Rainbow Fish

You know its going to be a good day when you wake up and immediately start filling water balloons. This good day happened to be last Sunday for PHAGWAH!!! Phagwah is a Hindu holiday that is celebrated to show “ your blood is my blood and lets share with each other”. People play with powder that is like colored baby powder and water filled with dye to color your skin and clothes with the meaning. If you stand outside you will see the brightest colors all over people, as well as water dripping off of them non-stop.

Last year I was in Georgetown playing with the President…this year I got to be with all my favorite kiddos! The city water comes on in the morning and then again at 12..so this is the time that most of the watering begins. I answered the door to water guns and kids who drenched. I tried to avoid getting soaked as long as I could, but at some point in the morning I had to walk down the street to see some friends.. As it turns out there is no way to avoid buckets of water with 16 children just waiting for you to leave your home. I think it’s one of the funniest feelings you can have; walking down the road as children come running at you with water and dye!
Even though I was soaked, I officially started playing at 12 when the water came back on. Throwing colored powder, smooshing it in peoples hair, taking buckets and washtubs and pitchers full of water and blasting it at children…and they did not hold back. It was the biggest and longest water/powder fight…. this year though I didn’t come out like rainbow fish!!!
If you’ve never had a big water fight with children, plan one. There is nothing like it in the worllllllld.


Peace, Love and Phagwah!

The BUSH!!

Well hello there tarantulas....could there be more of you in one spot?!?

After driving through 3-4 feet of mud on a 4 wheeler for an hour, you land in the bush!!
I went in for training the remote newbies! I was always told that Amerindians are quiet people, and was kinda fearful of going there and being tooooo loud, just cuz, well you know me. but man did i feel at home. I never wanted to leave the shower outside, peeing outside, 6-10pm electricity even! The people were so welcoming!!

Bathing in the black water, doing the dishes down by the stream, oh the simple life...i just wanted to learn how to fish with a bow and arrow!!!

I ran in the mornings barefoot too!! Can you imagine, hard to soft sand, not a thing in the distance and the only sounds you hear are your own breathing and thudding of the feet!!!?!?!? ohhhhhhh man, how does life get better than that?!

But ultimately I had to go back to my own "home", and the kids make it easy to be here. Lots of rain, play and coloring on Saturday with my "crew" = 6 kids under 11. Love it, love them.

Miss the Bush already...but am happy to be home and busy busy busy with work!


Peace Love and BUShyyyyyynesss

This Past Week

OWOWOOWOWOW

MASHRAMANI!!! = dirty booty dancing in the streets , lots of broken beer bottles on the ground, and a parade!!!

Fun to see all of New Amsterdam out on the main road. Lots of people, lots of things to do, even a few activities (swings and trampolines) were available for children to play in!! It was the second one I have celebrated in country…I am starting to feel Guyanese, even though my Sconnie accent denies that from ever happening!

I will have my first article published this month! It will be a series in the Stabroek Newspaper, which should be found online too, about Parents getting involved in their childrens education!!!

Ill post it up online when I can!!! Happy Happy Happy MARCH!!!

Peace, love and journalism?!

Old NEws

The Newbies are here!! Guy 23 came in last Tuesday and I was lucky enough to be part of the Welcoming committee!! I was with them all week, talking with them, listening to them and feeding off their excitement. So many questions, and time will answer most of them! It feels good and weird to be old news, its crazy how far you can come in a year!!

...oh and whoaaa rainy season. I got back to work at the school and turned around after 5 steps in thigh high water. Yuck!!! YOu dont even want to know what was floating in there. Day two of school closed because of flooding! But there was still a little sun that came out for Shemars Birthday party!! Pineapple cake, colored sand art and snakes and latters!! = So mucho fuN!!! :)




Tomorrow is Mashramani!!! Hopefully there is more glitter, spandex and giant penis floats cruizing the streets!!!


Peace LOve and RAIN RAIN RAIN!!

Wait...can you... Slow DOWN?!?!

After 2 hours waiting in line at the emergency room with number 78, I finally made it with my student to get her leg looked at( seems as if child abuse was taken a little too far this time and now the lashing cut left a hefty leg wound that got infected) Bullshit.

Ive spent more time in child protection services this week than Id care to admit. When really the focus of my next project is just trying to get parents involved in their childs education, maybe I should also focus on how not to beat them.

Meh, enough about that, lets focus on the great things. Have I told you how great the last workshop was? Oh man, there is nothing like working with enthusiastic teachers and teaching them how to be even better! I love that part of my job as well as the school visits! ( the writing of the modules, grading and money crap not so much) but gosh is the “Inclusion” fever hitting Guyana. Lots of great feedback from the HMs at schools, the teachers themselves, and the students!(which is the most important part!)

I’ve been tutoring some neighborhood kids after school…gosh they are funny. Kevaun, Pikachu(Marvela) Shemar, Richard and Natasha. Some of the best and funniest kids. Kevaun and Shemar like to walk me home and yell “She don’t wantchu!” at all the men that try to holler. Next Friday is Shemars birthday so we are going to have party= me making chocolate cake and kids running around mi casa! ( I might secretly break out waterballoons, we’ll see!)

I was invited to a Grade one and two meeting today for parents. Im trying to advocate for parent teachers conferences in the school as well as just do basic discussion about the importance of being involved in all aspects of a childs life. I talked about the importance of nutrition and knowing the childs teacher (and opening up communication with him/her) It was a good first meeting at NA primary. And I got approached by a family on the way out to who would love to get some help with their child who was pulled from mainstream school because of her learning differences. OWOWO good day, lots was accomplished, lots more to be done.

Early in the morning, dawn of new day, new hopes, new dreams, new ways, open up my eyes and open up my mind and I wonder how life wil surprise me today….ITS A BEAUTIFUL DAY!!


Peace Love and the happiness of busy-ness.

if you are happy and you know!!! THEN SHOW IT!!!

It was a year ago today that I said goodbye and left my amazing family for an unknown journey. And as much as I miss them, I truly believe I am exactly where I need to be. Exactly where I should be at this point in my life. Learning, Loving, and Laughing.




Peace Love and another year!