What's new in Guyana?

Looking for Johnny Depp in the Lesser Antilles ~ WOW – Am I ever glad I booked my last vacation days with Star Clippers!   Unbeknownst to me (remember, I don’t have regular access to Internet), my sailing vessel was the ROYAL CLIPPER, known as the Greyhound of sailing ships!   Total number of guests was right around 200 and crew was 102.   As I arrived in Barbados, making my way to the sailing ship, I was reminded of the good time I had in Barbados just a few months after arriving at my Peace Corps site.   Here I was, closing out my service leaving and returning to Barbados.   It just seemed fitting.   My first impression was not super excited as the sails were down and it looked rather skeleton-like!   However, once aboard, I could see that I was about to be treated like a queen.   The Captain and First Mate greeted guests and a punch was swiftly pushed into my hand in a champagne glass.   I was given my cabin card and could not wait ...

Well, I have spent more time away from school than present due to Physio Therapy on my back in the capital city of Georgetown.  I started with tree solid weeks, then weaned down to three times a week for three weeks which allowed me to at least be at school two days a  week.  The children were forgiving and happy to see me.  Children have been spending a lot of time on MASH activities and just a few seem to be motivated enough to read the six books I set aside for a contest.  You can lead a horse to water....but you know the rest.  As it turned out, the participating children in Physical Display took 3rd place for the area and did not move on to the finals in Georgetown.  While I spent time in Georgetown, I was able to get to an afternoon of the competition.  It is stiff with well-choreographed routines.  It was,  however, difficult for me to sit in the room with 1000 shreeking students!  Talk about energy! During this time where ...

Welcome to the new year!   This means the countdown is ON.  Just a few months and life will be upside down again for me. Who knows where I will land?  What will I do?  All will be revealed...quicker that I can imagine! Oh, I have ideas and my family know what they are.  But life has a way of flipping any plans out the window.  School started on January 4th.  Shortly after that, I had an MRI done on my back.  I entered Peace Corps with a condition for which I received physical therapy.  With the nature of one's lifestyle in a third world country, the poor ole back is acting up.  I realized I was walking around every day assessing my pain level.  Now, you know that's not right.  Time to get some medical attention.  The MRI shows I have a mild case (doesn't FEEL so mild) of L4/L5 out of alignment.   I was referred to a physical therapist and, on doctor's orders, relocate into Georgetown during the we...

WARNING...THIS IS LONG! OK OK...so it's been a long while since I last blogged. I am unbelievably challenged in the village.  I am presently in Georgetown for the week and can get the blog updated! Term 1, the Christmas Term came to a quiet, but focused end.  The reading group that read the first Harry Potter book BARELY finished before the break.  So, with that in mind, we won't be reading any more of the HP series as a group! Based on my first year at the school, I did not hold high expectations for big changes.  In fact, I found myself more serene about the flow of energy.  I basically have learned not to fight the masses; just flow with what is happening.  We continue our "Good Behavior" program that awards the students for going out of their way to improve in terms of relationship building, teamwork, ground cleanliness and so on.  It appears that teachers need more time to have this new notion become part of their awareness pattern.  Wh...

The month of October saw two more of our group leave Guyana.   It was hard to see friends Kelly and Erika leave and I took a day off of school to have lunch with them in Georgetown before they left the country.   I am happy they are safe and moving on to their next chapter of life outside of Guyana.   Kelly on the left and Erika in pink top joined by me, Lindsey and Tanoa for lunch at The Oasis.   Admittedly, I go to a place where I question my role in the Peace Corps; in the village; in school when these things happen.   Then I return to school and see the smiles, hear the cries of “Miss Patty” and receive the hugs that I know I’m at the right place.   October was dedicated to sports, Sports, SPORTS and more SPORTS!   Sandvoort Primary is not unlike any other primary school in Guyana when it comes to competitive and enthusiastic response when given a chance at sports….in particular, cricket.   However, in terms of numbers, Sand...

Well, it’s turned fall where many of my friends and family now see some signs of the season.  Here in Guyana it’s still hot.  However, I do in fact see leaves dropping here and there and am reminded of home. Some of my new Guyanese friends are now traveling in England, Canada and the US.  They are excited to see the colors vividly displayed and I have to admit….I am looking forward to seeing them myself.  That will be NEXT fall! September has had me going.  I started the term doing assessments on the students G1-G6.  Some, as expected did fall back, but I was pleasantly surprised to see a couple of improvements.  One girl alone took up my challenge to read 10 books during the summer.  She now has become a reading enthusiast! I have initiated two separate before school book study groups.  The first is early readers on Monday and Wednesday mornings for ½ hour and the fluent readers are Tuesday and Thursday for the same time.  This...