…with his theories of relativity; I cant believe I’ve completed 3 weeks of my 8 weeks work already.

I learned today that the keyboards here don’t have a pound sign (why would they?), but they do have a €uro sign. Go figure.

I had a visitor in my office today. Came in through the window over my shoulder (1 photo and 1 video):

He’s about six inches long. Just wanted to get back out again, so I helped him out, gently.

There was a nice article about the Phoenix Project in the national newspaper, The Namibian, today.

Finally, for today, a couple of shots of the street where I currently reside.

Sorry I’ve not posted for a couple of days, I just didn’t

have the mynadd, as we say in Wales.

So, what’s been happening? Well, I’m learning new idioms everyday, the latest one is a phrase I’ve been hearing a fair bit: “They are just sucking their thumbs.”

It took me a while to fathom but it finally clicked. Our version is “finger in the air”, as in just guesswork.

I have been advising at business plan workshops and the last 2 have been held in the military science facility building. Here is a shot from the window of the room we were in:

We had a very heavy rain shower on Tuesday, which the country desperately needs. Had I not been in a meeting I’d have gone outside to stand in it.

I know that records are being broken for the hottest February on record in the UK this week, but it is still colder than the lowest temperature at night here!!

Today I’ve become the (temporary) administrator for the Research Professional Africa platform for UNAM, so as to explore it fully and deliver some awareness and usage training to researchers here in the next week or so.

You may have noticed that my weekends have been less than adventurous so far. Well, I’ve planned an outing for Sunday, which I cant wait to report back on.

Finally, I learned today that a fellow Beicwyr Llyn and North West Wales Blood Bikes Wales rider passed away suddenly earlier this week. My thoughts are with his family. Ride free, Peter Hawley.

Day 16 here in Namibia and I can honestly say it’s the first day the heat has got to me. It’s not been excessively hot today, I think only 29°C at its height, but with cloud cover it just felt more oppressive. There were a few moments this afternoon in the office where I even felt dizzy.

Not to worry, all good now.

Nothing new to report work wise.

I was told today that the elusive birds in the garden where I’m staying are Red Bishops and I’m seeing them at their colourful best as it is mating season. They’re much too elusive for me to capture with my phone camera so here’s a picture from the web.

I see as many as 4 or 5 together at a time, they really are that bright, almost neon.

I’m afraid there’s very little to report today. After breakfast I turned on the laptop and 8 hours later found I had completed the first part of what I wanted to do.

That’s it! My Sunday gone.

Here’s a representation of my eyes…

This evening I shall be idling and maybe watching “Ghost in the Machine”. Then again, I may just sleep.

Two weeks gone, only six weeks left. New work week begins tomorrow. Looking forward to meeting yet more new people.

This morning I visited the National Museum of Namibia.

Whilst I know the history of the country, its peaceful beginnings, its colonisation, its exiles, struggles and war for independence and then its final Independence Day on 21st March 1990, the exhibits brought it all home vividly.

I’m not ashamed to say I cried at points as I viewed exhibits and read individuals’ stories. This nation has a right to be proud of itself.

I spent the afternoon working on the laptop then settled in to watch the rugby. Well done Wales, a deserved win today in a very good match over all. I’m consoling myself with a bowl of ice cream.

I’ll finish today’s post with 3 panoramic views from the top of the museum…

…and a picture of the Christuskirke

My goodness me, what a busy week. I thought I worked hard in my usual job, but it’s nothing compared to this.

The week has raced away. I’ve met many more lovely people and expanded my network. I finally acclimatised to the altitude sometime on Monday, so things became easier (less dizziness and very slight nausea). However, perhaps I became so comfortable that I let my guard down yesterday.

I mentioned that I was working on the laptop in the garden last night. It was really pleasant under cover in the braii area (see previous post). Once it got dark I came in, cooked my supper and carried on working afterwards. All good.

This morning I awoke to dozens of mozzie bites; I’d forgotten to wear my latest aftershave in the garden, Eau de Deet. What an idiot.

Today I was an advisor at the second of 3 workshops that run from 0800 to 1700. It’s a slog for everyone there, but necessary and well worth while to the university in terms of translation of its vision and mission into tangible actions.

I have really hit it off with Kennedy Mbongu, the Director of Strategic Planning at UNAM. He’s a giant, both physically and in personality.

I had a nice quiet supper with the Phoenix team (what’s left of it out here at the moment) before I crash tonight.

Have a great weekend everyone.

Happy Friday eve, everyone. I finished early this afternoon. It is now 1645 and as my priority now is number crunching, I’ve brought the laptop back to digs and I’ll be doing just that until bedtime, with a short break to cook and eat supper. Here is my office for the evening…

I had 2 excellent meetings this morning. Firstly, I met with the head of the library and the head of comms to consider ways to get the academics to use the excellent portal that tells them when an appropriate grant call is being advertised. We have a plan, which somehow includes me being interviewed on radio. How did that happen?

The second meeting was at the visual arts centre. I was welcomed by Frauke Stegmann, who kindly gave me a guided tour of the faculty workshops and what what. Whilst it is very early in the first semester (Namibian academic year begins in February), there was some wonderful art and fabric creations to be seen. I met a few students and another lecturer.

The importance of the arts is something that was evident in my discussions. The passion, dedication and ambition to show the culture through art is plain to see.

I was also privileged to see Frauke’s office space and blown away by her own work. Frauke has allowed me to take a picture of a screen print she has done, which I was bowled over by. My photo does not do it justice. Spot the passion flower therein, my favourite flower.

Wow, does anyone have the number for the Guinness Book of Records, please?

I’ve just emerged from a business plan development workshop that I was asked to contribute to. It began at 0730 this morning and finished at 1710.

However, a great product was delivered at the end of it. Only another 2 of these to go.

There was an hour’s break for lunch. I chuckled when the chairperson said, “We’d better break for lunch as the food’s getting hot.”

On a tangent, listening to the numerous conversations over these last 10 days I’ve concluded that “…and what what” means et cetera, and just “…what what” means whatever.

Time for some restful meditation.

Today, I have mostly been number crunching, writing a project management training manual and presentation and more number crunching .

I was hoping to see the snow moon tonight. I thought I’d have a better chance than those back in the UK , but look, the clouds are coming in tonight.

Ah well. A lovely supper with Phoenix people at the mall. I chose schnitzel a la Holstein. Huge schnitzel slabs with beetroot and a combination of fried potatoes, capers and anchovies. Delicious. As a guide, the oval plate is about 14 inches across!

I’ve learned today that some in our Autism Spectrum Disorder Group in Welsh Government are following my blog. Hi guys 👋🏻, I do miss the daily chats. My Asperger’s has been behaving itself mostly so far, I trust you’re all ok.

Back to work today. It felt good heading into the office with the sun beaming down and the temperature already at 29°C at 8am, and then being greeted by so many sunny smiles when I got there.

This trip isn’t all about me sharing my knowledge, it’s a two way thing. Today I learned how to create and use pivot tables in Microsoft Excel, something I’ve been meaning to learn for years. Now I know. Thank you Sem, my friend.

I was very kindly invited to supper last night by one of the Pro Vice Chancellor’s of the university. She lives 20 yards down the road from where I’m staying it was lovely to meet her family and to chat about all sorts. She and her husband had prepared a lovely meal, salad starter mostly made from things grown in their garden, followed by a delicious homemade bean soup and then a main course of lamb and angel fish.

From front left and going clockwise: Duncan, a Cardiff university researcher, yours truly, Ann, a data analyst wizard who is also on the International Learning Opportunity programme that I am on, Prof Judith Hall OBE, head of the Phoenix Project and Ambassador to Namibia, Werner, the PVCs husband, retired but was the National Archivist of Namibia, Dave, another Cardiff university researcher and the Prof Ellen Nhamila, PVC.