What's new in Guyana?

Fall 2014 Greetings during the holidays from Guyana!   It is hard to believe that I find myself in warm South America at this time of year.   I have been listening to Christmas music being played since early October and the references to snow and a chill outside are more foreign that my presence here. Let me get you caught up on my activities.   The village bustled with a 70 year old “Coming of Age” party and a wedding,   I traveled to Barbados and returned in time to share the US tradition of Thanksgiving with the school.   Finally, I have traveled to another PCV home where many of us came together to enjoy AMERICAN food favorites of the Thanksgiving holiday and, in fact, give thanks for our part in this world. Pictures to follow when I get better connectivity! My friend, Aieleen has been so supportive and helpful as I have settled into Sandvoort Village.   She is an amazing woman that was born in Guyana and lived 25 years in England, just returning to Guyana last December.

    HELLO!  You may notice the PINK boat in Berbice river off my elbow. Hello is not a greeting here in Guyana.  It’s “HEY YOU! LOOK HERE!”  I hear it a lot in the classroom and in the neighborhood when a parent is trying to get a child‘s attention.  I have YET to stop myself from saying “hello” to people I meet on the street.  I wonder what they are thinking.  Usually, people say “Good Morning” or Good Afternoon” and expect either the same in return or I hear “alright”.  Alright???  It has not settled with me so I keep giving the same “hello” and then think, “that is not what they want to hear”. Oh, well…change comes slowly.     Let me say that NOTHING is easy in Guyana.  Getting “current”, phone service, internet, transportation, laundry and mail.  Let me give my latest example.  First of all, we have it easy in the US when we mail something.  The post man or woman will pick it up when they deliver.  Not here.  You want to mail something, get to the Post Office.  There

Hello world, I did have a blog of some length to post, but I am not able to open on the flash drive at internet cafe.  As I have learned to say, "Nothing is easy in Guyana." SO....I will post some photos that I had intended to add to the blog.  Enjoy! This is Sunday ZUMBA! Sports Day at Sandvoort Primary.  These are students in a sack race.   This is Miss Miriam in her cute hat. In my spare time, I made a net to hold stuffed animals in the school library. Finally, the beauty of Guyana.  Truely, it could be if not for the garbage that is constantly left and thrown anywhere at any time. This is the national flower, Victoria Water Lilly.

Saturday morning and I am listening to a podcast of “This American Life”. I have my own version of it as “This American Life in Guyana”.   It can be pretty humorous.   I am kitty sitting for three days for a sweet ginger boy 10 week old named Curry.   He seems to like being with me and is constantly running his motor.   Aren’t we all amused by the spastic outbursts little kittens demonstrate?   This one is fascinated with my hair and sits on or close to my shoulder.   I sleep under a mosquito net and poor Curry has not been invited into the dome, much to his dismay.   However, he has managed to find my shoulder by pushing in the net.   What a character!  I awoke early, as usual even though I had intention of taking a rest from my normal early morning walk/jog. Knowing that my water tank was running low, I got up to hook up the reserve and get this essential back in order.   This is a routine I go through about every three weeks.   The water is collected in rain barrels and can