Hosting

Hosting visitors is never easy. Whether in the comfort of your own home, well especially not at work, where you don't know where everything is. On getting to the airport tired, sweaty and all, with my own plane being delayed, I waited for our 4 visitors. I got to receive the call from the Shuttle, and waited to show them to the shuttle. This bus took them to Pretoria, I was feeling sad for them by then, thinking they don't even know where they are going, they are being ferried off, it's so late, there's not even food waiting for them.  Saturday they were left on their own. They told me however, that they went to Menlyn by taxi. That was nice of them, adventurous. Sunday, very early in the morning, I went to get them from the Guesthouse after checking if our venue was ready and speaking to Prof re: coffee and stationery and stuff. I really appreciate Thandeka for making that possible, stationery etc. The process took the whole day. Monday morning, same thing, fetching them, taking them for errands (even met Jabu at Hatfield)etc. Tuesday, only Joachim agreed to meet with the OUT team, the others were disgruntled. Granted! We had not given them a good experience. They were not given a stipend, had not planned for supper. I mean it was  a disaster! Then Obs had the audacity to accuse me of not doing my work. That Prof. took it for granted that as a marketing person I would have all things sorted, all boxes ticked. I didn't, I dropped the ball. I felt horrible. I tell you I have not been getting good sleep from Friday until Wednesday when I dropped the last two at the airport. Yes, you heard rigth, on my holiday, my family and I came to Pretoria to fetch the delegates to the airport because of Unisa redtape. and again, I felt responsible. I felt I had to make things right, but of course the damage was already done. Our visitors felt unwelcomed, felt disappointed that their trip was worthless. They had not even reached the objective of getting a paper out. Even at the congress, Neil had pinched their money, saying because  they ate supper at the Papu meeting, Papu launch and then congress party. I didn't want to state these visitors titles at the beginning, because that's exactly what happened to me. I only knew them as students, only on interacting with them do I find out that they are actually Established scholars: Joseph - a Deputy Vice Chancellor, Jessica - an Associate Professor, Lusajo, a senior lecturer and Joachim a Psychosocial counsellor. Yho! Don't judge a book by its cover. Don't underestimate the origins of an individual. Ubuntu must be preached for everyone, it must practiced regardless of the title. Thanks for the lesson.