Merry Christmas

Well it's been a Guyanese Christmas with good friends, great food, lots of laughs, gag gifts, and randomness!
Hope everyone had a nice Christmas--we did! 

Our very cute Christmas tree

Thanks mom and Dan! 

The Christmas group

Chels got me an awesome blue hair net/cap that I love

and Tim got me a bracelet...2 great Guyana gifts!  

Homemade enchiladas. They were delicious!

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas!!

Love and miss you!

Water was turned off for a day and our tank was pretty empty. When the water finally came back on it wasn't flowing into the tank so man power had to be done....

At least 60 buckets were poured into the tank it get it pretty full

Just making sure Tony wasn't lying about the water level

Merry Christmas

From the Linden Crew!!

Ahhh

This month has been a month of disappointments for the Linden House.
Although we’ve each faced different disappointing events the feelings we've felt have been the same.

The things that get us through are communication with friends and family and up coming events to get excited about and when these things don’t work out it really sucks.
I’m so grateful for the support and friendship of my housemates. I don’t know how I would get through this journey without them. Thank you Tony, Tim and Chelsea!

I know things happen in life we have no control over and I’m learning how to deal with these events, its not easy, especially being so far away from home. But I have faith that this stressful event is making me a stronger, more patient person…it has to be, why else would it be happening?

Although right now I’m questioning what I’m doing in Guyana and with my life, I know I can’t give up (even if I really want to). I just have to bear with it and know it will all work out in the end.
After all no one promised life would be perfect.

Sorry for this post, it’s more for me personally, I have to stay up beat and optimistic...

So This Is Christmas

It’s hard being so far away from the ones I love and everything traditional this holiday season. I am trying to keep up beat but I’m really missing home and the Christmas season. I love Christmas, every thing about it, and it’s just so different here. I keep telling myself it’s good I’m experiencing a different Christmas in another country; it’s definitely making me appreciate the Christmas I know and Love that much more.

The big Christmas things people do here are buy new curtains, place mates, sheets, and other house hold must haves. They clean their houses and put up all new pretty furnishings. So I’ve been getting asked a lot if I bought and put up new curtains, when I respond no I pretty much get a lecture about how I need to get new curtains and start preparing for all the food I must make…pepper pot, baked chicken, macaroni salad, fried rice, black cake and the list goes on.

I am super excited we put lights up around the veranda and on our Christmas tree. I don’t really know what to expect Christmas day but I’m sure it will be interesting and good…I’m looking forward to the randomness that is going to take place. Regardless it’s going to be a great day with friends!

However, in the mean time I wanted to share the things I miss about this time of year back home:

Christmas shopping

Seeing festive decorations everywhere

Driving around to look at lights

Finding that perfect gift for someone

Wrapping presents

Drinking lots of hot chocolate

Apple cider 

Snow (I know shocking)

My Santa lobster jammies

Slippers

Christmas music (they play it here but it’s not the same)

Christmas cookies

Being with family

Zoo Lights

My cute jackets

Scarves

Beanies

Christmas parties 

I just think how awesome my first Christmas home will be!

I hope everyone is having a happy and festive holiday season!

Just some pictures from last year 

10 Months

Today I have been in Guyana for 10 months!

10 months is a long time but it really doesn’t feel like I left the states that long ago. I think the thing that is most shocking at this point in the game is how accustom I feel here.

It’s funny how your perception of things change, as they become apart of your every day life.

Just looking back on a few months ago I feel so much more confidant in myself and living as a Peace Corps Volunteer, and for that I am truly grateful. I know this experience is going to be apart of my life forever and I’m obtaining valuable information and life skills, which is pretty awesome!

I was thinking about it today, this whole experience has given me great insight into different career options as its allowed me to get a feel for life as a nurse, teacher, and baker. Given, the work ethic is a little different here, but I’ve had the opportunity to work in the health field, teach and help out in schools, and I’ve gotten to see what it’s like working in a kitchen. I’m still not 100% sure what I want to do (career wise) when I get home but I’m definitely thinking it’s going to be one of these 3.
Right now I feel like the opportunities are endless when I get home and that’s so exciting!!

On Saturday I participated in an International Volunteer parade along with other PCVs and volunteer organizations. We walked around Georgetown; it was neat seeing buildings and parts of the city I hadn’t seen before.

I’m pretty content right now with everything in my life!

Chels did mine, I did hers and we both did a side on Princess

December

Happy December!

I can’t believe the holiday season is upon us…where has the time gone?...only 30 days until 2011!!! That’s just crazy!
It’s a little weird to be living somewhere where it’s 90+ degrees and I’m wearing skirts and short sleeves in December. I’m very much looking forward to celebrating Christmas in Guyana and to witness Christmas Guyanese style (more to come on that topic…).

In participation for World AIDS Day I organized a march and HIV/AIDS talk with the 6th grade class I’ve been teaching health to. I got the two 6th grade teachers on board, found a HIV volunteer at a local HIV center to come speak to the kids and Tim (who subbed for me) helped them create posters. Things were all set for our march around the community on December 1st. Mom brought me two spools of red ribbon, which I pined to kid’s uniforms and tied to their wrists. The kids lined up holding their posters and their teacher yelled chants while the kids repeated them as we walked down the road. I don’t think these kids have ever done anything like this before; they enjoyed it and I was so proud of them.
We chanted things like “HIV free—A,B,C” “Tolerance is love” “Be faithful” “Stigma is disgrace to the human race” and “Be wise. Condomize” (my fav).

The whole objective of the march was to get people’s attention, to bring awareness of the day, that HIV is among us and that discrimination is wrong. We got many stares, which I think was a good thing, at least people were interested enough to see what was happening out on the road.