Life In A Developing Country

When I take a moment to stop and think about life here it hits me hard. I know I’m living and serving in a developing country but sometimes I forget about it or I’ve just come to accept life here and don’t think twice about things that I once would have freaked out about, like no running water in the health center or all the ants that line the floor in Medex’s office.

I see things that I’ve gotten so accustom to like a woman in her mid 40’s with missing teeth and super bad breath. Or  a mom with her daughter who needs medicine for a rash on her foot because she plays in the mud barefoot. And a woman who gets de-worming treatment for her family of 7.

But there are still things I see that take a little more getting use to like, a diabetic patient who has a gaping hole on the bottom of her foot, which has re-opened more than once. And as Medex held a flash light on the wound I could see bone, it was gross but I could handle it (I see this as a success if I’m going to go to nursing school).

But there’s still so much more to the every day life here. Some of it annoys me, some of it tugs at my heart and some of it makes me laugh, which is why I continue to stay.

Like, men who stop me on the road. Yes, I find this frustrating most of the time because they always ask for my number but I’ve come to realized that they are just curious, they want to know what I’m doing here and where I’m from, hence all the questions. So it’s now my goal to stop being annoyed by this and rather share a bit of new information with a Curious George.

But sometimes when I share something about my life I can’t help to feel sad. I was showing one of my co-workers pictures from my trip home and she kept asking where pictures where taken and she loved the picture of the Bellagio fountain. I realized she has no idea what Vegas is like, nor will she ever see it. It’s crazy because many people have no concept of what life is like in the US and no matter how hard I try to explain things they just don’t understand. Sure there are many people who do travel and who have been to the US but for those who have never left Guyana, or a village for that matter it makes me sad because I am so privileged.

I find working in the hospital kitchen so funny, I mean when else am I going to work in a kitchen? Never. I really do enjoy my time there and the friendships I’ve formed with the ladies. I love that I help make bread and that I chop green onions. I love that I have to wear a hair net and apron and I love that a long steel rod is used to stir a huge pot of rice. I find it so funny how many flies come into the baker’s corner and how she tries to shoo them out with a towel.

When I stop to think about life here in Guyana I’m happy to be apart of it and I know this experience is something I’ll never forget.

Princess Hotel, MST, Tobago

I have great friends here who celebrated my birthday with me at the Princess Hotel! We had dinner (everyone got burgers) and then we went to the casino. The Princess Hotel is pretty fancy and it's the only casino in Guyana. In order to get into the casino we had to have our passports because rumor has it local Guyanese can't get in, which makes no sense to me but that's another story. The casino was pretty nice, better than I was expecting and we had a lot of fun. They had machines that played in US money or Guyanese money. I played on $1000 ($5 US) the whole night so I think I did well because I didn't lose.

The girls

Heather, Chelsea, Becky, Me, Princess, Tim, Tony & Kellen

Thanks everyone, it was so fun!

Heather made me this awesome beanie!! 

From there we all stayed at Princess' house because on Sunday we checked into a hotel in Georgetown for our 3 day Mid-Service Training (MST). It was good to be with the remaining 25 Guy22ers, talk about our successes and challenges over the first year, grant writing, safety and security for the upcoming months and life after Peace Corps. It's crazy to think we only have one more conference left! Close of service which is about 6 months away. Time is really flying!

Sunday afternoon we participated in another Hash House Harriers run around Georgetown and it was so fun! We looked like idiots running through the streets of town but that's okay. This run was different from the first run we did in Linden. It was more challenging in the fact that we weren't on one trail. Heather and I had a lot of fun walking/running together.

Exciting news!! Myself and these 4 girls are going to Tobago in October!! We booked our flight and room (hostel, which only holds 5 people so we booked the whole hostel) this week and we can't wait to lounge on the beach!
Our flight and room for 6 nights came out to $300, which is cheap. Luckily it's pretty inexpensive and convenient to get to a Caribbean island! It's going to be so much fun!
Tobago is a small island next to Trinidad. So we fly into Trinidad and then take a ferry to Tobago. I hear Tobago is amazing, can't wait!

I can't believe June is just around the corner!

Birthday Dinner

I had a great birthday dinner!
Tony made pizza (3 different types, all my favorites) and Tim made tortellini with pesto and Alfredo sauce. My new friends Tka and Amy also came and brought spaghetti and home made cupcakes.

It was yummy

Thanks everyone

Tka & Amy

My 25th Year

A few months ago I was dreading turning 25, but now, today I embrace it. After all it’s just a number and I definitely don’t feel like I’m 25. I may have wanted all this life stuff checked off by the time I hit the big 2,5 but life doesn’t work out like that. And to be completely honest I’m sick of worrying about it. Things will happen when they happen. Life is about living in the moment and I’m happy in this moment. I’m happy with my life, all 25 years of it!

Here’s a flashback to the last 5 years. :)

2006: 20, moved to Utah

2007: 21, celebrated in Vegas

2008: 22, with my sister in Lancaster

2009: 23, celebrated in Moab, UT

2010: 24, first year in Guyana with great new friends

I feel like this year is the start of a new chapter in my life and I’m so excited about it!
I know I haven’t always made the best decisions and I’ve made my fair share of mistakes. And I still have a lot of growing to do but I just want to thank my friends and family who continue to stick by my side. You are all the best and I don’t know where I’d be without you.

Thank you for the love and support.
Here's to being 25!

A Good Weekend

This weekend was a lot of fun! It was good to be with friends and get to know some of the new volunteers. We explored a new part of Linden, went to the pool, and ended up playing pool.
We met up with a group (The Hash House Harriers) and went on a run/walk following clues as to stay on the trail. It was good to do something different and meet new people. After the run/walk there was a BBQ at the pool, which was also a lot of fun.

I'm feeling like my old self here again, which I'm so grateful for. It was pretty hard to come back and get into the swing of things after being home. I wasn't expecting to face culture shock when I came back but it hit me hard.

Now I'm excited for the start to the end of this adventure!

Walking into the jungle

Old abandoned building

Sand hills in the background

 Haha

Clues for the trail

First time at the pool, just put my feet in, don't trust the water...

Family

It was so good to see my family!!! I love you guys so much!!

 Ange & Reggie

 Mom & me at the tulip festival

 My dad

My colorful cousins & aunts

 Mom & her girls

 My sissy & cousins

 Dad & his girls

 Cousin Holly, simply beautiful

 Berna & dad with their girls

 Dad, Uncle Jim, Berna, Aunt Tery, Aunt Linda, Aunt Diane

My cousin Dana

15 Months

I've kept true to the number of months I've been in Guyana but this month's post is 2 days over due. Saturday May 7th marked my 15th month in the Peace Corps but I was HOME in Lancaster on Saturday and much too busy to post.
Saturday I was running around town seeing people and enjoying my last day with dad and Berna.  Being home for my 15th month was awesome!

But now it's time to go back to Guyana, which I have very mixed emotions about. I loved every moment being home and spending time with friends and family, it went by way too fast. But I must admit there were moments I missed Guyana, I miss the heat (shocking). I miss my skirts. I miss the minimal amount of time it takes to get ready. I miss the simplicity to life. And of course I miss my friends. I'm so grateful I'll be returning to my PC family.

Thank you everyone who made my time home so memorable! And thank you for all the support!
See you again in 11 months!!