Integration, or how to‘wriggle’ your way in
on Wonderous Wanderland (Burkina Faso), 18/Mar/2011 18:18, 34 days ago
Day 33 in Africa - coincidentally - and I still haven’t managed to have my first workday. Things work differently here. Slower for one thing, like I mentioned before, and they obviously weren’t sitting around here waiting for me (really???), not that I expected that really. Hence, to get things going - and keeping myself from getting too frustrated - I have changed strategy. I figured it is not so much about the task ahead anymore, at least not at the moment, but about the people. The point is to get them used of seeing me around. So what do I do?At least three times a week I go in to work, unannounced but with a broad smile on my face. Not too early, to make sure the people I’d like to see are actually there already. Not too late, so temperature wise the short walk there - and back - is still bearable. So this is what usually happens.Ground floor: Security at the entrance of the building. Always a young guy in military/security uniform, always a different one, and always with a look of surprise on their face when they look to see this young white woman - all dressed up and ready for work - standing in front of them. They don’t say much at this point. I ask them how they are doing, hand over my Belgian ID-card and announce who I am there to see. They let me through. The building has two floors so gradually I work my way up.First floor:‘Le secretariat’ is occupied by a very friendly, always laughing woman. This office obviously is the first ‘stop’ for everyone ‘cause people keep coming in and out on a regular basis. It is also a place to look for things you have lost, to find any information you need, to get updated on the latest gossip,.... in short, it seems to be the beating heart of the ministry. So essentially, a good place to be in if you want people to see you. My goal: trying to stay in there for at least half an hour. Chances are high I meet most of my (future) colleagues for a quick chat. And if I’m really lucky I might also get to read the newspaper(s) in this nicely air-conditioned office....BLISS!The secretary is a lovely woman and each time I walk in I catch her with a brief glimpse of sympathy in her eyes, knowing my efforts will probably end in vain again. But I do not let it disturb me in my mission, and I start the‘obligatory’ chitchat. “How are you? How are your children? And your parents? How was your weekend/your day yesterday? Yes, I know it is really hot now, isn’t it? Yes, thank you, I feel already quite settled now and Ouaga really is a fantastic city! Next weekend we’ll visit the elephants at Boromo.” Etcetera etcetera.After about 10 - 15 minutes we arrive at the ultimate point of my visit, and she leaves me waiting in the office to check if‘le chef’ has arrived already and is available. She’ll stay away for probably about 15 minutes - they also have to do the small talk first - but during that time people keep coming in. And this is why I am here for, to meet my colleagues. Slowly they look less surprised now to see me sitting there, they start to get to know me or at least realize I am there to work with them....at some point in the (hopefully near) future. I hear lots of stories about their families, their homes, their activities during the weekend, their views on the daily news, etc. It is very informative, funny even sometimes, and I genuinely enjoy this. Eventually, the secretary returns and after I have received the news that the chef is out, or too busy to meet me, I head for the 2nd floor.Second floor: The office of one of the Minister’s advisors. A very kind and capable man. We do the usual small talk again, he goes out a few times to discuss some matters on a file he’s working on for the minister, we talk about Belgian politics (are you surprised they are weary of me giving ‘political’ advice?), the weather, the situation in Japan, I perhaps read another newspaper,.... Finally, he returns and feels genuinely sorry that the chef is so busy, he promises me to call me when he is free to meet me and assures me my office will be ready any day now. I get up, all smiley: “Il n’y pas de problème! I’ll come back another day to see how your doing and say hello. Thank you very much for your time, have a great day!”And off I go....Ground floor: Back at the security desk. The security guy is better prepared now, he has studied my ID-card and is a lot chattier now.“So you’re from Belgium? How long are you here for? You’re working here? Can I be your friend? Can I have your phone number? Maybe next time?”He hands me over my ID and I start wandering back through the heat.It is 9.30am now and I’m back at the flat. Time to plan the rest of my day!!