From Ten Trinity Square to Youyi

Throughout my career I have worked in a diverse range of offices; from the imposing Ten Trinity Square - former Port of London Authority building at Tower Hill which is featured in the title sequence of The Professionals to more recently 30 Millbank which gained notoriety as the building attacked during the student march of November 2010.

Nowhere, however, can be as unique as my new place of work – The Youyi Building.  This is a nine storey concrete monstrosity built by the Chinese over 30 years ago.  In Chinese Youyi means friendship and I’m not sure what kind of friend would wish this on you.   

Youyi Building, Freetown

Although the views from the windows are quite interesting

View of the Youyi car park

Various Government departments are housed within its walls.  My employer the Finance Directorate of the Ministry of Health and Sanitation is located on the 4^th floor in the West Wing.  Be warned, though if you take the lift you have to disembark on 5^th as they numbered the Ground Floor as 1 when they installed it.  Not that I would ever dare enter the lift, it’s stairs for me all the way.  No quiet staircase this as it is littered with people coming and going or rather just coming.  There are inordinate amounts of people who appear to sit in the stairwell all day.  Those coming and going are the hawkers.  No need to venture to the shop to have your phone credit topped up as the boy comes to your office as does the equivalent of the sandwich lady.  No security issues as people wander into the building whenever they choose.  The most bizarre item on sale thus far was a hand mincer – just like the one my mum used to make meatloaf.  Very shiny and new he was asking Le 18,000 (£3), not today!

On the ground floor there is a canteen which is open to anyone.  It is cheap for me at Le 10,000 for an African main course but the food vendors outside are much cheaper for the local employees.  Vendor food is not for me as I am not sure my digestive system is strong enough for the assault.  So what are African main courses?  Basically rice accompanied by a sauce.  Each day has a special so here are my preferred choices:

            Monday               Cassava Leaves

Tuesday               Groundnut Soup

Wednesday          Beans and Rice

Thursday             Jolloff Rice

Friday                  Fish, beans and plantain

 No sign of any vegetables but it’s fresh and filling to make it through to dinner.

 Now we have discussed food I can move on to the most fun part of my day – flushing the toilet.  No quick push on a handle.  This employs three pieces of equipment, four if you count the toilet.  Here are the said implements.

Flushing equipment

So I use the small plastic kettle to fill the silver bucket from the large water butt.  When said bucket is half full I pour the contents down the toilet, ensuring the seat is up, job done.  Remarkably efficient once you develop the correct pouring technique as there has to be a bit of force behind it while still aiming the toilet.

Another new skill acquired in Sierra Leone.