When I came back from the USA to South Africa and wanted to look for work-it became a campaign - I had the misguided impression of the feeling, "Hey anybody can do this"...hello ...I must had had rocks for brains that day. For a fairly intelligent female I must have left my brains in a box somewhere and forgotten to take it out!
Looking for work in an african country should have been a piece of cake, unfortunately in South Africa I am the wrong skin color and gender also has its limitations. Plus much to my horror I discovered I needed references and at least a years solid employment in a known environment that could be checked out and verified and I also needed personal references. That was just the starting point. So over three days of looking and checking and crossing out I learned a few things. Even though I didn't have references to work in the country, I was unemployable because I was overqualified! Very daunting to be told that at every interview I ever went on. My US references were impecible but none of the employers wished to contact anyone in the US to research references!
So once again I hit the streets looking for temporary work, only to find my linguistic skills at a loss because I do not speak Zulu, Xhosa or Afrikaans. So being a temp receptionist was out. I learned I was the wrong skin color at various other places I tried, and woefully for me some of the jobs, though I could have done them required the male species and being female was a no show. Very annoying. Frustration at my thwarted efforts I started checking out restaurant jobs, looking for waitressing or something similar. The first few attempts were turned down - and feeling dejected I stopped off at a pizza place and had a chat with the manager. He, much to my astonishment needed someone and asked when could I start. I informed him I didn't have the required references because I was not South African. He shrugged it off and said that he pays basic minimum wage and the job was mine if I needed it. So instead of stopping to think about it like I should have done I signed the contract stuff and the next day started to work at the Pizza Parlor. It was only a few days later I learned why nobody wanted the job. Basic minimum wage is slave labor. 50c an hour. I had to take care of customers orders, make sure the pizza bakers got the orders right, prepared the boxes for the pizza's, collect the cash, help to clean up the back every two hours, refill bottles and cannisters. Make sure that all areas are clean of insects.....
At first it sounds easy enough until you realize that the guys in the back think that as the token female its your job to do all the work whilst they relax between orders. I soon dissuaded them of that notion. Then you get nice customers and so-so customers and then you get the rude, sarcastic S.O.B's more often then not when I don't need them after a long day. And for some reason they only turn up after 5pm. Its like they are on a clockwork alarm. Ie "Lets see how much we can rattle the cages of the workers". I think I will start noting exactly where these guys work and the day before I quit - toss in my "Pizza" uniform - I go to their place of business and give them shit. See if they like it!
A few days later I had the misfortune to slip on a greasy floor in the back and slammed hard into the steel fridge face first. I had to take the time off to see the doctor the next day to discover that I had slightly damaged my eye. You can imagine what I said to the bakers that afternoon. I think their ears are still ringing to this day. The floors became instantly sparkling clean as I don't think they ever want a repeat of my words.
The boss wasn't thrilled with me because I got annoyed at one guys rudeness and his suggestive notion that my services would be better serviced between the sheets with him and his buddies. I shrink-wrapped his pizzas. It was a nice little revenge. However, the boss wasn't thrilled so I had to make up for it because according to the shop's policy's "The customer is always right and the employee had better understand that"
I don't know what ever happened to the "be nice" cliche when shopping for either foods or other necessities. Heck I am never rude to the person serving me unless there is a real reason to be annoyed.
Maybe I am looking at this all wrong....
I don't think I could have my own business if this is the results. In fact I don't want to ever work for a pizza place again.
The past few years have assured me that pizza parlors are to be avoided - considering what I know happens behind the counter, I will never buy another one ever again. If I have to get a take-away I will make sure that the ones I get are constructed right in front of me. Whether its sandwiches or whatever.
Have I learned anything about living in South Africa?
Yes, don't take anything at face value here. Don't believe everything you see or hear. Never wear jewellery or carry a camera in public. Stay out of the cities if you want to get back anyplace safe. Nothing is free, and that includes information. Remember that the locals hear your voice and automatically have a fleecing system up. Understand the local currency because if you don't - you end up poorer then you started with - with nothing to show for it. African curios can be bought cheap at the beach front-so stay away from curio shops. If you have seen one wild animal in a zoo be grateful its not in your yard. Before you visit get some training in unarmed combat-it could save your life. Oh and make sure you drive on their side of the road or take a bus. NEVER take an african taxi anywhere, no matter how cheap it sounds or authentic it looks. If you do, I hope you have your insurances paid up and ready for your family, the end result is unpleasant even if you might reach your intended destination in one piece and are not lying dead in a road someplace.
The most dangerous critter on the road isn't a lion, or Rhino or wild animal - its an unlicenced african taxi driver behind the wheel of an unroadworthy broken taxi who charges R7.00 a ride anywhere. And there are literally thousands of them everywhere. They even have their own laws on the road. FAST and LOUD or quick and deadly. They don't care about other laws. If the cops take their taxi away- thats okay they will go steal another one someplace else and then its back to business again.
Food is unbelievable expensive in comparison to anywhere else. Cars, homes and technical equipment the same. 1 litre of Milk is more expensive then a gallon of gas.
Do I want to live here?
I am making a sincere effort to leave this place far behind anyway I can.
I have not met many people here as most of them keep to themselves. I work for my dad half days now. My days when not working, I either sit online, read, write or go fishing.
What I should have done in retrospect was just gone back home to the US and maybe have come and visited my dad or my son instead.
A few years back I went to Iraq, ostensibly to check it out for one of my novels. I was welcome at a US Marine base and made friends there and they kept me safe. My parents were horrified and asked me to come home. My mother even promised to change her attitude.
I think Iraq warped my brain cells to thinking that my mother might have changed as she had promised. My mother will never change and we can't live under the same roof together, its impossible. I have a hard enough day working at my dad's and cook and clean for them too. I feel like a everyone's slave.
I am starting to think that Iraq sounds like paradise in comparison to South Africa.
Heck...don't get me wrong- the country is beautiful - its the folks I am worried about.
I am starting to think that only Rhodesians are nice people in comparison to the rest of the world - its such a pity - that Rhodesia doesn't exist anymore and that political tyrant Mugabe has run it into the ground.
I have to ask myself a stupid question - Mugabe is one man - right.
How come his poor and deprived people now, have not killed the bastard. That country needs another civil war.
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