Pre Departure Training - Canberra

Have just had pre-departure training - 5 days of health, culture, communications, and development primers in Canberra for budding aid workers and other types of random bleeding hearts such as myself. Demographics of participants confirms my 'two-hump' hypothesis - of a large portion being the 'post-arts degree next step crowd', followed by the 'I'm pushing 30 (the age cut-off)' crowd (myself). It was a bit of a hothouse with 110-odd of us sleeping, training, eating and socialising largely in the one hotel. Met some amazing people who I hope to stay in touch with across the globe during assignment. But it was with some relief that I could have some downtime after-wards for a few days at my sister's place.

 A bit of glam at old parliament house.

 The main sessions.

 Trialling 'culturally appropriate' dress.

The group going to Bangladesh!