Addysg

Dros yr wythnosau diwethaf rwyf wedi bod yn dysgu sgiliau newydd. Treuliodd Paul Atkin rai diwrnodau yn y Pentref yn dysgu fi sut i droi pren a chreu powlen. Adeiladodd durn ar fy nghyfer a gyda chefnogaeth ein crefftwyr yma, y gof a'r gwneuthurwr lledr, rydym ni'n gobeithio cynhyrchu ein powlenni ein hunain! Ymunwch gyda fi dros y misoedd nesaf wrth i mi baratoi ar gyfer y gaeaf.

Dewch i weld sut, yn fy marn i, yr oedd pobl yr Oes Haearn yn storio bwyd a phlanhigion ar gyfer y gaeaf

8-10 Hyd 11.00 - 13.00 a 14.00 - 16.00

Gwyliwch fi'n paratoi ar gyfer y gaeaf a dewch i droi eich llaw at wehyddu gwiail a chawen                       

4 - 5 Rhag 12.00 - 13.00 a 14.00 - 15.30

Mae Amgueddfa Cymru yn paratoi i anfon bylbiau’r gwanwyn a photiau i 2,621 o wyddonwyr ysgol gynradd ar draws Cymru, fel rhan o’n ymchwil parhaol i effaith newid hinsawdd.

Rhoddwyd dros 3,000 o fylbiau drwy garedigrwydd y Really Welsh Company a chawsant eu pacio gan dîm o wirfoddolwyr hynod effeithlon. Bydd y bylbiau, y potiau a’r offer yn galluogi ysgolion i gofnodi’r tywydd a dyddiau blodeuo mewn 70 lleoliad ar draws Cymru.

Bydd pob ysgol yn cwblhau tasgau ac yn cadw cofnod drwy gydol y gaeaf a’r gwanwyn er mwyn ennill tystysgrifau gwyddonydd gwych a ddyfernir gan arweinydd y project – Athro’r Ardd. Mwynhaodd y gwirfoddolwyr y profiad ac roeddent yn fwy na pharod i gynorthwyo â logisteg y project gwerth chweil yma, fydd yn galluogi’r Amgueddfa i rannu’i gwybodaeth wyddonol ag ysgolion ar draws Cymru – dim ots pa mor anghysbell maen nhw.

Bydd yr ysgol sy’n ymroi fwyaf yn ennill trip casglu cennin Pedr gyda ffermwyr y Really Welsh company sy’n tyfu eu cynnyrch i gyd o fewn i Gymru.

Yr wythnos yma bydd gyrrwr y fan, Paul Evans, yn dosbarthu’r pecynnau ymchwil ar hyd ffyrdd troellog Cymru i sicrhau bod pob ysgol wedi derbyn eu bylbiau mewn pryd ar gyfer y diwrnod plannu mawr ar 20 Hydref. Mae Paul wedi gweithio i wasanaeth benthyg yr Amgueddfa Genedlaethol ers 20 mlynedd. 

I've just found out the dates I'll be working in Zambia - I'm off on 2 October, and all of a sudden it feels very, very real!

I've got more jabs I need, I've got to sort my visa out, not to mention all the jobs I've been muttering to myself that 'I must do before I go...'. There are some things I really must do, like taking the cat to the vet and the car for its MOT (musn't get them mixed up). But I think painting the kitchen's off the list.

I've also got to publish our financial report, a 56-page discussion document and two books. All in two editions, Welsh and English. And carry on production of the 176-page book on our archaeology collections, and development of the brand new companion guide to the art collections. And recruit a new translator. And a few other things...

Came in this morning to a very interesting email from John, who's already in Zambia working with one of the Forum's member charities. The email said that someone in Lusaka had asked after me. Now, initially I had the usual moment of 'oh, wonder who that is' that most people from Wales - even more so from Bethesda - get all the time. Then of course remembered that the message is from Lusaka and to my knowledge there isn't anyone even from Bethesda there at the moment (though I could be wrong). Reading on, it was just that the Forum already have my name, and so John was very kindly passing on the message that I'm expected and they're looking forward to meeting me. How amazing, to make someone feel welcome and we're not even on the same continent yet!

I'm still waiting for the specific date when I start work there. Frustrating. Although, it is becoming more and more tangible, partly perhaps because I went for my first jabs this week. Typhoid in my left arm, as that's the one that will hurt most they breezily informed me while wielding the needle, and combined Hep A&B in the other. Not too painful at all at the time, it seemed to me. To be honest I was more concerned with how I looked as I left the surgery with the fluffy ball of cotton wool taped to each arm (ridiculous, is how I looked). However, woke next morning with shoulders and upper arms stiff as a board. Followed by very mild sniffles, probably because of the typhoid jab.

I've also been filling in a questionnaire in preparation for a coaching session next week. The support for the personal development aspect of the ILO scheme is really thorough. The questions included some highly sensible ones about objectives and commitments, as well as a couple I didn't entirely understand if I'm honest. But I know I'll get help and support, which is what matters really I suppose.

I'm taking a huge step both personally and professionally and I'm off to Africa - Zambia, to be precise. This October and November I'll be in Lusaka, working with a forum of housing and land rights charities.

I'm one of about 15 (lucky) people from all over Wales going to Africa as part of the Assembly's International Learning Opportunities (ILO) scheme. The scheme provides development opportunites for managers from the Welsh public sector and helps Wales fulfill the UN's Millennium Development Goals as part of the Wales for Africa initiative.

At a presentation last week for people who went to Africa last year Carwyn Jones, the First Minister, talked about Wales's contribution to development in Africa. For instance Wales makes up about a quarter of all the UK's links with hospitals in Africa - we really punch above our weight when it comes to international development. I've felt many things since I found out I had a place on the scheme (excited, mostly anxious...) but listening to that speech I felt really proud.

More details will follow very soon.