The llama farmer

Life is full of strange co-incidences. Our new students started this week. As our course in post-graduate the vast majority have done lots of exiting things before they decide to be an occupational therapist (well, I'm doing it the other way round and doing my exiting things later). Before joining us one of our students worked with llamas on a farm for a couple of years in Cornwall and knows a fair bit about how to handle them. I will be offering her extra tuition!

Being a professional

A little while ago I turned into the corridor to go to my office to see a woman lying on her back on the floor. Now students often wait in the corridor to see various tutors but usually they stand or at worst sit on the floor. I had never seen one lying on her back before and so I thought I'd better ask her if she was okay and if she was waiting for anyone.

'Oh yes, I'm fine, I'm waiting to go in there' (pointing at the nearest office door..and as if by way of an explanation, added 'I prefer to lie on my back'.

I went into one of the offices where a group of fellow tutors were talking and asked if anyone knew her. It seems others had been concerned and also asked her if they could help but she had declined and somehow had not taken that as a hint that it might be more appropriate to remain upright! We left and fortunately the tutor she was waiting for appeared. I did wonder at this behaviour and our acceptance of it as weird but okay! This student is training to be a health professional, where she will be dealing with the public in all sorts of situations and circumstances and yet she seemed to think that there was nothing wrong in lying on her back in a public corridor because she preferred it! God help the general public!