Sunsets and Blue Blood

Over the past week I have seen some amazing sunsets and been fortunate to meet lots of lovely new people which thinking about "normal" lives we don't do that often as we tend to stay in the same environment. Firstly I met some very interesting people in the resort of Manana last weekend - possibly a very distant cousin who had an Ulster Smiley in his family tree and then this last week in Kuching with the global delegates. The study tour began at 8.30 am and it was amazing how far everyone had come for such a short time. I think the furthest was Samantha who had come from darkest Peru and it had taken 40 hours to get there. There were representatives from India, Israel, Thailand, Uzbekistan, China, Myanmar, Indonesia, London, Iran, Singapore etc... and they all seemed to be so interesting and interested in our ELTD project. We had to do quite a few presentations and then there was a visit to some schools and a few focus groups with mentors, teachers and education officials. Of course the ambience was helped by the charm of Kuching and we went out for a lovely meal together overlooking the waterfront. So all in all it was a very pleasant week - full of chat about everyone else's project and plans for the future which gives me an idea of how huge the British Council actually is.

The only other interesting thing of note is that Andrew discovered via Ancestry that both of us are direct descendants of Robert the Bruce. He is Andrew's 22nd Great grandfather by his grandmother and my 21st Great grandfather by my grandmother. So as Patrick pointed out, everyone can probably trace themselves back to royalty if they go far enough back and I expect are millions of us related to him but still it gave us both a slight thrill which didn't last that long and there is not much more we can do with the information is there?! So with my veins running with blue blood I continue to keep working and I am thrilled to announce that the resource book is now at the printers and there has been yet another weekend spent doing the very last formatting etc...It will be ready for the book launch in 2 weeks time.

Kuching from the 12th Floor of the Hilton

Selamat Hari Raya 2015!

Hari Raya 2011!

This will be a short post just to let you know that I haven't forgot about you all. I have been saturated in editing the Resource Book that is in the final stages now but my eyes are suffering from eye strain and I just want it to be at the printers and finished now! As I write I can hear the fireworks exploding outside and the festivities for Hari Raya Aidilfitri are definitely in full swing. The traffic in the past few days has been terrible as people are doing their last minute shopping or heading "balik kampong" (back home) so they can be with their families for the occasion. I have decided to escape to Manana tomorrow and relax for a couple of days away from the computer and all the excitement around Tuaran.

Main street of Livarot with Lisa and Patrick in the crowd!

Patrick at the end of our lane

  Talking about excitement in the air - Livarot was one of the "Etapes" in the Tour de France and Lisa, Remi and Patrick were there to join in the festivities. Over the years we have witnessed many Tour de Frances whizz through Livarot but this is the first time it has actually started there and the first time I remember it actually going past the end of our lane. So Patrick and Lisa were able to sit at the end of the lane and get a good view without having to move. They went into Livarot after the cyclists went past and enjoyed the show and singers that were put on for the occasion.

Sunset at Manana

 I'm off to Kuching on Monday for a Study Tour which I'm not quite sure what that means but there are fifteen delegates from all over the world - Peru, Myanmar,Israel, China, Egypt etc....who are coming to study our project and we are facilitating with that process. I think it will be very interesting meeting all these different people and then of course you all know that I love a visit to Kuching and I haven't been since March so a visit is definitely overdue!
  I wish all my Muslim friends a very happy Hari Raya celebration!

Mangoes Galore!

Yes I never thought in my lifetime that I would be dealing with a glut of mangoes. Pears, apples peaches, blackberries, plums are fruits I have had to cope with before but the exotic fruit mango, well that is a new challenge. At the moment there are mangoes dropping and rotting from trees everywhere. It has been an exceptional crop and I hadn't realised that there were so many mango trees around. The two mango trees that I am "harvesting" are actually in my neighbours garden but overhang mine and I am just picking the fallen fruit before they rot which is incredibly quickly. I seem to be in competition with dogs, birds, insects and occasionally my neighbour but apart from using them in salads when they are greener the Sabahans don't seem to be using them as much as I thought they might and there must be tons rotting around the place. They are an awkward fruit to peel and especially with the big stone, not to mention the bugs inside! Anyway I've persevered and the many things that I have been doing with the mangoes apart from eating them as a fruit are yoghurt and mango smoothies and put in the freezer become yoghurt and mango sorbet/icecream ( delicious!) mango juice with or without a splash of gin goes down very nicely too but the most time consuming and successful mango use has been my mango chutney. I have done 3 batches - all a bit different depending on what I have in the house but all very nice. I think my favourite one is mango and ginger and the difference in the mango chutney that I have bought is that mine is really chunky and you can see the mangoes. One of the reasons for embarking on making chutney is to encourage Sophia, my dear friend and neighbour to start making it to sell to the tourist market. I keep telling her that it is all about marketing and selling the jungle of Borneo aspect. Anyway for those people who have asked about Sarong & Ko, well after I broke my arm my sewing slowed down rather but Sophia has continued to take orders and  I am acting more as her "advisor". She now is at the stage where she is going to work a four day week and spend one day at home sewing and making chutney (perhaps?) So before the end of my contract which is approaching quickly, I'm hoping to see her established in her self-employed career.

My Clever Gen at her graduation

  Last weekend was Gen's graduation which of course I wasn't present for. That was a very hard decision and I would have gone for just the day if she hadn't been so vehement that it was a silly plan. However Andrew, Patrick, Tanya and Anthony joined Naomi, Neil , Matthew and of course Gen for a weekend of celebrations. They had a wonderful time together and it was difficult and sad for me to be here but they were very good in keeping me informed with photos from start to finish - mobile phones are wonderful things and of course I was able to skype too. So for those of you who have been following my blog from the beginning, Gen started university in Glasgow in the September after I left for Borneo in 2011. She has managed to work as a waitress, sing, dance, travel, have fun and still come out with a very good 2:1 (0.13 away from a first!) in Business Studies. I'm very proud of her and thrilled that she has been offered a graduate scheme with a proper salary starting in September in Dublin. Andrew and I are proud too that Gen is the last of our five clever children to go through university and that now all our children are in employment - hooray!!!

A Harry Potter party last weekend