corporal punishment

/ˈko:prəl ˈpΛnιſmənt/ n. 1 the infliction of physical injury on someone convicted of committing a crime

My friend Copland (who was kind enough to phone me up this week) informed me that “blogs are like relationships … I promise to check your blog; you have to give me something in return.” So, in the interests of not losing any relationships, here is the next installment!

This is our house.

My room is the one second from the right. And don’t be deceived by the blazing light — for those of you who think I’ve been doing nothing but soaking up the sun in Suva, think again. It has been grey and rained for five out of seven days this week. One of my big purchases has been an umbrella. One of my big purchases when I get home will have to be some new shoes; the ones I’ve got here are pretty muddy now!

I have been working at school now for a week-and-a-half. I haven’t been testing any hearing yet, because the audiometer isn’t working, and I’m waiting for a replacement to arrive from Australia (it’ll be here next week). However, I have had an influx of broken hearing aids, so I haven’t been idle. It’s been good to get to know the kids and teachers at the school too. I’m getting more and more familiar with the surroundings too, and finding my way around. “Walk with purpose,” they tell us, trying to prevent us from being mugged. “Make it seem like you know where you’re going.” Actually knowing where you’re going is a big step towards achieving this goal.

Generally, it seems as though you just need to be sensible here when it comes to security (you know: don’t go walking alone at night, lock your doors, etc. etc.). However, we haven’t taken any chances, and this is just one part of our security system here at the house. I was going to say “one small part” but that would hardly be correct, would it? You know those police shows on TV, where they lock someone in the cells, and it makes that heavy, metallic, clanking sound, always with a foreboding air of finality? That’s the kind of noise we hear every time we leave the house!

For all you people in Australia (and I’m pretty sure the US, too), aren’t you glad you don’t get the cane any more at school? Today, as the kids were lining up for class, some of the older ones had — I suppose — been mucking up. So they were called out the front. Have you ever had a delicious meal, and made that lip-smacking noise with a kiss of your lips, while simultaneously pulling your closed fingers away from your mouth? Mwah! Well, that’s the hand shape these boys had to make. They were made to hold one hand in that position with the palm facing upwards. Then the teacher took a plank of wood — I’d say probably about four or five centimetres wide, and about a centimetre or two thick — and brought it down hard and fast on their fingertips. Thock! It was a bit surreal to watch, and actually a bit sickening to hear. It’s the first instance of punishment I’ve seen being doled out at the school … I’m hoping I don’t have to witness it too often.

Anyway. On that happy note, I’ll finish here, and I’ll try and update again really soon! Hope you’re all happy and healthy, and have all your knuckle joints in their proper alignment!

Cheers,
Andy

bald

/bo:ld/, adj. 1 wholly or partly without hair on the head. SYN: hairless, glabrous

G’day, everyone.

Well, this is my first ever adventure into the world of blogging. It’s a bit of a disconcerting thought, knowing that whatever I write here can be seen by absolutely anyone! (I’d better be careful what I say!) Anyway. The reason I’m keeping track of my thoughts here is that I’m about to embark on a six-month volunteer assignment as an audiologist in a Deaf school in Fiji. It’s a very exciting opportunity, and I wanted to share my experiences ... with whoever is interested. So, hopefully, you’ll be able to come along for the ride — without getting up from your chair! My plan is to try and update this site at fairly regular intervals, although exactly how regular will depend on how often I can access the ’net in Fiji.

The last few weeks have been pretty awesome. I had a fantastic time at Pre-Departure training in Canberra. All 74 volunteers were there, and it was good to meet up with them all, knowing that they’re all going through the same kind of emotions as you, and will be having the same kind of adventure. I made some new friends, too, which is an added bonus! We learnt a lot about cross-cultural issues, which will be really helpful to me ... and particularly since I’ve never done anything like that before! Our medical briefing was interesting too: “You will get diarrhoea.” Looking forward to that one ...

Last Saturday I shaved my head. Not just on a whim ... but as a fundraiser for leukaemia research. It was a good effort, and I’m heaps grateful to all the people who sponsored me. Except now I look like a bit of a thug, and I know one person in particular who is lamenting the loss of my hair ... It’s nice to know your mother cares about how you look ... (It was worth the effort, though!). I’ve attached some photos here, so now you know what I look like now ... and what I looked like before!

For the next week-and-a-half, I’m finishing up at work, visiting relos before I leave, and (at some stage) trying to pack my bag! At the moment, I’m pretty calm, cool, and collected. But I’m sure things will get much crazier as the week goes by!

My next entry will probably be once I’ve arrived in Fiji and have settled in. Make sure you check back here and see what I’m up to!

Cheers,
Andy