Meskal lunch and Monty Python

2 October 2008

Arrived early anticipating a day of school visits.

The visits had been organised by Mulugeta on a day when he noticed my existence having called in at the office to talk the absent Meleshew.

The inevitable break down began with Mulugeta coming in to tell me that I was late, the transport was ready and why wasn’t I? I immediately closed down the computer and began to gather my things. Mulugeta in the meantime disappears.

Sometime later he returns to explain that of course we can’t go today because of the ‘Meskal’ lunch.

Beginning to feel like I’m in a Monty Python sketch, I asked why he had said that everything was ready. Meleshew arrived and they both went off. They came back with glum faces talking to each other. Did I really need to go today?

Today is the college day for the Meskal lunch organised by the campus cleaners. A sheep had been slaughtered and was in the process of being cooked and the driver didn’t want to miss the event. Could we do a visit in one hour. I pointed out that they were the local people who needed to advise me on the viability of being able to make a visit in one hour. They both looked doubtful. Could I change my programme? I tried not to look frustrated and agreed that perhaps it would be better to change my programme.

Later, the cleaners came into the office and marched me down to the canteen to join in Meskal lunch. This event organised last year with pledges of money.


Lunch Guests

Apart from eating and drinking ouzo (I declined, it being the middle of the day and having bad memories of ouzo!), the main focus seemed to be how much people were pledging for the event next year. As each new pledge came in there was much chanting and clapping until, buoyed along by the event, I pledged Birr 200 to great applause!