I told them I was really a salesman

Mercorios Haile

Mercorios Haile's Photo

Short Biography

Born on 22nd January 1931 in Eritrea. Worked as Air Force General in Ethiopian Defence force. Visited London in 1948 right after the end of World War two. He was trained first in the United States and in 1962 he came to the UK to get trained at the Royal Air Force Staff College for about a year and half. He made through all the ranks in the Ethiopian Air Force to reach the position of Brigadier General of the Air Force. Appointed as a military attaché in Kenya in 1974 by the late King Haileselassie of Ethiopia. Came to the UK in April 1975 with his wife and three young children when the King was overthrown. Worked as ESOL teacher and salesman before he retired. His children are all graduates and are working in different parts of the world. He is one of the longest serving elders in Eritrean communities.

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This was in 1976, '77 I applied jobs, different places, job centres tells me this and that and I was not--, they did not understand me I cannot understand them because the difference is --, we're talking different level, so I have to adjust and I told them I was really a salesman. And then one woman say, 'What were you selling?' 'Well furniture like this' I told them, obviously it's all not true but I took that job and I was really good at it, I knew it very well.

Vistng London in 1948
Vistng London in 1948

 

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