Cheerful and not quite so cheerful

Coming up to four years in the Pacific. Still lacking in so many skills.

We were missing the good company of Keleni who's often at our informal Friday tutorials. Was she working on Fridays now? Did anyone know? Committed elsewhere? Was she OK? Yes, as it turns out. Very OK busy being a new grandma to this one . Aww...

A great joy and honour to have been invited to Rosie's graduation. Here she is!

A faithful youth group member from our Nanuku Church. She earned a Fiji Certificate I in Cookery from the Technology College of Fiji and it was great to be part of the huge, happy crowd at our local stadium witnessing certificates being presented for all sorts of practical skills: motor mechanics, painting and decorating, carpentry and the like. 

The Fiji First government is big on vocational qualifications and Hon Jone Usmate our Employment minister pictured below, was the Chief Guest. Soundbites from his speech included:

Fiji needs people who don't run away from science, technology and maths. The greatest constant in life is that there will always be change.

We need to focus on green technology. Mechanics, learn about hybrid vehicles. Agriculturalists, learn about organic farming. You have achieved something really great, but it doesn't stop here.

We must address presenteeism more than absenteeism. People are present at work but not able to function fully. We are not as well as we need to be.

Here we are with Mum Shelley who supported her girl through some very challenging times indeed on the journey and found the resources and energy as all the best mothers too. She deserves a few Certificates too!

Ah yes, and there's been a significant absentee in the Extension Education department for the past three weeks, thanks to a freak domestic accident. A floorboard, wood weakened and rotting because of the recent Nadi town floods, decided to give way dramatically under our beloved administrator Nisha on a visit to her parents. Memories of a blood-curdling scream and a crash still bring her partner out in a cold sweat. 

Unhappy result? One fractured left knee, now with plates in it post-surgery. One fractured right heel, healing by itself, so the orthopaedic people say. No weight bearing possible on either for 10 weeks. So, there's been a bit of a flurry of covering admin work, hospital visitations, sorting out a wheelchair and we'll be having ramps up to the department put in place next week. It doesn't half make you reassess disability access at PTC. Frankly, we could do better.

Dear, dear Nisha. Everyone really misses you and we're in pain-bearing solidarity as much as we can be. We know you're perfectly OK waist upwards (so to speak!), can't wait to be back at work - God love you - and we can't wait to have you back. #AdminOnWheels. #ExtensionMobility. #MercedesBenz

From everyone at PTC and all the blog readers - a million prayers and a big Get Well Sooooooon!!