AFK

I'll be out at a mandatory all-Volunteer conference for the rest of this week at a local resort. I can't say which one, of course. But I'll be back with the story next week. Peace.

Some Photos from J

Here's a link to a flickr account put together by one of our GUY 16 members, "Jdub." All these photos have been designated as public, so hopefully there won't be any problems viewing them. But run over and peep 'em while you can!

My Training Homestay, View One

Yes, this is a couple months late, but I thought it would be a great chance to show people what a typical middle-income Guyanese home looks like. Compare it to the description I gave in this post and this post. This view is facing east from the front door.

What'd You Say About My Mama?!?

This is the Umana Yana, a local landmark. It is a tall, conical structure designed exactly like Amerindian long houses, which serve as community meeting centers. This one serves the same function; many high-profile events that have a limited attendence are held here, including some previous years' Peace Corps Swearing-In Ceremonies.

Cuffy, Tea or Me?

We stopped by the Cuffy memorial in Georgetown on our second day of training. Cuffy was a slave who organized an unsuccessful revolt out in the Berbice region, where I now live. The monument shows him holding a couple monstrous fish which symbolize the oppressors.

Perhaps I Spoke Too Soon

I had hoped the recent election could go off without a scandal or violence, but it seems I was wrong:

This was taken from another messageboard for those who are interested...

Posted: Mon Sep 19, 2005 9:15 am Post subject: Reply with quote

On saturday 17th of Sept. was a day in my life I would never forget, since it was my first experience at the Miss World Guyana Pageant, the evening ensamble was very elegant and classy, you were entertained by one of the steel pan orchestra that brought class and glamour to a show then there was dinner a show that was doubt to start at 7 pm. After dinner the steel pan music resume playing for nothing short than 2 hrs, then there was a voice, ladies & gentlement the show will begin in no less than 2 mins. about 5 mins. latter the playing of the national anthem then started, every arouse to the anthem, then took there seats, then there was a slight delay of 2 mins. then way was given to 9 beauties, namely Ulex Atwell, Dacia Blackmore, Latoya Bailey, Makieda Franklin, Jasmine Herzog, Genesta David, Meleesa Payne, Rene Chester & Carlotta Primo excuted there intro. segment which was excellent, then there was the suimsuit segment a segment with must anticipation, well after the intro segment I said to my Boyfriend that I really am here to see what Ms. Atwell is made off after all those pageants, note I am not a supporter of the young lady. then a song or two by slingshot then the evening gown competition, but before after the swimsuit segment i made a selection of 5 girls, namely Dacia, Makieda, Ulex, Maleesa & Carlotta-swimsuit girls. after the evening gown, the gowns that were outstanding was atwell, payne, herzog, franklin & blackmore, and i was correct, the next leg of competition was the selection of the final 5, which was exact as the ones in the evening gown, then the competition got even more interesting when girls were ask to select a question and then answer it was atwell first who did an excellent job at nailing the answer, then the others then herzog who ramble with the answer then misunderstood the question then closed however, i then said to my boyfriend that well finally ms atwell won a ms guyana pageant, this was my setting of placement, queen atwell 1st runner up ms Blackmore, 2nd runner up Ms Herzog, then ms franklin & ms payne. but when you have a panel of mostly unqualified people you a disaster decision, at that time I was thrown into shock at the fact the herzog never had won that pageant over ms atwell a young lady i never supported but i sat and see her compete fersly and was discrimated against because of the color of her skin toned, i then got up and when back stage to give her a bracelet compliments of our jewellery establishment and to congratulate her, because before i when to the show i decided to take a bracelet and was to be giving to the winner, i sat there and saw ms atwell got cheated out of the spot as queen, she was very grateful for the prize, but to top it off it was what i heard while i was back stage, i was standing behind a door in the dressing room, ms atwell was outside of the door, when ms herzog walk in with the artistic director, and believing to herself that the coasst was clear then she blurted out thank derek for the promise well keep, after hearing that i step out of the spot that i was in and look at derek in awe, he then said to her what are u talking about in shame. I JUST FELT SO DEPRESS AND PROMISE NEVER TO GO TO ANOTHER PAGEANT. ON THIS NOTE I WANT TO EXPRESS CONGRATULATIONS TO THE TRUE QUEEN Miss Ulex Atwell ON A JOB WELL DONE, NOBODY COULD SAY DIFFERENT, PERSONS LEFT THE PEGASUS ARGUING AT THE FACT THAT MONEY WAS SPENT AND THE RIGHT GIRL WAS CHEATED, I WANT TO SAY TO KEN CHUNG YOU WOULD NEVER AGAIN BE SUPPORTED BY MY ESTABLISHMENT AGAIN. MY CONDOLENCES TO MISS ATWELL AND I HOPE THAT THE RED QUEEN HAVE HER STOMACH AREA CHECK OUT FOR AN UNBORN CHILD.

(Courtesy of http://hitsandjams.com/phpBB2/index.php)

Could the Nervous Volunteer Please Pick Up the White Courtesy Phone?

Look at them. All sprawled out there, piled together, nervously waiting for the plane to take them to Guyana. Man, look how shiny and clean and bathed they look! Eating their expensive, delicious American junk food, chattering together, playing travel Scrabble or Uno or what-have-you. Little do they know what's in store for them.... But I know! Muhahahahaha!

Chim Chim Cher-ee!

This morning I awoke to the sound of a vigorous bangarang coming from the roof of my host's house. Unfortunately, he had already gone to work... if he hadn't, things might have gone much better. So I rip aside the sheet and dash outside to see who is trying to peel back the roof and gain entry to our house, only to discover a carpenter beginning the work of reroofing the place. Like most houses in Guyana, the house has a zinc roof, alike in all ways to corrugated tin. And like tin roofs all over the world, this one was rusty and starting to develop holes. Whenever there's a downpour two or three spots emit a spattering stream of water all over the furniture. So my host has needed to have his roof re-zinced for some time now -- no argument there.

The problem, though, became quickly evident. As the carpenter began to rip back sections of the zinc roof, exposing the boards that serve as the underside of the roof, a rain of fine soot began to fall inside the house. At first it was a light dusting, but soon became a veritable snowfall of black ash. This was the accumulation from years of burning cane fields dropping their black snow all over New Amsterdam, a regular occurrance. Several times during the week the sky will be filled with stands of drifting black ash and burned bits of sugar cane rushes. It seems the cane workers burn the cane so the razor-sharp leaves don't cut them; the result is this occasional snow of ash.

As the first bright beams of sunlight began to pierce the inside of the house, illuminating the ash-filled air, I saw my freshly-washed bedsheets become coated with black dust. My pillow, my newly-washed clothes, my backpack, my suitcase, my books -- everything covered similarly. My room was not solely hit, either; my host's room was also coated in soot. Just before I left to go to work the old zinc was totally removed and the process of installing the new zinc was beginning. No doubt things are far worse than last I saw them since all the hammering and nailing will shake loose the remainder of the soot.

When I told my host about this, he sucked his teeth (a universal Caribbean expression of disgust) and dashed back to the house on his motorcycle to see what was going on. It seems the person he hired to do the work subcontracted someone else and so failed to give my host proper warning: normally, he would have covered everything in the house with sheets to facilitate easy clean-up. But now the house is wrecked and will take a major cleaning overhaul.

All there is to do is laugh about it now. Fortunately, I tucked my valuables safely away under the bed when the first soot began to fall. Now all that remains is to wash, dust, sweep, or mop every square inch of the house. Sigh.

Bienvenido a Miami

Our last night in America. We went to South Beach and danced and partied until after three in the morning! Some of these people are from the Paraguay group, and some from Guyana. As you can see, we made a large crowd together. Ah, good times.

The Dust, Having Been Bit...

In follow-up to this post:

I had one of the best birthdays I've had in years. As I had mentioned, there was a conference in town for a previous Guyana PCV group -- the one that came in February before us. On Tuesday night we had a get-together, then nothing on Wednesday, and then again on Thursday night they told me there would be a small gathering at the hotel. At first I wasn't going to go, but finally I called a local PCV and told him I was on the way. When I arrived, there were about 12 people sitting around a large table in the hotel's bar. Everyone burst into the Happy Birthday song and presented me with a gift of cologne and an overnight toiletries bag. We proceeded from then to host a rousing drinking game and have an evening of fun and spirits.

The hotel is very nice and is brand-new. In fact, this conference marked the first guests to ever stay at the hotel, or at least the new one (it is a new building for an older hotel across town). It is clean, fresh, carpeted, and air-conditioned. The bathrooms are gleaming white tile and shine with newness. No expense was spared to bring in quality fixtures, bedding, lighting, and carpets. Not to say it is a Ritz-Carlton or something, and there is even a nicer hotel in Guyana, but it is far better than the one I stayed at during Orientation. Plus, it had that perennially-favorite tropical hotel decor: rattan furniture, khaki and floral color scheme, slowly-rotating ceiling fans, potted tropical plants. It was heaven. All it needed was a patio onto a jungle or wave-lined beach.

By midnight things died down and I made my way home. On the way I bumped into a local friend of mine who serves as a night watch/security guard for a store, so I sat with him in the dark New Amsterdam street until 3 in the morning gaffing about life, women, and New Orleans, until my buzz wore off and I simply got sleepy.

I can't recall a better birthday party in years.