April is a month of workshops... three to be exact.

The first was to discuss my Close of Service (COS). Although it seems like it crept up out of the depths of the Sigatoka dunes, I suppose I'm not surprised to find myself here, at the end of my 27 month contract. The workshop covered the piles of paperwork that will need to be filled out before I leave. Besides the number of trees that were slaughtered in order for me to spend countless hours providing detailed information about the last two years of my life, we were also inundated with information regarding reintegration- jobs, life, family, friends... everything. So what's my decision? I've been getting this question a lot. I dont know what it is quite yet, but I assume the answer will present itself in whatever fashion it feels suited. Even though the unknown is exhilarating, I have to say, these are the moments that I silently wish the options weren't so endless. But, alas, I remind myself of the people that fought for my options and I thank my lucky stars that I have another blank canvas waiting for me to paint on.

The second workshop was an HIV and Non Formal Education (NFE) training which I had a hand in developing. The office was lucky enough to receive a large grant from PEPFAR to carry out this training for Nurses, Peer Educator, and other Volunteers. We created resources to allow the various groups entry points and identify innovative ways to work together in their respective communities. Through NFE techniques we were able to equip 26 people with new ideas and allow them to draft an action plan to execute in the coming months. The program worked out quite nicely and I'm really looking forward to the feedback on the activities carried out in the coming months.

It's Saturday now, which happens to be my roommate's birthday. With two workshops complete, I'm waiting for the final one to come. Beginning on Monday we (the HUB Centre in Lautoka) will be hosting people from the three different STI/HIV clinics to come together to discuss ways to standardize their practices, both clinically and educationally. This forum will be the culmination of 7 months worth of work, and the closer it gets the less excited I am.

Before I go any further, I would like to defend myself by saying... the program was developed based on 'need'. But, in development even when the 'need' is there it doesn't mean that people will take to it easily. For instance, I 'need' to start wearing sunscreen more. If I dont, I put myself at higher risk of getting skin cancer, but I dont because I forget or dont want to. That might not be the best example, but it gets my point across. In this case, I developed a program to bring people from the three HUB Centres because they 'need' to try to start standardizing their practices. As it stands the three clinics hardly communicate and have different forms for the same thing... which puts them at risk of constantly re-inventing the wheel and makes it difficult for them to learn from each other. By bringing them together, I thought this might allow them a better starting point to begin moving forward and addressing the various shortcomings that each clinic faces.

Unfortunately, despite my efforts people lack enthusiasm. The program begins in two days and I'm afraid that I'm falling victim to the worst part of development- pushing my agenda and potentially wasting funds. Wish me luck. Hopefully good things will come out of this forum.