J says odd-numbered years are good years.
Monday was my birthday! Though the day started out sleepy, by morning all was well. We went out for dinner at the Italian restaurant at the polo club.
The best part was that for one day, all those street roosters, with their four-note cock-a-doodles, were singing "Happy birthdaaay! Happy birthday!"
The car was good for two weeks, went fuzzy again last Thursday, was away until this morning - and needs to go away again. It's not fixed. I'm frustrated, but remaining relaxed.
I have a cavity and had to see the dentist. It's a complicated case in my crooked last molar so he put in a temporary filling and I'm going back in a month. He also doesn't trust the root canal work I had done in January by another dentist here, but I think I'll leave that and just hope it actually was sufficient. And that other dentist does have a good strong reputation with expats here, too.
I got notice from the Employment Appeals Tribunal in Dublin that I've been given a hearing date at the end of May. Working hard to postpone that to my visit at the end of July. Keep your fingers crossed; I only have five working days to apply for a postponement!
Last but CERTAINLY not least, I'm finished with German classes - forever, if I want to be. I had my C1 test on Saturday, and Monday, and Thursday. (Technical difficulties.) Only two of us made it past the written to take the spoken test on Thursday, and we both passed!
Showing posts with label car. Show all posts
Showing posts with label car. Show all posts
Friday, May 18, 2012
Friday, April 20, 2012
more confusion.
Well, I've got my residence permit. Six months after applying, I have a work permit and a residence permit which allows me to work on my work permit. My case is unusual, but at the same time not so crazy that it should have taken six months. The bottom line is I had a valid residence permit already which technically didn't allow me to work - but I had a work permit on paper which overruled that. So the immigration office saw no rush in giving me a fresh one - and to some extent, I didn't either.
The mechanic has just reported that our car is running fine, except for some small vibrations in the engine. He still wants to find a new head for the car and replace it - but he's bringing the car back to me today. He'll want to take it back once he finds a new head. I'm thinking - what's a vibration when we don't know whether we'll be here after another year or so? It's chivalrous of the guy not to charge me before the work's complete, but I'd like my debt with him to be settled so we can be back in control of the car - then give it back to him if need be and pay him for whatever work arises after that.
Also, we have been making plans to go on a "cruise" boat trip in the Volta Region next weekend. That's a two-hour drive each way and I do want to make sure the car's up for that. If not we'd have to look for public transportation. It's very hard to make plans when you're not sure they'll be possible. If the car shouldn't be driving for two hours straight on this warped head, I want to know that, and I don't know if I trust this mechanic's word one way or the other.
Anyway, I do have my residence permit, which is a huge burden off of my shoulders. And we might have a working car again.
The mechanic has just reported that our car is running fine, except for some small vibrations in the engine. He still wants to find a new head for the car and replace it - but he's bringing the car back to me today. He'll want to take it back once he finds a new head. I'm thinking - what's a vibration when we don't know whether we'll be here after another year or so? It's chivalrous of the guy not to charge me before the work's complete, but I'd like my debt with him to be settled so we can be back in control of the car - then give it back to him if need be and pay him for whatever work arises after that.
Also, we have been making plans to go on a "cruise" boat trip in the Volta Region next weekend. That's a two-hour drive each way and I do want to make sure the car's up for that. If not we'd have to look for public transportation. It's very hard to make plans when you're not sure they'll be possible. If the car shouldn't be driving for two hours straight on this warped head, I want to know that, and I don't know if I trust this mechanic's word one way or the other.
Anyway, I do have my residence permit, which is a huge burden off of my shoulders. And we might have a working car again.
Sunday, April 15, 2012
car woooooes
we bought a car from J's coworker in January. It's a 2006 Nissan and it had only been driven in Ghana for a year before we got it.
I don't think she had this many problems, but it's basically imploded on us in the past few months.
First we took it to a mechanic who ripped us off in ways and quantities I don't want to mention. Then we found a guy who works on a lot of the cars at my workplace. I got a good vibe from this guy from the first time I met him, and I figured he has a reputation to uphold; if he messes with one car at my office, he'll lose all his other customers there.
Well, he's needed the car two days here, a week there, and when he brought it back after that week, he told me the repairs weren't finished and he needed it another week. That was last week.
Cut to Thursday morning, when the car wouldn't stay running after it started. It turned over, caught, ran for a few seconds and then just died. I panicked, all the other professional drivers waiting outside my building for their own clients took a look at it, revved the engine, listened to the noises, watched the motor, diagnosed new fuel injectors. I dragged the mechanic to my house to come look at it because I couldn't get it going.
Of course, magically, it started perfectly for him.
It still needs that one-week repair he talked about before... but he doesn't have that part in yet. So first he has to get the car to start, and then after that, I guess we have to wait around for the part to arrive.
It's really frustrating having a car here...
EDITING, MAY 2:
One of the drivers at Fiance Man's office brought it to a mechanic he knows in Tema. Turns out Mechanic #2 took the engine apart and put it back together wrong. The car runs better than ever. Mechanic #3 also cleaned everything, from the engine to the oil to the seats, and for a good price, too. We'll stick with this guy for any future problems, I'd say!
I don't think she had this many problems, but it's basically imploded on us in the past few months.
First we took it to a mechanic who ripped us off in ways and quantities I don't want to mention. Then we found a guy who works on a lot of the cars at my workplace. I got a good vibe from this guy from the first time I met him, and I figured he has a reputation to uphold; if he messes with one car at my office, he'll lose all his other customers there.
Well, he's needed the car two days here, a week there, and when he brought it back after that week, he told me the repairs weren't finished and he needed it another week. That was last week.
Cut to Thursday morning, when the car wouldn't stay running after it started. It turned over, caught, ran for a few seconds and then just died. I panicked, all the other professional drivers waiting outside my building for their own clients took a look at it, revved the engine, listened to the noises, watched the motor, diagnosed new fuel injectors. I dragged the mechanic to my house to come look at it because I couldn't get it going.
Of course, magically, it started perfectly for him.
It still needs that one-week repair he talked about before... but he doesn't have that part in yet. So first he has to get the car to start, and then after that, I guess we have to wait around for the part to arrive.
It's really frustrating having a car here...
EDITING, MAY 2:
One of the drivers at Fiance Man's office brought it to a mechanic he knows in Tema. Turns out Mechanic #2 took the engine apart and put it back together wrong. The car runs better than ever. Mechanic #3 also cleaned everything, from the engine to the oil to the seats, and for a good price, too. We'll stick with this guy for any future problems, I'd say!
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