Thrice upon a time

So when I returned from Canada February 3, one may remember that customs took away my second computer as I am only allowed to bring in one duty free. I did not have 1,300 birr on me (the duty they wanted) so I left it with these people who gave me a receipt and some other forms.

Point #1: When leaving Ethiopia, one can only take 200 birr out of the country. Therefore, HOW COULD ONE HAVE 1,300 ON RETURN!!!!

Since then I was back to the airport once and that did not go well; on that occasion I was told to go in the wrong line and, after waiting in it for 45 minutes to be served, I was told to go to wicket #5 that already had 11 people ahead of me. Another time, one of the RSU drivers went with a letter giving him my permission to pick up the goods. That did not go well either; the forms were missing that time as they had been misplaced. Dereje was told by customs that I had to go to a police station and fill out a form or report and bring it back to the airport. With that police document, customs could consider releasing the computer . That was the substance of my journey today.

So I go to the Kesanches police station and am told by two officers that what I was told at the airport was incorrect. They could not give me what I was looking for without a copy of the customs forms that were missing. I was told to go to the airport and get a copy of the missing forms then come back to the station.

Point #2: If customs were capable of giving me a copy of my forms, why was I at the police station? If that were indeed the case (i.e., getting a copy of the forms from customs) why would I be at the police station anyways?? When Dereje went, if that were true, they simply culd have dug up a copy of the form!!!

So I follow the advice of the police and go to the airport and plead my case. The first person I speak with sends me elsewhere. Now I am at person number 2. He listens a few times to my story and takes me to see his supervisor. I wait a few minutes to speak to the supervisor ... he does not have the authority to grant my request to get the computer. I have identifying colour and serial number for said comuter which I was hoping to use to get said goods. His boss Yosef, who has the authority to release the goods without the original forms, does not work until 6AM tomorrow. I am told to come back then and speak to Ato Yosef. So it appears as though the trek was worthless just as the previous two had been, but at least I now know who is the next person to speak with (who will probably be unable/unwilling to grant my request too:)).

Point #3: Works at 6AM; I forgot to ask if that is ferenge or habesha time. The Ethiopian clock is 6 hours behind that of the west so 6AM habesha time is noon our time. Just to make sure Ato Yosef is there, I will go Saturday after noon.

All this for a 7 year old laptop that is worthless in the west now but in Ethiopia, according to customs procedures, could be sold for many hundreds of birr. The sale of used electronics is big business in Ethiopia and naturally when goods are moved, the government does not get a piece of the action; hence duty on entry of goods exceeding defined limits.

So the saga of the Dell Inspiron continues; the hours myself and a few others have put into this effort probably are now close to 10! Even at a modest salary from the western world, that could be worth upwards of two hundred dollars by now (close to 2,500 birr). This, in my opinion, is a manifestation if the cliche "don't sweat the small stuff". Welcome to Ethiopia ...