Busy week
on Kate in Guyana (Guyana), 11/Dec/2009 14:16, 34 days ago
The training course on Monday was fine. The teachers at the special school liked the activities and we were able to listen to their concerns and needs. Hopefully we will be able to follow up to address some of these.On Tuesday and Wednesday I went out to do training at the other unit for the blind which is inland, about an hour and a half by minibus. I arrived at the bus park, then took a little ferry over the river, then taxi up to the school. It was only a few minutes drive, so I was pleased at the end of the day that one of the teachers showed me the way so that I could walk there and back for the rest of my stay. It was the end of term so things were quite flexible - I was able to do some training with basic tactile equipment and diagrams, Braille and Jaws. The two staff are very enthusiastic and keen to learn - I just responded to their questions which led down many different paths. It was great to have a close match between my skills and what they wanted to know. Although it was quite a challenge to set up the Jaws training for them, as this is not something I've done before. But they had a list of keystrokes, so I practiced myself and set up a Noddy guide for them. I stayed overnight in a guest house, which was fine - I was the only one staying, but the staff in the canteen were friendly so that gave me someone to talk to. I went on a long walk in the late afternoon, to the library to attempt to get the internet, along by the boat ferries and market, and off along the main road out of town towards the mines. It is a bauxite (aluminium ore) mining area. I felt quite safe walking as long as I stuck to busy places. I have just finished writing up notes from this training so I can send them a copy, also these will build up to be a manual on teaching the blind - which I will be leaving as an online resource as well as print copies here, in the training college, as well as in the units for the blind.Tonight is a party for a batch of VSOs who are leaving. Then over the weekend and next week there are a number of choir rehearsals and performances at carol concerts and at the bishop's enthronement service. I like being busy!Weather here is a little cooler, so the temperature of the swimming pool at 7 am is a slight shock to the system. I'm just trying to make you jealous...