counting down...

only 10, 000 words, 3 exams, and 5 weeks to go 'til the end of my academic course... then leaver's programme and i'm outta here on 9th June (for a week's holiday and then move to Northampton on 20th June...) crikey...

Twisted perceptions

As many of y'all already know, last summer my little brother married the lovely Monica Kimani in Nairobi, Kenya last summer (they had both worked for Medair in relief and capacity building work in South Sudan) ... One of the things that really struck me, when they showed a video of the wedding day back in England at their blessing, was how suddenly foreign it looked - when I was there all the African ladies from the village dancing and singing at Monica's parents' house before we set off for the church was beautiful and atmospheric, watching a recording of it, it just seemed generically African, not something I could relate to at all... I guess because I wasn't relating anymore, I was just observing...

I found being there I had to come to grips with something that I'd picked up from media and indeed charity transmitted attitudes that Africans aren't really grown ups, that they are children who need to be looked after. In reality of course they are very much grown ups and equals, but it is easier to help people who you feel you are superior to in some way isn't it?

still chewing it over!

funny peculiar or funny ha-ha?

this story in the Guardian gives Brits some pause for thought; maybe the Americans haven't completely taken over...!?

four things...

Ok, so I've succumbed to peer pressure and joined in with this crazee fad... oh yes.

FOUR JOBS I'VE HAD

1. Paper girl
2. Catering Assistant
3. 'Teacher' (of English in Pakistan - if this was graded on whether you had fulfilled expected outcomes it wouldn't count)
4. Adminstrative Assistant... in lots of interesting places

FOUR MOVIES/SHOWS I'VE BEEN ADDICTED TO:
1. Lord of the Rings...
i don't generally get addicted, and besides i don't have a telly

FOUR PLACES I'VE LIVED:
1. Woking, Surrey
2. York, Yorkshire
3. Hyderabad, Pakistan
4. Cambridge, Cambridgeshire

FOUR COUNTRIES I WOULD LIKE TO VISIT:
1. India
2. New Zealand
3. China
4. Chile

FOUR POPULAR FALSE ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT ME:
1. I'm very holy
2. I'm very serious
3. I'm easily shocked
4. I play the piano!!

FOUR PEOPLE I LOOK LIKE (according to some people):
0 - clearly too funny lookin'

FOUR THINGS (I HOPE) TO DO BEFORE I DIE:
1. Be able to sing in tune all the time
2. learn to play the piano
3. preach a great sermon
4. Become fluent in another language

PEOPLE I TAG NEXT:
1. Suzie
2. Val
3. Andrew
4. Andy