Oh boys...

So I go into work today to remind my boss that my peace corps bosses are visiting me and that he should be there as they would probably like to meet him. My boss is different than my homologue my homologue is my work partner my boss is his boss. So I go in and give him my write up of what ive been doing for the past week for him and then i explain ill do this for him every week and he says this paper isnt good, you need to use this expensive paper. um.... no boss i dont have that expensive type of paper i bought a notebook to use and it took me a long time to write that up in french, cut it out all nice and make all my lines very straight. neatness is a HUGE deal here, everyone takes a lot of time underlining, writing, and making everything look pretty. while the content maybe lacking that piece of paper is going to look pretty no matter what. he says, this paper isnt good this is for students, and i think to myself what the hell im not above using paper that is for students its cheaper for everyones gets the job done and is just a neatly written as if it was on that expensive paper. so he gives me a pad of the really nice paper and says here and take a pen and do it right. which since he has provided me with the necessary items ok ill quit complaining. but then i make my lines all straight, write the date and the activities and i start i get about 3 days into my plan and he says, oh you need to write your observations and where you where. and that line over there isnt straight enough. he was watching me the entire time and i was trying really hard to make it neat and readable for him. ok boss whatever you say this is your waste of paper glad your so into looks when you dont even have running water in your house. but whatever not my place to judge. So i finish and i think ok im done im going to get going. ha ha little do i know...
he asks so hows your boyfriend, i dont have a boyfriend. i hate this question because working with womens groups and trying to be a progressive woman i want to show the community that you can be a woman and live without a man you dont need a man, and that its ok to also be single. but then if you tell an african male this he immidiately thinks you need to find yourself a man. So i say no i dont have a boyfriend, he says oh you must have a boyfriend in the states then when is he visiting, well i dont have a boyfriend in the states actually im single. then he gives me this look, i thought you were dating your homologue, i cringe and little as because its completely innapropriate for homologues to date their peace corps volunteers AND i dont like him that way AND he already has a girlfriend. i explain the last two points to my boss and he says oh we will have to find you a man. i try to explain that no i dont need a man i didnt come to africa to find love i came to work. he says with a worried look on his face, but you need a man its not natural to be living without a man. and this is why im working with womens rights. i explain again that in american culture is very ok for a women to live on her own amoungst men but not actually be dating any of them that some women are married and others are not, some women are dating others are not, i am currently in the not catagory and thats ok. he says, but what does your father think. i think about what my father would say to him and i laugh a little. conjuring up visions of how my father has handled some of my other romances such as he took a boy round the throat and shook him back and forth screaming you be good to my daughter, note this was a joke and was very funny for everyone eles including him, to when i brought a boy home who was my boyfriend for the first time he showed him his gun collection to creating all sorts of jobs for my last boyfriend when he was over, like putting a new gadget on the chimney which could have easily seriously injured him climbing on the roof. so im pretty sure my father is just fine with me being single and i can also see him telling my boss, my daughter can adequately choose her own boyfriend and its ok that shes focusing on work and not marriage. i explain this point to my boss and he says but i am your father here, i quickly reply no your my boss not my father, he laughs this off and says my daughter whose 2 years older than you is married and already has 2 children dont you want children, i flatly answer, no. he doenst believe me, so this last point is a lie i do want kids but eventually as in like maybe 10 years from now, and im not actively looking for a husband so drop it. he says theres a guy here whose single and young and who would be interested in dating you i think. so he yells the name of his buddy who i know and who once asked me while grabbingand scratching his crotch why i wore pants that day, he then proceeded to pick his nose and want to shake hands with me, gross. needless to say this guy is not someone i would consider dating. so then this guy comes in completely unaware as to whats been going on and my boss says melissa is single and your single and youre both young and you should date but melissa thinks she can live without a man but i know as her beninese father, youre not my father youre my boss, she needs to find a husband.... blah blah blah. i then turn to the guy and say im sorry but im not interested in dating anyone right now. i then quickly changed the subject, i have a meeting i have to go bye guys then i struggle to leave for another 15 minutes while explaining that yes i do need to leave and no i dont want or need a man and your not my father youre my boss no this is not even close to funny. ok so maybe now this is funny i hope you all have a good laugh i hope in a few days i will too.