Abdul, where are you?

(English below)

 

Abdul het nie vandag van hom laat hoor nie. Dis moeilik om aan te gaan met visumreëlings as alles so in die lug bly hang.

 

Eerste Nasionale Bank is my bank. Toe hulle nog Barclays was, was hulle bereid om in die doodsnikke van my studentejare vir my nog 'n studentelening te gee sodat ek my Volkswagen Kewer se enjin kon laat oordoen. Hoe kon 'n finale jaar student sy meisie sonder 'n motor uitneem? Ek het toe ewige trou aan hulle gesweer. (Nie dat dit gehelp het nie. Skaars twee jaar later was ons verhouding  verby :-)

 

Gister was ek weer by FNB hier op Naboom om met al die papierwerk te begin: Bankwaarborg van 200% van die KLR se waarde wat nodig is vir die Carnet de Passage; sewe verskillende briewe aan verskillende ambassades om aan te dui ek sal daardie lande nie tot las wees nie, ek sal my eie koeskoes met tee kan koop. Mariaan Johnson van FNB het ten spyte van die daaglikse kragonderbreking alles binne ure gereed gehad.

 

Mariaan, baie dankie! Al ry ek nie meer my Kewer nie, julle het nog steeds my lojaliteit!

 

Geniet die naweek!

 

(Dit val my nou by, dis Vrydag, en dis soos Sondag in 'n Islamitiese land. Abdul werk dus nie vandag nie. Nou voel ek beter. Miskien is daar Maandag pos van hom.)

 

 

 

I haven't heard anything from Abdul today. It is so difficult to get everything done if one of the pillars is out of step.

 

First National Bank is my bank. When I was a student the FNB was called Barclays Bank. I was a student, a few months before completion of my studies. I had an old VW Beetle. The engine packed up. The biggest problem was that I had a girl friend. How could a final year student treat his love without a car? I tried various banks and only Barclays (FNB nowadays) was prepared to grant me a student loan while the sun was setting on my studies. I promised myself that I would stick to such a bank who understood my dilemma. (Not that it helped: We were out not even two years later :-)

 

Yesterday I was back at FNB here in Naboom. It was time to start with all the paperwork: Bank guarantee of 200% of the bike's value to get a Carnet de Passage; seven different letters for the embassies of the different countries to proof that I could buy my own 'Bazen' and would have sufficient funds available. Very capable Mariaan Johnson of FNB had everything ready and done within hours, even with a power cut in between.

 

Mariaan, thank you so much! FNB again earned my loyalty!

 

Enjoy your weekend!

 

(It struck me now: In an Islam dominated country Fridays are like Sundays. Abdul isn't working today. I feel much better now. Perhaps on Monday ...)