I wrote a longer review of this Dark Star Safari book by Paul Theroux on Goodreads, but thought I’d share the passage from it that made me put the book down. I really can’t stand this guy.

“Even at their best, African cities seemed to me miserable improvised anthills, attracting the poor and the desperate from the bush and turning them into thieves and devisers of cruel scams. Scamming is the survival mode in a city where tribal niceties do not apply and there are no sanctions except those of the police, a class of people who in Africa generally are little more than licensed thieves.”

Since living in Africa, I have met some men of Theroux’s generation. Old, wrinkly white men who believe years lived in Africa equals a free pass to criticize all its ills. Or that their worldview, that nothing will ever change or get better in Africa, is an accepted one. Luckily, there are some new people here, people who don’t come with the idea that “things are just fucked up and always will be,” that don’t exoticize its people and vistas as black voodoo magic, and who just love living here. Power cuts and all.

I will never read this joker’s books again.

My summer is shaping up to be crazy, exhausting and expensive. These are all unfortunate attributes because I will have no income starting July 1, but I remain hopeful that something awesome will come along by August, and by “something awesome” I mean a job.

June 24 thru June 27 – Lisbon, Portugal for a reunion with my good friends with sexy European accents
June 28 thru July 12 – Madison, Wisconsin to make up for missing Lee’s birthday and strongman competitions
July 13 thru July 20 – Hendersonville, North Carolina so that my family knows I am still alive and did not die of tropical mango poisoning
July 20 – Washington, D.C. for one-night-only!
July 21 thru July 24 – Road trip with some friends to Pennsylvania for a barn raising, or something like that
July 24 thru ??? – Meet Lee in Pa. and drive back to Madison

If you feel you are in dire need of a Julia visit and will be around for any of those dates/places, please let me know.

I’m going to miss the hell out of Senegal, mostly just the wonderful people I’ve met and befriended. There are no regrets when it comes to moving here, which is why it’s all the more likely I may come back in August. I’m not the neurotic and depressed, smartphone-obsessed aspiring careerist I was when I left D.C. and I’m really, really glad for that.

As a side note, I am going to shutter gavelwrench.com when the domain expires in July. It was a nice way to chronicle my first six months here, but now I find myself questioning the frugality of two domains and my commitment to updating them both. I’ll be archiving these posts and blogging less frequently over at juliaritchey.com/blog this summer. E-mail remains my favorite way of corresponding when I’m not where you are, so send me a note anytime at ritchey.julia@gmail.com.

Happy Summer!

Gettin' silly at a Gambian eco lodge with Kim.

So the back-story here is that T-Mobile has me trapped in a contract that I have no way out of despite the fact the smartphone no longer fits my lifestyle or income (or lack thereof). I’m like their indentured servant. Shouldn’t this type of thing be illegal?

You have been connected to ~Jake H.
Julia Ritchey: I just suspended my account again because I have been in Africa for 6 months, but have not been able to retroactively apply it to the 160 already paid from the last two billing cycles. I am asking to be refunded this because I have not used my phone during these cycles and would have suspended my phone line again had I known it was an option at the time.
~Jake H: Welcome to T-Mobile Chat service . My name is Jake H and for your reference my rep ID is 13-20487 First, please allow me one moment to review the information you have provided.
Julia Ritchey: Okay
~Jake H: I would be happy to look into your question today.
~Jake H: I see you suspended it as of today for 1 month is this correct?
Julia Ritchey: Yes — Until I return to the States
Julia Ritchey: But I wanted it to be suspended for the whole time I was in Africa not using it… just to keep the number active
~Jake H: Allow me 5 minutes to look into this.
Julia Ritchey: okay
~Jake H: It would just be a couple more minutes thanks for your patience.
~Jake H: I apologize if you were not informed of the suspend policy.
~Jake H: We are only about to suspend for seal purposes for a maximum of 90 days per calendar you.
~Jake H: I am able to offer you a reversal of one month of service charge.
Julia Ritchey: that’s acceptable to me
~Jake H: Please allow me to look into these charges to see what the reversal will be. It will be 5 minutes.
Julia Ritchey: okay
~Jake H: As you did not suspend your service until today, you should see charge on your next bill from the beginning of this current cycle until today. It will be a couple more minutes while I calculate the adjustment.
Julia Ritchey: I am more concerned about the last cycle
Julia Ritchey: when I didn’t use my phone at all
~Jake H: We show the charge for the bill is $93.71, however there is a charge of $10.80 to suspend while on seasonal. The total credit would be $82.91.
Julia Ritchey: okay
~Jake H: Applying this credit right now.
~Jake H: I have applied this credit at this time.
Julia Ritchey: thank you, jake
~Jake H: Anything else at this time Julia?
Julia Ritchey: another problem is I have tried to log-in to my t-mobile online
Julia Ritchey: but I don’t know my passowrd
~Jake H: I can resend it to you via text message?
Julia Ritchey: and it keeps texting it to me, but I obviously can’t use my phone here
~Jake H: Oh right, sorry.
Julia Ritchey: no, I need an e-mail with it
~Jake H: Unfortunately text messaging is the only way we can send it.
Julia Ritchey: then I can’t manage my account, which is why I had this problem in the first place
Julia Ritchey: can I not reset it?
~Jake H: I apologize Julia, if there was another way to send you the password I would. Resetting it would also require the new password to be sent to your phone as well.
Julia Ritchey: Okay
Julia Ritchey: I guess the larger issue is, I can’t keep suspending my line, nor can I afford to break my contract, nor can I afford to pay $90/mo again when I return to Africa later in the year. So I need a phone and/or contract that better accommodates my life as a freelance journalist. So I need to know why other options there are for me
Julia Ritchey: *what
~Jake H: The only thing I could suggest is a pay as you go plan as the minutes can be stored on the phone with out use for up to 365 days. However as you are in contract if you switch to that at this time there would be a termination fee.
Julia Ritchey: $200?
~Jake H: You are in contract until February 5th 2012. If you have more than 180 days left in the contract, the Early Termination Fee (ETF) is $200. When you reach 91-180 days left, the ETF is $100 and when there is 30-91 days left the ETF is $50. If there is less than 30 days the ETF is $50 or the amount of the monthly recurring charges, whichever is less.
Julia Ritchey: so you see I’m in a catch 22, cuz whenever I suspend my line, it extends my contracts
Julia Ritchey: *contract
~Jake H: Unfortunately that is correct.
Julia Ritchey: I guess I’m surprised there’s not more leniency in the contract for when people change jobs/move overseas, etc. The smartphone made sense for me a year ago when I was living in the U.S. and had a normal job, but not now
~Jake H: I apologize for your situation Julia, I wish I had more options to suggest.
Julia Ritchey: well, if you don’t mind, Jake, I need you to refer me to someone who can review this–my contract and current situation–because I don’t like my options
~Jake H: At this time I would have no one I can advise you to speak with though chat regarding this situation. I would recommend that once you return to the United States please contact us over the phone and we would be happy to look into this further.
Julia Ritchey: well, I did call today, and I got the same sort of thing “I can not override the system” and what not, but that’s not really acceptable to me
Julia Ritchey: E-mail would be preferable
~Jake H: I apoligize that you are not happy with the options avaible Julia. What if we could help you avoid an Early Termination Fee, and make it possible for someone you know to start T-Mobile service without the $35 activation fee and take over your contract? Do you know anyone who would be interested in that?
Julia Ritchey: Not at this time — but if there was a way to convert my line to a pay-as-you-go plan without the termination fee, that seems to be optimal
~Jake H: Unfortunately I do not have the E-Mail address of any one who could assist with this matter.
~Jake H: Unfortunately that termination fee waiver would not be an option.
Julia Ritchey: I don’t need a smartphone with data, just a simple phone to make calls when I’m in the u.s.
Julia Ritchey: but this contract won’t even let me drop the data plan
Julia Ritchey: I’m curious as to why that would not be an option? because I’m still using the same number and still using t-mobile
~Jake H: I’m not sure who advised you couldn’t do that Julia, I can remove it for you right now.
Julia Ritchey: the representative on the phone today told me that
~Jake H: I can remove that feature right now, in fact if you would like I can remove it as of the second of this month.
Julia Ritchey: yes, I mean anything helps
~Jake H: I apologize Julia, I am unable to remove the feature at this time as your account is suspended. Once the service has resumed please contact us and we would be happy to remove it.
Julia Ritchey: okay, so when I get back to the States, perhaps I can go in store and explain my situation to a representative who can help me
Julia Ritchey: because I understand you don’t have that authority
~Jake H: That is definitely an option.
Julia Ritchey: okay, but in the meantime, if you would tell whatever supervisor you have that I would like to solve my living overseas dilemma amicably, via e-mail, I would appreciate it.
Julia Ritchey: specifically, that I would like change to pay-as-you-go without some bogus termination fee
~Jake H: I apologize Julia, we unfortunately are unable to contact you via E-Mail not have E-Mail for you to contact.
Julia Ritchey: that’s all I’m asking. otherwise, you’ve been helpful tonight, jake, so I thank you. [Okay, so this was a lie!]
Julia Ritchey: you don’t have an e-mail of a supervisor that reviews cases individually?
~Jake H: Unfortunately not.
Julia Ritchey: I find that hard to believe!
~Jake H: I apologize you find that hard to believe.
Julia Ritchey: haha, okay
Julia Ritchey: … well, I’ll just have to try my luck in person since I’ve run into a dead end here
Julia Ritchey: have a good evening
~Jake H: Thank you for contacting T-Mobile Chat, have a wonderful weekend Julia.