my trip

Time to update you all on my big trip that is coming up in about seven weeks!  I am pretty excited and nervous at the same time.  I am writing lists and checking them more than twice.

I am off to Central Asia and Asia for three and a half weeks.

Why?
I have been asked by my friend, an OT who lives there, to come and do some training in alternative communication and feeding/swallowing with parents and carers of children with cerebral palsy and Down Syndrome.  I am going to do a mini-conference for a week, then visit some smaller villages, and then go back to the capitol to see some more kids.

My heart has often wanted to go back after we lived there for 6 months in 1999.  And I feel that what I can support people with is very similar to my work here in Brisbane, that is, professional speech pathology support and training for teachers and parents.  So my time will be spent constructively.

I am planning a to take a lot of resources electronically, including some  picture making software and a laptop to make symbols for the kids to communicate with.  I am yet to purchase this....!  I don't know what kind of kids and parents will turn up, so I will prepare much and be ready to use a bit of it.  I also need to be flexible with time frames and interpreting.

I have done some research on language development in other languages.  From my reading it appears that the development of communication before and up to single words is similar for most languages.  When children start combining words the grammar and articulation differences start kicking in.  So if the children I meet are early communicators I should be fine.  I think my other-language speaking will be similar to their language development stage!

How am I getting there?
I am going in pretty much a straight line from Sydney to Central Asia, all with one airline.  On the way back I am popping in to see the Terracotta warriors in Xian and my friend in Wuhan.  On both the way in and the way out I am staying a night in Urumqi - way out west in China.

Travelling companions?
 My mother-in-law, a physio, and one of my best friends from uni, another speechie, are coming with me.  I asked them and they said yes.  I feel the responsibility of hoping it all turns out ok!  I am looking forward to travelling with them and sharing the adventure.

Will it be cold?
Yes.  About -10 to 5 degrees.  I am planning to wear ski pants and a ski jacket the whole time.  If I can fit into my ski pants....Christmas kilos are preventing this happening at the moment.  My friend Juliet has knitted me an awesome beanie.  I will wow the locals with my stylin.

I am hoping to update on the blog while I am there - I will see how the connection is.

For the moment I am planning, thinking, trying to fit into ski pants, and pulling together resources and training I want to do.  The girls need to start school and I will start work next week. 

I will miss the girls and Chris terribly while I am away, but I feel this is a great opportunity to use skills in an overseas context.  And inflict my terrible Russian on unsuspecting children.