This Sunday, my 11th year in Armenia; time has gone by so quickly. I have lost count of how many good people I have met along the way, Thank-You! Not forgetting the few “oddballs” as well!

People must have accepted me by now, as I haven’t been asked in a long time “When are you going home?” or “Do you plan on staying in Colombia?” I have been very lucky; a lot of work year after year, sometimes more than I can handle. I must be doing something right; as long as I have my coffee then all is good. At times it has been a learning process, no matter how much I moan or groan about things, I have to accept in Colombia things are done in a certain way and that is it! Moan or groan: Complain or grumble, typically about something trivial. Oddball: A person who you think behaves in a strange, eccentric or peculiar manner.

Monthly Roundup

Finally, they have removed the “Dr Who” kiosk entry to BBVA in the north! Never had I seen such a strange entrance to a bank before. First, you entered the main door, then waited for the kiosk door to open, when you stepped inside the box, the door behind you closed and then you had to wait for the door in front to open, before getting into the main part of the bank. It was the same madness exiting the bank. The banks are slow at the best of times, without all that nonsense.

Assembly

Every year in Colombia we have to suffer the dreaded assembly. This year, where I live progress was made, it finished in record time three and a half hours. Normally, it would last five to six hours if not longer having to listen to people rabbiting-on!

Rabbiting on: Someone who talks for a long period of time about something that is not very interesting.

Hmm

Everyone was confused with the arrival of the new kiosk in Parque Sucre, When it first arrived they couldn’t remove it from the lorry (truck) as the prongs on the forklift weren’t long enough. However, that didn’t stop ten officials (yes 10) standing around wondering what to do next, trying to look important with their clipboards and Walkie-Talkies! Any other part of the world this would have been a two man/woman job. The colour and material don’t blend in with the surrounding area or with the other kiosks. At first, I thought it was some sort of horse box /trailer. Then I thought as it has a door and a window; it might be some sort of a portable one-stop “knocking-shop”. It looks like another food kiosk. But why is it lopsided? Maybe they haven’t noticed yet. However, it has become a blind spot; it’s kind of an eyesore, an ideal place for thieves to hide behind. On the plus- side, I have seen many people taking shade under it from the sun and the rain as it isn’t opened yet. At the speed the 3 (stooges) workmen are going, it might be opened by Christmas!

Roundup: A summary of the main events that have happened. Blind spot: An area where a person's view is obstructed. Eyesore: Something that is ugly. Lopsided: With one side sloping lower than the others. Knocking shop: Humorous meaning for a type of brothel.

No word of a lie!

The other week I went for a coffee with a friend, just as we were being greeted by the employee she sneezed on us, not washing or sanitising her hands, just the usual ¡Qué pena! At the same time, to our right, a man had a dirty mop (trapeador) on the food counter trying the change the handle…Without any success I might add. What happened to Health and Hygiene training in these places? To top it off the coffee cup was leaking!! These things just shouldn’t be happening if staff are trained properly, either way; they should know better and know right from wrong!

No word of a lie: Basically, a long way of saying that something is true, especially funny or "not as in this case".

Who knows what I will see in the next eleven years!!

Until next Tuesday–Be good

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