Nigeria is definitely a country of contrasts. One minute you can be negotiating the delights of the public transport system here (I am beginning to wish that my legs were slightly shorter)….and dealing with the fact the shops in the town centre may randomly go on strike just the moment you have set off to do some shopping…and the next minute you can find yourself in an ex-pat compound where there is a posh swimming pool, a bar with food and drink on the house, and a band playing irish music to celebrate St Patrick’s day! I had a fun weekend in Abuja ( the capital) this weekend as there were parties going on with all the irish expats and volunteers around to spur everyone on. ( I was at a house party on the photo) It’s great how everyone is so welcoming and there is always a place to stay even with people who you have only just met!! I think they are used to the VSO volunteers moving around in groups at weekends!
Life at the school is taking shape. My room is gradually being transformed from a poultry shed to a working office / therapy room. The paint went on the walls this week and I even got to choose my own curtain, which is actually bedspread material but who’s to know!...The next stage is to connect the room up with electricity although the generator isn’t used all the time, and the mains electricity is hardly ever on at the moment. I am glad that my job here doesn’t rely on electricity as it is really frustrating for anyone who works in an office environment to have to cope with. It doesn’t help that since generators are run on diesel, which is getting more and more expensive, many places can only afford to have the gen on for a short time.
As for me though, I am starting to run some language groups ( luckily as english is used throughout the school I can run them in my own languge) and have started some of the non-verbal children off with using picture systems to try to communicate, which is going well so far, but it's very early stages!! I need to convince everyone that these systems can be used all the time and not just during speech sessions or as a fun game!
Life at the school is taking shape. My room is gradually being transformed from a poultry shed to a working office / therapy room. The paint went on the walls this week and I even got to choose my own curtain, which is actually bedspread material but who’s to know!...The next stage is to connect the room up with electricity although the generator isn’t used all the time, and the mains electricity is hardly ever on at the moment. I am glad that my job here doesn’t rely on electricity as it is really frustrating for anyone who works in an office environment to have to cope with. It doesn’t help that since generators are run on diesel, which is getting more and more expensive, many places can only afford to have the gen on for a short time.
As for me though, I am starting to run some language groups ( luckily as english is used throughout the school I can run them in my own languge) and have started some of the non-verbal children off with using picture systems to try to communicate, which is going well so far, but it's very early stages!! I need to convince everyone that these systems can be used all the time and not just during speech sessions or as a fun game!
The photos show a couple of children during assessment, and the scenery around the school - very countrified for a city! You can just about see the school in the background on one of the photos.
1 comment:
Hi Ju
I am here in my flat in Bangkok with mum and pris. Funny to think of you in nigeria. We have been to that crepe place which made mum all nostalgic for the pancake house in Manchester.
Hope to speak to you soon
Kate
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