A New Step into a New Beginning
On Saturday 6 April 2013, I stepped into RLabs, all excited and looking forward to what we were going to do....boy oh boy!! Was I in for a surprise, or should I say SHOCK!!! Upon doing our normal CHECK-IN, I noticed we all had to gather in one big room (and mind you, we are three classes hey), well, my mind said what is going to happen, something mischievous must be brewing in the minds of the RLabs staff (as usual).
Then the BIG announcement came.....thirty-five staff members are going on a GRAND HOLIDAY, while I still smiled broadly and thinking WOW!! How awesome for them, they spilled the samp, (not the beans as we would normally say), that this holiday is to happen immediately and classes will be stopped until their return in July......silence, complete silence filled the room. People's faces were expressionless, I could see mixed emotions flowing from inside their bodies right outside to their faces, now, imagine me looking at the rest of the group, I wondered what my face looked like. It felt like the earth moved from under me and swallowed me in. Then, more news, while we were still dealing with the bad news.....another bombshell got dropped, they are not leaving, it was their way of playing the APRIL FOOL's PRANK on us....there and then, that sad looking faces turned immediately into JOY, RELIEF and all the mixed emotions that goes with the feeling of just being HAPPY.
Now the above made me go home and look forward to the start of a new week for even more great expectations as I had to attend a Train-the-Trainer Course where I was going to learn how to become a trainer/facilitator and I was super excited. Well, Tuesday 9th April 2013, I sat in the class, meeting more new people and I was all ears to what the trainer had to say. I was glued to his every word and realized that he whatever came out of his mouth actually pertained to me as well. I got to learn more about how to speak in front of people, all the "do's and don'ts" of an effective facilitator.
WOW!!! I went home on that first day and reflected on everything that my brain absorbed for only one day and there and then I realized, that it is no easy task to be able to stand in front of people and speak. Well guys, the next day was even better...I volunteered to do my thing in front of my group (bear in mind, not much time was given for preparation) I said to myself, you can do it Shirley, that is what you are here for..to learn and gain as much experience as you can. I was blown away, as I did not even get to finish my story in front, all due to disruptions caused by group from all in the group. What happened???? I was so absorbed in my own nervousness I did not even know what the heck I was doing in front. Unknown to me, the disruptions in the group were deliberate. It was to make me aware of how things can go wrong in a split second, when training/facilitating and mostly if you are not well prepared.
I am proud to say, that I have learnt many lessons at this training, and it is lessons never to be forgotten. I learnt how to deal with all the chaotic things that might go wrong. My week ended the Friday with a well deserved Certificate on completing the Train-the-Trainer Course....well done girl!!!! However, still so many things yet to be learnt. I can proudly say, it is my first step from being the participant to a trainer/facilitator in the making, watch this space!!!!
Then the BIG announcement came.....thirty-five staff members are going on a GRAND HOLIDAY, while I still smiled broadly and thinking WOW!! How awesome for them, they spilled the samp, (not the beans as we would normally say), that this holiday is to happen immediately and classes will be stopped until their return in July......silence, complete silence filled the room. People's faces were expressionless, I could see mixed emotions flowing from inside their bodies right outside to their faces, now, imagine me looking at the rest of the group, I wondered what my face looked like. It felt like the earth moved from under me and swallowed me in. Then, more news, while we were still dealing with the bad news.....another bombshell got dropped, they are not leaving, it was their way of playing the APRIL FOOL's PRANK on us....there and then, that sad looking faces turned immediately into JOY, RELIEF and all the mixed emotions that goes with the feeling of just being HAPPY.
Now the above made me go home and look forward to the start of a new week for even more great expectations as I had to attend a Train-the-Trainer Course where I was going to learn how to become a trainer/facilitator and I was super excited. Well, Tuesday 9th April 2013, I sat in the class, meeting more new people and I was all ears to what the trainer had to say. I was glued to his every word and realized that he whatever came out of his mouth actually pertained to me as well. I got to learn more about how to speak in front of people, all the "do's and don'ts" of an effective facilitator.
WOW!!! I went home on that first day and reflected on everything that my brain absorbed for only one day and there and then I realized, that it is no easy task to be able to stand in front of people and speak. Well guys, the next day was even better...I volunteered to do my thing in front of my group (bear in mind, not much time was given for preparation) I said to myself, you can do it Shirley, that is what you are here for..to learn and gain as much experience as you can. I was blown away, as I did not even get to finish my story in front, all due to disruptions caused by group from all in the group. What happened???? I was so absorbed in my own nervousness I did not even know what the heck I was doing in front. Unknown to me, the disruptions in the group were deliberate. It was to make me aware of how things can go wrong in a split second, when training/facilitating and mostly if you are not well prepared.
I am proud to say, that I have learnt many lessons at this training, and it is lessons never to be forgotten. I learnt how to deal with all the chaotic things that might go wrong. My week ended the Friday with a well deserved Certificate on completing the Train-the-Trainer Course....well done girl!!!! However, still so many things yet to be learnt. I can proudly say, it is my first step from being the participant to a trainer/facilitator in the making, watch this space!!!!
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