Winter Wonderland
on Blog From Beyond (Rwanda), 01/Dec/2009 18:02, 34 days ago
I drove to the Job Centre this morning through fields of white frost like something from a Christmas card. Sheep blended against the wintry background, church roofs dusted with icing sugar...was totally breathtaking. I could evenseethe breath it was taking!Nice tingly feeling :)Bubble burst, predictably, by the Job Centre. I know they don't mean to be backwards, but really...Trainee: "Did you receive a letter about your Back to Work workshop?""No"Trainer: "Oh, we don't send those out.""When is it?"Trainee: "I don't know."Trainer: "We haven't organised it yet."Well then why would you be sending me a letter to a workshop you don't even know if you're holding...?Then, inspired by the slogan on the wall: THE WORK YOU WANT, THE HELP YOU NEED - I decided to enquire whether I'm entitled to any free courses. Sitting on my arse is bloody boring so I might as well improve myself.Trainee: "Try the centre around the corner.""Great, thanks."*Marion walks around the corner and makes an appointment for two hours time. Goes away, comes back.*Nice Lady: "So, what sort of thing are you interested in?""What have you got?"Nice Lady: "Well, we only do computer courses and you need to have been on benefit for six months to qualify..."Well worth hanging around for, but they have offered to help with my CV next time I sign on.I have to say, IT is one thing I don't need to improve right now. I feel like I spend my life behind a screen (literally, not metaphorically).I always take myself shopping after signing on - just a little treat for surviving it. Today I decided to take a drive over to Northampton and go to the cinema, which is something I desperately wanted to do but never had the time when I visited last August.It was GREAT. This huuuge screen and loud noise and bright colours and a whole cinema to myself practically. I bought a big bag of extremely expensive penny sweets and gorged myself on the whole experience that wasLaw Abiding Citizen. It was fun. I've missed cinemas, I onlytried it oncein Rwanda...it's better when you can understand what people are saying.So it was nice to take my mind off things for a bit. Got back and had a lovely chat with Jackie, who is a chartered accountant going out to work with both theDeaf AssociationandTabarafor a month in January throughAccounting for International Development.Also got an interview for Friday with a national Deaf network who quirkily have their HQ just up the road from here. Bit worried - when I said I was 'fluent' in British Sign Language, what I actually meant was 'fairly rusty'. Maybe I should take along the dictionary of Amarenga y'Ikinyarwanda and let them brush up beforehand ;)It's terrifying to think that when I go to sign 'woman', I might accidentally sign 'boob' - or, as when meeting some UK people in Kigali, tell them that 'tomorrow I will be kissing Deaf women in the office' - instead of 'meeting'....It's a part-time temporary contract, which would be ideal for easing back into things - but won't hold my breath. I fully expect to be back at the Job Centre next fortnight as cruel and unusual punishment for believing my parents when they said 'a good education leads to a good job' ;)Actually, they probably didn't say that, but I can't help feeling let down. I'm sure somebody thought it at some point.But otherwise all good today, it's been nice.Moreinteresting debateon the Rwanda/Commonwealth issue.