The commemoration of Holy week was one of those times when I felt like being part of the minority. I don't belong to an organised religion and sometimes the consequences of making that choice are quite discomforting. I've learned that since I was a kid, there'd be a time of the year when there'd be no cartoons on TV, for a week! That's quite traumatic for a kid you know.

Last week, I received an email from a colleague in Johannesburg inviting me to attend the World Assembly in Glasgow. I was asked to book my ticket and by Friday send back the costs that I'll incur for that trip. Knowing that the entire nation would temporarily hibernate for the rest of the week, I frantically called travel agencies trying to book my ticket. Communication with people during these times would be futile since their minds are already in vacation mode. I received erratic quotes (there was one where my name is Cristianne) though not entirely their fault. I think I did panic too. Thursday night, I was on the verge of crying, and yet again I was saved by Technology. Yes, that god-less, amoral creation of man. To cut it short, I was able to book a ticket with emirates.com and sent back the claims form that same night, within a few minutes, without the hassles of misspelt names and incorrect dates.

I still have loads of things to do and at one point wondered if Glasgow is worth all these sh*t. I have to cancel my attendance in a summer course on globalisation and civ soc, get bank statements, letters, and undergo the whole rigmarole of applying for a visa, where you're life would depend on a single individual with biases and prejudices deciding whether to give you that much-coveted stamp or deny you entrance to their blessed country. And yet, it's different the other way around, when 'they' apply for a visa to go to Asia, it's almost served in a silver platter. What's more pissing is the waiting time. I have to get my passport back before May 10 because of our trip to Malaysia.

Last night, I stopped thinking about these for a while and enjoyed glasses-ful of vodka, cherry and sprite, and I thought, this is how life should be; chilled, uncomplicated, worry-free. But no, because most of the time someone eventually gets drunk, makes a mess of himself, and you have no choice but to see the bastard home.