Caboose

Also on Caboose: Journeys Antarctica, Kerguelen Islands, South America, Turkey, Cameroon
[Nigeria]Nigerian glossary

2007-06-26

If all your tools are hammers…

Filed under: VSO — kevin @ 07:24

… you’re probably working in Nigeria.

Last week the contractors finally arrived to fix the roof of the building my office is in. It’s a fairly well-designed building but for some bizarre reason the architect decided that it would be a good idea to have flat roofs over some parts. Just like back in the UK these need to be repaired every year, when water starts leaking through.

This is usually manageable with buckets and just allowing the carpet to soak up the water (why many offices smell a bit moldy), but the worst place for leaks this year has been the internet café. In particular, there was a lovely leak right over the equipment rack in our server room.

We seem to have fairly good contractors, the guy in charge has been expanding the drains on the roof and using concrete to add a gentle slope towards the drains. We’ve had a bit of difficulty persuading his workers that the satellite antenna (for our internet connection) is not a washing line and that although it provides nice shade in the afternoon sitting in front of it probably isn’t good for you. I know that if our internet connection stops working I just have to go outside and ask the workmen to move themselves or their clothes.

There’s been a lot of noise too, as they use hammers to bash holes for the new drains and to expand existing drains. They’re almost finished now, so we’re looking forward to dry offices, at least until next time the roof needs to be repaired.

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