Supporting functions

I just arrived back from a 5-day trip to Senegal, the first real trip I was able to make (besides Ghana in January) since my arrival. A couple of friends have asked me to write more about myself here, how I am doing? Well, the answer is good to great, and certainly a lot better than in the beginning. I guess honesty requires me to say that it's not easy to arrive alone in a new country, certainly not when you have to take care of all practical stuff all by yourself. I guess the thermometer on my iphone's brain challenge stress test would have been quite in the red the past month. Next to doing my job (including a first trip to Ghana only 1 week after my arrival), I found out on my arrival that, besides my work permit which a law firm is handling for me (still not received), nothing was taken care of...The first and most important thing I had to go after was health insurance. I've actually already been in a minor car accident 3 weeks after arriving in Joburg (no, I wasn't speeding and it was not my fault ;-)), and this made me realize that should this have been a major thing, I would have landed in a government run hospital and no-one would look after me (trust me, you don't wanne be there in SA!).

Rental car number 1 which was hit by a bakkie
resulting in me driving with an open booth before getting it replaced...

Off course knowing this would not speed up the procedure with the health insurance providers, especially as a foreign national with only a temporary residence permit...I was getting even more nervous when I found out that HR wasn't actually sure how to pay me out - which resulted in no salary payment in January. The tax advice which we discussed they would get November last year had not been sought. Next to this I was paying a lot of money on rental cars while searching for the car I wanted to buy...My new laptop was crashing 5 times a day. And to top it off, no travel agency in South Africa wanted to insure me for my travels abroad as I had not been a resident for more than 3 months, and no agency in Belgium would either, as I was no longer a Belgian resident and not departing and returning from/to Belgium. It was a bit of a surreal time, like living in no mans land...Moreover, my appartment in Brussels is still not rented out, so I think I was losing rather than making money - not that this was ever the purpose of this adventure. So yes, I was pretty stressed, nervous, angry, disappointed,...What had I started? Was it really worth it? Supporting functions at Accenture: HR, Finance, RMS...I've never missed you so much!!!

But luckily I could count on advice from my dad - I guess you really notice how wise your elders are in such moments. Ten years in Congo would have probably beaten all my war stories here in South Africa. So my dad told me that yes, he had to look after everything by himself back then. But it made him so strong, that when he came back to Belgium and started his own company, people were really amazed at the inventiveness and the sense of initiative he showed. Bottom line: what doesn't break you, will only make you stronger...So I try to look at all the small and big hassles in a more positive way, and not to stress at things which are not in my power to change. Not easy I can tell you! It's part of the integration process in Africa, and I guess I'm only at the beginning...So when I'll go to the license and registration office in Randburg Monday 7.30 am, in a third attempt to get a traffic number so that the dealer can get my car registered under my name (new procedure for foreign nationals), I'll wear the brightest smile if it turns out that the papers are still not ok and I'll have to go back another time ;-) unless if I want to pay 750 rand to a dealer on the street who certainly pays a commission to the admin guy who decides on who gets the traffic number...But to end on a positive note (that's me you know), Miana (COO) put me in contact with her health insurance broker, and I'm covered now since 2 weeks. Enablis has finally agreed to hire KPMG to look at my tax case, our first meeting last week in Cape Town was already of big help, so my salary will be paid on time this month. Our IT Manager had Dell replace the hard drive of my laptop, so I can work uninterruptedly now. And after test driving 5 cars at different dealerships, I decided not to go for the sensible option (Toyota Corolla), but went for my nice little cross-over silver 2008 Nissan Qashqai, 60.000 kms but looks brand new! And the 2.0 liter engine runs so smoothly, I don't have to adapt my driving style (for the environmentalist, it's one of the greenest cars in its category). I'm ready to tour around South Africa, Botswana, Namibia and Mozambique now, especially with the tracking device I had to install to get it insured!

Valerie

The introduction of the main people I share things with in Joburg would off course not be complete without introducing my 'roommate' and colleague Valerie. She truly deserves a whole chapter in fact! The first time I met Valerie was in June last year, at the 'braai' which Enablis organized for Paul-Evence and myself at the end of our feasibility study for Accenture Development Partnerships. I wasn't too sure before meeting her whether she was extremely shy or arrogant, as we had not spoken before. But it turned out that evening that she was quite an interesting character! This (certainly not typical) American woman, who studied Middle Eastern culture (or something like that) in California, benefited from a Fullbright scholarship to do research in Koweit, moved to South Africa and worked for different Unions and policies for local economic development and black economic empowerment , was actually very funny, vibrant and interesting! I remember joking with her that she must have been one of these hippies in California when she was at university there. So when she proposed to share a place, as both of us are traveling quite a bit - internationally for me, all over South Africa for her - I did not hesitate for a second. And it turns out that we're having a lot of fun when we're both in Joburg, cracking one of the wine bottles which get delivered by case at the office through her wine club membership. I asked her why she moved from California, as Hollywood would have welcomed her with her 'character imitation skills'. She's normally never there over the weekends, as she goes back home to Upington to be with her kids, and also spends 2 weeks per month there. So I have my own quite private moments, but I found out that it was actually very nice not to live all by myself and share a place with her. We're looking for a bigger place to share now, as our accomodation in the little cottage next to Monica and Wessel is only temporary...And oh yes, she's head of special projects with Enablis, and at this moment she's setting up our trade platform which should be up and running in the next months, next to a million other things...Really a bit of a workaholic! I have to go and visit her and her family (and 5 dogs) in Upington and go rafting, now that I finally have healthcare cover (hurray!)...

Melville!

No, it's not the name of a guy I met here, but my new neighbourhood! Pretty cool place, one of the older suburbs in Johannesburg, where you actually have streets you can walk from restaurant to pub to bookshop and antique store. Probably the place with the more "European feeling" , compared to the newer Northern suburbs, where you take your car to go everywhere, everywhere meaning shopping malls for dinner, movies, drinks...

Melville is close to Wits University and the Media companies, so you find an ecclectic mix of (white and black) people along the streets, from the journalists sipping coffee at Whish, to the students enjoying happy hour at Ratz or Six.

I spent my first days at the 7th Street Guest House, run by Wessel, one of Enablis' member entrepreneurs who obviously started a new venture in real estate, before moving to the cottage next to his house. His parents Wessel (Sr.) and Eunika actually run the place, and they're so nice. I can alwasy pop in to have a little chat, ask for advice, it's like having your parents at the other side of the street. Wessel Sr. loves to entertain his guests and family at the outside bar, so last Sunday he was making me try his Portuguese / Mozambique specialty, consisting of mixing wine with...coke! Very sweet, a bit like mixing your own porto. Wessel (jr.) and his wife Monica are fun people to have as neighbours, always in for a laugh. Their 2 dogs Thabo and Mbeki (!) are a bit wild, but they certainly contribute to making our little cottage one of Joburg's safest places...Their latest hobby is to go bird-hunting.

Finally a first post!

Ok, I arrived about a month ago in Joburg, so I guess it's about time for you to 'read' me. A lot has happened indeed, while other stuff is still not resolved...The joys of relocating to a new country! But I won't complain, it's a sunny Sunday afternoon, 25 degrees, and even though I promised myself to work on next year's budget after the first couple of posts, it's still pretty relaxed. Let me try to catch up on the first few weeks, and I promise I will be a good girl and post new stuff more frequently!