Veeeery tired. I've been suffering some horrible cold since I got back from Kampala. The weather's wet, cold and miserable, and I'm wheezing like an 80-year-old woman (not to generalise! I know there are some very fit elderly ladies who could no doubt outrun me in a fun run). I feel drained. Been coughing, slightly clammy, headachy. Just doesn't seem to want to clear up. Going to tuck myself up in bed this weekend and really try to get better. Still, hopefully that's all it is. I bumped into Gareth, another volunteer, the other day, not looking too perky - he's got typhoid. Cathy's come down with malaria. She didn't realise for two weeks! It generally seems to be the season (if there were such things) for getting ill.
Added to that, I'm stressed. D and I have had another talk and I have made it very clear he needs to find 1. a job, and 2. somewhere else to live. I don't care which order, but he needs to do it by the end of July. I think two months is more than reasonable given how long he's already had. He's a nice guy, he'll remain a friend, but he needs to move on now and get himself sorted out. Not least I can't afford to keep both of us and three cats. I just really, really want my house back. I miss being able to just slob out and do my own thing, fart when I want to. I have this label across my forehead: 'Doesn't work well with others.'
I do seem to be flavour of the month at work, though. That makes me slightly uneasy. I prefer anonymity lol I've written several funding and report forms over the past few days at incredibly short notice. They've been hugely appreciated by both RNAD and VSO. In front of the new Country Director today, my ability to organise RNAD volunteers was also noted by a fellow volunteer. So, seems like my job's safe at least lol Just feeling a bit physically pants. It's been over three weeks now and this cold just ain't lifting.
I tried the 'fook it' approach last night. Drew came over and we had a bit of a sesh and went for drinks. It was a fun night. You'll be glad to know the toe is doing just fine. It lifted my spirits at least, so things are a bit better.
Today was the last IT session for my volunteers :) Fantastic. All most excellent. Really good stuff. Out of the seven original attendees we ended up with about five regulars, so not bad. I took in a bag of Chocolate Eclairs to celebrate :op I felt a boosted sense of achievement as I walked out of the training room. I really did achieve something there, and moving to the Deaf teacher was a fantastic bonus. I hope to do some more in the future, and volunteers have asked for more - which is the important thing. Apparently we are the very first of the Disability Partnership groups to undertake training, so another gold star against my name. I feel a bit uneasy, though. I'm not usually a pessimist, but I'm wonder whether I'm storing all of this goodwill up for when the bubble bursts? It all seems to be going a bit too well just now...
There is a lot of good, positive stuff going on at the moment. I put an appeal out in a forum I post in a lot, asking for people to help with French translation. I received two replies: one guy, Fred, who is excellent at translating e-mails into English for me at short notice, and another, Chloe, who has been doing all the heavy documents. Spooky as hell - she turns out to be my ex's new partner! Phil has moved to Brighton. They knew each other from years back - chance meeting! Small, small world :)
The kittens are now three-quarter sized cats. They're sickeningly healthy but utter monsters. Almost time for the snip *winces* poor babies. I thought about just getting Sula done. However, in the interests of equality, if she has to suffer, it's only fair the boys should too. Plus, it stops them getting into as many fights and wandering off too much. It might make them easier to rehome some day, too. Not that I want to think about that just yet. Sula and Shue will be alright wherever they go, but poor Maobely needs his mum. I think he'd miss me if I went anywhere - such an affectionate boop.
Received my official gold-embossed invitation to the Queen's Birthday at the Embassy next month. I wasn't going to go as the invite was very 'NO partners, NO friends, NObody else,' and it all looked a bit pretentious, but it's not like I have anyone to worry about taking now, and a few other volunteers are going. There will be plenty of expensive free booze, might as well network. We were laughing today that none of the other embassies invite anyone other than their own nationals to such does, but we invite everyone. Excuse for a knees-up.
I think I forgot to mention before, but the two American students from Gallaudet landed the other week. Karen brought them up to meet the RNAD lot. It was a good day. We had fun. Hopefully I'll see more of them soon.
I'm just waffling now. Not masses to say. Life is just bumbling along. Oooh, but Dad & M are about to start their injections :) They're due out in September - can't wait. It will be most excellent to finally have visitors and an excuse for another holiday. Can't believe how fast time's going! I've been here almost seven months now! I love my home here, hope it doesn't go too fast.
I was talking to another volunteer who was in Rwanda, she left just about the time I arrived. She's now on a short-term six month placement in Mongolia. I'd love to go there! There and India. I was thinking I might try and do those on short-term placements after this. Not two years again, that would be too much a second time round. Then maybe join the UN or some other overseas corpus and earn a proper living for once. Think I'll be ready to settle down a bit then. I can't see myself moving back to the UK for a while, though. Once you're away from it you don't really miss it. It's nice to romantically miss it, and there are some places I still remember very fondly, but it's always going to be there and life here is... well, just good really. The pace of life suits me down to the ground (customer services aside) and the network of people is excellent. The job is fantastic - I just feel so involved and happy with it all. Of course, you have highs and lows wherever you are, but it feels like life is being lived and that life likes me at the moment - snotty nose and all.
Ramble ramble ramble...
Going to have a very quiet weekend. If anybody needs me, I'll be in bed with the covers over my head and a good book.
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