Today Shoko had asked me to run a workshop on macrame... So i was setting off a bit earlier to walk into town.. i wanted to try again and buy some string so they could have something cheap with which to practice their knots.
All i had been able to find was plastic string in various thicknesses ... and they would be quite mystified by me asking for 'string'... no one seemed to know what it was... finally though, there was one place selling tools and all the tools were suspended by the string i was looking for.. so i was able to point to that and ask if they sold it ... 'oh, no! that is twine and i would find it in a bookstore!! ... right a bookstore!!?? At least i had a name and a suggestion... the next bookstore knew what twine was!! Wow! a step forward ... and then the next bookstore actually had some ....
I felt quite triumphant with my string/twine clutched in my hot little hand.
At the Office i was told i would be saying a word at the meeting for the disbursement of the loans... oooh!
So i got the Macrame 'Workshp" started a bit earlier than planned ...And i had a blast.. telling them how macrame has been around forever... and that it was used for both decorative and practical reasons ... the nuns used it to decorate their cushions and pass away long winter nights ... and it was the sailors who had transported macrame to every corner of the globe!!
I showed them a net bag made with macrame and said that i bet if they showed their parents this bag they would recognize it ... i remember them being used!! ..and i saw the heads all nodding... i showed them all the various things you could make with marcrame from a fringed verst to tiny delicate earings... And then i showed them the knots... i still find it fascinating that with these simple knots one can make so many things. They all really enjoyed this part ... and the string was a big success because it really showed up the knots well...
Half way through Christianne came and asked me whether i would be coming to the other meeting ... Looking around at the women and their eager faces, i said if it was ok i would stay and finish the workshop ... i was having so much fun ... and even more importantly so were my 'students'!!! ... i had found out i have a bit of those genes that love to show people how something works!! ... anyways, it was one of those rare moments where i was where i wanted to be..and knew it.
The afternoon, after a delicious lunch, was a blur of activity... my favorite part was chatting with my little /big brother!!!
Then the three of us were walking home... Cathy and i, the old pros of two weeks enjoyed breaking in our newest volunteer...we really sounded like we knew what we were talking about!! ha ha!!
Clarice is coming with me and Dela tomorrow to the market... Cathy, the volunteer from the Empire, says she has been there and done that... for me a market is always new and i can't wait to go....
