joy....

a new child at school and she is settling in really well.  Such a happy little girl....

Had to go and report to the police that someone had bashed my car in a car park.  I needed a police report so that I could get it fixed with the insurance!  Well....the police were not nice - told me that I should have come immediately it happened, after all they are open 24/7!  I apologized and they said I could pay ZMK450 (US$50) but the car would be impounded!  And of course to get it out of being impounded it would be ZMK3000 (US$320).  I was angry....and explained that I was not aware of these charges- I was shown a chart on the wall!  My Zambian colleague was with me, and the police officer then said he would forgive me (for what???) and he would get me the report!  Great....he asked my colleague to go and show him the damage to the vehicle and told me to wait in the office!  I heard later that when they went out he asked my colleague for ZMK200 because he had forgiven me!!

It seems nothing can be done here if a bribe is not given.....I was told to come back on Thursday for the police report!