This Is Africa (TIA)

so...long, rough days happen anywhere.  had one today.  this is part venting, part "typical Africa experience."  Let me explain...

First, flexibility is the name of the game out here.  It sure came in handy today. 

-11:15 -  4th hr.  class is almost finishing up.  the girls soccer coach comes and asks if I have a minute.  I say "sure," because really, who doesn't just have a minute.  she proceeds to tell me that the team that they were supposed to be playing in their senior night game after school at 4pm backed out (for the 2nd time) and they needed an opponent.  Input the middle school/Freshman boys soccer coach (that's me fyi).  She wants to know if we can field a team. I say, "Let's find out."
- I call an impromptu lunch meeting to see how many guys we have.  find out we have 5 "yes"s and 8 "no"s given the short notice.
- start asking kids around school at lunch who hang out near my room to see if they want to play.  we find 8 ready participants.  That makes 13. Game on! We can make this work.
- 3:05 I walk out of a meeting.  Find out that the girls' preferrred opponent just called our AD and backs into the game for the 3rd time. they are on their way.  Game over for the boys. (which was fine by me...as I didn't want to have to put forth the effort to do this)
- 3:15 rolls around.  ding-a-ling!!!! school's out.  The guys are amped up to play the varsity girls.
- 3:20- I tell the eager boys as they are warming up we probably won't play despite the team saying they are on their way.  you never know, though. hang around and we'll find out.
- 3:24 - get wind of the team pulling up to the school.
- 3:25 - break it to the guys that the other team is here and it's for sure now we won't play.  much disappointment displayed but they go their separate ways.
- i put the jerseys and everything back.  get ready to head home to finally see faith, charlie, maeve.
- 3:30 - I run into the asst. coach.  he informs me the school sent their guys' team, not the girls team (which has happened 2 times already for them over the course of their 8-game season)...and yes, our AD speaks very good French.  anyways, you know what that means....game on!
- 3:35 - I round up the boys, get the jerseys, game is back on.
- 3:38 - I check out a car, go home, get the girls so they can get outside a bit. drive back.
- 3:57 - I run onto the field.  Coach a game with a ragtag bunch of boys.
- 6:05 - I go home mentally and physically exhausted.  TIA