The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly

The Good:

I can’t tell you how great it has been to have some time off, to myself, to do nothing. 


After enduring five years of university stress and busting my ass during the summer to afford said education, I now know for a fact that the act of being bored is not an inconvenience, but a luxury. Since I’ve arrived to Justin’s, I’ve managed to read three books for no other reason but fun. I can’t remember the last time I had the time to do that. Waking up each morning without pressing things to do has been a really foreign concept for me to get used to, yet gladly welcomed. I will be looking into getting a job here soon but have to admit that this vacation is fitting me well.

The Bad:

If you haven’t heard, the public service here in SA has been on strike for the last three weeks. Public schools (elementary to high school) have been interrupted and many university classes have been canceled. Justin’s friend Matt is in his final year of Education and has been unable to complete his last practicum because of the strike. He can’t graduate without it.

The strike’s reach has even extended into emergency services. Even though essential bodies such as the police, doctors, and fire fighters, are supposed to be exempt from strike privileges, some have still opted to walk off the job (most notably a high numbers of nurses). This has caused a lot of deaths, including newborn babies, who haven’t been able to get the medical or emergency care that they need. 


The Wright’s maid, Patricia, has a sister who suffered a stroke a week into the strike. She needs critical surgery to remove the blood clot but has been unable to because there aren’t enough doctors at the moment. It is sickening to think that those who took an oath to serve the public are choosing to strike and thus risk the lives of the very people they are supposed to protect.

Last week, other unions -- outside of the public service -- opted to strike as well. This included the folks who deliver petrol to the gas stations. Justin’s Dad headed out to stock up for the family, as he anticipates a gas shortage as the strike continues.

Thankfully, it was announced yesterday that an immediate suspension of the public strike is to be put in place. This should mean that hospitals will be back to working full-strength by the end of the week. It does not, however, guarantee a resolution to this mess overall. The suspension is only for three weeks as the unions decide whether or not to accept the latest offer. Negotiations are still on-going and a firm date of success is still anybody’s guess.

The Ugly:

I don’t mean to scare any of my family or friends, but there have been a few security concerns on my street that I think are important to share with you. 


Last week the house next to us was broken into and robbed during the day. The odd thing is that they have two yappy dogs that didn’t make a peep. Justin’s Dad thinks it might have something to do with construction taking place in the lot behind both of our houses. It wouldn’t take much for low-level laborers to stake out our properties and learn when no one is home. Or perhaps they paired up with the gardener?

The other incident was more serious. It took place a few houses down the road. The owner was coming home after work and it was dark. As he pulled up to his gate and waited for it to slide open, a group of men jumped his car and robbed him, eventually gaining access to his home.

Yes, these incidents are scary. It makes me not want to venture outside, ever. But Jenny has told me that they haven’t had any problems with crime on their street for years and that these break-ins are both a surprise and a rarity. So don’t worry – yes, we are all going to be extra careful, especially when coming home at night, and take better note of any suspicious activity.

 Let’s just hope the old adage isn’t true and bad things really don’t come in threes.