Greetings from Groundhog Day

For those who've never seen the movie, the guy from Ghostbusters and Lost in Translation (forgotten his name) keeps living the same day over and over again in the movie Groundhog Day - which is what I've done today, 4th December. Right now I'm in Honolulu, having started the day in Solomon Islands. I flew to Fiji on Friday afternoon, then overnight via Samoa to Hawaii. Early on Friday morning, I hired a car and drove to Waikiki beach ... seemed like a plan!

Spent the morning (again) wandering along the beach, reading my book and browsing the shops. Waikiki wasn't a bit like I imagined ... much smaller. Sorry - no pictures, I forgot the new laptop doesn't have a card reader and didn't bring the camera cable. Have just sent the olds a postcard and am now in a hotel where I can rest before the flight to Vancouver tonight. Eish!!!!

Ahhh ... I remember his name - Bill Murray!

Being in Honiara

It's good to be back in Honiara. This is such a small place I find that I know quite a lot of people and have been happy to see them again. I am also working with an old friend and it is such a change to have someone to work with as usually I am on my own. It also means I have someone to have dinner with each evening ... yay!

For the past couple of weeks Greville & I have been talking to different stakeholders in education in an effort to come up with some sensible suggestions for how they might use distance and flexible learning programmes.

Tomorrow we have to facilitate a workshop and try to get a large group of people to agree on what SI should be doing. Then I guess we'll spend the weekend writing it all up for our report. We also have to generate the actual policy - that's a tricky bit! We are funded by European Union - and their reporting requirements can be a bit cumbersome ... booh!

Maybe next week we'll get a day off - but I doubt it ...

Tech nightmare in Honiara

Just to let you know that I have not been in contact because I am having huge problems with my new laptop from COL. It is locked down so tightly that I have no administrator rights to it - and for some reason I can't get onto the local internet prepaid service here. I am SO frustrated!!!

I had to come to my friend Katie's house so that our tech service in Vancouver could call me and talk me through how to fix the problem - but they were unable to do it. Now they've gone away to scratch their heads!

The project here is VERY challenging - we are trying to write national policy and strategic framework for the use of open and distance learning. Lots of consultations with stakeholders. I am working with a friend and colleague who I have known for many years - so it's good not to be on my own.

So just to let you all know I'm fine - but will not be in contact much while I am here. Due back in Vancouver on Saturday 5th December - after a whole day layover in Honolulu! It's a tough job but someone has to do it :-)

my first video

I've been busy making a video for the technology course I'm studying. It's taken me several weeks of on-off activity - but I've just finished it. The video is about a local tourist spot that John & I visited when we first arrived in Vancouver - Capilano Suspension Bridge.

The full story is on the other blog - detechnophile - but if you just want to watch the video - try this!

The movie is pretty amateur but I had fun doing it and I've learned how to use Windows Movie Maker - which isn't as hard as you might think.

John's Birthday

For John's special day a couple of weeks ago, we visited a local entertainment spot which hosts a theatre, several restaurants and a casino! We had a great dinner and then went to see a brilliant a cappella band called Naturally 7. It's a group of 7 guys from New York who had no jobs but used to sing with their church ... and the rest, as they say is history. Incredible sound and no instruments. If you want a taste of Naturally 7, go here or here.

After the show we went into the casino so John could play roulette ... and his winnings paid for the whole evening!

Here's a definite bonus to living in the city - the chance to have a social life that doesn't involve a braai - yay!

It's All Hallow's Eve today and as I write this I'm getting constant interruptions as all the kids - dressed in amazing costumes, I might add - in the neighbourhood take turns to 'trick or treat' us. I had a minor panic as I'd lost the huge box of choccie bars I bought last week especially for tonight. Had visions of eggs through the letterbox and the doormat on fire! Luckily, I found the treats and we've been safe so far - hope I don't run out.

Happy Halloween!

A tale of 2 cities

I've been thinking about how different our lives are now that we live in a big city - it's certainly a far cry from Francistown. I never saw myself living in a city ... happy to work in, and visit them, but the lifestyle never really appealed. But it seems that we've chosen one of the best cities in the world to live in. Here are some of my thoughts after our first month here in the hotel (see pic) - on the differences between life in Francistown and life in Vancouver.

Listen to this episode

Oh, did I mention the sunsets?

My new job

Here's the second episode of my Vancouver podcast - it's all about my new job at the Commonwealth of Learning.

Listen to this episode

The real voice from Vancouver

I mentioned that I was playing around with audio and podcasts - well here's my first episode. Those of you who read my blog via email will have to go to the webpage at http://voice-from-vancouver.blogspot.com/

I'm doing this partly because I want to and partly because it is an assignment for an online course I'm taking in advanced technologies for distance education from the University of West Georgia. It's a really interesting course - we cover audio, video, syndication, HTML, and a whole host of things I haven't learned about yet!

You never know - I might be posting videos to this blog soon ... stay tuned!

Voice from Vancouver 1 Listen to this episode

Welcome to Vancouver

Well the first 3 weeks have gone by in a whirlwind of exploring the city, looking for houses/ cars/ boats/ electrical equipment, starting a ‘proper job’ for the first time in many years, meeting new people and generally enjoying being together.

Vancouver is a beautiful city – we knew that before we came. But it is a city and I was expecting the manic pace of London, the pollution of Johannesburg and the population of Kigali. Not a bit of it – the city is clean and green and gentle – yes, there’s traffic but it is manageable. Of course there are lots of people and many tourists but the pace is slower and friendlier. The friendliness of the people we have met – in shops, the hotel, strangers on the street – has been quite amazing.

We’ve found a house in a small ‘city’ called Port Moody ( 49°17'47.49"N 122°50'51.21"W on Google Earth - photos to follow). Port Moody is one of several smaller cities attached to Vancouver. It takes about 40 minutes driving east to reach what I would probably call a small town - but it has it's own municipality/council. The house is being vacated by the owners so it has been loved and looked after and we think it will be fine. Now all we have to do is wait for the shipping to arrive – and no-one really knows when that will be.

We have been staying at a terrific hotel - The Pacific Pallisades – in downtown Vancouver. We have a small suite on the 18th floor with great views to the north and west – so we can see the sea! We considered, briefly, getting an apartment downtown but soon decided it really isn’t for us – we need a house. We will move into the house on 5th October. The owners are leaving us some of their furniture and my PA has offered to lend me sheets and pillows and crockery until our shipping arrives.

The weather has been fabulous - until today. We've had blue skies and sunshine nearly every day - but friends are saying that fall (autumn) is really here now ... and it certainly feels cold to me - I even have my first Vancouver flu :-(

More soon ... plus photos as soon as I can sort out my Flickr account!

Welcome

Sorry for the long wait ... finally I have enough time to start the new blog. Just like Botswana News, here you will find irregular updates on what is going on with John & I in Vancouver, plus the mental meanderings I take from time to time.

Please email me occasionally - just to let me know that you're there. And for those of you who receive this blog by email - you'll need to actually visit the blog to get some of the goodies - this one will feature audio spots - so you'll be able to hear my dulcet tones as well as read my words. And you never know - there might even be the odd video!

All feedback gratefully received ... more soon