The General Chat Thread (2016-2022)

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Timenspace said:
Duck59 ..."I had something like 13 jabs before I went to work in Eritrea, plus a couple of boosters when I got there, then another few before going to Ghana and Ethiopia."

Did you ever get seriously ill while in Africa? If you don't mind me asking?
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Nothing serious at all. I had a couple of "oh no, not again" moments that most people get when you spend a day rushing in and out of the toilet. I had a small bout of conjunctivitis, but some cream that the medics gave me sorted that out in a short time.

The biggest drama was losing a filling. The place in which I worked had a dentist, but he had no amalgam and I had to go through more bureaucracy than you could shake a stick at to get myself booked onto a plane to Asmara to get the filling done. What didn't help was that it was during the June/July/August period when everyone in our town took their holidays, but the manager of my workplace pulled some strings and I got a seat on the plane. I always felt a bit guilty that I might be depriving someone of their holiday, but I got my tooth fixed and had an expenses paid week in Asmara doing little but drinking beer and eating pizza.
 
Duck59 said:
all. I had a couple of "oh no, not again" moments that most people get when you spend a day rushing in and out of the toilet. I had a small bout of conjunctivitis, but some cream that the medics gave me sorted that out in a short time.

The biggest drama was losing a filling
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Oh what a relief to hear that. Yes, the minor inconveniences are luckily dealt with...well, a dentist to fly to, is a story to tell. Glad it worked out and on time to fix the issue.

A former boss of mine, while I was working as an interpreter/admin assist at the statistics institute, a Dane, with a white beard and glasses, quite similar to Santa Claus, a very nice personality, told me how he caught malaria while in Africa, and how the virus is forever within his organism.

He managed very well. But it is one of the elements one assumes would be very often the case...while working in Africa...am happy it is not. Or hope it is not.

On the other hand, we heard beautiful tales of the S.A.R. where some neighbours migrated to work...
 
Timenspace said:
a dentist to fly to, is a story to tell.
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Indeed, a story I told. It's covered in a chapter of my book that dealt with bureaucracy in Eritrea. In truth, I could have written an entire book about Eritrean bureaucracy, but I fear it might have proved just a little too niche (and even more boring than my book was anyway.)
 
Duck59 said:
Well, I've just looked at Amazon UK and they are selling it for 72% off. Clearly, I have been reduced to the bargain bin.
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Very sorry, my mistake, it was your blog link I have mistaken for your book title...
Would it be too much to ask for the book title?
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