Yes - we will be finished here in Ghana by the end of March 2009; how time flies when you are enjoying yourself.
Work-wise
The new school term is here; Jenny and Ruth (our VSO colleague) are working with Lawra Education Service to develop ‘model Kindergartens’ , based on the successful Brutu Kindergarten pilot , in each of the 10 Lawra Districts, funded by generous donations from both the UK and predominantly (via Ruth) Galway in Ireland. The ‘model KG’s’ will be on a lesser scale to Brutu, involving provision of educational play equipment and ‘cluster training’ for KG staff in the effective use of the equipment. J & R will also be working hard to sustain the ‘Phonics for Reading’ project.
I will continue to support the Education Management Information Service with mundane matters such as processing: examination results and entries for 2009, the annual Schools’ Census data, and generally improving the District Education Office Staff’s ICT skills, amongst other things.
Our VSO colleague Helen has returned to UK and will be getting married to Suf in November – brilliant!
Domestically
We now have limited e mail access at home (small files - no photos!); but it’s great to communicate!
We have a super collection of ‘different’ music (soul, blues, folk, electronic etc!) thanks to Ruth’s brother;
We are experiencing incessant power cuts and frequent thunderstorms (only partially related);
Everywhere is as green as can be and the crops are flourishing;
We are in the ‘constant bombardment by flies in the house’ season – they disappear next month;
I have read more books and watched more Shakespeare (DVD) in our time here, than in the last ‘x’ years;
It’s the home made season: Mango chutney, Orange & Lime marmalade and Lime pickle so far;
Don’t miss telly one iota – hmm – maybe Premiership Football, Rugby, Tennis and….;
The Guardian Weekly has started to arrive again – thanks to Dave and Jan;
We even play scrabble by candle light, especially when the power is off!
We continue to miss our walking, singing, sport and especially the Graig Gang;
We still get on remarkably well with each other!
We now have new passports – we were running out of pages – which meant new photos. Nigel looks about 10 years younger and I look about 10 years older. (That’s because I’m working much harder than he is!!!!)
Bye for now!
