I apologize for not writing as frequently as I had the first academic semester, but I've been exploring away with some very amazing people who have brought me to beautiful places outside of Georgetown. Of course with each adventure, I'm always in a search for mangos and trees to climb. I still have yet to climb a coconut tree as I'm pretty afraid of how to come down the tree if I am able to climb it.
Anyways, since my last post I've been going to areas just around Georgetown. Even right outside of Georgetown the land becomes more beautiful! This picture below was taken at a nursery (and home) owned by a guy named Hans. He has excellent trees for hanging.
I've gotten to be very good friends with another Peace Corps Response Volunteer, Ramona, who has recently finished her service here in Guyana. One of her last days in Georgetown we went back to the manatee pond! These manatees will make any cloudy day bright and sunny :)
I think this was a baby manatee- very friendly.
In the crowds
No where to sit- not that you'd want to sit anyway!
Face painted the Guyana flag on her face.
Flag raised!
In March, I started hanging out on the weekends with a wonderful couple, Simone and Derek, who have graciously taken me and Andrea along on their weekend excursions. Most often we visit different farms, and their own farm that they're developing in Hope Estates.
Beautiful
Stir apple. Sticky, sweet goodness!
For the love of goats!
Boat full of plantains
Ladies of one of the weekend excursions up toward Parika.
Tree found off the beach in Parika.
On another weekend excursion, Andrea and I helped Derek and Simone on their own farm in Hope Estates. We helped cut down dead branches of coconut trees and set fire to piles of dead leaves and branches.
First time using a machete!
Found baby doves in a nest.
Found a natural luffa..or as some people in the market call them sexy sponges.
Stopping for a mango snack of course!
A ditch filled with lots of hot peppers!
Derek and Simone's pup, Max joining us on one of the farm excursions!
So besides exploring Guyana and working at the university, I've been trying to educate others in different regions in different areas of speech and language. I had done an inservice with the Ministry of Health in Georgetown. At the inservice I discussed voice disorders, swallowing disorders and dyslexia with rehab aids that have traveled from their regions into Georgetown for the weekend. I had another opportunity to discuss dyslexia at a school in New Amsterdam where another Peace Corps Volunteer works, Patty Ryan. This isn't a picture of one of her classrooms, but rather at the School of Nations. I found the classrooms in this school unusual. It was a big warehouse that was divided into classrooms by chalkboards. If it were me, I could not concentrate in school with that much distraction around.
This was a second grade classroom.
While in New Amsterdam, I stayed with a friend who's grandmother showed me how to make pholourie, spiced dough balls made from chickpeas, flour water and spices. It's a snack served with sour.
Fry 'em up!
Andrea's mom came to visit for a weekend. I went with them on a short flight to Kaieteur Falls. It's the world's widest single drop waterfall. It's beautiful!
Airplane ride!
View from the airplane!
Silliness
There are these tiny golden frogs living hiding in the leaves. They're like the size of my thumb nail.
So peaceful.
My most recent trip was last weekend up to Region 1, Mabaruma with Derek, Simone and Daniela. I spent Phagwah and Easter weekend there.
Beautiful hills and valleys.
Dock, filling up fuel barrels
Aftermath of Phagwah. Phagwah is a Hindu holiday also called the festival of colors or festival of sharing love. This is a tradition where people dress in white and throw colored powder and water at each other.
Poor sloth caught and caged on the dock.
Boys getting a haircut.
Boy getting ready for Easter monday and kite flying! That kite was huge!
Her name is June, and in the picture to the right she is making cross buns for Easter. She is one of the bakers at Silver Queens Bakery in Mabaruma. It was started with the help of Peace Corps in 2011, and continues until this day :)
River turtle caught, and will probably be eaten...
Visited an amerindian house. She was in the process of making pepper pot.
This is her parrot just hanging..
Daniela enjoying the beautiful scenery of Mabaruma
Rock formation called Kissing Rocks. Owned by the fella pictured below making cross buns for Easter in his outdoor oven.
To show how big the kissing rocks really are. This boy is walking through them.
We were lucky enough to spot howler monkeys eating fruit in trees at Hosororo Falls.
It's really hard to see out of this window.
We took a speedboat up to Shell Beach. It's a 35 minute ride. Beautiful warm water. I do miss the beach!
Daniela and I are enjoying that nice water!
Found a tractor to climb on
We went on a hike around Hosororo Hills and came across this beautiful snake.
The boys that joined us on our hike.
Pumping gas!
Came across an amerindian family fishing in the canals with a net.
I was lucky to be co-pilot on the flight back from Mabaruma to Georgetown!
View of Georgetown from the airplane.
Easter Monday, I went over to my Chinese Guyanese dad's house for some crab curry! It was delicious!
Neil, my Chinese Guyanese dad
Crab in Mabaruma to crab curry Easter monday!
He also has baby turtles :)
Easter Monday is known as kite flying day too. There were all these wonderful kites in the air. It was hard to get a good picture of what it looked it...but here's a clip
Random photo..I saw this woman walking around downtown Georgetown. I thought she was just so beautiful and elegant with the ability to balance a basket of mangos and other fruit on her head.
Well, that's it for now. More farming and weekend excursion adventures to come!
