Day Two (by Sylph)

The boss and deputy are off on official business and I am informed "We are leaving you in charge"..... Yes you read correct, this is DAY TWO. So second day on the job and I am running the shop.... LOVELY!!!!!!!!!! So I am shown around the office, meet the staff, get familar with my surroundings, read up on the work of the mission, a regular day in my new surroundings and then I go to my computer, to get online. Slight problem... The mission had to acquire a new computer for my use, however in doing so they obtained one with a European standard keyboard. NOW COME ON, WHAT WERE WE THINKING....... In case you are wondering what's the problem. In the Caribbean, where I am from, we use the QWERTY standard keyboard, so that's what I know and accustom to. However, I am now tasked with operating with a keyboard that says QWERTZ...... can someone tell me WHY?????????????

Do I look as though I am ready to take on yet another challenge????? What makes the pie even sweeter is that Mr. Keyboard, even though it's european, was installed under the american keyboard system and no one saw it necessary to inform me. So imagine my confusion trying to make sense of this device. I press Z and get Y, press Y and get Z, could not find the @ symbol anywhere and when I did locate it on the keyboard, (lower case on the Q button) of course I could not get the symbol to appear on a document..... What joy....... It took me half the morning to figure out what was really going on and by now I am ready to pelt Mr. Keyboard right through the window. At this point, I start to ask some questions and investigate as to whether they only supply european keyboards in this country, because if that is the case we certainly need to import one..... can anyone help me..... Much to my disgust, I realise that I am the only one in the mission signed on for this challenge, as everyone else has a regular QWERTY keyboard in front of them. Now now, I ask again, WHY ME?????

Moving right along to the afternoon.... I am informed that we need to go out and purchase some supplies for the office, one of which being an internet cable for my PC, so I eagerly go along for the ride, as this would be my first time leaving the buidling since arriving from the airport. We go to a district called Area III where there are a variety of small shops and vendors plying their trade in make-shift accomodation. An interesting little area, providing an array of commodities, ranging from household supplies and furniture, to office supplies, clothing, shoes and fresh fruits. We go to a small store, supplying a multitude of computer supplies and accessories to get the cable and a couple other gadgets for the office. I say gadgets because in this country, the fluctuation in the electricity supply is alarming, particularly for a new comer. I tell you no lie when I say, electricity goes at least five times for a day and that's on a good day. NO LIE..... So off course the mission is equipped with a wide array of gadgets. There are two generators for when the electricity goes, UPS battery systems connected to all PCs and essential office equipment, to provide back up power, surge protectors and more surge protectors, regulator gadgets to regulator the flow of the electricity supply and the list goes on and on. Needless to say that there is a booming trade in the repair of small electronic items in this country.

Back to the computer supplies store to get our gadgets for the office. This was my first glance at the way of conducting business in Nigeria. We ask for the first item, which was readily supplied to us and a bill prepared, however on asking for the second item, I noticed some irregularities. The gentleman left the store and returned with a pleasant young lady, who brought both the item requested and a receipt book, so the second item was obtained. For the third item, a similar sequence of events took place. The gentleman left the store, yet again, however, he returned with the item, but with a different receipt book. Hmmmmp, what's going on here????? I also observed another perculiarity. For each item requested, there was a great debate over the sale price and with each exchange the price seemed to reduce. What's going on?????? Only later on I would realise that there are no set prices in this country. Prices are determined by the way the buyer looks and how much they are willing to pay. So in order to get a fair or reasonable price, one should pre-determine how much they are willing to spend on an item, even before approaching the salesman that way you will allow yourself an opportunity to bargaining. And do not be afraid to bargain and walk away if the price is not reduced, because once you do, the price is some how automatically reduced. So that afternoon we left the little computer supplies store with three items, sold on three different receipts.

This trip not only thought me how to bargain for a better price, but also that the average Nigerian will not tell you that they cannot provide an item or service. If they do not have it, they shall source it for you to ensure that someone they know, gets the sale and in so doing they might also get a piece of the pie.