Stories from Tim: From the Bus Park to the Classroom.

Walking towards the Linden Bus Park, Chels and I chat about nothing in particular. My water flask, a large 40-ounce, stainless steel bottle from Danny Black, swings to-and-fro attached to its ever present carabiner. The “Santa Cruz: Local's Only” Sticker draws some eyes, but I'm impervious the stares, this flask has been a steady constant throughout our experiences.

The first one approaches, a smile, a “My friend? Town?” We try not to show any interest so as one treats a forceful bazaar merchants in Turkey, we shrug off his advances with a smile. This is old- hat stuff, you give them an inch and these touts will pull you to the bus their working for, even if it is empty. We used to think they were so forceful to us because we were white and they saw the dollar signs, but now, after almost a year of walking by them, waving a smiling and brushing off their approaches with a “Not today, man,” we know its just their job and several of them even know us by name. And they do it to the Guyanese too.

Anyway, the first one usually stands at a corner 3 blocks from the bus park. He walks next to us. Our idea is that we will decide which bus to board once we're at the bus park. Our criterion consists of who has the most passengers at the time since most busses wait until they are full before they depart to Town. Some days it takes longer, like 30 to 40 minutes, other days it could be as little as 5 minutes.

Another conductor saw me in the distance, I don't think the one next to us was working for the same bus because this conductor came running up to us, saying, “Come on, come on, my bus is almost full”. I knew this conductor I've ridden with him a few times, he's pretty honest and not to pushy, but today he was on a mission he began pulling me towards his bus. This whole time Chelsea just stayed out of it, they don't usually pull the girl when they are walking with a guy, so I was a target of their attentions.

Soon enough I was surrounded on all sides by 6 different touts grabbing me and pulling me towards their busses in different directions. Whey they are all screaming at me ( “I need three, er..two,”; “No, no, his bus is full,”; “Come on, my friend remember when I picked you up?” “Don't touch the man! My friend, come on take my bus.”) they're a wall of sound. They were pushing and pulling me. Chels was on the outside laughing at the situation. We weren't even at the bus park yet. Must've been a slow day.

A bus left the park and stopped on the street to pick us up, they were almost full, this conductor came over and started pulling me too. This whole time I am smiling, standing still, trying not to be pulled. All I need to do is make a decision. Chelsea got on the bus that was leaving already, and I said, “Alright gentlemen, I am going to go with my wife, please excuse me.” They let me go with grumbles and statements intent on making me feel guilty, but it's just another day. At this point climbing into the bus in the street, I realise that we've been in Guyana a fair amount of time. Before yesterday, something like that would set me off, get me furious, but really it's just how it goes. We can either accept it and see the amusement in it or fight against the inevitable and take on more stress. I'd rather choose the former.

As our bus drove off, stuffed in a bench seat with four people that is suppose to only hold three, Chelsea said, “God I wish I had a camera to take a picture of that! So we'd be able to show the folks back home what we mean when say how much it is an ordeal to get a bus to Town. But you handled it well.”

We may not have had a camera but I'd hope my description suffices.

I could stop there, but I haven't written in a while and my verbatious (yeah I made it up, the adjective form of verbose) itch is demanding I write.

In other news, I was in the classroom for the first time in a year the other day. A teacher from one of the Linden secondary schools asked me to help with some writing strategies. At first, I thought I would be working with the teachers, however, the day before I was suppose to present (and my session plans were all written out) I learned I would be working with 70+ CSEC students. These are the students who are going to take the Caribbean Secondary Exams in April. Basically, if students want to go to university or get higher paying jobs they need to pass these exams.

To say the least I was nervous. I didn't have a solid lesson plan, I haven't worked directly with students (in terms of teaching) since I left HSHMC in January 2010, what if they don't respond well? What if everything I am preaching to these teachers fails? And I lose faith in myself as well as lose the respect of the teachers? These fears and hesitancies passed through my mind, but I calmed down because I'd have the Literacy Advisor with me so we'd be able to co-facilitate. However, the day we were supposed to present she called in sick.

Great. (sarcasm)

I was the first to present. The teacher wanted me to do something about writing persuasive essays. When I found this out I told myself, “I got this. I have my California teaching credential. I've taught persuasive writing before both at HSHMC and before when I was a student teacher. No problem. This is kid stuff.” I even printed out a couple handouts I created, originally for the teachers, but the kids could read them too. The school copied the handouts and I based my lesson on the activities outlined on the handout.

Here goes nothing. I leapt right into it, feeling surprisingly more comfortable then I have before, even in front of my own classes back home, I began by introducing myself and having the kids define “persuasion”. Then I did my first activity, something I read about in one of Dr. Frey and Fisher's books called “Take a Stand”. I had the kids take a stand on this question, then tell me why, “Is music the cause of violence among youths? Yes or no and then three reasons why you say so.”

Here is some background. The day before a student at this same institution was stabbed with scissors and months before another student was stabbed with a knife. I am sure there are plenty of social reasons for these outbursts of violence, but that is beyond the scope of this entry. Most of the older generation, though, besides reflecting on their own cultural culpability, usually put the onus on the “music” the “youts” are listening too. So this question was interesting and relevant for these children. Check. I always tell my teachers to look for content that resonates with the kids. (The best part is that this question came to me moments before I posed it. And I realised the students don't really ever get asked their own opinion very often. They loved it.) 

Students Writing their "Take a Stand" Bellwork

The kids wrote, I walked around, practicing being and active teachers. Once they were done I let them do a “Pair-Share” activity where they shared their opinion with their table mates. And if someone had something they did not, I encouraged them to add it to their reasons.

They were into it.

This activity is so simple, but a lot of the time students aren't encouraged to speak to each other in class. From what I've seen the teachers may ask for volunteers, but most of the time it's the same students over and over again who are participating. It was a wonderful feeling watching all the students be engaged.

Students being engaged

I then launched into the content part where I outlined a simple, but probably not the best persuasive essay (introduction, first reasons, commentary, commentary, second reason, commentary, commentary, etc. ) But on a whim I added in another roman numeral: the counter argument. They had no idea what a counter-argument was, so the rest of the lesson was based around developing one.

The second activity I wanted the students to practice was the RAFT strategy (I even wrote FART on the board with respect to Mr. Bonine). This was also on the handout I figured in writing a persuasive argument its good to get into the heads of the opposition, so you can bash them down to further prove that you are right and they are wrong. So I did a RAFT having them playing the role of the opposite of what they were for the bellwork (if they were a yes to music causing violence among youths, then they needed to play the role of a no.). This was a bit more difficult, but some students got it.

The last part of the lesson I told them to write a counter-argument to their RAFT. They didn't quite get it. But I used student examples, and modeled what I expected them to do and it helped a bit (acknowledge the other side, but then dismiss it as still wrong.) It didn't come out perfect, but it was a ton of fun to be back teaching students. And I realized that even just being here, doing all my research and writing my gigantic teacher's manual of classroom strategies, has helped me become a better and stronger teacher. It felt good.

I'd feared what it would be like back home when I went back to teaching students rather than adults, but this experience has reaffirmed my commitment to the classroom. I still want to go back to grad school and get my masters in Admin (or Reading) and become a Reading Specialist/Reading Coach/VP/Prinicipal, but those interim years before I go back to school, when I am teaching full time, won't be nearly as stress inducing as I worried.

But this is what Peace Corps does. It takes me to the limits of what I think I'm capable of. It twists and stretches me like a rubber band, pushing me to the brink, but snapping back or stretching leaving me stronger, more durable. I think both these anecdotes illustrate the “PC effect”. It's not easy, by any means, and things come up in the hours of self-reflection, existential moments assault our senses, when all we want is a bloody sandwich (I'll let Chels explain that one). Moreover, discussion with locals and fellow volunteers broaden our own horizons and we form these bonds and relationships of shared growing experiences.

In the end we all will be stronger people. 

The Head Mistress Giving another lesson after mine. On Critical Thinking!

Some Shots from the other day. 

From the Hill Towards the Ward

Looking towards Linden Proper

Hmmm...What's happening here? Strangeness in our own front yard.

Brief Updates from Chelsea

Project Updates: Chelsea and Sara completed the Be Safe! Training with 22 nurses and teachers. They collected their work plans and passed out the materials. The facilitators should start delivering the program in the classrooms next week. Chelsea and Sara also are halfway through recording the next episode for Health Watch TV. The topic is nutrition and a balanced diet. Tim is still looking for funding for prizes for the author's fair but everything else is all organized. He has even begun to get some applications in from students!

Mental/Emotional Health: Right now we are really happy! Time has been flying by since we have been so busy. Even though we are really looking forward to our vacation home we are happy here. When we first came to Guyana we were let down but the seeming lack of 'culture' but after being here almost a year we have come to see the beautiful uniqueness of this country. Some things that used to annoy us like taking minibus rides, listening to Soca music, and drinking watery Banks beer, now amuse us and provide color and life to this experience.

Physical Health: Although we are both fighting off a pesky staph infection, which never seems to go away no matter how many antibiotics we take, we consider ourselves healthy. The perpetual exhaustion and sweatiness that comes with living 4 degrees latitude north of the equator has also become standard and cope-with-able. So, not to worry Moms, we are doing great!

Rasta Kitty: Rasta has been a little despondent lately. I think maybe it is because we gave her baby away to another PCV. It could also be that a huge jerk of a black cat from the neighborhood keeps sneaking into our house when we are away or asleep to eat Rasta's food. She had a weird wound on her leg (maybe from fighting said asshole cat) that is now healing nicely, without any treatment from us. She still likes to snuggle on our bed and chase lizards outside.

Number of books read in country: Tim has read 57. Chelsea has read 38. Tim goes crazy and reads like a manic here.

Things we are thankful for right now: New music to listen to, courtesy of Sara. New TV shows, courtesy of a iTunes gift card from Dad and Lisa. Our site in Linden. The luxuries in our house (running water, electricity, internet). Each other. Our friendships with other PCVS.

Things we are looking forward to this year: Celebrating our 1 year in Guyana anniversary at an Alter Ego Party at Megan J's house. Meeting the new group of PCVs in 3 weeks. Our trip home in April (seeing family and friends, meeting Baby Evelyn, Mexican food, wine and beer, Marini's, In-n-Out, visiting law schools, going to the beach, watching a movie in a theater). Dad and Lisa's wedding later this year.

Things we are looking forward to Post-Peace Corps: Our adventure throughout South America (we are thinking Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, and Peru for a month before coming home). Road trip around the Western United States (Utah, Zion, Yellowstone) and meeting up to travel with the Quinlivans. Buying a car. Going to law school and grad school. Getting a permanent teaching job. Living in the Bay area? Starting our family?

Oh what a week!

What a roller coaster of ups and downs. Mostly hilarious things this week, smattered with a few stressful moments and challenges to my patience, tolerance and stick-to-it-iveness. As they say in Guyana, 'here wha' happen':

Monday was my regular day off, since I work most Saturdays. Tim and I had been in G/town all weekend, me for a Peer Support Network Meeting and Tim to help plan the session plans for the next group of Guyana volunteers that arrive in country on February 15^th. We had had a wonderful weekend, working hard at PCHQ then spoiling ourselves with yummy food (pizza, burgers, bagels and cream cheese) and loving the hot showers at the hotel. Good times. So, on Monday we hopped on a minibus back to Linden, swept the gathered dust out of our house and settled back in.

Tuesday is the Infant Child clinic at my Health Center, which is one of our busiest clinic days. We usually see between 30 and 55 mothers with their babies every Tuesday. So I help out on those days, weighing and measuring babies and then sitting down with patients, charting their child's growth, talking about their eating habits and advising on healthy diets, looking at strange tropical rashes and boils, explaining what vaccines that are due for and why, and more often than not, getting pooped/peed/vomited on. Sounds gross, but I actually love my Tuesdays. By now, I know most of the patients, and love getting to see their children grow and learn.

After clinic, I stopped by a local NGO geared towards youth empowerment, that I sometimes collaborate with one activities. Vernon, the leader of the group works with a high school health club once a week, just like I do and I have been planning to get our clubs together for some healthy competition and socialization. So we planned that out a bit and he hooked me up with a whole bag off goodies (pens, key chains, stickers, flyers etc. from the Ministry of Health that I can give as prizes to my students). I was stoked to present the bag of swag to my counterpart back at the health centre.

Wednesday I planned to stop by all the schools that are participating in the Be Safe! Program and remind the teachers that out training was on Thursday and Friday this week. However, in the morning Travis, our mailman, came by with a package slip telling me to pick up a package at the post office. Happy day! I visited a few schools on my way there and got to the post office at 10:30, the appointed time that the customs agent is supposed to be there. She never showed up! I sat on the hard wooden bench, in the post office without A/C for an hour until the postal workers told me she wasn’t going to be there today. Argh. This was one of my down moments of the week. I just get so frustrated when I see the inefficiencies of bureaucracy. I mean, people are getting paid to do a certain job, and customers are counting on it, but no one shows up. That kind of work ethic would not fly in the US. So, I resigned myself to waiting until Friday to get the package and headed off to the health centre.

At the health center, I waited for my friend, a young lady who I met through my counterpart, who has very few mentors (her mom has been working in Trinidad for the last 7 years, her auntie just moved to the States, so she and her 4 brother and sisters live with their grandmother). I could tell when I met her that she needed a friend, so I invited her to come by my work every Wednesday after school just to hang out. Well, this Wednesday she never showed up (I later called and found out that she didn't have enough money to pay for her bus ride to school, so she didn't go to school that day). So, while I was waiting for my friend, I was reading at my desk in the youth friendly building and I kept getting disturbed by the children of my coworkers who were hanging out after school, waiting for their moms to get off work. These kids range from ages 4-9, not my favorite age range. They are at the stage where they will tear up paper for no reason and throw it all around my building. Which is exactly what they were doing on this particular day, and it was driving me crazy!!! No one was supervising these kids and they were running amok, so instead of getting mad, I had a stroke of genius and decided to get creative.

I told the kids we were going to play a game and everyone who played got a prize. I got a trash bag, had them all put on gloves and very enthusiastically said, “Now, let's see how much trash we can collect from around the health centre grounds in ten minutes! Go!”. And I swear to you, these kids went after the trash like it was an easter egg hunt. Within ten minutes, I had a 10 gallon hefty bag full of empty soda bottles, candy wrappers, gauze, chip bags and other trash that you wouldn't think would be cluttering up the surroundings of a health centre, but they were. I just kept laughing to myself that my ploy actually worked. These kids were enjoying themselves, doing something productive and learning about keeping their space clean. Afterwards, I gave them all pens (from the swag that Vernon had given me) and they were happy little clams. The nurses even came over to my desk asking if they could get pens. I cracked up saying that they would have had to pick up trash too, and they said if I had invited them, they would have. I couldn't stop smiling. I always look around the health centre thinking how disgustingly dirty it can get at times, and I just didn't think that organizing a clean up would be so easy. As I went home for the day, I couldn't help smiling at the thought of the easter egg hunt for trash.

Now Thursday and Friday we had the training for the Be Safe! Program that Sara and I organized. I was really anxious coming into it, because I wasn't in charge of any of the logistics. I had just put all the plans together, but I tried to leave most of the responsibility in the hands of my community (which, since I am a control freak, was hard for me to do without getting very anxious). But in the end, everyone took their tasks seriously and things went off without a hitch; the participants showed up, the facilitators from the Guyana Red Cross brought all the materials, the regional health office arranged for snacks, lunch and drinks to be delivered each day and I really didn't have to do much, but sit back and watch the participants learning. It was awesome.

The toughest part of the training for me was when the topic of corporeal punishment arose. I have a very strong belief that physical violence should never be used to punish children. I do not believe that even spanking is an effective method of discipline. I think it teaches children fear, not right from wrong. Sure, it stops the behavior in the short term, but the long term effects of raising a hand to a child are devastating their development, especially self-esteem. Most Guyanese I have met however, believe the opposite, that beating is an effective method of discipline. After having this conversation with many, many people in a variety of settings in Guyana, I have heard every excuse for corporeal punishment in the book: I was beaten and I turned out okay. But it works, look at how obedient my daughter is. It is okay as long as you don't hit them too hard. It is okay as long as you explain to the child why they earned a lashing. And my favorite, it says 'spare the rod and spoil the child' in the Bible, so it can't be wrong.

Now, I have gotten pretty good at arguing against all these excuses, even the Bible one, saying that the “rod” in the Bible is actually a metaphor for the Word of God. Meaning basically, if you don't raise a child in the teachings of Christ than you will spoil the child. And that if you really want to walk in the footsteps of Jesus, ask yourself if he would ever have raised a hand to a child to teach them (pretty good argument, right?). The best conversations are had one-on-one. But when I am in a group setting, it is hard to get these ideas across. I get the feeling that people tune me out a lot of the time. I can almost hear them thinking, 'What does this white girl know about anything'. Usually, I just imagine this, but at the training, one of the participants actually called me out, saying, “You don't know what you are talking about. You are not from here.” That really hurt. I just wanted to shout that we have children where I come from too, and they misbehave in the States, but parenting is universal, as are the rights of a child! It is disheartening and frustrating to be written off like that. I guess I just have to focus on the individual conversations that I have had in which I have changed people's minds, using logic from the every book that they quoted to me. I just have to stay strong in moments like that and remember that I can't change everyone, it will be okay if I can influence just one.

But it wasn't all frustrations. In fact, over all the training was pretty amazing! Here are some of my favorite moments from the training that made me laugh so hard I cried:

• When doing a scavenger hunt in the boxes of Be Safe! Materials the participants were instructed to jump up and shout, “Whoops, I got it!” every time they found an item on the list. Listening to a room of grown adults jump up and shout, “Whoops!” as a cry of victory was pretty amusing! I got Sara to do it too!
• During role plays the teachers and nurses had to act out how they would teach the different lessons to classes of nursery school kids. The rest of the participants got to pretend to be the children ages 5-9. The topics (Every one has a body, Your body is private, Touching can be Safe and Unsafe, You can Say NO! Etc) always ended up leading to the “children” shouting out vagina and penis while the teacher tired to teach about body awareness....hmmm...not sure if that was the point. But kids do say the darnedest things...
• My all time favorite role play of the two days: The topic of the lesson was, “You can tell someone you trust and keep telling until you get help.” The nurse presenting had a card with pictures of many stereotypically trustworthy figures (nurses, doctors, social workers, policemen, a priest, pandit and imam). She was asking the “children” (these children are all grown adults pretending to be kids, mind you) to identify the pictures.“Yes that is a policeman, and you can trust the policeman and tell him if anyone touches you unsafely. Yes, that is a nurse, and you and trust a nurse and tell her if anyone touches you unsafely.”You get the idea. Then she pointed at the imam.“And who is this?” she asked.“A Muslim,” one of the “children” shouted! And the nurse just rolled with it,“ Yes, that is a Muslim, you can trust Muslims and run and tell them if anyone touches you unsafely”.Honestly! I tried to contain myself, but then the rest of the group started laughing and I couldn't hold it in any longer. I don't think I have laughed so hard in a long time. I kept glancing over at the facilitator, who was laughing too, and each time we made eye contact we started laughing even more. Oh my goodness! I don't think I will forget that skit ever. And if ever I need someone to trust, I know now, I can always go find a Muslim!

Overall, the training was great. It was a crash course in how to facilitate the Be Safe! Program and I am so excited to work with these teachers and nurses on a more individual basis as they start to take the tools into their classrooms and educate our youth. I had a very rewarding week all in all. I get frustrated and disheartened sometimes but have to remember that by keeping a positive attitude and an open mind I will be open to the unpredictable miracles that seem to pop into my life when I lest expect them. 

Nurses doing a skit

Role play

Our facilitator and Trusty

Be Safe! kit scavenger hunt

Whoops I got it!

Sara and Trusty

Getting familiar with the cards

Chelsea and Trusty share a knowing look at home after the training

Happy Birthday Dad!

Michael Tibbs! Yesterday was your Birthday! We loved being able to chat with you on Skype. Wish we could have been home to share your Bloomin Onion.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! WE LOVE YOU!!!

Remember, 60 is the new.....35?

1-11-11

I love this date. It’s not quite as cool as 11-11-11 will be be, but it is pretty close! Anyway, I really wanted to post something on this date, I have this weird obsession with numbers, I suppose, but I might as well take the time to update you on what’s been happening so far in this New Year!

First, sad news. The hard drive on our Mac has finally crashed.  However, since we recently received an external and some system software we are able to run our computer from our external drive. So it’s no longer a lap top, but more of a desk top. No matter. We lost some photos too, but we also got this other pretty neat software that can reconstruct lost files, even from a digital camera! We haven’t tried it yet, but with luck it will all work out. So all in all the damage to our hard drive isn’t a travesty.  We may even be able to fix it when we visit home in April!

HOME! We are extremely excited to spend a good slice of April hanging out with our families and wonderful friends. We will be leaving Guyana on the 8th of April. We will be in Oxnard from the 9th-18th, Santa Cruz from the 19th-28th, and Portland from the 28th-3rd. We can’t wait to see you all!!!! But until April rolls around, we have some awesome projects we’re working on.

The New Year started with a bang! Maybe  it’s too soon to start making jokes? But there was a grenade that exploded in Starbroek Market in Georgetown. It’s about an hour from us, so it doesn’t effect us too much. But worry not, it looks like it was an accidental explosion, so our lives are not in mortal danger.

Anyway, what I was getting too before I tangented was our projects. My current project is designing a student “Author’s Fair” for Region 10. I want to promote literacy through the use of creative writing. I’ve spoken with my counterpart and she is all about it. We’ve created flyers, an application, and a letter to send to schools. There will be 3 age categories (8-11; 12-14; 15-17) and two genre categories (poetry and short story). Students will submit the stories by Feb 10, we will judge them, and then present prizes for the winners during the week of Feb 21-26 (the week of Mash). Moreover, I’ve already spoken to the Linden branch of the National Library, and they’ve opened up their space to display the winning entries through that whole week! It’s really cool. And I feel really supported by my immediate community. Another awesome thing about this author’s fair is that it will based around the national holiday of Mashramani (Mash). Mashramni is an AmerIndian word that means “relaxation after hard work.” It’s a celebration of Guyana being a Republic, and it’s a very bright time of floats, colours, and costumes! Best of all it was started in Linden in the 1970s! So I am hoping this author’s fair will allow students to get in touch with their own roots and create wonderful stories and poems about it. Likewise, the Mash theme for this year is “Showcasing our culture. Sustaining our pride,”  and the entries need to be based around this theme, so even more reason for these students to look into their own past for material. One of the most pertinent things I learned in teaching school back home was that when students see themselves (their culture) in the curriculum they pay more attention to education. With luck, they will see themselves in this activity and be inspired.

In terms of my professional development project, I have finished writing my teacher’s manual (85 pages later!) and I am looking into grants to try and get it printed up and distributed to the teachers I am going to work with. Filling out the grant forms allowed me to see this project with new eyes. I have a definite structure and focus now, which is always a good thing!  I will write more about it a little later, as time progresses. I am also still helping Peace Corps out by assisting them in writing session plans for the incoming trainees! And I get to be in town at the end of this week to finish the job! 

Chelsea (along with Sara) is working on some cool projects too! She is working in tandem with the Guyana Red Cross to get this programme, called “Be Safe”, started in the Linden area. Basically, this programme is a unique way to educate young children (grade 3 and below) about the different forms of abuse (unsafe touching, domestic, verbal, physical, etc.).  The Red Cross is donating child friendly kits to be used in 11 local school. The kits are wonderful because they use a puppet, visual aides and the same facilitator (so the kids feel comfortable with her)  for  the 6-week course. Chelsea has arranged for 22 people (teachers and nurses) to be trained in how to lead the programme. Then, after the training the teachers and nurses will work in pairs to hold a “Be Safe” session with their selected class.

As mentioned, Chels organized a 2-day training for 22 different nurses and teachers. She had to create and hand out applications and information to 6 different schools and the 5 health centers! And she has gotten them all back, filled out! So now she needs to speak with the person in charge of the Health sector in region, double check the venue and the snacks and then she is well on her way to training the Be Safe facilitators! It is a mega-project, because even after the training she will be monitoring and evaluating her facilitators and holding weekly check up sessions. Hopefully it will all work out. But I am super proud of her.

Anyway, besides the Be Safe programme, she is still helping out at the health center (seeing and counseling mothers about their babies), trying to keep her secondary school health club afloat, and also still working on he monthly TV show. She’s a busy gyal!

All-in-all we’re in a solid place right now. We are happy in our community and feel safe and surrounded by friendly neighbors and coworkers. Not a day passes that we aren’t stopped by someone on the road who knows us to gaff. We’re also really excited to meet the new trainees who come into country on February 15th! It will super awesome to meet a whole new group of volunteers...I mean we’re the old ones now :).  We’re really looking forward to taking some breaks from our community projects in order to help in some training sessions with the “newbs” (I just made that up... I think I played too many online games in my day).

Alright, the show must go on. We’ll update a little later! Lots of love to all!

T & C

Chels and Me on an adventurous bike ride outside Linden.

By the Demerara river outside our town

Cute babies and toddlers that Chelsea works with in the clinic

Yes! I agree with Nursey (Chelsea) that I should only eat fresh fruit as snacks, not crappy junk food!

Sara and Chelsea at the studio recording (and being goobers!)

Can you see the rain clouds rolling in? Welcome to the rainy season!

Happy New Year!!!

I can’t believe it is already 2011. We started this blog a little over a year ago, as we began our adventure as Peace Corps Volunteers. Time has flown by it seems. It has been a year since I said goodbye to my family (the longest I have gone without giving my mom a hug). Tim and I were reading over the first blog we wrote in 2010 and it seems like so much has happened since then.

In 2010 we:

• Said tearful goodbyes to the teachers and students at Health Sciences High and Middle College

• Flew to Guyana, South America for our Peace Corps service

• Endured a grueling 2 months of Peace Corps Training

• Lived with a large, generous Indo-Guyanese host family

• Ate roti, curry, fried plantains, cookup, pepperpot, wild meat (bush hog, labba and iguana) and drank superb Guyanese rum

• Moved to our site in Linden and made our house feel like home

• Traveled the wild variety of Guyana; savannas, deep jungles, river villages, bustling cities, crashing waterfalls and majestic mountains

• Swam with sea turtles in the beautiful blue waters of Barbados

• Held educational sessions with teachers and students on communication, nutrition, teaching strategies, HIV and STIs, literacy,

• Weighed and measured hundreds of babies and consulted mothers on healthy child care

• Read over 50 books

• Learned to play cricket

• Watched almost every game in the World Cup Football tournament

• Ran, walked and exercised more regularly than ever before

• Made tons of new friends

• Enjoyed thousands of phone calls and Skype dates with family and friends

• Received 12 care packages with amazing goodies

• Wished we could have attended the 6 weddings and births of 3 babies in the lives of our friends and family back home

Then again, although much has happened, it seems like not much has changed. Tim and I are still deeply dedicated to our mission of service here in Guyana. We have survived 11 months of our 26 month commitment and look forward to the next 15. We have some exciting projects in the works and have a feeling that time is going to fly by faster than ever. The next group of Volunteers comes into Guyana in February and we are excited to welcome the newbies and help out with their training. Then in early April we are spending 25 days in the USofA! When we come back from our visit home we will  join the rest of our PC group at our week long Mid Service conference and then only have 11 months left of our Peace Corps service. We look forward to having some visits from some family and friends sometime near the end of 2011 and getting to share with them this wonderful country that has become our home.

Tim and I are looking forward to another year in which we continue to be surrounded by amazing people and experience life’s joys and mysteries together. We feel truly blessed wish the same happiness and blessings for all in the new year!


Chelsea’s New Years Resolutions: keep working on not biting my nails, learn to type using the home keys and get faster at typing without looking, learn how to french braid my own hair, live in the present every moment with compassion and love.

Tim’s New Years Resolutions: continue exercising regularly, write everyday for at least an hour, communicate more often with my family, take physical, mental, and emotional risks without hesitancy or regret, love life and live for the present.  

Much Love,

T & C