Quizzical Expressions

Picture from last year's National Volunteering Rally

All I seem to be writing about recently are nights out :op

Hmmm, maybe I should convince people that I do actually do some work sometimes.

Tuesday, I got out of the office and went to Nidhi's office instead. She's a volunteer with LOV Rwanda, the National Volunteering NGO I went on the march with before Christmas.

I went to get information on workshops they offer for RNAD, Kivu Writers, and the single parents network. It was just really nice to be in somebody else's workhouse rather than mine. Had a good natter. She was interested in getting involved with Kivu Writers and the Creative Writing Group in town.

Then, Wednesday, I spent the day writing a working guide to 'Developing a National Sign Language Curriculum'. It's an attempt to kick-start RNAD thinking about the next step after the publication of the dictionary. I've also been e-mailing DeafSA (South African Deaf Association) as my friend Lucky suggested they might be able to help. Apparently, they already have a national curriculum. Still waiting on a response to that one.

Mostly, I'm still twiddling my thumbs - hence active social life. I'm barely in the office anymore as there's just nothing to actually do there. Nothing that I can't do from home without spending the transport money going in. I'm still going to join the Deaf women's cow dancing group at some point, but filling my days with writing documents people are unlikely ever to read, and deciding where to go for a drink in the evening, is about the sum of it ;)

I'm happy, at least. A thousand times moreso than before Christmas, so who cares.

Tuesdays are supposed to be the writing group but, due to Obama's inauguration, it was moved to Wednesday. I managed to arrange it so that a contingent of Kivu Writers would come and introduce themselves to the writing group, plus Nidhi, Cathryn and David from salsa. I was supposed to be going to his house for a movie, but Kivu Writers et al. took priority.

Shortly before leaving, I got an e-mail saying the group had been cancelled for the night as a lot of people had work commitments. I texted Firmin and he said he'd still come for a drink, just to check the place out. I also phoned Nidhi and we agreed we might as well still go and tell the others when they got there.

It turned into a superb night. Much drinking was done. Laughs were had. Even food was consumed (extremely good at Toreros, but also extremely expensive).

The only other member of the writing group who was there was Josh, a freelance journalist and friend of Cathryn's. As it was Wednesday and not Tuesday, he was holding his weekly pub quiz. Despite extreme initial resistance, we were roped in to it... and won!!!

Given the amount of alcohol consumed, and probable brain damage from our various professions, it was quite a feat of dumb luck. Firmin left just before the end, so missed out on the prize: a free round of beers! Big beers, not the stingey petit Mutzigs.

We were all quite stunned by this occurrence, and adjourned to the outside once more to quaff fizzy-pop-good and exchange our strangest giant cockroach stories... as you do.

Then David got a moto and Cathryn and I walked Nidhi down the hill to her home before getting our own. It was a truly excellent night, made all the better by it being so unexpected. There's been a few too many random events like this of late and I'm wondering if it's just a phase or whether it'll be a trend for the year. If the latter, I may need to start constructing myself a new liver out of a washing-up bottle and some sticky-back plastic ;)

Tonight, I'm meeting Nidhi, David, and possibly Cathryn at Passadena, which I haven't been to in donkeys. It's salsa, and all the new vols are apparently going to be there. Also, JM (remember him, guys? Swoonsome blokie of yesteryears) is still in the area, so I said I'd give him a bell too.

Friday night is Han & Mans' leaving do at SoleLuna, then Saturday is the VSO Family Dinner for the new arrivals, where all the vols from across the country descend on Lunadora, a restaurant up the road from me, for copious cow dancing and potential clubbing action.

Come Monday, I shall be found under the bed, head between hands, moaning 'no mummy, not the cupboard again...' and clawing my nails across the concrete floor in deep trauma... or detox.

Right, back to the hows and wherefores of developing a national sign language curriculum... any ideas anyone? Answers on a postcard... :o/