I nearly got cross today. Nearly. But I didn't. Kind of.

Moko, who is really very nice, came into my office muttering something about holidays in December and people going away and needing to have doctors to cover the clinics. To which I didn't respond. But internally the clogs were beginning to turn. You see, I've been asking for my annual leave forms for over a week now. And each time someone says "Yes Ma, we'll print it out for you straight away". Well straight away doesn't necessarily mean the same thing here and seeing that I had already verbally stated to at least half a dozen people that I would be taking annual leave over Christmas and New Year I didn't think much of it. But then verbal agreement and a stamped, dated and signed form also mean very different things here. And then Moko arrived mumbling something about annual leave and him being owed 24 days and Dr Michael having two weeks already planned.

There were so many things that I could have said about what I thought about his idea and how things operate here and whether my role in the organisation was really supposed to be "substitute physician", which is what it is currently. But I calmly looked at him and said "I took this position on the provision and understanding that I would be returning to Australia over Christmas and New Year. I am happy to help out at any other time, but won't be in the country in the last two weeks of December." It is possible that sparks flew out of my eyes and I morphed into a fire-breathing dragon as I said that. I felt like me, but Moko looked a little shocked, bashful and then quietly left my office mumbling that he would sort thing out with the other doctors.