What am I up to?

Well, I've been quite busy actually. Early afternoon is a dead time for me. I've had lunch, driven the kids to school and am usually waiting for a student to arrive, which doesn't happen until 2.30 at the earliest. On Mondays I don't have any students coming so I'm usually free. This is the time I am lucky enough to be able to catch up on my sleep, laze around on my bed, browse, listen to music, cool down in front of my aircon or just take time to read. I'm reading Eckhart Tolle's The Power of Now, for the second time.

Just as well I have some time to give because the autistic centre is a mess and I don't mean literally. The teachers are stressed because they can't get the things done that they need done, there are funding issues to be resolved and their internet connection has been cut because nobody can get around to paying the RM600+ bill, which is stressing the teachers out even more. The co-ordinator there has been talking to me and spilling out all the stress and related matters and really, there are so many things - lots of little niggly things that need sorting, so I took it as a cue to step in and get some things resolved if possible.

Issue 1: Connection to the internet
That particular matter was resolved yesterday. I'd rung the person who has the bill and hasn't paid it to get him to send it by fax to KL headquarters so that it can be paid and we can make a start on getting reconnected. It's tough because this person is really busy (aren't we all, no wait, I'm not) and he's a good friend of mine. He's disorganised and doesn't seem to like the teachers much, always asking them to justify the things they need. Come on, every organisation needs to be online. They need to do research, communicate with KL Headquarters who send important documents via email and it would be handy to access online worksheets, games and things like that for the kids. An internet connection is almost as necessary as a phone line these days. This little mess has been going on for months, so I'm glad it's been resolved to the point where the bill has actually been paid. Now though, they're still 2 months behind in payments according to the bill we got today, but now I can make sure it will get sent to the right person in a reasonable amount of time.

Now we have to organise reconnection, but before that, another somebody has to come along to rewire the phone line because apparently the current wiring is not compatible with the fax they've installed. It sounds crazy, but even with a phone splitter, you can hear the fax line during a phone call. We'll see what can be done.

Issue 2: Assistants who don't follow instructions
I've never had this problem but the new assistant thinks she's quite capable of handling students on her own, which doesn't sound so bad, except that she really has no idea what she's doing.She insisted on doing one child's assessment and evaluation and completely messed it up, probably because the assessment paper is in English and she doesn't speaks next to no English. I am now redoing the assessment, partly because I know the child in question (I taught him a few weeks before he started at the centre) but mostly because I can understand the teacher-speak of the assessment paper.

Issue 3: A chairman that's too busy
He's a little prone to losing things and promising lots but delivering less because of his commitments to his work and probably because he justs forgets. This man is my friend. He's a generous, kind, gentle soul and a wonderfully gifted musician but, unfortunately, not a very good chairman. I'm sure he felt obligated to take on this position because he was part of the initial organising group that started up the autistic centre. But really, he just doesn't have the time. They want me to take on the position, which I probably could do, but I have no idea what's involved - I may be able to do it conjunction with the secretary - but that's messy because he is ex's best mate. We'll see what happens.

In the meantime, the centre has really stalled in terms of being able to take in more students and giving the students a wider range of programs. Now this is something I do know about. I have a vision of the types of programs the centre should offer and how it can benefit the students. I know how to implement the prorgrams and what equipment is needed. I can work out what money is needed. And I want to set up a local DONORS CHOOSE list, where people who want to donate are presented with a list of things the centre needs and can choose exactly what to buy. They have a system like this in the US for schools and it works really well - or so I've heard.

Anyway, that's what's keeping me busy. And packing...the suitcase is down and dusted and has a few things in it. I'm taking my crystal champagne flutes back home to store safely. They are just sitting in the cupboard here. Champagne anyone? I figure I'll have more to celebrate back home when I'm around people that want to be around me. Here, not so much. I'm also taking my degrees back. I want them home waiting for me when I get back (finally). I actually want all MY things back - my own personal things that people have given me, that I didn't purchase with ex - he can have all that, I don't want it because, well, just because I don't.

So to packing it is. I wish you a good day, if you're still reading. I hope you are, you're very important to me. You've given me a sense of worth and support when I couldn't give that to myself and for that, I shall always be grateful and I hope that one day I can reciprocate.

Cheers

3 weeks and 6 days...