Moraikobai

Well we are back from our weekend escape to the interior and it was AMAZING. We started our trip by going down the beautiful Mahaicony river in two speed boats watching the jungle fly by. 2 hours later we were in the village greated by friendly faces and food. Over the next two days we got to swim in the river, walk through the village, and interact with the amazing Amerindian people. We learned how to properly cannonball off the rivers edge and some even dared to jump from the trees. We found out how to cook cassava properly which is a local root vegetable that is used for a variety of delicious purposes. I even got the honor to carry the cassava by a basket strapped to my head. Needless to say my neck was a bit sore. We also got to buy and marvel at the amazing baskets and goods made by some of the Amerindian women. That same day we took a nature walk with Andrea's father Kenrick through the village and surrounding fields. Soft spoken and fascinating, Kenrick was a man in his element. He enjoyed sharing his stories and wisdom with the group all the time rocking a black fedora. At night we enjoyed the cool breeze and amazing view of the night sky. After a night of bug nets we woke up to a chorus of roosters for a morning swim. The kids mistook me for a tree and decided all six would try to climb me in the water at once. The kids were great and were very at home in the forest and river. It was really cool to see the differences between life in the interior vs. Georgetown. Time almost ceases to exist out there which was fine by us. The simplicity and beauty of the village was amazing with palm trees and greenery as far as the eye could see. After an outdoor dinner feast, we had a bonfire on the cricket field with the kids, sitting around enjoying good company and the great weather. As usual, this morning was full of hard goodbyes and fond memories had by all. While it was a short trip it made a big impact. It showed another perspective of Guyana that we hadn't yet experienced and was just one more place I hope to visit again. There is a legend that anyone who drinks water from the creek always returns to Moraikobi. Thankfully, I didn't need to drink the water to realize I want to return one day. On the boat ride back we all reminisced about our trip enjoying the views once more. I also lost my hat (RIP stinky ass vineyard vines hat, you will be missed). I like to think that if there is any place I would like to leave part of me behind it would be on that beautiful river. 

-Andrew

To the Interior

Hi all! After another exciting and exhausting visit to the Convalescent Home, we shuffled our bodies back into the the bus and headed home for lunch. We gathered around for our daily lunch and nap time. We decided today to stay in for the afternoon as we are all mentally and physically exhausted from our visits over the past week. It was definitely much needed and appreciated!

Tomorrow we are headed into the interior which we are super excited about. Right now we're all packing for our three days in the interior. But since no one has told us exactly what we're doing in the interior we have to pack off their recommendations. All we really know is that we will take about an hour ride to the port and then a 2 and 1/2 hour boat ride! We won't be posting for a couple days until we get back from our adventure. Some people will post when we get back on Monday to tell everyone about the awesome things we did. I do believe we are getting up at 430 am so I am excited to say I'll get to see my first sunrise and I couldn't be happier to be with this group of people when I do! The house is quiet and people are trickling off to bed so I'm going to follow suit. Goodnight!

Love,

Casey :)

Convalescent Home Round 2

This morning we went to visit our friends at the convalescent home.  When we arrived we split into two groups: half of the group spent time with the preschool aged children, while myself and the others went upstairs to spend time with the babies and children with special needs. Since it was our second time visiting we had a better idea of what to expect from the children and caretakers. Even with this experience though, it was still difficult at times to imagine that this is the childrens' everyday life. Today I had the opportunity to hold a one month old baby girl. She was so little and sweet it's hard to imagine that the only guidance she will have in her life will not come from her parents, but from a rotating staff of workers who are probably busy with children and a life of their own. My favorite part of the day was spending time with an eight year old boy named David. During our last visit, Amanda and I had a dance party with him. I was worried that he would not remember us, but when we walked into his room his face lit up. It was a great morning! 

love, 

Ibby 

Off to see the babies. More later. Everything's great! 

Love from everyone! :)

Casey

Palms and Upscale

     As I sit down to write there is a steady rain outside, reggae and crackly voices blare from the stereo, and the promise of another one of Anthony's delicious pastries sits next to me. Just another morning in paradise.
     Yesterday began with another trip to the palms (the public geriatric facility). It was our third visit, and like the previous two we were greeted outside by George W. Once inside we distributed some soaps and toothbrushes to the residents. It being our third visit, I found myself falling into a routine. There are about five spots in the home that I make sure to visit each time we go. Most of the residents  can be found sitting in the same locations every day; the second story walkway next to ward two, the bottom of the stairs underthe overhang, the bed in the corner of the room on the first foot of ward two. A certain realization sets in for me; that these spots, these chairs, theses scenes they stare out at day in and day out are their only reality and will continue to be their only reality until the day they die. The same thing every day. Except for the days that we visit. Upon visiting my spots I see faces light up. Even residents who were seemingly unresponsive the first couple times around, residents whom I may have only shaken hands with while passing by lift their heads, smile a toothless smile, and raise their hand to me even before I could reach them. I could tell that in that brief moment their spirits were lifted and that makes the visits worth it for us, and for them.
     In the afternoon the group split up for the first time. The girls went to St. Anne's girls orphanage and the boys went to Bosco boys orphanage. At Bosco the boys ran up and high fived us even before the bus came to a stop, you could tell they were excited to see their friends again. We played soccer in the mud, tag on the playscape, and we even got to listen to the kids play the steel drums in their group. All in all a fun, all be it short afternoon.

     The reason I'm just getting around to posting this now instead of last night is because last night we went out to dinner for the first time. Once we were reunited everyone washed up, put on their best dress (which varied greatly) and hopped in taxis headed for downtown. We went to a place called 'upscale'. The decore was brightly colored, there were pool tables at the far end of the room, and a group of locals slamming down dominoes at a table. I ended up getting a ginger beef dish which wasn't half bad (I still think Anthony's cooking is better) and we were even able to catch some of the NBA finals at the bar!

    The rain seems to be dying down now and this pastry sitting next to me is smelling really good so I have to sign off. looking forward to heading into the rainforest on Saturday!

lots of love from Georgetown,

Dylan

Day 7

Hello Everyone!

        We had a great time today. This morning we visited the parliament but more importantly we visited the parliaments air conditioned library. I still have not figured out why all library's have to be air conditioned. Regardless, the 15 minutes we spent there were heavenly. 

        10 gallons of sweat later we had just finished our first after lunch class session and were preparing to head to Mahaica to visit our friends at the leprosy hospital. Our bug bites, which seem to have accumulated on every part of our body since our arrival, are nothing compared to the struggle faced daily by our friends at the hospital. Athough, that did not stop John and Chris from destroying us in dominoes. We also met another patient today named Mr. Fullington who had been previously recieving more serious care in another hospital. It is a relief that he is okay because Professor Kirby and him have known each other a long time. He shared some very interesting stories from his time in the interior today; informing us that raw iguana eggs do in fact taste like olives. I am still probably not going to try one.

        Despite the relentless heat and the fact that Anthony's bugbites may be featured in the next National Geographic things are going well in Guyana. We are alive and I look forward to another day of Chubby's unforgiving driving.  

Love,

John

Parliament and Things that Bring Us Pain

Good afternoon from Georgetown! I write this blog post with a belly full of Anthony's wonderful food.

Our activities this morning were a little different than usual. Instead of our typical gym shorts and t-shirts, we all got dressed up- women in long skirts or capris and men in long pants and sneakers. (The men aren't used to dressing conservatively though, so the heat was a little new for them.) everybody looked fantastic, nonetheless. Rather than heading to a service site, we were off to parliament! 

Our tour of the building was quite nice, and I think I speak for the entire group when I say the air conditioned areas were especially pleasant. We got to see the library, and we just happened to meet in passing the runner up for Miss Guyana (who surprisingly lives in Virginia!). It was great to see another historical aspect of Guyana and to learn more about Guyanese politics. 

This trip has certainly been an adventure so far. I think most of us are being exposed to things we've never had to experience before. Professor Kirby shared with us during a class session the other night something that one of her professors told her, and I haven't been able to stop thinking of it since. As I understand it, there is a difference between being hurt and being pained. While some of the things we're seeing may be difficult for us, they don't hurt us. Things that hurt us are things which cause us harm. Many of the people we have had the privilege of meeting in this beautiful country have been hurt before in their lives. Our difficult experiences here only bring us pain. They have the potential to make us better in the end, and I'm sure that they will.  

Now we're heading out to visit some of the new friends we've made here. I've been taking lots of pictures, so check back later when I have a second to add them to this post. To my family, I miss you and I can't wait to share with you this wonderful, crazy adventure. 

My love from Guyana,

Jessica