tenant gripes, no change at school

8/27/2002:
on a different note... more frustrating. Kenneth [a friend, colleague and caretaker of the house i was renting] came over. we "discussed" house stuff. let's see... how to describe the dialogue?

not tense. not awkward. not loud. not angry, or bitter. i just kept repeating myself and Kenneth kept getting defensive... explaining away my gripes. so i kept repeating myself. and he grew frustrated. but he didn't really understand what i was saying.

i was saying that, against my better judgment, i need to and would pay rent. b/c i need to get the receipts to PC admin in Yaounde. but if it was up to me, i'd just hold on to the money until my door, water-heater and fence were fixed. the roof seems to be all right, for now.

so... in giving him the rent money i pleaded that it be used for all that. without much delay. b/c if it isn't done now... no rent again jusqu'à Décembre ["until December," as i paid quarterly rent].

again... our communication was off. way off! Maggie was in the kitchen. Kenneth actually wanted to get her in as a 3rd party [i.e. a mediator]. not sure why??? well, i am sure why... but i was cool as a cucumber. not angry, just persistent. we'll see what happens.

last note: there's been no administrative reshuffle at our school [GTTC Wum]. Auntie is our principal. the VP is the VP. both bad and good news, i suppose... still, a lot of us [teachers] are disappointed. will go on as planned with the workshops, insha'Allah. staff meeting on the 5th of Sept.