Friday 19 September 2014

Back to school

I never imagined that my four no, five month holiday would ever come to an end. I'm a nay sayer when it comes to the all-good-things-come-to-an-end saying but as usual the joke was on me because yes, all good things do come to an end.

You would think that my "summer" which is winter on this side of the globe, was filled with lazing around and getting together with an amigo or two, quite the contrary. In fact, I saw less sleep while I was on "break" than when I was in school.

Enough with my moping already, more with my moping.


Why I thought my first day of law school would be any different from all my other first days of school, beats me. Maybe it was the fact that despite getting a mere five hours of sleep, I still beat my alarm clock to it or maybe it was my bangin' back-to-school outfit (it was pretty killer) or maybe it was the sun that shone oh so well, a sign I read it to be, registration was going to be a piece of cake.

Nothing, and I mean nothing could have prepared me for the hours head.

A recap of my first days of school. Kindergarten, my uniform infested by ants while I was still in it. New high school, got on to the bus, stuck out like a sore thumb, a sore hand is more like it, unpacked my book bag only to be brutally informed that I was in "her" seat (let the records show, I have no hard feelings against "her"). University (diploma course) ratio of boys to girls 10:1 can someone say, uncomfortable. University(undergrad.), all in good time.


With such a pathetic history the odds were clearly never in my favor, nonetheless I thought otherwise. Nothing like foolish positivity.


A standing ovation is in order for getting to school on time, I'll give you a minute to do that. That is probably the only thing I managed to do right that day.

There were signs that a couple of things would go south, but the optimist in me ignored them. Nearly everybody around had tuition receipts. I on the other hand still had the cheque, meaning my fees was yet to be paid. Non-payment means no registration number, no registration number means no registration, period.

And so, my misery began.

Do you know what the worst part was? I'll tell you what the worst part was. That cheque was sitting in an envelope for nearly two weeks as I sat pretty and convinced that I was indeed set for school.

Emotionally, I was doing pretty good. Still no tears or vented frustration. Naturally I thought getting tuition matter handled would be just a minor speed bump and headed to the bank to handle it myself.

Another sign, never mind locating it wasn't a walk in the park and it opened later than it's supposed to, but I am duly informed to take it to the school's account office.

Now, I'm playing it cool. I end up walking in circles in the name of finding the shortest route in the sweltering Nairobi heat only to arrive there to be told they don't accept cheques anymore.

At this point I'm a mess. Dripping in my own sweat, frustrated, wearing a turtle neck in this furnace we call Nairobi (the things I do for fashion).What's keeping me sane at this point? Besides my future being at risk, all my dreams and aspirations could be gone just like that.

My only hope is to got to the bank that issued the cheque. After a minor cardiac arrest when the cheque temporarily disappears in my bag. You can only imagine my disbelief when I was told that only the account holder, mom, can make the transaction, get this, at the home bank which happens to be all the way across town.

I troop my what used to be feet to the bus station and I got to start my field trips to the banks all over again.

Eight hours later, tuition handled, now all I need is to get my registration number, be registered and Presto! Registration successful. Yeah, that would happen in a parallel universe with my crummy luck. Turns out it takes between three to five hours to reflect on the system. (Darn computers!)

A few choice words were exchanged between  1)myself and the facilitator 2) mother and the facilitator 3) myself, mother and the facilitator. That didn't change but a thing except I would have to come back the next day.

You can only imagine my delight when the system hang literally immediately after I got my business handled the next day. I just want to give a big shout out to my homie karma for coming through, allowing those who will have the pleasure of being my classmate...LOL to experience a smidgen of my pain.

Picture from www.whatroseknows.com


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