Be out in 24 hour or else!

I felt so much relief when the registrar at the university asked me when I could start, but I also had some apprehensions. Never mind the apprehensions though, I had a job and I needed a job! And this was supposedly a good one I got since working at the university here is a government job. Pay wasn't all that great, but it was more than I had. 

We know that it’s said, “This is a man’s world”, well in some places it’s more evident than others and here it screams out loud! Now I’m a voiceful woman and I believe we are created equally since it takes two to make one, here assertiveness by females is seen as aggression and in many instances a woman is to be seen and not heard. Boy did I do a lot of tongue chewing and tossing words in my mind before I let them out of my mouth! That was the hardest part of my job. I was the administrative assistant to one of the directors at the university. I was charged with writing press releases, developing a data base for external links, helping to design the university’s first ever catalog, meet with external partners and help develop new ones, type and distribute communiqués for my director, help with the newsletter and other duties as assigned. The working environment was pleasant and wasn't nothing I couldn't handle. I enjoyed meeting and working the students and most of the lecturers and administrative staff.   

I was living paycheck to paycheck. While my ex was sick he tried to give me loads of money that I did not take because it just wasn't right and things have a way coming back to bite you in the you know where. He would ask me to allow him to fence my land. Oh yeah I've got property here! I bought my property in those first six weeks when I arrived. The opportunity presented itself for me to own a piece of the Motherland and I jumped on it. I have not been able to develop it yet, but I did build a well there so now people in that area can go there for water. The property is now at least four times what I paid for it! I digress, so I wouldn't take his money or cars because I knew he was not in his right mind. However after he started receiving treatment his family gave enough money to pay another 6 months on my rent, woohoo!

From time to time I would get a contract for workshops for my organization, It’s Nice To Be Nice (INTBN) International, www.intbn.org, and since my director knew about the organization would allow me time as long as it was not too intrusive to conduct the workshop. One of the most eye opening workshops I did was for the YWCA here on, “Leadership and Advocacy for Women”. The age of the women in the group was from seventeen to twenty four. We taught each other a lot! The topic speaks for itself, but these young women complained about feeling stifled by the male dominance and lack of support from their mothers. Wow! We spoke about education verses prostitution and some told me that their mothers expected them to bring something home, huh, what!? I kid you not! We talked about taking control of their own bodies, but none of them even knew the purpose of a menstrual period or even the gestation period for a human being so that was difficult to get across! Many pregnant women here don’t know when their babies are due unless they're connected with clinics or organizations that focus on mother and child care. Since the group had many questions about menstruation the workshop was extended so we could discuss reproductive health that also included information on STDs and HIV/ADS and FGM (female gentalia mutilation or female circumcision). Oh yeah, it’s safe to uncross your legs now, we’ll talk about that or not some other time.

Time was moving on and the six months of rent was just about up, but GOD bless my brother who sent me five hundred dollars that I clung to like it was my next breath. One day after coming home from work I heard a knock or should I say a loud banging at my gate, when I went to see who it was it was the family member of a very, very, very important person telling me I had twenty four hours to leave the property! Huh, what, are you kidding me!? It was if I had no rights, no fight because of who was telling me this and it was all because he wanted to move his family and friends there.I knew they were not joking! I stilled myself prayed and called the university to explain the situation. I had twenty four hours to pack all my belonging, find a place to stay and move there! Remember, I told you that I had a premonition about being homeless. 

What a difference a day makes, 24 little hours!

Yep, I’m going to leave you hanging like that! Back on Friday!