A successful week

I'm about to head into another computer training session with the department. This morning, we're doing Introduction to Power Point. These lessons are pretty basic, and luckily I already have training docs to base off of, as well as give to the team to have for their reference.

It's been a successful week though... I was able to meet with our admin clerk earlier in the week and teach her how to create her own folder structure on her computer (picture hundreds of documents without naming structure or rhyme or reason saved in My Documents... a bit difficult to find things). It took a moment for her to get the concept, but when we drew it out on paper like a set of stairs, her mind clicked. Next thing I know, she's got File --> New --> Folder down pat and she's organizing all of her documents. Hopefully this builds to be the central document repository for reports and templates for the entire department. Small steps. Also, I had a chance to sit with our Development & Planning Standing Committee (the councilors that oversee our department) and talk through a preliminary Monitoring & Evaluation strategy and process, as well as conceptualize some basic reports that will help them on their Massive Vegetable Production project. M&E is more a long term initiative, but I am going to leave them with template reports and a process mapped out; the intent improve tracking of their community and Local Economic Development projects and be able to show progress in the Municipality as well as to the beneficiaries of the projects.

Am off for the weekend to the Drakensberg Mountains, to a spot called Sani Pass in southern Drakensberg. Sani Pass is the only way into Lesotho through the Drakensberg; Lesotho is a country that is completely landlocked within South Africa. It's supposed to just be an amazing spot. Heather and I are meeting Team Tata and the 6 of us are staying in a rondeval for the weekend... taking a 4X4 guided drive through the pass on Saturday and doing some hiking, going pony trekking (aka horseback riding) on Sunday. Always stuff to do in the outdoors... Otherwise, we plan to hang out, braai, have a few drinks, and just relax as this is the last time the 6 of us will be together. Bryce and Siobhain leave Team Tata next week.

Enjoy your weekends!