[ MY OVERALL STATUS ]
STATUS | Volunteer.
LOCATION | New Amsterdam, Guyana.
DURATION | 102 days.
MOSQUITO BITES | 1,297.
COLD BUCKET BATHS | 432.
STOMACH FLU | 0.
[ GUYANA 101: TIME FLIES SO FAST. ]
Pictures are my thousand of words stories and here they are...
You got it 100%!
Diamond Special Needs School, Great Diamond, Region 3.
Tamar... I want to start with the story of Tamar, the girl who was so proud of what she did in her blue exercise book enough to show it to the world. What is she so proud of? Counting up to 100 all by herself. Before, she only could count up to ten with her fingers... Because she is ten years old and that's how she knows the number ten. Not anymore, she can count up to 100 and be 100% positive about it.
Tamar is Deaf and she is one of many reasons why I am a Volunteer here in Guyana. Not every Deaf individual has 100% access to education, workforce, community, and so much more... During the pre-service training, all Trainees were required to have practicum at their respective schools and health facilities, and Diamond Special Needs School was where I worked with Deaf students of all different abilities and literacy levels. All Deaf students are aged between 6 to 18 in one classroom with one teacher who can sign the best she can (there are no Deaf teachers I am aware of in Guyana so far). Not every student knows how to sign, only few can write the alphabet, and even fewer can read and truly understand the concept of reading. Tamar is the only Deaf student in her "mainstreamed" class with few other students of different abilities and she can read, write, and sign well for her age. The catch? She has no interpreter and she knows sign language more than her teachers do. Sure, she can read and write... but how the hell can she learn then? This is work in progress.
To the best of my knowledge, there are no laws in Guyana about communication access for all Deaf individuals including providing interpreters for Deaf people in areas of education and medical services. Think of this way: Guyana has nothing akin to American Disability Act (ADA) laws in United States. We, Americans, are very granted when it comes to ADA for it is our right to be productive members of the society just like everyone else... that will have to change in Guyana and other developing countries around the world. No Deaf people can drive, only few have jobs with low pays, etc. I'll get to that later. There is so much work to be done with Deaf communities in Guyana and other developing countries... it's not going to be easy but if everything was easy, it would already have been done. Next two years is going to be a quite journey not just for me, but for Tamar, and for everyone else who is in this 100%, and their future.
Look at dem hands.
Fran, Aly, and me. Quincy snapped this.
Diamond Special Needs School, Great Diamond, Region 3.
Aly and Fran, my fellow Peace Corps Volunteers, and I worked on our SOCA project at Diamond Special Needs School for three days. Our objective was to enhance the literacy room for Diamond students so they can have access to the room to read and write in their own time during school hours. School runs from 9 to 2 BUT students get two and half hours of break everyday. How can they learn if they spend their break playing outside most of the day? ... voila! The literacy room was on the top of Diamond's priority list in order to improve school overall and many teachers agreed it wa imperative to have the room available to help students improve their literacy skills.Sooo... Before we rolled with our SOCA project, the teachers and we checked out the literacy room for our research. The room was just... a room with: a broken toilet sitting on the middle of the floor, a couple of empty beer bottles, dirty white walls, an old mattress, wheelbarrows with lumps of charcoals and nails, etc. We painted literacy-related themes on the wall from rhythms with pictures to word walls to rainbow colors to enhance the environment.
"Today a reader, tomorrow a leader."
Diamond Special Needs School, Great Diamond, Region 3.
Where are the books?? Since our SOCA project was for three days, we wanted to obtain books because... well, the library is not the library without books. It is currently one of long-term projects for Diamond Special Needs School staff to invest and obtain books from organizations around Guyana. The ultimate goal of Peace Corps is to empower people with the capacities with what they can do to empower themselves and the day Peace Corps truly succeeds is the day when the country no longer needs Peace Corps."Today a reader, tomorrow a leader."
So n-u-t-s about coconuts.
Diamond Special Needs School, Great Diamond, Region 3.
Here are some students who really helped during our SOCA project including sharing the bucket of water for us to clean brushes... well, in my mind, the ones they truly helped were themselves because they are the ones who will have to make an effort in learning and educate themselves. We are our own teachers sometimes and we learn the best from our experiences. You should have seen their faces when they saw the literacy room for the first time and we explained the purpose of literacy and it was for them to have the room to improve their readings and skills in their own time. See dat coconut tree in the background? Yeah, everyone is so n-u-t-s about that...
Why, hello there, New Amsterdam!
New Amsterdam is the third largest town in Guyana with the population of approximately between 30,000 and 35,000. Yea, you read that right. People just refer cities as towns here even Georgetown, the capital city of Guyana. If you ask people where they're goin', they would say "town." "Which one?" "... the town." "What, do you mean Georgetown?" "Yea, that's the town." But really, New Amsterdam feels like it is a small town with 5,000 people and only three main streets full of general moms and pops stores, rum shops, LOTS of street vendors, grocery markets, rum shops, few banks, gas stations, office supplies stores, etc. anything like you'd find in a small town back home. It's gonna get real soon, New Amsterdam. Without turning this into a novel, I'll explain more about New Amsterdam and its enriching history next time.
Hmm... what do you notice in this picture?
Timehri, Region 3.
It is so hot here in Guyana that it is common for people to hide in shades EVERYWHERE even behind the poles like my host sister and cousins did. There's no fun under the sun. Umbrellas aren't only for the rain, but the sun too when people pop one to protect themselves from the ultraviolet rays. So far, two umbrellas has been broken and lost... screw it. When I return to the States in two years, I'm gonna be so tanned and maybe full of skin cancer (hell no).
The place where I'll be schoolin' it up for next two years.
New Amsterdam, Region 6.
New Amsterdam Special Needs School is the place where I will be working with Deaf students for next two years. Most Deaf students come from smaller villages and they often have to travel to get here to learn. I'll get more in that once when school rolls round on August 31. Only 30 days to go!
New Amsterdam Special Needs School is the place where I will be working with Deaf students for next two years. Most Deaf students come from smaller villages and they often have to travel to get here to learn. I'll get more in that once when school rolls round on August 31. Only 30 days to go!
This ain't your Farmer Market Saturday. It is EVERYDAY!
New Amsterdam, Region 6.
Fresh food straight from local farming communities. Nom, nom, nom. Pineapples, bananas, plantains, bora, eggs, orchos, five fingers, tomatoes, balanjay, okra, papaya, mangoes, cassava, edoes... So many fruits and vegetables that I hardly eat dairy anymore. Milk? Nope. Cheese...? There's only one kind of cheese available. American imported cheeses are very expensive here worth about 1/40 of my monthly stipend. Ice cream? Hahahah, it'll just melt right away as soon as you step outside. Yogurt... I haven't seen any yogurt here. Nor cream cheese. Cereals are more expensive than beer... One beer costs 200 GYD = 1 USD while cereal can run up to 1600 GYD = 6-8 USD dollars. I miss you, Captain Crunch Peanut Butter. Although I sure as hell ain't Betty Crocker, my goal is to cook a Guyanese dish weekly without burning the house down and share some recipes with you all!
My bachelorette pad! The bottom is where I live at.
New Amsterdam, Region 6.
This is where I will live for the next two years. This place has some significant history with Peace Corps Volunteers going back 17 years. How do I know this? First of all, the landladies, the mother and the daughter who live upstairs, said they have hosted PCVs for ten years. What about other seven years? Let me tell you a story... Imagine my surprise when I entered the bathroom for the first time.. and holy shit, it was not your ordinary bathroom: there is black graffiti all over red walls full of sayings, doodles, insults, inspirational quotes, all from PCVs who visited and lived here... I even found one signature dated back to 1998 so that's where seven years came from! My landladies said I could do whatever the hell I wanted in my pad on one condition... do not ever paint over those walls (who the hell would want to paint over them? I'm so keeping them! Anyone who comes here is welcome to draw or write on dem walls!)
Moooooooooveeeeeee in. Yep, this cow got that right.
New Amsterdam, Region 6.
Most animals like cows and goats wander everywhere in New Amsterdam including the roads where they drop the pile of their shits behind in the middle. This is why I always look down where I walk so I don't slip on it and end up having a shitty day. People just let them roam free because they graze grass for free because it is easier that way than afford to have lawnmowers or hire others to whack weed. Sometimes, cows would stand around in front of my house and I'd have to moooooove through them carefully to get out without getting gored by their horns.
Just hangin' at the market.
New Amsterdam, Region 6.
"It's one way to be HIV free, and fine."
New Amsterdam, Region 6.
"Whenever you 'buss a lime, drink your beer a year wise... WEAR A CONDOM EVERYTIME. It's one way to be HIV free, and fine." Seen in New Amsterdam Counseling Center. By the way, fine means you lookin' good in Guyanese. I just love how this informational poster appeals to the Guyanese audience. Most informational posters and advertisements are hand-drawn and lettered by hands, which is like the eye candy for graphic designers and artists. This poster is the first of my photo collection for Guyanese advertisements. More to come!
June 26, 2015.
Timehri, Region 3.
Source: unknown - will update once when I find it.
Source: unknown - will update once when I find it.
I will never forget this day. All of us were at our training center in Timehri, going through presentation after presentation just like every other day... except for this day when we found out U.S. Supreme Court ruled that gay marriage is legal nationwide and everyone has a constitutional right to marry whoever they love because love is love... suddenly, the room erupted in cheers and we all celebrated with beer afterwards to acknowledge this monumental day. One trainee pointed out that it was ironic that we celebrated gay marriage in Guyana... because Guyana is the only country in South America where homosexuality is illegal while other South American countries allow civil unions and equal benefits for everyone. What is equality then?
Look at that...! Oh, how much I miss you, United States...
New Amsterdam, Region 6.
Bless ol' America! One of several things I miss the most in America is the finest American craft beer with high-quality taste and endless selections to choose from. Guyana only has seven beers available in the entire country: Banks, GT, Stag, Guinness Extra Stout, Heineken, Cacio, and sometimes Corona... that's it, I think. No, I'm not even joking at all. Being an American means we have a right to celebrate our Independence Day, no matter where we are... we celebrated Independence Day a day early at U.S. Embassy in Georgetown. We thank you to you all taxpayers for contributing REAL American food from grilled goodies to potato salads to American beer! I think I drank at least four IPAs and four Samuel Adams... because let's face it, I don't think I'll ever find any beer like those again in a long, long time. In seriousness, thank you all to Americans for all of what you have done in the name of America.
Happy July 4th!
Me, Eneka, Rachel, and Cassie who just took this picture, ya sneaky one.
Kuru Kururu to Laluni, Region 3.
This was our last hike in Laluni. We wanted to be there early to celebrate our Independence Day on the actual day all day long with red, blue, and white pride so we hit the trail early in the morning and hauled our asses fast. Ironically, it was the day I finally started reflecting on our lives in United States after being in Guyana for a while... Well, what is one gonna do on a long hike with nothing but thoughts to keep us as our company? I ain't gonna lie, I'm so, so mountainsick and miss hiking so much that I already started researching for hiking spots in South America and Caribbean islands for next two years. If any GUY 26 or GUY 27 peep is interested in hitting it up with me, let me know! Back in the States, I could just hop in my Jeep and drive anywhere to any trailhead and hike + camp as long as I wanted to. Now... hiking is a foreign concept to Guyaneses, so foreign that there aren't many hiking routes here or any awareness about outdoor recreational sports in Guyana. Whenever they see us hiking, they'd call us crazy for walking in the heat and couldn't understand why we didn't want buses or taxis. I actually did consider about becoming a mountain bum for few months when I return back to the States in two years... jus' living in the now. It's like... "Starting today, I need to forget what's gone, appreciate what still remains, and look forward to what's coming next." I already am looking forward to it.
Chilling by the creek.
Leah, Gabbi, me, Kirsti, and Eneka. Eban snapped this.
Laluni, Region 3.
Laluni, Region 3.
Some of us decided to take the plunge into the creek to cool off first before heading over to meet up with the rest of Lalunatics. We limed around for few hours... I'm sorry but I just had to say this: the highlight of this creek was Gabbi. She's probably gonna either laugh her ass off or kill me for this (good thing that she lives 8 hours away from me). Oh hell, this may be or may not be funny now (you just had to be there for this)... Gabbi stood on the edge of the bridge, stared down at the black water, and took a deep breath before... suddenly, everything seemed to be in slow motion and we all watched in horror as.... she launched herself into the air, about to roll into a front flip slowly... BOOM! Landed on her back spread out like a starfish on the water so hard that ripples became white waves in the creek and floated there... for the minute there, I actually thought she may have broken her back... She then swam toward the shore, laughing in pain... Even it may have been a failflip, I was quite proud for her for trying a frontflip first time. It takes a strong backbone to try something new and even more courage to continue trying and not giving up. I feel that is a testament for everyone in all walks of our lives. Gabbi, wanna do some more flips in future!?
Quite a bunch on July 4th.
Emily's host family's house, Laluni, Region 3.
About time! Swearin' in as a Volunteer... holy shit.
Tiffany Daniels, Shellon Bovell, and... me.
Georgetown, Region 3.
41 of us swore in as Volunteers... many people think we automatically become Volunteers on the first day we arrive in Guyana. Nah, we become Trainees instead and we have to earn it during two months before we can swear in as Volunteers worthy of our services and successes. It's just funny how... life turned out this way. I'll write more of that later. As for now, congratulations to y'all GUY 27!
We look damn classy.
Rachel Rose and I.
Georgetown, Region 3.
Rachel Marie Rose, thank you truly for all what you have done during Pre-Service Training! You are one of a kind person and... there are just no words to describe this all. I miss you already and I know you will do exceptional and extraordinary things in your new chapter of life because you are an exceptional and extraordinary person. I wish you all the best!
The final night of Timehri.
Georgetown, Region 3.
The last night ever in Timehri... You see the grey house behind the fire? That was where I lived for two months with the BEST host family EVER in Guyana. It'll be always my first home in Guyana and I wouldn't trade the family for any other family in Guyana. Not ever. Seven people fit in one house: my host parents, two host sisters, one brother-in-law, and little one along with millions of mosquitoes (those little bastards). I sure do miss them already. Anyway, what's missing was a couple of s'mores with Reese cups and Bailey's infused marshmallows... I don't think I have seen any Reese cups here in Guyana... yet. However, we do have peanut butter and chocolate mix...
The sunset blazing on the last day in Timehri...
Timehri, Region 3.
My host mom and I usually walk together once a week up and down the road. On the last night, we went out for a walk before the dark just for hell of it down the road with the little one to buy a couple of fruits and on the way back, we saw the orange light blazing through between the leaves of the dense jungle. Knowing that I am fond of sunsets, my host mom hurried up by grabbing my hand and dragged me behind her through a couple of houses just to get to the dock (she knows everyone in Timehri so she'd roll me into houses with docks, lime with people who live in the house with a couple of tea, and watch the sunsets together). The dock had two stories so I climbed down to the first floor and laid on my stomach to get the camera close to the water as much as I could without dropping it. The pictures will never do Guyana any justice. Little did I know that she actually climbed down the stairs to get her camera close to me as much as she could without me knowing it. Anyone who knows me well knows that I hate having pictures of me taken. The only picture she managed to snap before I busted her was the back of my jeans. Don't worry, since it was our last night together, I let her to take a picture of us both for her keepsake and as a thank you for living with them.
En route to New Amsterdam fo' real!
Damaris, me, Robin the driver, and Aly.
Georgetown, Region 3.
Georgetown, Region 3.
62 miles. 21 bags. 4 cups of cane juices. 3 PCVs. 1 driver and 1 kitten... all in the tiny hatchback taxi en route to New Amsterdam! I never thought that day would come... PST (Pre-Service Training) seemed to go on and on forever... and then suddenly, we're leaving for New Amsterdam! It was quite an adventure... we stopped for cane juices... as soon as we hit the road to pick up Bora, Aly's kitten from other PCVs... the police car pulled us over for speeding. I don't know why but EVERY TIME I travel from New Amsterdam to G-Town or the other way, we seem to get pulled over... maybe the next time would be a charm.
I told you I had a thing for sunsets...
New Amsterdam, Region 6.
Well, this is it... wait, I lied. I just realized I had to add few more pictures...
The Prison Club Fitness Class!
New Amsterdam, Region 6.
I never thought I'd become a fitness instructor and I find myself enjoying it more and more. Two PCVs usually lead fitness classes on every Tuesday and Thursday but they happened to be out of town on Peace Corps business at same time for a while and asked me to step in and take over. YES! It is inspiring to see everyone working so hard through sweat and give it their 110% more than they think they can to be healthy and happy. I think I know what I want to do in future: become an outdoors fitness instructor just for hell of it.
Just some street in New Amsterdam.
New Amsterdam, Region 6.
Since a couple of you asked me for pictures of New Amsterdam to see what it's like... it's all I could come up with at this moment. This street looks like many other streets in New Amsterdam, narrow and bumpy. There will be more pictures next time!
A long, long detour way back to my bachelorette pad.
New Amsterdam, Region 6.
It rains A LOT in New Amsterdam. It rains almost everyday... sometimes, the roads would get flooded and if I really don't feel like getting my feet wet in dirty puddles with cow shit, I'd walk all over the town to find any higher roads with dry spots to hop over. Sure, even if it takes me longer and more time, it's worth it because I get to explore the town for the objective of community mapping and find some new routes including this small trail with the bridge. I feel like I know the town like the map on the back of my hand by now.
Well, I just officially became a crazy cat lady in Guyana.
New Amsterdam, Region 6.
Photo courtesy of Sarah Shearer.
... and I'm damn proud of it. I will bring him home in two weeks when he's old enough to be an eligible bachelor away from his mother. I haven't decided on any name yet and I'm thinking of something related to either: Guyanese culture (two Volunteers named their cats after Guyanese food - Curry and Bora), scientific terminology, or any classical references. Any idea yet?
Well, it's getting late and it's time to hang in the hammock and hide from mosquitoes for the night. Sorry if there are any grammatical errors or some sentences that don't put 2 and 2 together well. Once again and as always, thank you for all of your time reading through all!
