School has started!
Before I update the blog, I will catch up on some photos you all have been waiting for!
School has started!
Yes, this is the day I have been preparing for. Of course, plenty of training was provided
for the adaptation into the Guyanese culture. Like many other Guyanese women, I
awoke early to cook on the first day of school. I can see the logic now after trying to
prepare food in a kitchen heated by afternoon sun pouring in the west facing
windows. Not only hot, one tends to lose
an appetite!
August of 2014 will never be repeated. It is a Peace Corps requirement to sleep in
our site the first three months. Being
that I am in a remote village, that meant that my trips away from the village
could only be during the day. Enthusiasm
gets lost in the limited area and costly transportation. I do enjoy the folks in the village, but I
also look forward to seeing more of Guyana and that requires sleeping away from
home. Nevertheless, I have been reading
about the country and have a better understanding of logistics and interests. I was fortunate to meet up with a friend
traveling from the US to Crabwood Creek for family reunion. She and her extended family hosted me on
three weekends, feeding me and another PC volunteer until we would bust!
Crabwood Creek is at the far Eastern side of the country and borders
Suriname. The interaction with the
family helped what would have been a very “dry” August in terms of activity.
I brought some skin issues to the attention of PC Doctor in
Georgetown the last week of August. She
quickly had me see a dermatologist and the very next day those skin issues disappeared. I wish I could say that they magically
disappeared, but I was scheduled for “operation” the next day. Well, I thought that it was a language issue. Oh, no….I went to the operation room and with
a hot, bright light shining over my body, I had 7 spots surgically
removed! Not the same experience as my
USA visits to the doctor. I probably
won’t have any more areas in question during service! I will go back to Georgetown later in week to
have stiches removed. Ok then, I will
treat myself to a trip to the ice cream parlor!!
My first week at school has been assessing the reading level
of 33 students. That is the number
enrolled in the village school. Small
number, but I imagine each and every one is reading below grade level and my
work will be cut out for me. My goal, of
course, is to get them to grade level and with some luck maybe above for a
certain percentage. It’s all in the
presentation and I strive to find fun ideas for them. As I get to know each student, I will find
what makes them tick!
My Peace Corps assigned buddy took an early termination and
returned home this week. I am quite sure
her school will miss her. She did a lot
to help the children in the one year she served. I was surprised to learn of her leaving one
day and literally, she was gone the next.
I am glad I have waited to buy a hammock as she gave me hers. I also learned that another volunteer from my
training group made the decision to return to the US. I don’t know why either made their
decisions. I do know that the medical
and school systems as well as the male/female roles are difficult to manage
with the drive and independence that most of us have developed over the
years. Of course, when early termination
talk catches up to other medical and school staff, they want to receive
assurance that the rest of us are committed.
I can say firmly that I am…….as long as the Universe deems it so.
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