Efficiency, where art thou?

As most people know, I am super anal retentive about organization. I have lists upon lists to organize my life, and always travel with a detailed itinerary in case anything goes wrong. I have had to try very hard to adapt my life to Africa-- "ca va aller" is not a good enough answer for me. Unfortunately, that's just how things work here. Today, I got another lesson in this. And I dealt with it in my personal style. Oops.

As I mentioned earlier the gorilla money is $500 USD which is to be refunded to me. So, I went to see Esther, the woman at the toursim department, that the Park Warden forwarded me to. At the park, I was told I just needed to take my ticket back and they would refund my money. I protested, saying there was no evidence that I didn't see the gorillas and anyone could have said they didn't go and gotten theit money back. They assured me they would tell this chick, and she would know I was coming. I asked for a handwritten note explaining the situatuion, but they also denied that as unnecessary.

As you've likely guessed, I got here and was told I needed a written report and the other copy of my ticket. Exactly what these guys HADN'T given me. They also hadn't told her I was coming. I was told by the incredible helpful (please read this as dripping with sarcasm) Esther that it was a major process and would take weeks, to which I folded my arms, sat back in my chair and responded "I'm foreign. That's not good enough." Not as mean as what I said to some Indians, but a close second.

It took an hr of calling various people to organize how to do this--apparently, I have to write a letter and the Park Warden, who knew what he was supposed to do but was just trying to screw me, has to write a report and send it along with the other copy of my ticket, via BUS to Kigali. I also have to get the third copy from my travel agent and take all of these documents to another office and lose my mind on some guy named Faustin, who will supposedly give me my money back if I say I'm leaving tomorrow and am in a rush. I might also throw in some law comments (there is a clause in the contract about full refunds upon illness) and the classic tourist line about how I'll never come back and I spent a lot of money here.

The real lesson might be bureaucracy is slow as hell anywhere, but can be expedited in Africa if you use your "bitch voice" and refuse to leave an office until someone deals with your problem. In Canada, you'd just sit there for 5 weeks.