The drifter

JJ had been working up the courage to make the announcement. After a significant redundancy exercise, his former organisation had downsized globally. JJ had only been home a few months, and already he was feeling hemmed in and itching to leave. There was no enticing work locally to speak of, and the novelty of family time was wearing thin. His two siblings were back at work, and his parents were now looking at him with some anxiety, hoping he wasn't going to be jobless for long.

"Ok, son, we are all seated for this grand announcement. Make it quick. I have jobs to do around the house."

JJ's father always liked to give the impression he was unemotional and the handyman. However, his hard work concept was circling the house supervising the domestics and tradespeople called to repair his shoddy work. JJ's father was one of those men who could have opened a second-hand hardware store with unused equipment from his man cave.

While appearing idle, JJ had applied for a post as a Finance Director in a charity in Gurunga, one of the world's poorest countries on Tamara's west coast. He knew little about the place apart from the advert he had found tucked away in his weekly job emails. His parents sensed that his stay was coming to an end. It was time to be on the move.

After the announcement, his mother responded, "You will be so far away from home! How is it going to work with the restrictions on international travel?"

JJ was already mentally packing and ready for departure. Despite Gurunga's history of political instability, abject poverty, and his own non-existent knowledge of the local language, he was optimistic that he would immerse himself in the new culture.

After a long six-hour flight, he made his way to the main harbour on the appointed day and was met by a middle-aged Gurunga couple and their navigator. As the only client, he was soon aboard a small steel dinghy, navigating narrow channels among the mangrove swamps. JJ was somewhat perturbed to find that the boat was their only mode of transport, out to the open sea. His anxiety increased as he clutched his large rucksack and realised the futility of communicating in a language he had not mastered, even after numerous online lessons.

The coastline had now disappeared. All he could see was the horizon in all directions. After a while, JJ stopped asking questions as his dread became palpable. His two companions had concealed themselves under a waterproof canvas and appeared to have fallen asleep. A seagull landed nearby on a drifting piece of styrofoam debris. It bobbed past without a care in the world and disappeared in the distance. Now on the open sea, the spraying waves became more aggressive, occasionally leaping into the boat. The navigator, oblivious to JJ's fears, was enjoying himself riding the surging waves. JJ began to wonder whether this time, his adventurous spirit had got the better of him. What if the little boat sank without a trace? He thought of the fate of his parents and siblings as his hands became numb while gripping the sides of the dinghy, holding on for dear life.

After what seemed an age, a small island finally appeared on the horizon. JJ approached it with indescribable relief and waded onto the beach. The motley crew made their way to a building made of wattle and palm branches. JJ entered the shelter and was told that this would be his home for the night while the community sorted out his permanent accommodation. All JJ could do was collapse with nervous exhaustion onto a makeshift bed.

On the following day, JJ was woken by a dawn cacophony of dogs, hens and goats, all competing for attention. He realised he had overslept when he heard voices outside his room. Not knowing where to start, he hurriedly put on a clean and un-ironed shirt and his khaki shorts from the day before. He peered through a small crack only to find that the small courtyard around his room was filled with villagers in their best attire, sitting on the ground. Female voices started singing while men clapped in unison with broad grins as JJ made his way to the only spare chair within the crowd. One other chair was occupied by a small man who rose to welcome him, puffing away at his homemade pipe and shading himself under a broad-rimmed hat. Using his limited pidgin English, JJ established that the welcoming committee of villagers would be working with him for the rest of his stay. The Head of the non-government school which had recruited him had got sick and been transported to the mainland. Since it was a weekend, the remainder of the staff had left for rest and recuperation, not realising that no one was left to meet their new colleague. After such an explanation, there was little else but to embrace the welcome.

JJ was treated like royalty and spent the weekend exploring the small island and soaking in the sun, interspersed with breaks for local seafood meals. The nights were cloudless as he stargazed on the beach. He swam in the barmy ocean in the early mornings. However, at the back of his mind was the knowledge that this would all end when the real work started. Safely back in his room, he started writing long letters as he shared his embellished adventure with family and friends. Despite the lack of modernity-no internet, candlelight every night with mosquitoes feasting on his exposed skin, this was going to be another experience he could never fully put into words.

Monday arrived more quickly than JJ anticipated. The welcome committee sent a young man to escort him to the work offices a short distance from where he now called home. He entered a compound with a scattering of buildings including the small school where he would be stationed for the year. Even though he had applied for the job with his eyes open, the level of poverty was more than he had envisaged. JJ wondered whether there was any learning going on, especially in the rainy season when the leaky roofs could be easily blown away. JJ was welcomed into a small office that had shelves laden with old dusty files brimming with papers. On a solitary desk was a jam jar with sprigs of pink bougainvillaea, a welcome respite in the small space's gloom. His two escorts sat opposite him on a small wooden bench and started the meeting.

"I hope you had a restful weekend. I am sorry there was no staff member to meet you. I hear that the villagers made you feel welcome. I am Mr Bungu, the senior teacher, by the way. You’ve already been told that the Head is away on sick leave."

JJ relaxed. At least more than one person could speak pidgin English. He smiled in response,

"The welcome was over and above what I expected. I am rested and ready to go. I understand that I will be managing the accounts of several schools and be based here. Is that correct?"

His two companions fidgeting, glanced at each other and Mr Bungu replied, looking rather sheepish,

"If there is one thing you will learn while you are here, it's that things can change overnight. Yes, there is a group of schools, but your job description has changed slightly." Mr Bungu continued without hesitation,

"Since the Head is now on sick leave, and we don't know how long he will be away, the school administrators have sent me to propose to you a new assignment, to run the school till they find a solution."

JJ stared at them as sweat trickled from his armpits.

"But I don't know anything about school administration! I am a finance person. That's what I'm good at!"

As if Mr Bungu had not heard JJ, he continued, "We appreciate that you came with one intention, but things have since changed, and you are the only person who can step in effortlessly into the vacant post. Everyone else is junior to you in qualifications and experience. It will only be for a short while, and you'll get as much support as we can give. Mrs Maidei a colleague, has been a teacher here for years. It's just that she has a newborn and feels running a school would be taking on too much. But she is willing to help."

JJ looked at the pleading eyes focusing on his body language and sank back into his seat. "This is not what I signed up for! But since there is no alternative, I'll give it a try but don't expect miracles!"

Mr Bungu said, "It is already a miracle that you have been so accommodating. Unfortunately, there will be no extra pay. You can see for yourself that the communities around here live from hand to mouth."

JJ would not have described himself as a prayerful person, but he realised that there were very few options remaining, but to pray.