Day 13

Today's topic for training was communication. Our group had a good time observing the child and designing a specific task to help the child in directing her initiation to interact appropriately because though she had plenty of language, she was usually not using it very well to communicate with others. Hence she often has delayed echolalia or tends to label things around her. We observed that she did once or twice tried to initiate to interact with her peers but never did follow through with that effort and often she couldn't even request appropriately without some form of visual cues. It was a very good exercise in term of taking needful data (in this case, a communication sample) and coming up with a task that specifically aimed at targetting on the emerging skills (while incorporating the interest). It was wonderfully successful and it was great to see the smile on the little girl's face when she finally managed to get her intention across and see her engaging with others purposefully.

Okie... Hands up if no one understood all that.

*grins*
I had a great day and it was great because i felt like i did something good. It wasn't anything dramatic but it made a difference. And that made me feel like the king (hMm queen) of the world, and i did it with people whom i enjoyed working with (okie... not necessary colleagues *heh heh*). In fact the days were just so pack filled with activities that even though it was tiring, you hardly feel it there and then because you would be so busy! I enjoy the energy despite the fact that i need 3 cups of black coffee (i usually only have 1 back home but it is really diluted here *urgh*) to function in the morning. I also had a chance to eat lunch with the little girl we were working with today and it was just plain fun. She was a really sweet girl. Too bad, we couldn't take any pictures.

Dinner was with one of the singaporean phd student at UNC whom we knew long before and used to work in the hospital. He and his wife ate with us at Crook's Corner (aka hogs'head - just going by the deco infront of the place) and later brought us to UNC for a stroll while pointing out some of the buildings to us. The food was fantastic (mainly southern cruisine) and we were so stuffed that we had to be rolled out of the door. It was a relaxing dinner and no one talked about work *yay*! It was nice to walk around the campus in the evening and though it was pretty quiet (being summer holidays and all), we did saw a live band gig (jazz music) while some people gathered around the lawn to listen. It was peaceful and serene, there were also plenty of fireflies. Makes me wish i am back in school again, though not quite in UNC because the town is just way too quiet (aka ulu) for me.

I need a more vibrant atmosphere... which is perhaps why London worked really well for me, with it's nice blend of the old/quirky, peaceful parks and 'happening' events. Geez. I miss it already. I think i do feel a sense of belonging to an old city like that, where one can afford to be an individual and dip in and out of the current whenever one feels like it. In singapore, you tend to have to 'plug' into the system whether you like it or not. In melbourne and NC, it is the trouble of finding a place to 'plug in'. *chuckles*

But, sadly, i don't think i will have much chance of doing all that (i.e. study) back in london again. Guess, its just too expensive. I bet wilk miss it too (don't you dear?). *smiles* Well, maybe one day (I hear you say).

Right. Photos time!