This morning I went to court…I figured I may as well squeeze 1 more update in before I leave. It was strange, really strange. To start with the lawyer told me that my witnesses won’t be heard ( neither was I btw) but then last time I met him he said that may be Nasr should come anyway and that the judge may hear him. This was only last Friday so I called Nasr and he’d made other plans and would then get back to me. He never got back to me, as a matter of fact he hasn’t picked up the phone on me since Friday. Needless to say he wasn’t there this morning. I had arranged to meet the lawyer at 8:30 and the “court” started at 9. Me being really nervous got there at 8, Lester (the American embassy guy) arrived at 8:45 and my lawyer answered my worried message at 8:50 with “I’m on my way!”.
After waiting a while the lawyer speaks to someone and it turns out we only had to be there at 10, which explained why GYA still hadn’t arrived… We went for a coffee returned and had another wait. I was able to identify the witnesses I didn’t know, the timekeeper and a driver. We had to wait for another hour or so and where then called in, I felt miserable as if I was about to faint. The only thing that happened then was that the court established a translator was needed and after that we were sent out to wait another 45min. It must have been nearly 12 when I got in for real. First witness Clement whose pet-name is the snitch wasn’t able to say very much, the second witness I got to ask questions myself which was good and the third one, Asefow, the one higher up the ladder at GYA flat out lied! He said all kinds of nonsense that just wasn’t true such as them calling me relentlessly to get me back etc etc… The verdict will be on the 9th of July. Both me and Lester thought it went rather well but that’s missing out the Amharic bits obviously because they didn’t translate everything at all, actually the translator left after the first 2 witnesses and then the judge did me the favour of translating some of what Asefow had lied about. I’m worried and relieved at the same time, it’s very strange. The lawyer was worried about Asefow’s testimony so I kinda don’t know what will happen. I just keep reminding myself that I wasn’t deported and that I will be staying whatever the verdict and thus already kind of got what I wanted.
I came home exhausted after I called the head of Early years in Sanford school and asked her if she wanted me to come in for the remaining hour and a half and she told me to go home and relax so I did. I am happy to be in Sanford school, I really am.
maandag 14 juni 2010
zaterdag 12 juni 2010
Some weeks have passed. Lake Langano was really chill. Sitting on the terras paying ridiculous fees for breakfast whilst playing cards. Mostly a game called asshole at which I didn’t really shine;-). Most importantly We also relaxed besides the beach and I got to swim in the muddy water, man I’ve missed swimming! I actually miss having the beach nearby. It’s my first long stay in a landlocked place and I miss the sea, just like my granny from Ostend would I’m sure. I’ll make up for that in Belgium and Bilbao!
Elections were ridiculous but I’ve been told not to write such things online because you just don’t know and I’m in enough trouble as it is. ( tell you all about it when I get there;-)) What mattered a lot to me was that it would be peaceful, although me and my class could have used the extra holiday if it wasn’t. This term is too long and the kids just as me are getting restless.
Most work is done now, we do however have a parent presentation ahead of us where my group will sing a cute pirate song! My kids great me in the mornings with” good morning pirate Corine” even though I’ve told them many times I’m the captain;-)
They’re lovely and I’ll miss them. I had to observe them while drawing and write down what they said and such, after I asked Munirah what she was drawing she whispers ” an alien in an space-ship!” They crack me up! Some are very good at ‘imaginative speaking’ lately and invent the wildest stories for me! Delina, who is so overweight that she doesn’t like getting up, started calling a whale (after a lesson about whales in which was said that a layer of fat keeps the whales warm) the fat fish and completely forgot the word whale!
I’m also definitely going to start at the Dutch school on Monday evenings in September! Yesterday I went to their closing parent presentation and was introduced as the new teacher. It is strange to be surrounded by Dutch people and I find it difficult to filter out my obviously Flemish accent or not to speak English!
Furthermore I’m looking into starting a long distance masters degree seeing as I’ll be here a while longer. It’s quite difficult to find interesting courses and some are ridiculously expensive! (Remember higher education in Belgium is highly subsidised and thus fairly cheap.) At the moment I’m thinking about the South African university or a British one. The last one is really expensive though but at least I can find that sort of information online whereas UNISA gives you nothing but the different degrees they offer, some of which sound really cool!
On Monday I have to go to court again. GYA’s witnesses will be heard, there is no occasion on which they will hear my witnesses next appointment is the verdict according to my lawyer. It’s strange as some of her witnesses are unknown to me. I’ll see how that goes, I try not to let it get to me anymore. A cop at the American embassy is following the whole thing since David ( remember my first flatmate) complained about the school to them. Miss Gibson is still an American citizen and keeping my residence permit like she did can be considered slavery so she may be in real trouble if her embassy takes action against her. However, if this action is taken I will not really be involved which is fine by me. I’m ready to move on! The only thing I’m still doubting about is whether (if I win the case ) I should talk to Saskia’s friends at the newspaper or not. Those are worries for later though as the verdict should only take place after I return from Europe. Your ideas are welcome regarding that issue!
Thus far this update and probably the next one will be live!!!
Remember: Belgium 2/07 to 20/08 with the exception of when I am in Bilbao from 28/07 to 04/08. Hope to see you in less then 3 weeks!
Elections were ridiculous but I’ve been told not to write such things online because you just don’t know and I’m in enough trouble as it is. ( tell you all about it when I get there;-)) What mattered a lot to me was that it would be peaceful, although me and my class could have used the extra holiday if it wasn’t. This term is too long and the kids just as me are getting restless.
Most work is done now, we do however have a parent presentation ahead of us where my group will sing a cute pirate song! My kids great me in the mornings with” good morning pirate Corine” even though I’ve told them many times I’m the captain;-)
They’re lovely and I’ll miss them. I had to observe them while drawing and write down what they said and such, after I asked Munirah what she was drawing she whispers ” an alien in an space-ship!” They crack me up! Some are very good at ‘imaginative speaking’ lately and invent the wildest stories for me! Delina, who is so overweight that she doesn’t like getting up, started calling a whale (after a lesson about whales in which was said that a layer of fat keeps the whales warm) the fat fish and completely forgot the word whale!
I’m also definitely going to start at the Dutch school on Monday evenings in September! Yesterday I went to their closing parent presentation and was introduced as the new teacher. It is strange to be surrounded by Dutch people and I find it difficult to filter out my obviously Flemish accent or not to speak English!
Furthermore I’m looking into starting a long distance masters degree seeing as I’ll be here a while longer. It’s quite difficult to find interesting courses and some are ridiculously expensive! (Remember higher education in Belgium is highly subsidised and thus fairly cheap.) At the moment I’m thinking about the South African university or a British one. The last one is really expensive though but at least I can find that sort of information online whereas UNISA gives you nothing but the different degrees they offer, some of which sound really cool!
On Monday I have to go to court again. GYA’s witnesses will be heard, there is no occasion on which they will hear my witnesses next appointment is the verdict according to my lawyer. It’s strange as some of her witnesses are unknown to me. I’ll see how that goes, I try not to let it get to me anymore. A cop at the American embassy is following the whole thing since David ( remember my first flatmate) complained about the school to them. Miss Gibson is still an American citizen and keeping my residence permit like she did can be considered slavery so she may be in real trouble if her embassy takes action against her. However, if this action is taken I will not really be involved which is fine by me. I’m ready to move on! The only thing I’m still doubting about is whether (if I win the case ) I should talk to Saskia’s friends at the newspaper or not. Those are worries for later though as the verdict should only take place after I return from Europe. Your ideas are welcome regarding that issue!
Thus far this update and probably the next one will be live!!!
Remember: Belgium 2/07 to 20/08 with the exception of when I am in Bilbao from 28/07 to 04/08. Hope to see you in less then 3 weeks!
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