I’ve been AWOL for the last week-plus because I’ve been mired in organizing something at school that I’m probably not even allowed to talk about, but it involves a lot of paper and exchanges like the following:
Copy Machine Repair Guy (in Bulgarian): Hello, I am here responding to your service call again, even though I was just here yesterday. My manager is with me this time.
Administrative Assistant (in Bulgarian): Oh, good! Only…wait a few minutes, I don’t have the key to the copy room.
Repair Company Manager (in Bulgarian): Who has the key?
Admin Assistant: Oh, this random American teacher has it. We’ll call her as soon as the period’s over – she’s teaching, you see.
Manager: Can’t someone just go run and get the key from her?
Admin Assistant: Well no, you see she also has to stand in the copy room with you while you’re in there, because there’s a top secret project going on that you’re not allowed to see, so she has to supervise you to make sure you don’t steal any piece of our top secret project or see anything you’re not supposed to see. In fact, that’s why she’s the only one with the key – because none of the Bulgarian staff are allowed in there, either.
Repair Guy & Manager: …
LATER…
Manager (in English): What exactly is the problem with the machine?
American Teacher (i.e., Me): Well, it keeps jamming.
Manager: Can you be more specific?
Me: Umm…we try to make packets and it keeps jamming. Continue reading