From Sunrise to Sunset

After a frustrating few months, I finally got to teach children about taking care of their teeth and share out toothbrushes.  The kids were absolutely adorable!  Thanks to all the wonderful students at Crossroads for making this a possibility!!

Kaieteur Falls!

As I come to the end of my two years here in Guyana I can’t help but think of some of the things I’ll miss. As much as this place drove me crazy, it wiggled it’s way and will always have a special place in my heart. I have come to enjoy (well I must since it’s how every Saturday goes; or maybe I’m just a creature of habit but either way I like it) my Saturday mornings. For some reason, no matter how late I stay up on Friday, I usually wake up early between 5-5:30 on Saturday. It could be the dogs barking, the oh so annoying parrots making noise, one of my neighbors blaring music, the heat, the bright morning sun or for no particular reason at all (or any combination of one or all of those!) that I am wide awake. I start my morning off by getting one load of wash soaking then grab my market bag and head out. So my market trip should really only take me 15-20 minutes (a 5 min. walk there, 5-10 min. to walk along and buy my goods and a 5 min. walk home) but in the two years I’ve been going to market, it never has. And really when I think about it, I don’t mind at all that it takes me longer… even when it took me almost an hour once.

My normal market adventure starts with me leaving and right before I can even hit the main road I always have to stop and talk to at least two people. One morning while walking out I passed an older lady, we exchanged our mornin’ and where are you going… oh the market me too. We decided to walk together and that was seriously the slowest walk I’ve ever walked ( I could have walked the opposite direction and still reached before she did) but when I thought about it after I realized what else would I be doing with my time, I might as well right. Walking along the main road I pass a handful of people who you either say morning to, a little wave or you give a head nod. I don’t know how I know which one to use but I always seem to end up doing the appropriate one. There’s usually a bus that will pass with someone yelling out the window, hey beautiful, white girl, white meat or anything else they can think of and of course there’s going to be someone sipping from across the road. There’s been times when it will suddenly start to pour and I have to take cover with a neighbor under some random shed or times when it’s so hot you have to pull out your umbrella and sweat rag after only a few feet.

Once I reach the part of the road where the market actually is, the fun starts. As you walk by the vendors will yell out white girl what ya shoppin’ for today or auntie what ya buyin’ or they’ll just call out whatever they’re selling. Bora, shallots, cabbage, hot peppers auntie hot peppers… I think one of my favorite things I’ve heard called out was by a small boy who said, bora, bora white girl to help keep your color.

It was creative and I probably would have bought some bora from him had I not just bought a bunch from a few sellers down. While moseying along you have to be quick on your toes to avoid cars passing, people stopping right in front of you, a bicycle or umbrella that’s hanging out or fish guts that are flying off knives as they chop up fish. During shopping I get tapped on the shoulder from various people who’s names I may or may not remember and sometimes don’t even know. I’ll usually have to stop and say hello to at least ten people sometimes more. Auntie Sis, Auntie Janet, Vanessa’s mommy, someone who say’s they know me but I have no idea who they are, an older lady who likes to give me things but I can’t for the life of me remember her name (she’ll pass by and tell me she has something for me and that I must stop by her house on the way home. When I do she likes to give me random clothes her family has sent- a pair of maternity shorts, jeans, ridiculous white pants and a piece of pink floral fabric to make my own blouse), my neighbor who lives down the road but I only know her as Dave’s sister’s mother-in-law, Mala, Vicky’s dad, Kishan the dj/fish seller, Richard and Freddie’s mom, Uncles James, Amrita, Amit and baby Shushme, the lady who attends my clinic and always ask me why the medicine is making her face numb, Nacka (like knock-a), Sophie’s dad who I’ve said hello to everyday for the past two years and still can’t remember his name, Serochnie, Rocky, Sherry and her dad, the bus conductor guy, Fyzool and/or his brother Fyzal, the little girl who’s been missing her two front teeth for a long time with her grandmother, the cone shop lady or her daughter Sarah, and many other random people.

Going to market really is an unique experience whether it’s the kids calling and waving out the window, the police sipping at you, being offered “taxi rides” on some guys bike or the colorful conversations that occur . I never truly know what will happen or who I’ll run into and I’m really going to miss that about my Saturday mornings.

700!  Did you know 700 is the number of symmetric 8-cubes? It’s also the number of days I’ve been in Guyana. 700 wow-za that just sounds like an awful long time but it’s been so full of adventure and excitement (and some not so fun times too) that time has really flown by.  As I looked back at two years worth of photos, I can’t help but think of the memories and friendships I’ll hold for a lifetime.  700 days down, 78 to go!

 Antigua, Barbuda ooo I wanna take you                                                        To Bermuda, Bahama come on pretty mama                                                      Tobago, Montego baby why don’t we go                                                          Down to Kokomo                                                                                          We’ll get there fast                                                                                And then we’ll take it slow                                                                    That’s where we wanna go                                                                      Way down to Kokomo!

Alright so maybe that’s not exactly how the song goes but it’s become our newest favorite song.  Living in Guyana has given me the opportunity to visit Caribbean islands that I hadn’t even heard of before coming here.  Last month Heather, Leighton, Princess, Sara and I spent a week soaking up the sun in Tobago (as in Trinidad and Tobago).  It was a much needed escape with great company and excellent food (mmm the shark was sooo good!!).  Then just last week Princess and I spoiled ourselves by visiting Antigua with our friend Shaleenie.  It was her first time out of Guyana and I’m so glad we went.  Beautiful beaches, relaxing sunsets and the overall Caribbean vacay we needed.  Looks like living in Guyana has some good perks and it’s crazy I’m on the final countdown… 4months!!

While celebrating Amerindian Heritage I tried the oh not so tasty, wish I really hadn’t, Tacuma worm.  It’s basically like a giant maggot that eats the rotted palm trees and coconuts.  It’s body was squishy and the head was crunchy… and never again will I enjoy this delicacy! 

Note to Self:  Don’t ever let a kid take you swimming in the back dam!

The little neighbor boy decided to take us swimming in the back dam one afternoon.  We walked to the back of the scheme and out past the rice fields.  We came along a trench and stopped just after a small bridge.  The water was brown but the boys insisted that’s were everyone swims.  The mud was up to our knees and it definitely didn’t seem clean but we still enjoyed ourselves.

The following afternoon I was talking with Uncle James and told him about the boys taking us to bathe.  He asks, “Oh you went past the place  to the second bridge?”  I say, “No we stopped at the first bridge.  They told us that’s were everyone swims.”  He just laughed with a disgusted look on his face and replied,” You went in by the first bride.  That’s were people dump their trash and dead animals.  I guess the boys didn’t realize you had to go to the second bridge.”  

Last week Sara and I went to visit Heather and Kellen out in Kato, which is in region 8 by the border of Brazil.   After waiting five hours to catch our plane, delayed because of thunder storms, we finally boarded.  It was a small little six passenger plane including the pilot (Sara was our awesome co-pilot on the way there).  We took off and had smooth sailing until everything went white and we where in the middle of clouds.  Pretty scary when you can look through the front and not be able to see a darn thing.  All of a sudden the plane seemed to drop and the pilot was look around (I honestly thought we were crashing).  Turns out we were landing and he was looking for the air strip.  When we were out of the clouds all we could see were hills of trees and trees.  It was so nice.  We circled over Paramakatoi and landed.  It was just a tiny little village right in the middle of the rain forest and a nice little pit stop on the way out.  After dropping off supplies and two passengers we were back in the air and flying over Kato.  Wow… absolutely breathtaking!  Kato is an Amerindian village on a plateau full of savannah, surrounded by mountains of rain forest all around.  From the air we could see a waterfall and miles and miles of the Amazon.  As we came down for the landing something seemed a bit off.  The plane seemed off to the right and didn’t slow down.  That’s when we saw the cows on the runway.  We immediately had to lift back in the air and circle around to try again… what a rush! 

            Our first afternoon in Kato we went to the resource center that Heather and Kellen have redone. 

The following morning we set out on a hike to the “neighbor’s farm”.  Two hours later after conquering steep hills, slippery slopes and blocked paths we had reached the farm.  Only one veggie was growing but that was good enough for us.  However, as we were leaving some of the kids had run off to the grandmother’s farm and come back with a few ears of corn and a pumpkin.  Turned out to be quite a successful hike and a  a beauty too.  After lunch us girls decided to hike to the near by waterfall which was about a half hour hike.  As we approached Sara and I couldn’t help but say how much it seemed like something you would see at a resort.  It was beautiful and all I could say was wow.  God really does amazing work!  We decided to go for a refreshing swim which we turned into our afternoon bath.   We enjoyed the waterfall so much that we convinced Heather and Kellen to take us back on Friday.  We packed a picnic lunch and set out to the falls again.  Still so breathtaking.  In the afternoon we went back to the resource center for Friday night movie night where we watched Bug’s Life then had the kids draw their favorite bug.  Friday night we treated ourselves to s’mores.  So good!!

            Saturday we had decided to hike to the big fall.  What a hike that was.  Just under two hours of tall (cut your legs up) grass, steep (felt like you were going straight up) hills, swampy paths and where did the trail go trails we reached the beginning of the big falls.  As we walked up the river Sara and I were pretty speechless.  Although the hike was a pain it was absolutely worth every minute.  It was a five tiered waterfall that was nature at it’s finest!  The top for mini drops were probably about twenty feet each and the five drop was the big fall that had to be at least one hundred feet.  We climbed down two drops to a little clearing where we could eat.  After that clearing there really wasn’t an easy or safe way down to the bottom drop but Kellen decided to check it out for us.  After seeing him reach the last fall us girls were a bit jealous so we decided to adventure and give it a try too. Kellen came back to help us and all I can say is thank goodness he did.  We crossed the fall and somehow managed to climb to the next level.  Although it was so slippery the view was awesome and we pressed on. Heather and Sara made is down to the next level and now it was my turn. I tried to make it down without help when all of a sudden by feet slid out from under me, my butt hit the rocks and I went sliding.  Within a split second I thought I was going over and couldn’t believe it was happening.  That’s when I felt Kellen’s arm reach out and stop me.  Luckily I survived with just a banged up (I’m pretty sure it is broken) toe, a sore bum and a bruised pride.  I was so shaky but had come so far that I had to finish to the last fall.  I’m so glad I did.  We had finally found the blue water of Guyana at the bottom of the fall. 

            Sunday came and it meant Sara and I had to leave.  If felt like we had been camping for a few days having to use a pit latrine, walking to bathe, and not having power but it was so worth it.  Heather and Kellen were excellent hosts and great company and we were sad to leave.  Kato is by far my favorite place in Guyana. It was absolutely stunning and  amazing to see God’s art.  After boarding our little plane we learned we would be making a five hour pit stop in Mahdia  which is a mining town between Kato and Georgetown.  There happens to be a volunteer living there so we called him up and he took us on a tour of the town.  On the flight back a friend of mine happened to be the pilot so I got to be the co-pilot home.  It’s such a surreal experience as you fly over the Amazon and I wish everyone got to experience it as least once in their life!