tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75793032011-04-21T14:47:33.369-04:00The Chronicle of my Peace Corps Service (Take Two)HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.comBlogger2411100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-88050315387358965002008-01-26T09:54:00.001-04:002008-01-26T10:03:12.646-04:00

I'm back from the blog grave to post this little tidbit. Over this last Friday (January 26, 2008) eleven people were shot dead in escalating violence near Buxton. This is the infamous town that we volunteers were forbidden to pass through on our own -- too bad there was no way into the capitol without doing so.I wonder what's going on with Peace Corps Guyana today. Most likely, they're clamping

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-89783584274101585752007-09-06T21:12:00.004-04:002008-07-19T17:37:08.214-04:00

And so you can see how my relationship with AEA started to fall apart, as they refused to put me to work doing things that exploited my talents and previous experience, assigning me only to tasks I couldn't do very well, and then accused me of being a lazy complainer.All this time, I was suffering through the homestay from hell.Yes, I bet other volunteers could tell me horror stories that would

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-53945854458112786422007-09-06T21:12:00.002-04:002007-09-06T21:13:44.597-04:00

Some might read this and tell me it was up to me to improve my condition, and that I needed to be strong enough, or flexible enough, going in to resist negative impacts from all these factors. But I think that's wishful thinking. Homesickness, the gremlin that nails most Peace Corps volunteers, wasn't my problem, nor was it a lack of desire to participate in Peace Corps. I wanted to give to the

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-56530994829079850622007-09-06T21:11:00.003-04:002008-07-19T17:33:30.411-04:00

Isolation was one of the first things that affected me. I felt cut off from Peace Corps and most other volunteers by the Berbice river, which could only be crossed by day on a ferry. There were a few volunteers in my general area, including two from my training group, but I didn't "click" with any of them. A really good friend from training was technically close by, but across that damned river,

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-41359670343737985792007-09-06T21:11:00.002-04:002007-09-06T21:12:23.661-04:00

When I was placed in New Amsterdam, I was assigned to work at the Adult Education Association's Berbice branch. Shortly after being told where we were going to be assigned, during training, we had a party night where we were introduced to our Counterparts. This party was held at the same hotel where we spent our first nights in Guyana, which lent a strange tone to the proceedings -- our

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-16778810667984861392007-09-06T21:10:00.000-04:002007-09-06T21:11:04.398-04:00

Just a little over two years ago, my PC Guyana group began to enter the phase of training where w are sent off to our respective corners of the country to spend a few days seeing our assignments. The big day came when our geographic location was announced. Like usual, we were at the Diamond Center, the community recreation hall near the Diamond processing plant (which is where Demerara rum, Soca

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-46290780078400891182007-09-06T21:08:00.000-04:002007-09-06T21:17:05.341-04:00

As you'll notice by looking closely at the date these entries were written, I haven't written a thing here in months. This, despite wanting to "get some stuff down before I forget it." I've discovered that maintaining a web site, or even a blog, is an easy thing to put at the bottom of a list. Especially when it regards material that is no longer current in your life.It is now the beginning of

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-1165715891220928582006-12-09T21:43:00.000-04:002006-12-09T21:59:05.303-04:00

It has now been one year since I returned from Guyana. Starting around mid-November, a few weeks ago, I began finding Guyana in my thoughts a lot more often than I had for the past year, though to be truthful my whole Peace Corps experience has come to mind in some capacity nearly every day. But the last few weeks have marked a sort of milestone; that is, one year since being "voluntarily sent

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-1134596693836052792005-12-14T17:41:00.000-04:002005-12-14T17:44:53.860-04:00

This message came from the Peace Corps admin, I presume copied from one of the Guyanese newspapers, the Stabroek News, Chronicle, or Keiateur. This would be a welcome addition to Guyana, which has a real problem with litter from plastic bottles. There are just heaps of them laying around everywhere, choking up gutters and blocking up waterways, which is one reason there was so much flooding there

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-1134591375077281482005-12-14T16:08:00.000-04:002005-12-14T16:16:15.080-04:00

After I posted this post, I got a message from an anonymous reader. The message reads:I am a Guyanese who have been reading your blog for some time now. I am glad to hear that you made it back home safely. I think, however, that you might not even now grasp the real danger that you were in. I dont know you BTW. I just know some of the actors in this drama.I must say, hearing this from a local

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-1134590856873101042005-12-14T16:05:00.000-04:002005-12-14T16:07:36.876-04:00

I found this picture online, and had to take a second look. It's taken from the exact same place as this picture I took. Compare the two! Spooky.

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-1134590493494012332005-12-14T15:59:00.000-04:002005-12-14T16:01:33.496-04:00

Because I didn't want to end my photos with a filthy trench and a cursed tree, I thought I'd toss in this picture of me in one of my typical aloha shirts. It was taken the night I was leaving Guyana for good. *sniff* So, aloha nui loa, Guyana. You shall live on in my dreams. But I'm glad to be getting my ass to Hawai`i.

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-1134590342486308392005-12-14T15:54:00.000-04:002005-12-14T15:59:02.496-04:00

Not that it's readily apparent from this picture, but this is a magic tree. Located somewhere along the highway between Georgetown and New Amsterdam, this magestic tree was smack-dab in the center of where the government was putting in a road. But countless attempts to cut it down either ended in broken equipment or serious injuries to crewmen, so they finally decided to just split the road for

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-1134589812072569752005-12-14T15:46:00.000-04:002005-12-14T15:50:12.073-04:00

Taken in Georgetown just down the road from the Peace Corps office, this scene struck me as being both rustic and somehow lovely, though the trench water is a little off-putting. It's a very Guyanese (and Caribbean) look.

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-1134589590769560102005-12-14T15:43:00.000-04:002005-12-14T15:46:30.770-04:00

Because I loved this view so much, I thought I'd share another great picture from my apartment's back porch. You'll notice this image is almost exactly the same as this one. You may not be able to tell, but the foreground tree on the left-hand side of the picture is a breadfruit tree. The coconut palms speak for themselves.

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-1134589391024239662005-12-14T15:40:00.000-04:002005-12-14T15:43:11.026-04:00

The legal and political center of New Amsterdam was the Town Hall, this large wooden structure on the Strand that also doubled as a market. I shot this picture on a Sunday I think, when nobody was around, otherwise it would be ten times more busy than it is.

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-1134589210996724202005-12-14T15:31:00.000-04:002005-12-14T15:40:10.996-04:00

All three of these pictures were taken on the second night of the Town Day festival in New Amsterdam. The streets were jammed with people and it made for some excellent photo-taking. The first picture shows a food stand and the crowds in the dark. The second picture was a 30-second exposure I took by resting the camera on a bench and just getting whatever it would take. People walking by made an

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-1134588683272194092005-12-14T15:29:00.000-04:002005-12-14T15:31:23.273-04:00

This is a strange photo, but somehow I like it. In case you can't tell, I took this myself. We were having a small get-together on the night of Town Day and I wanted to immortalize the moment.

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-1134588535331529532005-12-14T15:23:00.000-04:002005-12-14T15:28:55.333-04:00

Both of these pictures were taken on the day of Swearing-In. The first one shows us seated in the large theater where the ceremony took place, just minutes before it got underway. Almost everyone but me is in the photo (we're two short -- there should be 19 because Dan left, and I'm taking the photo). And aren't we looking sharp?The second picture was taken outside the van we took to Swearing-In

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-1134588220134689922005-12-14T15:21:00.000-04:002005-12-14T15:23:40.136-04:00

Yet another night shot, though I don't think I had anything more than a three-second exposure for this one. The sun was setting beyond the houses behind my New Amsterdam homestay, and it was so beautiful I decided to set up my tripod on the porch railing and take a shot of it. I ended up taking three pictures spaced out so that they show the gradual darkening of the sky, but this was the best of

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-1134588077470917622005-12-14T15:19:00.000-04:002005-12-14T15:21:17.470-04:00

I just wanted to put in this picture, which gives you an idea of how storefronts look along New Amsterdam's main street and, in fact, pretty much everywhere in Guyana. The white building in the center had a tiny little food shop in the ground floor on the corner (the grilled door) where I often bought cook-up rice.

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-1134587922893178452005-12-14T15:15:00.000-04:002005-12-14T15:18:42.896-04:00

Here is the interior of a stelling. Stellings are ferry terminals, by the original dutch name, which for some reason is still in use in English-speaking Guyana. I took this picture on the day I was being transported out of Guyana. A funny sign in the stelling in Parika read, "NO SELLING." I always wanted to scribble a T right after the S.

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-1134587718832650502005-12-14T15:12:00.000-04:002005-12-14T15:15:18.833-04:00

This is the only clear photo I have of Stabroek market, though sadly the top of the tower is cut off in this picture. On this day, still a week to the end of training, I decided to go into the place even though it is considered "off-limits" because it is possibly dangerous. I found it to be much more brightly-lit and spacious inside than I expected, far more than the market in New Amsterdam.

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-1134587530434257312005-12-14T15:08:00.000-04:002005-12-14T15:12:10.436-04:00

Some time during Training, Peace Corps took us out to Splashmin's Water Park for a weekend afternoon. Splashmin's is a lakeside park many miles south of Georgetown near the Timehri airport. It often hosts major festivals and regattas. When they said "water park," I naïvely expected waterslides. It's just the lake, but they have jet skis and canoes you can rent, volleyball nets, a pool and video

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-1134587275197591692005-12-14T15:06:00.000-04:002005-12-14T15:07:55.196-04:00

I mentioned Secret End restaurant and bar in a previous photo. Here's a clearer shot of the place. With the lush potted plants and brick patio, it would be a major tourist attraction in any tropical location. Friday nights were karaoke nights there.

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-1134587154494837482005-12-14T15:01:00.000-04:002005-12-14T15:05:54.496-04:00

Here's the seawall, the Dutch creation that reclaimed hundreds of miles of submerged Guyanese prime land and serves as the only line of defense against the raging Atlantic ocean. I walked down there one afternoon while I was staying at the Windjammer nearby. It was the first chance I'd gotten to actually go down to the seawall since I arrived in Guyana nearly five months prior. The seawall is a

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-1134586891947268872005-12-14T14:57:00.000-04:002005-12-14T15:01:31.946-04:00

The Friday night of Town Day in New Amsterdam, we had a small feast at La Caribe, a restaurant in town. Present were all the volunteers from Regions six and seven, as well as the World Teach guys and the Project Trust girls. In other words, Americans (and two Brits) only at this table. Well, plus the fellow at back.

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-1134586659426597722005-12-14T14:55:00.000-04:002005-12-14T14:57:39.426-04:00

The huge reggae concert must have brought out every Rasta in Guyana. I was standing in a sea of red, gold, and green.

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-1134586548523347732005-12-14T14:53:00.000-04:002005-12-14T14:55:48.523-04:00

On our Independence Day party at Kumar's, a bunch of zany GUY 16ers decided to build a human pyramid in the kitchen. I swear we weren't drunk... much.

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-1134586403486145962005-12-14T14:49:00.000-04:002005-12-14T14:53:23.486-04:00

Here's an interesting picture of me sitting on my homestay's porch at night in New Amsterdam. It was taken with a 30-second exposure. The challenge was to sit perfectly still and blink as little as possible. It reminded me of how they had to take pictures in the early days of photography, telling a group of coal miners to stand still for a minute for one of those sepia-tone photos, back in the

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-1134586109230885292005-12-14T14:47:00.000-04:002005-12-14T14:48:29.243-04:00

Here we are playing pool on the afternoon we arrived for our Volunteer Visit in Anna Regina. Or, as Guyanese call it, "pools."

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-1134585497601090032005-12-14T14:31:00.000-04:002005-12-14T14:38:17.603-04:00

These two pictures are east and west shots of Pitt street, arguably the economic center of New Amsterdam. Pitt street is dense and narrow, lined with shoulder-to-shoulder general goods stores and clothing/fabric shops. In the first shot you can see the entrance to Roots Bar, a great local CD store where I bought music a lot. The motorcycle outside belongs to the owner, the very fellow Peace Corps

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-1134585104057525342005-12-14T14:25:00.000-04:002005-12-14T14:31:44.056-04:00

Such a huge portion of our incoming group, GUY 16, were young and fresh-faced, with a reputation for being, uh, non-partiers, that other PCVs started affectionately calling us the "Nerd Herd." We took the appelation in stride, and a bunch of enterprising members of our group put together this outstanding piñata for our Swearing-In party. It was filled with candy and condoms. Here you can see the

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-1134584728548393732005-12-14T14:21:00.000-04:002005-12-14T14:25:28.550-04:00

One weekend we had a fun get-together at the house of another PCV. He had a really cute lower flat that was often host to impromptu parties and socials. The fellow in green is not a PCV -- he was a Lutheran pastor from Alaska doing an internship at a local church for his graduate degree. He was also the coolest pastor I've ever known. He got along with us heathen PCVs very easily, moving right

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-1134584458249048262005-12-14T14:10:00.000-04:002005-12-14T14:20:58.253-04:00

One of the most imposing, creepy, and yet amazing and beautiful structures I ever saw in Guyana was the Old Hospital in New Amsterdam. It's no longer in use, having been replaced by a new-fangled hospital just north of town that was built with the help of a Japanese firm. But this was the only hospital in the entire region up until early last year. As you can see, it's a huge building, with two 3

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-1134583839095348922005-12-14T14:06:00.000-04:002005-12-14T14:10:39.096-04:00

Peace Corps Guyana's headquarters is in Georgetown, this four-story-tall looming concrete structure tucked behind a secure gate. We occasionally had classes in a small conference room on the top floor, up a long spiral staircase. The lounge was in the bottom floor, and offices of various people were sandwiched between. In order to get in, you have to pass through two security gates, be identified

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-1134583591320884402005-12-14T14:02:00.000-04:002005-12-14T14:06:31.320-04:00

This was taken from the same spot, in almost the same angle as this photo, but this was shot at night. I especially love the sky, and how it is that deep, sleepy blue dotted with distant stars. I also love the sway blur of the palm fronds and the play of moonlight on their leaves.

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-1134583330380824072005-12-14T13:58:00.000-04:002005-12-14T14:02:10.380-04:00

I love this picture. It was taken from the porch of my homestay in New Amsterdam. Initially I was taking the picture just to show how the houses are built down there, with little attention paid to cracks and seams that let in the heat and bugs (you can see that dramatically if you look at the house across the street there). But moments after I opened the shutter a car slowly trundled by and it

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-1134583129443014692005-12-14T13:55:00.000-04:002005-12-14T13:58:49.443-04:00

Here's another photo taken at night. This was a house next door to my apartment, lit at night by the porch light on one side and a distant street lamp on the other. The street lamp made a cool green glow that filtered through the branches of a breadfruit tree to make the neat pattern you see along the wall.

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-1134582856418118612005-12-14T13:45:00.000-04:002005-12-14T13:54:16.420-04:00

Diwali is a national holiday in Guyana, and there ain't nobody out on the streets. So I thought it would be a perfect time to walk around and snap some shots, because I feel a little self-conscious taking pictures when there are lots of people around for some reason. Here are two photos that show you scenes from New Amsterdam's Main street. The first was taken looking north from the Charles Place

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-1134582330139114772005-12-14T13:29:00.000-04:002005-12-14T13:45:30.163-04:00

These two ranshackle homes were on Charles Place, right near where I stayed for my homestay. They're not indicative of how people live in New Amsterdam, by the way, or Guyana in general, although you do frequently see houses just like this one. Sometimes they're nestled right next to really beautiful, expensive homes, and sometimes they occupy entire depressed neighborhoods.

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-1134581365372989232005-12-14T13:25:00.000-04:002005-12-14T13:29:25.373-04:00

It was hard to get the whole thing in the frame, but this was the room I lived in for three months in New Amsterdam. From this picture you can perhaps see that I had a really nice mosquito net to sleep under, with a fan strategically pointed directly on it. And believe me, it was necessary. The walls were that nice strawberry pink color. You can also see how the walls didn't reach the ceiling,

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-1134581076826476752005-12-14T13:22:00.000-04:002005-12-14T13:24:36.826-04:00

Most people get roaches, or rats, or spiders infesting their house. I had this bat. Although he was super-cute, I still wasn't keen on having a fling rodent darting around my head at night while I was trying to write, and he dropped some little gifts all over the bathroom, so I ended up chasing him out by playing loud music, burning all the lights, and just generally making the place unpleasant

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-1134580920806874362005-12-14T13:18:00.000-04:002005-12-14T13:22:00.806-04:00

I really got into doing some night photography while I was down there, since my new camera could do fun things with shutter speed. This was a shot of the full moon (yes, that's the moon!) on a clear night during a power outage. The moon was so bright one didn't even need streetlights that night. I love the silhouette effect of the houses and trees, and the blazing white disc of the moon. It looks

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-1134580729721398622005-12-14T13:13:00.000-04:002005-12-14T13:18:49.723-04:00

The last night of our All-Volunteer Conference, we had a spontaneous party down at Lake Mainstay's beachside bar. A Guyanese fellow had been hired to bring his karaoke machine and so we had an evening of singing and dancing. At the mic is Jimmy, the APCD for all the Health volunteers. Sitting with a mic in his hand is our Safety and Security officer, Kitty. Toward the end of the night we had a

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-1134580265179037472005-12-14T13:10:00.000-04:002005-12-14T13:13:51.863-04:00

I got this picture of a wonderful-looking Mandir, or Hindu house of worship, on the road south of Georgetown. We passed this Mandir every day on the way to training and one day when I was travelling by myself I got lucky enough for our bus to stop just in front of it to pick up a random passenger. Hastily I scrambled to get out my camera and took this photo, which came out damn fine for a snap

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-1134580221798711182005-12-14T12:56:00.000-04:002005-12-14T13:10:21.810-04:00

What you see here are photos of Lake Mainstay, the black water lake resort where we had our All-Volunteer Conference in September. The first photo shows the huts they have for guests -- closed, with two interior rooms and air conditioning. The second photo shows the white sand and trees of the beach. The third photo shows the beachside bar where we had a great party. The last photo shows a

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-1134579355640438472005-12-14T12:52:00.000-04:002005-12-14T12:55:55.650-04:00

In this photo, you're looking south down New Amsterdam's Main Street. In the distance you can see the twin cupolas of the Old Hospital's east wing. That's where Charles Place is, the road I was living on for three months after first arriving at my site.

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-1134434785777919722005-12-12T20:46:00.000-04:002005-12-12T20:46:25.786-04:00

Having signed off that I was to ET, I had about 24 hours to wrap up my affairs. Peace Corps hit me with a TON of paperwork. As if to prove my point about bureaucracy, in the seven years since the last time I ETed, the amount of paperwork had increased to the Nth degree. Literally, I think the paperwork has increased by over 1000%. They handed me a thick packet of stuff to sign, stuff to know, and

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-1134434757183127362005-12-12T20:44:00.000-04:002005-12-12T20:45:57.190-04:00

Over the year and a half I've been writing this blog, I've noticed a trend: Usually at least a couple of weeks goes by after an event before I finally get around to writing it all down. I'd like to say it's because I wait to digest what happened so I can do it justice, but the simple truth is I am lazy. So, true to form, it's been a couple of weeks now so I want to write about the last couple of

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-1134434681311614952005-12-12T20:42:00.000-04:002005-12-12T20:44:41.313-04:00

Right after arriving in the Anna Regina area, but before meeting with our volunteers, we took some lunch at a local spot and played some pool. It was a hot afternoon that was punctuated by an intense rain shower. We had fried fish and local sodas and beers. A perfect Peace Corps afternoon, I'd say.

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-1134434541128364752005-12-12T20:38:00.000-04:002005-12-12T20:42:21.130-04:00

I know musical taste is subjective, but I really think there's something to the notion that Luciano is the best reggae artist currently alive and producing music. Okay, maybe right behind our man Gregory Isaacs, living legend. But Luciano is always positive, never singing that crap about "bun down batty mon" and the like, and has a great singing voice, unlike, say, Sizzla. A pox on the Georgetown

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-1134434287192241682005-12-12T20:34:00.000-04:002005-12-12T20:38:07.193-04:00

Ever wondered what a Peace Corps lounge for volunteers might look like? Well, here's a north and south shot of the PC Guyana lounge. The first photo shows the mailboxes and wicker couch and one of the computers. The other shot shows the extensive borrower library of fiction and non-fiction, a couple more rattan chairs, and the second computer. Not bad -- and if you spent any time in here at all,

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-1134434070756029392005-12-12T20:32:00.000-04:002005-12-12T20:34:30.756-04:00

Four of our wonderful female friends taking a break during training on the steps of the lovely Diamond center.

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-1134433944611550972005-12-12T20:30:00.000-04:002005-12-12T20:32:24.613-04:00

This shot was taken at the Carib shop, the Grove-based trainee's hangout spot of choice. We had just returned from our Volunteer Visits and were sharing stories of adventure with each other. It was an evening of companionship and closeness, even as we were nearing the end of our training and our looming separation from each other drew ever near.

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-1134433785052873272005-12-12T20:28:00.000-04:002005-12-12T20:29:45.053-04:00

Here's the National Library, in downtown Georgetown. We occasionally had training sessions in a large conference room on the eastern wing. It was nice and air-conditioned, a break from training in the sweaty Diamond center.

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-1134433678951694752005-12-12T20:25:00.000-04:002005-12-12T20:27:58.953-04:00

Check out the house they put the Country Director in! Here's where we had that great party on Independence Day weekend (not the one at the Ambassador's mansion). They really know how to put their CDs in nice digs. Although it doesn't compare to the one for the Eastern Caribbean CD, on the hill overlooking St. Lucia's Vigie harbour, with the turquoise water and the yachts.

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-1134433524079268072005-12-12T20:23:00.000-04:002005-12-12T20:25:24.080-04:00

...was the game of choice during Training, for some unguessable reason. Here's a bunch of us during Training at the house of a fellow trainee in Grove, who's host mother loved having us over for little parties. Mostly we played cards and ate her delicious food until everyone headed home around 9 pm.

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-1134433407515167552005-12-12T20:20:00.000-04:002005-12-12T20:23:27.516-04:00

A couple days before the Ambassador's party, we had a get-together at the house of Kumar, our (doomed) CD. It was an amazing party and we had a great time. Here are three GUY 16 ladies posing for my blurry shot.

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-1134433224664866212005-12-12T20:18:00.000-04:002005-12-12T20:20:24.666-04:00

Gregory Isaacs. Musical genius. Reggae concert. Gorgeous night. Brian in bliss.

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-1134433093955342222005-12-12T20:16:00.000-04:002005-12-12T20:18:13.956-04:00

Two of my GUY 16 friends, taken the last night of the All-Volunteer Conference at Mainstay. Great guys.

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-1134432931674347582005-12-12T20:13:00.000-04:002005-12-12T20:15:31.676-04:00

The front yard of my New Amsterdam homestay. This shot was taken from the bottom step of the front porch and shows the front yard and the houses across the narrow alley. The house on the right was occupied by a single woman, and the one on the left was long abandoned.

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-1134432774431797932005-12-12T20:09:00.000-04:002005-12-12T20:12:54.433-04:00

This shot was taken at the farm of a Guyanese local who hosted a bunch of us volunteers for a day party during our Volunteer Visit. They strung up a couple hammocks and I spent a good deal of time lounging in one, enjoying the sun and breeze. I took this photo from the hammock, looking out across the Pomeroon river. A nice shot.

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-1134432593028047142005-12-12T20:06:00.000-04:002005-12-12T20:09:53.030-04:00

At his request, I shot this funny picture of Rustin, a fellow GUY 16 PCV. He and I stayed with the same volunteer in Anna Regina during our Volunteer Visit, and his hammock had this shroud-like mosquito net that encased him like Frodo in Shelob's lair. Rustin: yes, it took me five months, but here's your photo, dude!

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-1134432400324572232005-12-12T20:02:00.000-04:002005-12-12T20:06:40.326-04:00

I'm very proud of that fact. On Independence Day, the U.S. Ambassador to Guyana hosted a party for all U.S. nationals in Guyana at his large mansion northeast of Georgetown. Anyone with U.S. citizenship was invited, from currently-serving volunteers, missionaries, employees of the CDC or Embassy, and even the visiting group from Loma Linda university in California. They fed us with catered food

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-1134431419578342572005-12-12T19:48:00.000-04:002005-12-12T19:50:19.576-04:00

This picture was also taken on Diwali night. It shows a celebrant on an upper balcony firing off a roman candle firework. My nifty camera allows me to fiddle with the shutter speed, so I set it down on a chair to stabilize it, set it on 30-second exposure, and caught this wonderful time-lapse picture.

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-1134431281210830452005-12-12T19:42:00.000-04:002005-12-12T19:48:01.210-04:00

Diwali, the "Festival of Lights," is a Hindu festival that is celebrated in Guyana the day after Halloween. Don't ask me what it's all about, because I would probably get it wrong, but it has something to do with Latchmi bringing light to the world or something. Anyway, the real festival was held in Canje, nearby, but I got this great picture of a typical Diwali decoration. You take a bamboo pole

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-1134430934020828392005-12-12T19:40:00.000-04:002005-12-12T19:42:14.020-04:00

The dining area. I almost never ate here, instead taking my meals on the couch where I could watch TV and enjoy the direct attentions of a fan on high power.

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-1134430813659892842005-12-12T19:37:00.000-04:002005-12-12T19:40:13.660-04:00

In New Amsterdam I stayed for three months in the house of a young, single fellow named Dexter. This picture shows his house, taken from near the front door and facing south. He had an... elcectic decorating style. It wasn't a bad place in general, and even had some nice amenities like a TV and VCR, and a refrigerator (I missed that once I moved out).

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-1134430613098985712005-12-12T19:33:00.000-04:002005-12-12T19:36:53.100-04:00

Here is the Qik Serv in New Amsterdam, also referred to sometimes as "Demico House." It is the only place in town serving fast food, and you can actually get burgers and fried chicken and french fries there. They even have veggie burgers!... sometimes. The prices were a little high for a little ol' PCV's salary, but I ate there every once in a while when I wanted a taste of the U.S. (and when I

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-1134430397350686412005-12-12T19:28:00.000-04:002005-12-12T19:33:17.350-04:00

Well, okay, we're actually crossing the Essequibo. But the Rubicon made a better title. Anyway, you can see a bunch of us volunteers here enjoying a jarring, windy speed boat trip across the Essequibo river on our way to our Volunteer Visits (during Training). I had a blast on this trip, because the boats rip past some very dense jungle embankments with creepy little waterways receding back into

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-1134430080992495482005-12-12T19:24:00.000-04:002005-12-12T19:28:00.993-04:00

Unlike most third-world countries, there aren't a lot of local crafts on sale everywhere. Probably that's because Guyana doesn't get a whole lot of tourists. But right in the middle of downtown, just off High Street, there is a short stretch of little kiosk/hut buildings that sell local wares. One sunny afternoon when I was hungry for photos I decided to snap a shot.

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-1134429880202256982005-12-12T19:20:00.000-04:002005-12-12T19:24:40.203-04:00

The night we met our counterparts for the first time, we all assembled at the Ocean View and we were treated to music by a band from New Amsterdam called "Congo Nya." A group of like twenty Rastas, the group played traditional Caribbean drums and songs. I always meant to go visit them during their Friday night practices over in New Amsterdam. I met the lead singer during Town Day -- a great guy.

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-1134429642731409782005-12-12T19:18:00.000-04:002005-12-12T19:20:42.733-04:00

The same reggae concert, looking at the stage. That yellow blur was Gregory Isaacs. None of his pictures came out very well. But I got some great video, which I'll try to get hosted with Google.

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-1134429514391598392005-12-12T19:16:00.000-04:002005-12-12T19:18:34.393-04:00

Here's a picture of the huge reggae concert that got me busted with Peace Corps when my wallet was stolen. This shot was taken late into the show, around maybe 11 pm, and it was pretty packed by that point. Some major reggae artists werea at that show, inluding Fanton Mojah, Sugar Roy and Crystal, Luciano, and Gregory Isaacs.

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-1134429356055337772005-12-12T19:14:00.000-04:002005-12-12T19:15:56.056-04:00

This is also Charles Place road, where my homestay was located. This shot was actually taken right outside my homestay gate. (For some reason I have no pictures of the outside of the house!) In this view, we are facing west, in the direction of the main road, old hospital, and Berbice river.

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-1134429240010532612005-12-12T19:11:00.000-04:002005-12-12T19:14:00.010-04:00

Here's the street where my 3-month homestay was located in New Amsterdam, following training. It was the most run-down street in N.A. When a fellow GUY 16 friend visited me, he astonishingly called it "the Ghetto." And it was, in all honesty.

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-1134429072732984672005-12-12T19:09:00.000-04:002005-12-12T19:11:12.733-04:00

I tried to get an artsy photo of the Carib shop with this photo but met with limited success. The Carib shop was a little rum shack in Grove that somehow became the de facto hangout spot, probably because it was relatively central, not in a creepy part of Grove, and wasn't often very busy.

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-1134428889823709302005-12-12T19:04:00.000-04:002005-12-12T19:08:09.823-04:00

At long last, I got to go to Buddy's night club, and I got a photo of the occasion. There's a slight jostle to this picture, but you can get an idea of why Buddy's is the best night club in Guyana: it has four floors, including a pool hall, restaurant, dance club, and... not sure what the fourth floor is. Anyway, it also boasts the only elevator in all of Guyana, which gives you perhaps an idea

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-1134428643791994942005-12-12T19:01:00.000-04:002005-12-12T19:04:03.793-04:00

I shot this from the deck of a ferry that was just about to pull out from the stelling on the Berbice river (Rosignol side, not New Amsterdam). It shows a good sample of small fishing boats in the Caribbean.

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-1134428473089514982005-12-12T18:53:00.000-04:002005-12-12T19:01:13.100-04:00

Another nice view from my apartment.

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-1134427780086708762005-12-12T18:47:00.000-04:002005-12-12T18:49:40.086-04:00

This photo is great because it shows almost all the volunteers from the Berbice area, which includes not only New Amsterdam, but a hundred miles of coastline in either direction. Here we were hanging out together for a short visit at the spacious home of a GUY 15 volunteer. Not sure when -- it might have also been the first night of Town Day.

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-1134427622563822372005-12-12T18:43:00.000-04:002005-12-12T18:47:02.566-04:00

I haven't the foggiest notion when this photo was taken, though I think we were on our way down to a Town Day show at the Esplanade grounds in New Amsterdam. Yeah, that's right -- there was a fashion show that night (Friday) featuring the reigning Miss Guyana and several of her former rivals. That was an interesting show. The clothes were, like most fashion shows, a little preposterous and

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-1134427378170923102005-12-12T18:39:00.000-04:002005-12-12T18:42:58.173-04:00

Well, actually this is a Bauxite boat. I think. I shot this picture of this medium-sized tanker while crossing the Essequibo on a speed boat on my way back from my Volunteer Visit, which was around the middle of July. For how fast we were travelling, and how we were skipping bumpily across light chop, I'm astonished how clear this photo is. Moments after it was taken, we rocketed past the stern

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-1134427149630142052005-12-12T18:35:00.000-04:002005-12-12T18:39:09.630-04:00

Sampling Banks beer, one of the local brews. This photo was taken right at the end of training, when all of us trainees who were located in Grove went to a local rum shop called "Debs" to celebrate each other's presence one more time. On the way home, four of us were caught in a no-holds-barred tropical downpour that blurred the night and held us pinned down under the awning of a local eatery

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-1134426939287917692005-12-12T18:33:00.000-04:002005-12-12T18:35:39.286-04:00

In case you haven't noticed yet, I'm uploading this set of pictures in alphabetical order. I guess I've given up the ghost on putting them in chronological order. So this shot was taken right at the end of training, before I went out to New Amsterdam. It shows a view of one of the busiest streets in Georgetown, right at the intersection where the National Library (where we did some training

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-1134426770594674882005-12-12T18:28:00.000-04:002005-12-12T18:32:50.596-04:00

This is the view north from my apartment. The house on the left was a ramshackle building that was knocked down and replaced shortly after I moved in. On this side of the apartment I got a pretty steady breeze that cooled everything down and dried my clothes pretty rapidly. Plus it was on the lee side from the sun. It was actually an amazing apartment.

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-1134426473684324022005-12-12T18:23:00.000-04:002005-12-12T18:27:53.686-04:00

As you can see, the attic of the apartment was cute, but hard for a tall guy like me to use. Bats got in here sometimes, too. The landlords were nice enough to knock out a wall that used to separate this area into two rooms, thinking I could use it better that way. You can see with the two different colors how this used to be divided.

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-1134426206514536932005-12-12T18:21:00.000-04:002005-12-12T18:23:26.516-04:00

A second view of my apartment interior. This faces north, toward the "kitchen," staircase leading upstairs, and the two entrances which opened out to either side of a branching porch. Very spacious and a great vibe. The view out on this side was incredibly nice and tropical, with coconut palms and breadfruit trees. I'll miss that place.

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-1134426083546022872005-12-12T18:19:00.000-04:002005-12-12T18:21:23.546-04:00

A view of the interior of my apartment. It was basically a studio, since I didn't use the attic upstairs, and so it was a large open room with two central posts. The floor was, oddly, red concrete. The french doors were a nice touch, opening out to a narrow porch that ran around the entire apartment.

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-1134425931000763072005-12-12T18:13:00.000-04:002005-12-12T18:18:51.003-04:00

This is the super-cute apartment I moved into in November. I was able to spend only one month here, sadly. It was made of the second and third stories of this building; the bottom floor was space for a business, and up until November it was home to an internet cafe, which made the Peace Corps nervous enough to forbid me to move in there. Fortunately, they vacated at the end of October and I was

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-1134425596954984722005-12-12T18:10:00.000-04:002005-12-12T18:13:16.956-04:00

This is what the Adult Education Association of New Amsterdam looks like from the outside. The first time I saw it, I was a little surprised. I was expecting something a little less... house-like. Turns out, this was a house, a long time back. It's pretty spacious, though, and does the trick nicely.

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-1134425425823341962005-12-12T18:05:00.000-04:002005-12-12T18:10:25.833-04:00

In this picture is the main classroom upstairs in the Adult Education Association in New Amsterdam. This is where I taught remedial English one hour a day to a group of pre-teens. The blackboard is really just a slab of wood that is painted black; it is very rough and eats chalk fast. This photo was shot at night just before I headed home for dinner. On the board you can see a lesson from earlier

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-1133801364190431322005-12-05T12:46:00.000-04:002005-12-05T12:49:24.190-04:00

If you've ever wondered what it looks like to be sitting in a Peace Corps van being driven home after a long day of training, here's a point of view shot for ya.

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-1133801046079293072005-12-05T12:39:00.000-04:002005-12-05T12:44:52.696-04:00

Another shot of the Demerara Bridge, this time with a healthy dose of the river it crosses. Those odd metal corks have something to do with the cables holding the bridge in one place. I imagine so, too, do the huge wooden posts.

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-1133800743752546972005-12-05T12:34:00.000-04:002005-12-05T12:39:03.753-04:00

The first time we crossed the Demerara Bridge I had to take a picture of it. It's a floating bridge, made of several jointed sections loosely covered with fitted metal plates. The plates aren't welded on, or at least not on the driving surface, and you could see them bend and flip up when especially heavy vehicles rattled over them. The whole structure is held in place by great cables drilled

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-1133800441731991212005-12-05T12:30:00.000-04:002005-12-05T12:34:01.733-04:00

For some reason I have a whole bunch of photos taken during rides in buses, vans, and cars. Perhaps that because we spent a good amount of time being shuttled here or there in the Peace Corps vans. Here's just one of those times. I attribute the stupid expression on my face to the fact that I was in the middle of saying something when the shot took. Yeah, that's it.

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-1133800234457332782005-12-05T12:27:00.000-04:002005-12-05T12:30:34.456-04:00

This snapshot is of the houses adjacent to the Diamond Center, along a narrow muddy street on the back side. This is a good example of a more depressed area in Guyana. It is also very common. And, no, this was nobody's homestay.

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-1133800036791032702005-12-05T12:19:00.000-04:002005-12-05T12:27:16.793-04:00

This rather blurry picture is of us waiting for training to begin at Diamond Center. A shame I jolted the camera at the last second. Note the queasy color of the walls -- that was actually the color. It was a sort of aquamarine or turquoise, but in the poor fluorescent lighting it gained an unfortunate tone. We sat in a horseshoe-shape on those flimsy plastic chairs (I preferred to use two,

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579303.post-1133799559769642242005-12-05T12:12:00.000-04:002005-12-05T12:19:19.770-04:00

Even though this picture is labeled "Lunchtime," a closer look made me realize this picture was actually taken in the morning after arriving for our training. A typical day, we had just arrived at Diamond Center, a community center in a town south of Georgetown, for our daily six-hour dose of training. Even though it was about 8:30 am when this picture was taken, everyone was already sweating

HawaiianBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06544787701866048318noreply@blogger.com0