Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Peace Love and Meaningful Moments
Nine.
I cried harder than I have in years watching this video. You dont realize what you miss till you really miss it...and I am so thankful I have such wonderful family to make sure I dont miss a moment...Especially a meaningful moment like this.....Darius should be a baby model!!!!! So lucky. So cutie. So Love.
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!
The ASL spelling bee practice round took place today! Traveled to Georgetown with 9 of my kiddos where we learned how the spelling bee would go down and practiced signing and spelling SLOWLY so when its televised, people will be able to learn too!! Our students were rockstars, all of them made it to the second round in just practice!!! I think one of our kids could win this thing when going up against the other schools!! SO exciting.....very happy day...kids cant stop smiling or spelling!!
Peace love and Spelling!!!
Peace love and Spelling!!!
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Peace Love and Meaningful Moments
Eight
Sunday morning, caterpillar and I are snuggling in bed while I do some work on the computer. My fan is going, people are marching away, and banging upstairs, and then I hear it. The knock gets louder and louder and more rapid. I get up, leave pillar in a blanket cocoon and unlock my door. To my surprise it is a 9 year old girl I do not know, and her smile is so big. Her Grandma has sent her to collect me for church. I am not dressed for the service that starts in ten minutes, and Kirsten also needed to come over to get her keys. I told the girl I wouldn’t be able to make it today, but tell her thanks so much for coming. She stands there smiling, and then I ask her her name. She responds with “ My name is Nicolette” She then stands there for a second longer and asks “ Please for some water” I say of course and she can come in. She looks up at the map and says to me “ I am not Guyanese, I am from Antigua.” You see that flag up to the left, that’s my countries flag. I giggle and say well do you know where Antigua is on the map, have you ever seen one of these maps? She says know, so I explain that it’s the worlds map and then point out the different continents, where I am from, where we are, and then show her exactly where she is from. Her eyes get big and and I can see her excitement. She tells me next year she is going to be baptized there, and this summer she is flying out. I tell her that’s happening fast, and she says yes. She came over here to spend time with her grandma after her grandpa passed away last year. This summer they are both flying back to Antigua. I say that’s very nice of her to come and stay with her Grandma for so long. And she said its easy, Grandma makes everything fun. Very fun. That made me smile so big, because I thought of my own Grandmother. She then asked if I had ever been to another Caribbean country and I said no I haven’t, but id love to go visit, especially Antigua. She looked at me with bright eyes and said very slowly, “ so you will come then, for a visit?” I looked at her and said id have to find out how much plane tickets cost, as well as maybe ask my own grandma to join us. Because I agree. Grandmas do make everything fun, very fun.
Sunday morning, caterpillar and I are snuggling in bed while I do some work on the computer. My fan is going, people are marching away, and banging upstairs, and then I hear it. The knock gets louder and louder and more rapid. I get up, leave pillar in a blanket cocoon and unlock my door. To my surprise it is a 9 year old girl I do not know, and her smile is so big. Her Grandma has sent her to collect me for church. I am not dressed for the service that starts in ten minutes, and Kirsten also needed to come over to get her keys. I told the girl I wouldn’t be able to make it today, but tell her thanks so much for coming. She stands there smiling, and then I ask her her name. She responds with “ My name is Nicolette” She then stands there for a second longer and asks “ Please for some water” I say of course and she can come in. She looks up at the map and says to me “ I am not Guyanese, I am from Antigua.” You see that flag up to the left, that’s my countries flag. I giggle and say well do you know where Antigua is on the map, have you ever seen one of these maps? She says know, so I explain that it’s the worlds map and then point out the different continents, where I am from, where we are, and then show her exactly where she is from. Her eyes get big and and I can see her excitement. She tells me next year she is going to be baptized there, and this summer she is flying out. I tell her that’s happening fast, and she says yes. She came over here to spend time with her grandma after her grandpa passed away last year. This summer they are both flying back to Antigua. I say that’s very nice of her to come and stay with her Grandma for so long. And she said its easy, Grandma makes everything fun. Very fun. That made me smile so big, because I thought of my own Grandmother. She then asked if I had ever been to another Caribbean country and I said no I haven’t, but id love to go visit, especially Antigua. She looked at me with bright eyes and said very slowly, “ so you will come then, for a visit?” I looked at her and said id have to find out how much plane tickets cost, as well as maybe ask my own grandma to join us. Because I agree. Grandmas do make everything fun, very fun.
Flush it down the toilet
I am overwhelmed. I guess that’s nothing new…although it felt like it this week. So many things to be grateful for: Inclusion teacher training workshops were awesome, started cooking classes with the older students at my school and teachers mentioned they would be interested in having a cooking class too! , had a successful PTA meeting and parents are finally interested in having the support group !!!YAY! it will start in two weeks, led the first People with Disabilities Support group, my program manager came and was very encouraging, I got through with a proposal to teach an ASL course this summer, I got to spend time with kids that I love, I am finally getting things accomplished at my school…I got letters from my momma and dad! Jenny is coming in less than a month, Caterpillar is getting stronger, there were only 2 black outs..haha oh life, its just passing so fast, and really the only thing that is overwhelming me is my living situation.
This week I had someone over and I think they flushed something they shouldn’t have, so my toilet stopped working. Every time you went to flush it, it would fill all the way to the top and take hours to go back down. I had to bucket poop water for about 2 hours one day, just so it didn’t flood my house. After that I told my landlady, she said it was too late in the evening to get anyone, but she would ask a guy for a plunger the next day. The next day came (Wednesday) and I didn’t get home till 6 because of work and therapy. I asked her for the plunger and again she told me the same thing. On Thursday I got home from my workshop up the Corentyne and it still wasn’t working…I asked my landlady for the 3rd time and this time she told me that she wasn’t going to pay or help me or call a plumber, I needed to, then she walked away.
This was day 3 of pooping in plastic bags and peeing in my shower, and I just couldn’t believe how rude and unkind people could be, all because of money. I never really felt like such a burden to someone, and ive never really had someone be so bluntly mean to me.
I know its just a toilet, and its silly to even stress over something like that, especially after having to hear stories of struggles from so many people this week….i just don’t know…I guess I am tired of unkind people….and shitty situations(literally in my case)
Anywho I am lucky. I had one of my favorite teachers husband come over Friday morning and he fixed it in 2 hours( kinda) but then on Saturday it stopped working again, and so I had to go and talk with my landlady one more time. I brought one of my Guyanese friends with me this time, Terrianna. Its funny how here tone in voice automatically changed when she realized someone else was there and told me she could get someone to come, but it wouldn’t be until Thursday. I asker her what I was supposed to do and she just shrugged and started to ramble on and on about how she was just a woman and things cant change instantly..yada yada yada.. She also said that when a man was staying here he would fix his own toilet because she gave it to him in working condition and he should make sure it stays that way…and she wouldn’t ever have to deal with it. ...and that I should be lucky that I have someone who helps and aims to please me all the time and I wouldn’t get it so good in other places. I then said thank you, but I also needed to tell her that I felt like I am a burden to her and so I said that and if she wants me to move out I will gladly start looking for a different place. ( which would be silly because I pay her more than double any local would) She then started raising her voice, telling me she is vexed at me that I would even say that, telling me that she doesn’t like that on and on and on…so she basically was saying she is mad at me for feeling hurt in this situation. Oh man. I just don’t know what to do in this situation anymore. It’s not the end of the world, and I know that I am very lucky to have what I do have. I just hope it doesn’t take more weeks and more of my money that I don’t even make to fix this.
Peace Love and finding good in every situation because there is some.
This week I had someone over and I think they flushed something they shouldn’t have, so my toilet stopped working. Every time you went to flush it, it would fill all the way to the top and take hours to go back down. I had to bucket poop water for about 2 hours one day, just so it didn’t flood my house. After that I told my landlady, she said it was too late in the evening to get anyone, but she would ask a guy for a plunger the next day. The next day came (Wednesday) and I didn’t get home till 6 because of work and therapy. I asked her for the plunger and again she told me the same thing. On Thursday I got home from my workshop up the Corentyne and it still wasn’t working…I asked my landlady for the 3rd time and this time she told me that she wasn’t going to pay or help me or call a plumber, I needed to, then she walked away.
This was day 3 of pooping in plastic bags and peeing in my shower, and I just couldn’t believe how rude and unkind people could be, all because of money. I never really felt like such a burden to someone, and ive never really had someone be so bluntly mean to me.
I know its just a toilet, and its silly to even stress over something like that, especially after having to hear stories of struggles from so many people this week….i just don’t know…I guess I am tired of unkind people….and shitty situations(literally in my case)
Anywho I am lucky. I had one of my favorite teachers husband come over Friday morning and he fixed it in 2 hours( kinda) but then on Saturday it stopped working again, and so I had to go and talk with my landlady one more time. I brought one of my Guyanese friends with me this time, Terrianna. Its funny how here tone in voice automatically changed when she realized someone else was there and told me she could get someone to come, but it wouldn’t be until Thursday. I asker her what I was supposed to do and she just shrugged and started to ramble on and on about how she was just a woman and things cant change instantly..yada yada yada.. She also said that when a man was staying here he would fix his own toilet because she gave it to him in working condition and he should make sure it stays that way…and she wouldn’t ever have to deal with it. ...and that I should be lucky that I have someone who helps and aims to please me all the time and I wouldn’t get it so good in other places. I then said thank you, but I also needed to tell her that I felt like I am a burden to her and so I said that and if she wants me to move out I will gladly start looking for a different place. ( which would be silly because I pay her more than double any local would) She then started raising her voice, telling me she is vexed at me that I would even say that, telling me that she doesn’t like that on and on and on…so she basically was saying she is mad at me for feeling hurt in this situation. Oh man. I just don’t know what to do in this situation anymore. It’s not the end of the world, and I know that I am very lucky to have what I do have. I just hope it doesn’t take more weeks and more of my money that I don’t even make to fix this.
Peace Love and finding good in every situation because there is some.
Monday, May 9, 2011
Peace Love and Meaningful Moments
Five.
Carlon is 8 today. He is running around with his brother Linroy, and his friend Jaheim. He lives approximately 8 houses away from me and I see him atleast once a day. He is thoughtful, quiet, kind, and just like any other 8 year old, he likes to play. He easily plays the big brother roll, always sharing his sandwich, his banana, his coloring page, his pencil. If he has it, and you even hint at the fact that you’d like some or want to use it, he willingly gives it up, never asking for anything in return. Can you believe that? An 8 year old so selfless….i’ve never met a kid like him and with all our moments together I have become so grateful for this child. Today was his birthday. I didn’t know this until 4:30 p.m. He is running outside with a net fishing in the trench with his buddies. I yell happy birthday after his sister marvela told me. He said “thank you”. It was a simple exchange, yet a heartfelt smile went into it in both ends. I asked him what he got for his birthday. He said 500 Guyanese Dollars($2.50 US). I then asked if he spent it all already, and he said yes…I went and bought a drink for my family. This 8 year old child took his birthday present and decided to share it. If only every person viewed the world and celebrations like this, the world would be a much happier place. Happy Birthday Carl.
Six.
Sunday morning, Mothers day. The plan was to wake up at 4:30 am to start the nurses health walk at 5:00am. Well, I wake up, get ready…but there is a different plan in mind. We meet Mr. Hazel, the guy who told us about the walk in the first place. He is on the side of the road and waves for us to come over. He says that the walk isn’t organized enough….there isn’t water, so we are going to do some aerobics instead. Oh boy I thought. He has us running in a 15 foot space, back and forth, back and forth. I am getting dizzy around the 18th lap, and then he adds a new twist…have to bend down and touch our toes. We do this for literally 20 mins. This is located right off the main road, it’s a 50 year old man, and 3 white girls, maybe an 11 year old(his son) and his nephew who is 3. I don’t really understand what is going on, but we continue…and then after we are “warmed up” we jog on over to his place. He breaks out some music, and then the jumping, and punching and kicking and standing up crunches begin. He tells us he wants us to have a nice time….his 11 year old son is also video recording us for some weird reason. It wasn’t creepy..well maybe a little. But his wife came out and was doing it with us, so it didn’t feel as awkward. Here we are 3 Americans, at the bottom of this mans house at 5 am, dancing and laughing and in disbelief that this is really happening. It was one of my favorite moments here, a moment where you really just have to look around and say to yourself…yes, this is my life. I guess I know whats goin on at 5 in the morning when I hear the music play.
Seven
I was on my way to the grocery when I saw it. The smallest kitten, with the fiercest Meow. Maybe 2-3 weeks old, she was left on the side of the street without any of her sisters or brothers, and her mom wasn’t in sight. She was crawling on the ground…barely strong enough to move herself. I fell in love with her right there….right as I bent down and noticed she looked exactly like a caterpillar, only bigger. Pillar her name is. I am feeding her with a syringe. If she survives, I will call her butterfly. I hope I can nurture her in my cocoon.
Carlon is 8 today. He is running around with his brother Linroy, and his friend Jaheim. He lives approximately 8 houses away from me and I see him atleast once a day. He is thoughtful, quiet, kind, and just like any other 8 year old, he likes to play. He easily plays the big brother roll, always sharing his sandwich, his banana, his coloring page, his pencil. If he has it, and you even hint at the fact that you’d like some or want to use it, he willingly gives it up, never asking for anything in return. Can you believe that? An 8 year old so selfless….i’ve never met a kid like him and with all our moments together I have become so grateful for this child. Today was his birthday. I didn’t know this until 4:30 p.m. He is running outside with a net fishing in the trench with his buddies. I yell happy birthday after his sister marvela told me. He said “thank you”. It was a simple exchange, yet a heartfelt smile went into it in both ends. I asked him what he got for his birthday. He said 500 Guyanese Dollars($2.50 US). I then asked if he spent it all already, and he said yes…I went and bought a drink for my family. This 8 year old child took his birthday present and decided to share it. If only every person viewed the world and celebrations like this, the world would be a much happier place. Happy Birthday Carl.
Six.
Sunday morning, Mothers day. The plan was to wake up at 4:30 am to start the nurses health walk at 5:00am. Well, I wake up, get ready…but there is a different plan in mind. We meet Mr. Hazel, the guy who told us about the walk in the first place. He is on the side of the road and waves for us to come over. He says that the walk isn’t organized enough….there isn’t water, so we are going to do some aerobics instead. Oh boy I thought. He has us running in a 15 foot space, back and forth, back and forth. I am getting dizzy around the 18th lap, and then he adds a new twist…have to bend down and touch our toes. We do this for literally 20 mins. This is located right off the main road, it’s a 50 year old man, and 3 white girls, maybe an 11 year old(his son) and his nephew who is 3. I don’t really understand what is going on, but we continue…and then after we are “warmed up” we jog on over to his place. He breaks out some music, and then the jumping, and punching and kicking and standing up crunches begin. He tells us he wants us to have a nice time….his 11 year old son is also video recording us for some weird reason. It wasn’t creepy..well maybe a little. But his wife came out and was doing it with us, so it didn’t feel as awkward. Here we are 3 Americans, at the bottom of this mans house at 5 am, dancing and laughing and in disbelief that this is really happening. It was one of my favorite moments here, a moment where you really just have to look around and say to yourself…yes, this is my life. I guess I know whats goin on at 5 in the morning when I hear the music play.
Seven
I was on my way to the grocery when I saw it. The smallest kitten, with the fiercest Meow. Maybe 2-3 weeks old, she was left on the side of the street without any of her sisters or brothers, and her mom wasn’t in sight. She was crawling on the ground…barely strong enough to move herself. I fell in love with her right there….right as I bent down and noticed she looked exactly like a caterpillar, only bigger. Pillar her name is. I am feeding her with a syringe. If she survives, I will call her butterfly. I hope I can nurture her in my cocoon.
Peace Love and Meaningful Moments
Four.
The night was stealing sleep from my body, as I woke up in a bed, In one piece, in good health, with my friends and family in my thoughts and prayers. The air was warm, the breeze was light. There was no sound in the air except for animals, and a rooster that was crowing at 4:30 a.m.(roosters in Guyana have to be the dumbest animals ever) anywho. I was awake, it was early morning and I wanted to see the morning sunrise. I got out of bed, brushed my teeth, and put my hair up in a nubkin pony tail because I only have 5 pieces and headed out the door in flip flops and pjs. I get to my gate and unlock it and step outside. To my surprise I look over to my right and meet the gaze of 3 men, my neighbors. They are sitting outside, in silence. I approach them with a bit of a hesitant goodmorning. They respond with smiles and morning as well, and asked me what I was doing out so early. I responded with I wanted to see the sunrise and then asked them the same. They told me that they get up every morning at 3:3o or so and come out there and sit with eachother. Sometimes they talk, sometimes they are silent, but mostly they are there to enjoy eachothers company and bring in the new day with eachother. What a brilliant idea I thought. Its hard enough for me to get out of bed at 6, but they find it easy, because they enjoy those moments when they first get up and know exactly who they are going to start the day with and when. I love that idea, and believe each of us should have moments that start are day on the right foot. Just maybe not at 3:30 a.m.
The night was stealing sleep from my body, as I woke up in a bed, In one piece, in good health, with my friends and family in my thoughts and prayers. The air was warm, the breeze was light. There was no sound in the air except for animals, and a rooster that was crowing at 4:30 a.m.(roosters in Guyana have to be the dumbest animals ever) anywho. I was awake, it was early morning and I wanted to see the morning sunrise. I got out of bed, brushed my teeth, and put my hair up in a nubkin pony tail because I only have 5 pieces and headed out the door in flip flops and pjs. I get to my gate and unlock it and step outside. To my surprise I look over to my right and meet the gaze of 3 men, my neighbors. They are sitting outside, in silence. I approach them with a bit of a hesitant goodmorning. They respond with smiles and morning as well, and asked me what I was doing out so early. I responded with I wanted to see the sunrise and then asked them the same. They told me that they get up every morning at 3:3o or so and come out there and sit with eachother. Sometimes they talk, sometimes they are silent, but mostly they are there to enjoy eachothers company and bring in the new day with eachother. What a brilliant idea I thought. Its hard enough for me to get out of bed at 6, but they find it easy, because they enjoy those moments when they first get up and know exactly who they are going to start the day with and when. I love that idea, and believe each of us should have moments that start are day on the right foot. Just maybe not at 3:30 a.m.
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