Leaving for Georgetown

Thursday, July 8, 2010: Day 152

Things We Did the Day Before We Left for Georgetown:
1. radioed friends in another village because we accidentaly received some of their mail
2. stopped by the headmistress' office to get some paperwork
3. took photos for a report we have to turn into the Peace Corps
4. fetched manure from Granny Teresa's house, and got to watch her grate cassava
5. finalized our list of errands to run and things to get in Georgetown (LONG list)
6. stop by Auntie Olga's house
7. get some last minute goods at Uncle Harry's, where I got to pet a cow! (Daisy - so sweet!)
8. clean up the house
9. pack
10. weed and put the manure on the plants

 The Miracle That Happened the Same Day:
1. We got water!  It started running from our pipe for the first time since Mother's Day!  Wahoo!

Two Good Meetings

Tuesday, July 6, 2010: Day 150

We woke up prepared for a council meeting that we weren't even sure would happen only to find out there is a council meeting AND a school staff meeting.  We headed over to the school first for the staff meeting.  There is quite a shortage of teachers, which was addressed but not solved, because there isn't really an easy answer.  Paul got a chance to talk again about his desire to work on agriculture, nutrition, and basic health.  I asked about some teacher training topics I could start working on during the summer.

Next was the village council meeting.  We were very thankful to be able to talk with them before heading to Georgetown for our 3 Month Reconnect  Our goal was achieved.  We went through our entire needs assessment from beginning to end.  Six councilors and the captain showed up, and while that may be only half the roster, it was enough.  We started with an icebreaker to get to know the council members and what they love about our village.  We gave them some more information about the Peace Corps - where we're from, how we're different from other volunteer organizations, and the three goals of Peace Corps (1. To help the community use the strengths and manpower they have to meet their needs, 2. Share the U.S. culture with the Guyanese, and 3. Share the Guyanese culture with the U.S. - which is what I'm doing right now).

We made posters for all of these to help reiterate the idea of sustainable development.  We showed them some of the observations we've made so far, the list of needs we were told our village had when we chose to come to it, and got their list of strengths and needs while also giving our own ideas.  We then presented our list of ways we think we can be used, focusing on those strengths and needs.  Paul's list and my own were accepted and encouraged by the council.

To see our list, see here: http://quinlivanadventures.blogspot.com/2010/07/next-steps.html

We reminded them that we really do need the support of the village and council for these things to be both successful and sustainable.  I'm sure that the list will shrink and grow as time goes on, but it is our plan for now.  Wish us luck, success, patience, and support. :)

view from our garden

The blue roofed builing is part of the health center.

More of the village.

We Were Running Late & It Wasn't My Fault

Sunday, July 4, 2010: Day 148

We tried all morning to make it to church without success.  Just as we were finishing making our Sunday morning ritual/treat of pancakes, Auntie Olga came by to tell us that a man from the Ministry of Youth was in the village and that we should meet him.  As she left, another one of our neighbors came by with three banana trees and one plantain tree for us to plant in our garden.  He'd already been by once that morning.  Then he called us over because water was coming through his pipe, so we filled our buckets.  My elbows hurt too much after two loads, so Paul had to do the last one himself - poor guy.  By this point church was over.

We ate our breakfast, then headed over toward Auntie Barbara's house, only to find out she was at Auntie Cleonise's house, so we went there to gaff a bit (gaff = to chat/talk/hang out).  Then to Auntie Barbara's where I finally met their ADORABLE and fluffy puppy named Buffalo Soldier, because he's round and fluffy like a buffalo.  We saw her house and had a bit of a chance to see her home and get some tips on how we can add on to ours.  She has a fireside oven made out of mud.  Their walls are smoothed which is something else we want to do.  There are some really incredible people in our village that want to help us as well.  Hopefully we'll have our house visitor ready soon! :)

Little Isabel coloring.  The kids LOVE to color.

She threw a temper tantrum when her aunt came to pick her up.

She did NOT want to leave.

Graduation

Friday, July 2, 2010: Day 146

Today was the first graduation ceremony our village has had.  The sixth graders are moving from primary to secondary school, and the nursery school students are moving up to primary school.  The teachers and headmistress ran around all morning, finishing up paperwork and preparing for the graduation ceremony.  We walked over to the school around 1:00 PM when the ceremony was supposed to start and were amazed by all the people there, even in the pouring rain.  Naturally, the ceremony didn't start until later.  That's just Guyanese time.

some of those cute little nursery kids

the view inside the school

The kids looked so cute in their gowns and hats.  They were so excited to be graduating, as well as to be a part of the first graduation ceremony.  It went fairly well for the last minute organization and the fact that they'd never put on a graduation ceremony before.  Paul was asked to speak and he did a great job talking about how it takes a village to raise a child.  We grabbed some really cute photos, then had several families ask us to take pictures of them with their kids as well, so proud of them for what they'd done.

the sixth graders graduating

our favorite shot of the day

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LEANNA!

Happy Birthday Dear Friend!

I wish I was there to CELEBRATE with you!

ENJOY your day and just be thankful you get to celebrate another year! It only happens once!

(I cut out the video where Paul literally licked my ear...yeah...your welcome)

Organization: My Other Love

Thursday, July 1, 2010

Every morning when I get up, I open the windows and say, "Good Morning!" to Sharlee.  She's a funny dog.  Usually she'll stay in bed until we're making breakfast, when she comes around for any drops of food.  This could be because she's very pregnant.  Anyway, this morning she was out of bed as soon as I got up.  I found it strange until I went into the room she sleeps in only to find 2 DEAD mice!  Ack!  I'm not sure if Sharlee hunted them down or if they died after Paul sprayed Baygon (again, magical bug killing spray), but they were dead.  I cleaned that room up fast.

I've spent the past two days of school cleaning out what I think was a storage room.  My hope is to use it next year for holding remedial skill small groups, but that goal seems far away when you're knee deep in boxes filled with paper, some useless and some uselful, some very old and some new, and some home to cocroaches while others support an entire silverfish community.  I'll get there though.

I took it upon myself to clear out the three rooms being used for storage because I found they're full of great resoures that aren't being used, and no one else has the time to organize them or save them from the silverfish!  So, it's another summer project for me.  Many of the resources are teacher and student texts that were either donated by a European nation or a library discard, and no one was shown how to use them.  That's where I come in.  I've already thrown out boxes of old papers and books with half their contents missing, mainly because the silverfish got to them.  If I can work on it more this summer, I can weed out some of the materials that are no longer in usable condition, that are completely irrelevant, as well as move some of the books to the Resource Center.

This is pregnant Sharlee.  We've already asked to have one of her puppies. 

Fingers crossed, we'll have a puppy by the end of August.

Just Another Woman

Wednesday, June 30, 2010: Day 144

I had completely forgotten about the women's group when Isabel, Auntie Olga's granddaughter, came to fetch me.  I couldn't believe I'd forgotten.  Three women came this week, and they all caught the hang of the x-stitch.  Very exciting indeed.

I really enjoy myself when I'm there.  I'm not the one with the knowledge.  I'm not the volunteer there to show something, comment on something, or help improve something.  I'm just another woman there ready to learn to sew.  There's no pressure to perform - just to relax and talk.  I get to learn a few things in the process.

I like just being another woman once in awhile.

the view from our front door

this house may be a little run down and creepy, but it makes for beautiful photos

Sharlee the Mouse Catcher

Tuesday, June 29, 2010: Day 143

I've already bathed.  I'm in my pajamas, enjoying one of my favorite parts of the day - reading under the comfort of our mosquito net.  Paul is taking his own bucket bath but he hasn't taken out enough water (see previous post titled, "Paul is high maintenance").  He calls for me to bring out another half of a bucket.  I get out of bed, out from under the comfort of the mosquito net, in my pajamas, to get him more water.

Thankfully, my headlamp was on my head, because behind the bucket of water I saw a tail.  A few weeks ago I'd seen a fat, brown mouse  run up our wall into the thatched roofing.  We'd bought a sticky mouse trap in Georgetown only there'd been no trace of a mouse since, until two days ago when I found a mouse turd inches from my Bible and only TWO INCHES from where we eat.  Yuck.  I really wanted to catch that fat, brown mouse and didn't care what fate it saw.

This mouse, however, was small and gray and cute, with tiny black eyes with fear written in them.  Paul had to come in, all soapy, to assist.  Armed each with a headlamp and cutlass, we tried to coax it onto the sticky paper.  I call out, "Sharlee!"  She did not disappoint.

Moments after Paul and I attempted to get the mouse onto the trap as it ran up the wall and along the sideboards, it found its way under the door.  I pulled it open only to see a frightened little furball with tiny black eyes standing in shock, not knowing what to do with its freedom.  That's when Sharlee ran forward and pulled it into her mouth.  She went running as we heard a few, "Squeak! Squeaks!" and then nothing.  Poor little helpless fuzzy gray mouse with tiny black eyes.  If I had a terrarium I would have kept it, but it just couldn't be roaming the house.

This is Sharlee

Mole Is Not a Mexican Dish

Saturday, June 26, 2010: Day 140

We decided to take advantage of the absolutely gorgeous weather to get out of the house.  We took a hike to Granny Adela's house to get manure, also known as mole, for our garden.  The weather kept up for us which we were thankful for.  Rain would just wash off the insect repellent, leaving us unarmed against the mosquitos and kabura flies.

We headed down toward the river, Sharlee (the dog that adopted us) close behind.  We hit a swampy area first, which Sharlee promptly jumped into and began swimming in, doing her little doggy circles as she lapped up water.  The water had lily pads in it, and though not the giant ones that exist in some parts of Guyana, they were beautiful.  Something about them is very peaceful.  They just rest on the surface.  I always feel the urge to try and walk on them, even though I know that wouldn't work, unless I was a mythical fairy or a frogs.  I've grown accustomed to seeing the brown water in the rivers and creeks, and even that looks beautiful.

Granny Adela wasn't home, but we grabbed what we could from the corral.  Paul showed me around, as he had been there the other day to watch a slaughter.  He showed me the spot outside of the corral where they do the slaughtering and cleaning, and then pointed out the giant pile of junk they clean from the intestines.  Paul had a hard time eating beef after watching the slaughter.  I did too after hearing about it.

Down to the creek for laundry and bathing.  Good ending to the day.

This is little Isabel.  She's adorable.  She was helping Paul carry wood for our fence.

This is our view walking down to the river.

Cross Stitch and Clothespins

Wednesday, June 23, 2010: Day 137

Auntie Olga started a sewing group.  She pulled out her embroidery materials, two other women came, and we made "x" stitches.  I'm hopeful that this group continues and that more women with skills start coming.  It's difficult for women to get away from the house as often they are the only ones home to take care of kids.

After sewing group I came home to a house full with six kids coloring, and Paul all by himself with them.  His next way to keep them occupied was with a clothespin war, six against one.  Paul lost.  Back inside, Lisa tattles.  Apparently Paul let Claudius swing from a beam in our house, and he almost kicked things down from the kitchen table.  :)

Blue Rasberry Jolly Ranchers

Tuesday, June 22, 2010: Day 136

Lisa and Marlon came over this afternoon.  I gave them each a blue rasberry Jolly Rancher which did what blue rasberry Jolly Ranchers do best - turned our tongues blue.

Marlon loves his yoga now.  He pulled out the mat and book and proclaimed, "I need to do my exercises."  Lisa showed me how to cut pumpkin as I definitely struggle.  She's much faster that I am, and neater too.  Cutting up pumpkin is not like carving a jack-o-lantern.  This is different.  You have to get the rind off.  Not easy, but the results are too delicious.

Oh, and the kids have discovered my coloring books with a passion.  New rule: one coloring page per day.  Miss Alyssa won't have any more books left!

Alyssa still can't get anywhere on time

Why? Because she is doing her hair. You would think that when you don't have as much hair as a few months ago that it would take you a shorter amount of time to get ready but no! No matter how Alyssa tries to portray the situation she is still more high maintenance than I am.

Paul is High Maintenance

It's official.  Paul is more high maintenance than I am!  When I take my bucket bath, even if I'm shampooing and conditioning my hair, I use half a bucket of water.  Paul uses an entire bucket, and he doesn't even use conditioner!

Just thought I'd share.  Try bathing with half a bucket of water sometime.  It's amazing to realize how little water you actually need to get clean.

This is the benab in our village.  It's a central meeiing place for market and celebrations.

Just another picture of some beautiful mountains in our village

Some families live in a compound here amidst the trees and by the river.

Gardening 101

Monday, June 21, 2010: Day 135

I've found that I really enjoy gardening.  I destress as soon as I walk out back, multitool in hand.  It really does make me happy.  My mom and Paul's mom sent us some seeds, and I went to work.  I weeded a bit, transplanted the green peppers, put my herb seeds into containers to start growing, and decided to keep going.  I planted zuccini, four types of squash, cucumbers, spinach, lettuce, and more pumpkin.  I put sunflower seeds inside the fenced area for fear the donkeys will eat the petals before my sunflowers grow to their full height.

My mom sent me a book on growing vegetables, and I've already read it cover to cover.  I think I found a new passion.

Paul working on the garden before we had it going.

This is more or less what it looked like mid-July.

baby cassava

Father's Day Celebrations

Sunday, June 20, 2010: Day 134

Lisa and Marlon attend the Wesleyan church in the village, and we had asked if we could go with them as it's the one church in the village we haven't been to yet.  They came by nice and early, ready to go.  It took about thirty minutes to get there as the road was flooded in places and the kids kept stopping to try and catch fish in the ditches.  There is a man in the church that plays the accordion!  We may not have electricity, running water, or cheese, but we have an accordion. 

We stuck around after the service for the Father's Day lunch celebration.  A cow had been slaughtered just for the occasion, which Paul got to see a few days earlier, and we were fed seasoned beef, soft beef, beef on a stick (like smoked jerky - delicious!), cassava bread, rice, pumpkin stew, and sweet caseeri (juice made from cassava and red potatoes that will ferment if left for a few days).  Every time our plate had a space, more food was put on it.  It was wonderful; we really felt included and welcome, which has been a long time coming.  Men were laughing, women were serving food and nursing babies, and children were playing and feasting as well.  We connected with the people and were able to relax a bit, not feeling so much pressure to start a conversation. 

I'm always amazed by Paul and how well he connects with people.  I'm better with kids.

The Amerinidans use giant calabashes, which are gourds, to hold drinks.  They take off the top and put in a cap, then fill the calabash with enough caseeri to fill a bucket.  We drank some of the caseeri, which had not yet fermented, as did Lisa and Marlon.  As we were getting ready to walk back, Marlon turns to Paul and says, "Mr. Paul?  I'm drunk."  We couldn't help but giggle.  Marlon turned to me and said, "I go home drunk and sleep in me bed."  Such a cutie.  Oh, and he was not drunk, unless there was some fermentation in there we couldn't taste.

In the early evening we headed over to the benab to see the festivities.  Apparently Father's Day is a much bigger celebration than Mother's Day.  There was dancing, and more people turned out than what we'd seen before.  Even the youths were out.  We made the rounds and said hello, then headed up the hill next to the benab to visit Paul's co-worker and his wife.  Eddie had made Paul a matapee, which is a long tube made out of some variation of straw, used to drain cassava.  The women here use matapees that go from floor to ceiling, but this one is only about two feet long.  Eddie knows how to make many different Amerindian crafts and wants the youth to learn how to as well, before they lose the traditions.  Norma, Eddie's wife, said she'll show me how to the matapee it when our cassava is ready.  Right now our cassava is in the baby stage - only about a foot tall.  It needs to grow several more feet first, but I'm looking forward to learning.

This chicken hangs out around the school.  It looks like it's wearing pants.

Chigger Chigger Bo Bigger

Friday, June 18, 2010: Day 132

I was lounging in my hammock, minding my own business when I felt pain like a splinter on the bottom of my foot.  I pulled my big toe up to my face only to discover my very first chigger!  Now that's one for a baby book.  It may sound exciting, but it's not.  That thing hurt to dig out - oh my goodness how it hurt.  I had to have Paul pick it out for me because I became too grossed out when the egg sack started coming out.  Two years in dermatology and I can't even pick a chigger out of my own foot.  What a wimp.  He had to dig for the black part, and it hurt so bad I flung my arm and hit him in the face.

Poor Paul.  He married a complete clutz.

Here are some more pictures from the "flying peanuts" that we talked about in a previous post.

Lisa and Marlon knocking them down with sticks

the pile the kiddos collected