I knew about just being down sometimes, and I’ve experienced
unintended consequences, but up until the past few months, I have only chuckled
about Sod’s and Murphy's laws. But that was before I sat foot on Danish
territory.
Sod's law is similar to, but broader and more extensive
than, Murphy's law which states that "whatever can go wrong, will go
wrong". Sod's law as the axiom that refers to "if something can go
wrong, it will" and often at "the worst possible time".
The phrase is seemingly derived, at least in part, from the
colloquialism an "unlucky sod"; a term for someone who has had some
bad unlucky experience, and is usually used as a sympathetic reference to the
person: in this case ME!
During my preparations for Denmark, I thought that I covered all the bases, then
the incomprehensible happened, and something, actually much more than something,
went wrong.
I arrived on 6 December in the midst of hurricane/cyclone
Xaver. Its strength surpassed expectations. Heavy snowfall and winds of 140 km/h
were howling over the country. Eighteen people died. And I spend a weekend in a
foreign city. Isolated and with no idea if it was safe to venture out of doors
to set off on foot to find a food store. After a long day looking at the snow
and wind though my roof-top studio, few things are as comforting as devouring a
warm meal. During the weekend in the unfamiliar cold climate, eating not only satisfied
my hunger, and kept me warm but also comforted me.
During the first three weeks in Denmark, I moved three times:
from Copenhagen to Gentofte and back to Copenhagen. With all my belongings. On
foot.
and then
Instead of opening a bank-account on the day I arrived (as
urged by all the partners and preferred by myself), only after extreme effort
and even more frustration and much more tears of desperation, I eventually
managed to open a bank account at Danske Bank. After three months. And only
then was I entitled to receive my first remuneration. Banking charges from
Nedbank and using my investments and savings to survive, was never part of the
agreement. And it was costly. And nerve-wrecking. And not refundable.
and then
Due to the fashionable, but often foolish practices of restructuring
and transformation, neither of my two partnering institution’s International
Offices found he resources (mainly time and interest) to deliver the essential
support as agreed on in the exchange contract.
and then
And then there was the Airport bus driver that left without
me (after I waited 90 minutes at the bus stop). I missed all four consecutive
flights on that day. However the cherry on the cupcake was when my funding
agent tried to punish me by preventing me to make use of the travel-insurance,
and insisted that I pay for the re-booked tickets myself! The project coordinator was still
pondering on mean and malicious ideas, when I had a wonderful cup of tea on African soil!
and then
One month without internet at my studio-home was challenging; and
expensive: my family and friends - who was my only support back home - was not accessible. I
paid for every byte I was NOT provided with.
and then
At one stage the International Housing Office handed me over
to debt collecting: after I paid the required R12 000 deposit for my room.
I was out of harm's way only after I paid an additional deposit of R12 000.
And then the office refunded me with R12 000. Some things are just not
meant to be understood.
and then
I travelled 70 000 km within 7 weeks, I ended up in an
airport clinic because of exhaustion. I went through baggage claim, passport control and customs via a wheel chair, without remembering any of it.
and then
The Danish Embassy issued me with a working permit for 11
months, but with a Schengen visa for only 5 months. I was in transit on
Frankfort airport when my visa expired . . .
and then
Although I was doubled insured, I did not managed to access
medical treatment in Denmark: I just could not got pass the Danish answering
machines on the doctors’ appointment phones lines. And once when I did managed
to make an appointment, I arrived at a locked consulting room door because my
doctor went on an unplanned roadtrip – after I waited 6 weeks for that
appointment. The alternative was privately paid medical treatment for the neglected
Tracheitis in South Africa.
and then
And then the final challenge was when my fellowship was
cancelled because I presented a research paper in Adelaide, Australia - for which
I got approval by all the parties involved. I was penalised for an achievement!
Sue Wright, my Danish mentor opposed the decision, however, I decided to keep
the door that the European Union slammed in my face, closed. Sue immediately offered me fellowships via
other funding partners, which I greatly appreciate and will consider at a later stage,
because for now, I am treasuring the African humanness and can-do approach.
and that's why
And I still don't believe that Sod and Murphy had laws: all the challenges is components of exciting times with extreme learning curves.
