Dear Mama le Papa

05 April 2007,
Dear Mama le Papa,
I managed to open up a bank account. I also bought a phone, I bought a D900. I used 3 of the 10 crisp £50 notes Molly gave me. At the Carphone Warehouse, where I bought the D9 (as Dawid, an Afrikaner, praises it) they asked for my passport. The assistant said something like they need to confirm my identity because £50 notes are not popular.
Anyway, remember I told you about carrying breakfast plates in the dining room? Before carrying plates the guests arrive, we carry their bags too, rather their cases. That is fun! Only the males do it. The guests arrive around 5pm weekly, it’s hell. Most bags dont have wheels, atleast we have to use the lift. Sometimes the lift breaks, and we “take the stairs”. I think up to 3 if not 4 floors mama. Ohh we actually do the cases twice a day, weekly that is. We have to be ready for 5:30 for cases, in the morning, when the guest are leaving. We have to wear the uniform doing cases. White shirts mama. And then straight after we go serve tea and coffee and carry those plates full of sausages, eggs, bacon, mushrooms, and toast. Some guests are nice, they leave £1 on the bags, and we take it, you don’t share the £1, it’s for whoever carries that bag. Most bags dont have £1. I like bags with the £1, sometimes I leave the bags without the £1 and go for the ones with the £1.
And its cold, its very cold, but I think my body has now acclimatized, and now I enjoy the cold, especially when its raining. They tell me its going to snow soon, I can’t wait to see and experience the snow flakes. But you know its not cold at all inside, every room has big heaters inside, the heaters are mounted to the wall, you see I sent a picture for you le Papa to see the heates. Anyway I think Its hell here mama, this job is hard. I want to come home mama! I can’t do this, I can’t do this. I didn’t go to uni for this. And you know I have to study for Economics, the module I failed in Midrand, the Module that I’m only left with to obtain my degree. I will go to London in October for the exam. I’m so looking forward to seeing the city of London. Afterwards, I want masters, 2010 I should have masters, but it’s expensive, very expensive. The thought of having a masters keeps me going!
Before I forget KB left, followed by Jerry. KB went to England, Jerry went back home. Jerry had been here for 2 years. I’m planning to move out next month, I don’t know where to, but I want a big city. I want a big city. Now I am the only black in the hotel, I think I am the only one in this village now. But I sometimes walk alone in the village to buy fruits. Just outside the hotel there is a fruit and veg shop, I enjoy buying grapes and dinnaraki, peaches too. Sometimes I go further and I buy some juice and peanuts. The shop assistant is nice, he asked me where I come from and he couldn’t stop smiling, just like the Peace Corps mama.
We just had lunch. Lunch was nice, we had battered fish and fries, with some mayonnaise. But I miss home food mama. It has been 3 weeks and we have not had fried chicken, we have not had beef, nor did we have rice! I miss home mama. I asked the head chef, Kevin, why they don’t cook rice, Kevin says there is more chance that bacteria can make rice unsafe to eat. We had rice every Sabbath mama, we cooked it on Friday, I’m confused. However, I talked to my colleagues for changes in the lunch menu. Usually, there are no guests at lunches, only staff. So we want rice on the menu asap, just for staff.
Ohh you know I left my CD collection with Mookamedi, I just bought a mini hifi, as well as couple of CDs. I bought After Taxes by Sheek Louch and MIMS’ Music is my Saviour. Can you please give Nkgotla money so that he DHL my CD bag. I know its expensive mama but I need those CDs! Please Papa talk to mama.
Boroko,

Nkgosi