Monday, 12 July

Today, as it is Monday, I thought I would write about what I do on the average working day. Here is my timetable for today:

7.30 - Wake up, find that we have no more water(no usual cold shower).
8.00 - Eat breakfast (banana, bread + Jam)
8.20 - Drive to work
8.30 - Arrive at the office (check e-mail, prepare for morning meeting - draft notes on the latest developments)
9.30 - Go to meeting (Listen to what is happening in other departments - military, human rights, child protection, humanitarian, administration and present political developments - find out that there is a water shortage in Beni, although last night we had a huge storm).
10.00 - End of meeting, return to office. Write report on political developments in Beni for visitors to the office.
12.00 - Go to colleagues house for (cold) shower - at least the water is not too brown!
12.30 - Visit town market to buy dinner - bought 12 bananas, 4 tomatoes and 3 corn - $0.75 total cost.
13.00 - Have lunch at Les Palmiers restaurant - potage (soup), 2 brochettes (kebab), frites (chips), salade (salad), water - $5
14.00 - Return to work. Continue working on report.
15.00 - Move offices ( I am currently in the head of mission's office - she was supposed to return today).
15.45 - Go to airport to collect people - including the head of office.
16.30 - Head of office does not arrive as expected - go back to the compound with computer technitians who came to fix our regular computer problem instead.
17.00 - Move back to my old office!!
17.30 - Write report (it is going to take a while to finish)!
18.30 - Brief new mission security officer on latest political developments.
19.00 - Read news/send e-mails.
20.30 - Go home!!
20.45 - Cook corn and fried bananas(yum)!
21.30 - Watch terrible film on Canal+
22.20 - Go to bed...

So here you can see I have had a full day - however no two days are exactly the same. I often go to external meetings with the mayor, political figures, military leaders, local and international NGO's (non-governmental organisations).