Friday, 18 January 2008
Relaxing at last? Though still loking over my shoulder?
Wey - hey. Today I had a very reasurring conversation with Charlotte - my "network" & new friend in the making at the University of KwaZulu-Natal Got the dates sorted out - have 30 - 50 students to "address" & am feeling so much better. Charlotte is going to show me around the area & make sure I get to where I need to be without too many "magical mystery tours". Weird - that of all the things to be worried about - I have been getting really stressed out about getting lost in either a city or the middle of nowhere. Those "in the know" know that despite my ultra "Im cool - nothing scares me" - kind of attitute" - will know that getting lost in Africa - was a megga fear of mine? Strange too - as someone asked me apart from being a nice gal & wanting to "give a little" - what I would be doing in frica. I said - "Getting lost - trying to find myself" - said "I". An irony moment - me thinks!!
Had a busy - but fulfilling week at work. You don't get many of those these days - so its always a good idea to let it flow & soak it up. There is something about being appreciated - that realy hits the spot. But not many weeks to pass until I go & I need to prepare.
Had a busy - but fulfilling week at work. You don't get many of those these days - so its always a good idea to let it flow & soak it up. There is something about being appreciated - that realy hits the spot. But not many weeks to pass until I go & I need to prepare.
Wednesday, 9 January 2008
Conatct at last
Thursday January 10th - 7am
Yesterday I had contact & confirmation from one of the services I am working at. This must mean that the long African summer break is at an end & soon I will have the clarity I so need. (Touch of Autism in me)
The centre Whizz Kids is a facility for non-verbal disabled childern. I have to say that my preconcieved images were probably wrong. They were something akin to the Eastern European places that have been in the media of late. However - I think it is less distressing. From what I can gather it is a non racial - non profit making facility that has input from a range of porfessionals. I am still unsure what they want from me. I would be very happy to roll my sleeves up & "muck in". Although I think they may want me to look at some childrens behaviour & see if there is anything I can suggest. No pressure then?? That said - I feel a lot better that I have some clarity.
I had a very odd - but nice day at work yesterday. I guess when you "give a little" you get a lot back. Days like that give me a warm comfortable feeling. Now all I have to do before I go is focus on the less tangible stuff like getting all my administartion up to date. Aghh - that could take a while? Though I will get it sorted.
Happy days eh?
Kate
Yesterday I had contact & confirmation from one of the services I am working at. This must mean that the long African summer break is at an end & soon I will have the clarity I so need. (Touch of Autism in me)
The centre Whizz Kids is a facility for non-verbal disabled childern. I have to say that my preconcieved images were probably wrong. They were something akin to the Eastern European places that have been in the media of late. However - I think it is less distressing. From what I can gather it is a non racial - non profit making facility that has input from a range of porfessionals. I am still unsure what they want from me. I would be very happy to roll my sleeves up & "muck in". Although I think they may want me to look at some childrens behaviour & see if there is anything I can suggest. No pressure then?? That said - I feel a lot better that I have some clarity.
I had a very odd - but nice day at work yesterday. I guess when you "give a little" you get a lot back. Days like that give me a warm comfortable feeling. Now all I have to do before I go is focus on the less tangible stuff like getting all my administartion up to date. Aghh - that could take a while? Though I will get it sorted.
Happy days eh?
Kate
Sunday, 6 January 2008
Nerves
Today I have been getting increasingly anxious about the trip. This is the summer break in Africa and so I have struggled to get contact from people I am networking with and doing some work for. I know pretty much what 70% of my schedule will be - but being a tad "autistic" - the lack of exact clarity is proving tough. That said though - by early next week - the details should be firmed up.
I have also been thinking about the teaching at the University of KwaZulu-Natal & as yet I have no idea how many people I will be addressing or what the pitch of the lectures should be. I use a lot of anecdotes in my teaching sessions and it has occurred to me that perhaps some of the stories I use to illustrate the issues - may seems a bit lame by comparison. After all - those cinicians working in either community or residential settings in Africa - will surely face quite a different (and probably more challenging) set of issues that I do. Working in rural Warwickshire is likely a world away - from Africa. But all I can do is my best. One way to avoid the dilemma - would be to keep lectures very academic. But I always thought that was boring. Real stories about real people - are a much better way to illustrate a potentially boring theoretical point. Still - hopefully soon - I will have some clarity.
From what I can establish from a lecturer at the above University (who incidentally has been a fantastic help in this crusade of mine) there is no dedicated Learning Disability Nurse Training. Instead - only metal health. And when qualified - people often work as qualified nurses in Learning Disability specific services. There isn't a lot I can do to address that in a few days teaching - but I hope to stir up a little passion (or interest at the very least) in the speciality.
And so today has been fraught with "what ifs". I estimate to be working about at least 18 of the 28 I will be there. I don't do "nothing or sitting still" at all well. I guess that years of just rushing around - multi-tasking & spinning plates - has made it hard for me to really relax. That said though - what did begin to calm me a little today when I was in dire need of a "beta-blocker" to bring me "down a gear" - was looking at the photograph of the view from the balcony of the accomodation I am staying in. It really is bliss. So I guess part of the process too - will be learning to relax on the days when I am not booked. And while the prospect is a bit strange - I know I will have to learn. Going out for dinner alone or taking a walk in the dark - is not the done thing. I also hope to come back a better guitar player that I am when I leave?
I will post more when my schedule is firmed up & I am clear. In the meantime - I have some new chords to learn & new picking patterns to get my head around. But tonight when I go to sleep - I will try to remember the view from the balcony & not get anxious about all the unknowns.
Until nest time?
Kate
I have also been thinking about the teaching at the University of KwaZulu-Natal & as yet I have no idea how many people I will be addressing or what the pitch of the lectures should be. I use a lot of anecdotes in my teaching sessions and it has occurred to me that perhaps some of the stories I use to illustrate the issues - may seems a bit lame by comparison. After all - those cinicians working in either community or residential settings in Africa - will surely face quite a different (and probably more challenging) set of issues that I do. Working in rural Warwickshire is likely a world away - from Africa. But all I can do is my best. One way to avoid the dilemma - would be to keep lectures very academic. But I always thought that was boring. Real stories about real people - are a much better way to illustrate a potentially boring theoretical point. Still - hopefully soon - I will have some clarity.
From what I can establish from a lecturer at the above University (who incidentally has been a fantastic help in this crusade of mine) there is no dedicated Learning Disability Nurse Training. Instead - only metal health. And when qualified - people often work as qualified nurses in Learning Disability specific services. There isn't a lot I can do to address that in a few days teaching - but I hope to stir up a little passion (or interest at the very least) in the speciality.
And so today has been fraught with "what ifs". I estimate to be working about at least 18 of the 28 I will be there. I don't do "nothing or sitting still" at all well. I guess that years of just rushing around - multi-tasking & spinning plates - has made it hard for me to really relax. That said though - what did begin to calm me a little today when I was in dire need of a "beta-blocker" to bring me "down a gear" - was looking at the photograph of the view from the balcony of the accomodation I am staying in. It really is bliss. So I guess part of the process too - will be learning to relax on the days when I am not booked. And while the prospect is a bit strange - I know I will have to learn. Going out for dinner alone or taking a walk in the dark - is not the done thing. I also hope to come back a better guitar player that I am when I leave?
I will post more when my schedule is firmed up & I am clear. In the meantime - I have some new chords to learn & new picking patterns to get my head around. But tonight when I go to sleep - I will try to remember the view from the balcony & not get anxious about all the unknowns.
Until nest time?
Kate
Friday, 28 December 2007
Not long now?
Friday 28th December 2007
Well – it is all systems go for my trip to Africa. I had a recent breast lump fright which threatened to put a barrier to the entire trip. But God or someone was looking over my shoulder – as all is fine & I can now go ahead with the trip as planned. I put a very brave face on my concerns – but was worried beyond belief that instead of being in Africa – I would be undergoing chemotherapy or some similar humiliating experience! Thanks to my guardian angel eh?
Everyone I seem to speak to of late seems to have a horror story to tell about my trip & how dangerous is & how vulnerable a woman travelling alone could be. I have looked on all the web sites & am relatively au fait with the risks – but the stories are really beginning to get to me. But bar wrapping myself up in cotton wool – staying at home forever & taking no risks – I just can’t do any more. I didn’t experience any violence in October when I visited – but a strange sense of paranoia is setting in & it’s driving me nuts? I always maintained that my vivid imagination would get me into grief & now me fears are being confirmed. The good “angel” on my shoulder is telling me that thousands of folk travel through the region every year & remain “intact”. The bad “angel” is telling me that I should pay heed to the risks & avoid tempting fate & just stay at home from now until the day I die? (No risks that way apart from falling off a ladder – electrocuting myself with the lawn mower or boring myself to death?)
The bottom line is that if I were 20 years old – the risks would brush off me like dust in the wind. So despite the copious number of lectures I give my 20 year old son about various dangers in life & how he should take a more mature stance on the way he lives his life – I intend to do what he would do. That is – say “To hell with it – you only live once”.
All to do now is to firm up the dates with the various agencies I am working with – do a truck load of preparation for the teaching I am doing at The University of KwaZulu-Natal with what appears to be a bloody enormous audience - all awiting for some devine intervetion? (Oh God – I am c***ing myself). I hope the ramblings of a "mere clinician" will be enough to at least entertain the eager beavers for a few lectures? So that’s the dark January nights accounted for. Getting my head around power point & preparing levrure notes? Good job I have no social life eh?
All systems go then & wish me luck?
Bye for now - Kate
Well – it is all systems go for my trip to Africa. I had a recent breast lump fright which threatened to put a barrier to the entire trip. But God or someone was looking over my shoulder – as all is fine & I can now go ahead with the trip as planned. I put a very brave face on my concerns – but was worried beyond belief that instead of being in Africa – I would be undergoing chemotherapy or some similar humiliating experience! Thanks to my guardian angel eh?
Everyone I seem to speak to of late seems to have a horror story to tell about my trip & how dangerous is & how vulnerable a woman travelling alone could be. I have looked on all the web sites & am relatively au fait with the risks – but the stories are really beginning to get to me. But bar wrapping myself up in cotton wool – staying at home forever & taking no risks – I just can’t do any more. I didn’t experience any violence in October when I visited – but a strange sense of paranoia is setting in & it’s driving me nuts? I always maintained that my vivid imagination would get me into grief & now me fears are being confirmed. The good “angel” on my shoulder is telling me that thousands of folk travel through the region every year & remain “intact”. The bad “angel” is telling me that I should pay heed to the risks & avoid tempting fate & just stay at home from now until the day I die? (No risks that way apart from falling off a ladder – electrocuting myself with the lawn mower or boring myself to death?)
The bottom line is that if I were 20 years old – the risks would brush off me like dust in the wind. So despite the copious number of lectures I give my 20 year old son about various dangers in life & how he should take a more mature stance on the way he lives his life – I intend to do what he would do. That is – say “To hell with it – you only live once”.
All to do now is to firm up the dates with the various agencies I am working with – do a truck load of preparation for the teaching I am doing at The University of KwaZulu-Natal with what appears to be a bloody enormous audience - all awiting for some devine intervetion? (Oh God – I am c***ing myself). I hope the ramblings of a "mere clinician" will be enough to at least entertain the eager beavers for a few lectures? So that’s the dark January nights accounted for. Getting my head around power point & preparing levrure notes? Good job I have no social life eh?
All systems go then & wish me luck?
Bye for now - Kate
Sunday, 9 December 2007
The flights are booked - the accomodation paid for & only the car hire to organise. I have just had an enormous tax bill - so I may be on a tighter budget then I had orininally anticipated. Though it is all charactar building I suppose!
So now it is real & I am a tad aprehensive. I hope I can remember my way around. Being a "girly girl" - my sense of direction isn't good & my map reading even worse. In the UK - I find stopping & asking a nice man - usually does the trick. But looking lost & stupid in South Africa is not a good idea - so maybe a course in map reading would be a good "pre trip" idea?
When Christmas is over - I will organise ny schedule. As I don't do "nothing" well - I will need to ensure that I have something to occupy myself most days. So me - my guitar - my lap top & a full diary will head off from Heathrow on February 21st to Jo'burg - then on to Durban.
AGHHHH
So now it is real & I am a tad aprehensive. I hope I can remember my way around. Being a "girly girl" - my sense of direction isn't good & my map reading even worse. In the UK - I find stopping & asking a nice man - usually does the trick. But looking lost & stupid in South Africa is not a good idea - so maybe a course in map reading would be a good "pre trip" idea?
When Christmas is over - I will organise ny schedule. As I don't do "nothing" well - I will need to ensure that I have something to occupy myself most days. So me - my guitar - my lap top & a full diary will head off from Heathrow on February 21st to Jo'burg - then on to Durban.
AGHHHH
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