served swiftly and within 30 minutes I was done with the applicant ion and was on my way back home.
I hate standing in queues.
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Haha good plan!!!
I should remember that the next time I go to renew my passport 🤣🤣
~B
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In Ghana, so far as the holiday falls on a weekend, Monday automatically becomes a holiday. 🙂
And when you have money to spend on renewing a passport, there is a place which offers VVIP services at a higher cost. If you are not willing to spend that much on a passport and you want to go through the regular means, it may take you a decade to get it. Your posts show how similar we are as Africans – whether West or South – we are so much alike.
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I am constantly surprised at how some things which I think are our struggles along which no one else can understand only to see how its oh so similar like how for those who can afford it, life here is really super luxurious and for everyone else we have to jump through so many hoops
Thanks for visiting
~B
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3km driving backward? Now that must have been fun. Not.
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Adventure!!!
~B
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I am sure even if you are going backwards your car should face the correct direction. So if its Zim, thats “Keep well Left,” thank you.
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hahaha as ong as the car is facing the correct direction
~B
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I think global warming is changing the seasons.
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