Easter Weekend

Long overdue.... oops!! Finally made time to finish my draft... oh how I miss my laptop and unlimited computer access!



Easter weekend in Guyana this year was quite an event - because of the calendar and the moon and whatever else determines a holiday, the Christian Easter weekend was on the same weekend as the Hindu holiday Phagwah or Holi and the Muslim holiday Mawlid al-Nabi.

In Canada, Easter weekend meant a four day weekend in grade school and a three day weekend in university - with the four day weekend recognizing Good Friday and Easter Monday as holidays. The Mawlid al-Nabi fell on the Thursday and Phagwah fell on the Saturday - meaning a five day long Easter weekend for me!!

Mawlid al-Nabi celebrates the birthday of Muhammed, the founder of Islam. It is fixed as the 12th day of the month of Rabi I in the Islamic calendar. Mawlid means birthday of a holy figure and al-Nabi means prophet. The day is commemorated with recollections of Muhammad's life and significance.

Phagwah or Holi is also called the Festival of Colours and it is a popular Hindu spring festival. On the first day, burning of the demoness Holika in a huge bonfire at night. On the second day, people spend the day throwing colored powder and water at each other. The spring season, during which the weather changes, is believed to cause viral fever and cold. Thus, the playful throwing of the colored powders has a medicinal significance as the colours are traditionally made of medicinal herbs. I did not take part in this holiday as I was out of town, but several people at the Chest Clinic celebrated early by spritzing me with perfume, sparkles and baby powder!!

Because of the long weekend and my need for some time out of the city, I booked some time at the Baganara Island Resort where I spent New Year's with the family. It was my first Easter without family and though I love my adopted families, they need their family time too.

They arranged for a car to pick me up and take me to the boat at Parika that would take me down the Essequibo to Baganara. He was a colourful Brazillian man who I enjoyed chatting with. (Side note: he was unable to come pick me up at the end of my trip, but had the car that did pick me up check in with him and we chatted so he knew I was safely on my way home after a lovely weekend!)

I ended up taking about with probably 20 other individuals who were doing a day tour along the Essequibo with some quality time at Baganara. A surprise stop along the way was at Fort Island. On this island are two structures: Fort Zeelandia and the Court of Policy. Time for a history lesson with help from the National Trust of Guyana (http://www.nationaltrust.gov.gy/natmonuments.html).

"During the period of Dutch occupation the Fort and the Court of Policy were part of a large urban settlement that extended along the northeastern section of the island. This was the seat of the Dutch administration in the colony of Essequibo.

Fort Zeelandia was constructed in 1744. It was constructed to protect the interests of the Dutch West India Company from European rivals such as the English and French who frequented the eastern coast of South America in search of the spoils of war. In addition it was meant to serve as a stronghold against internal forces such as rebellious slaves.

This brick fort which replaced a wooden structure was constructed in accordance to a design by the then secretary of the colony of Essequibo Laurens Storm Vans Gravesande (the colony's longest serving Dutch Commandeur 1738-1776) to conserve funds. It is said that the design followed a pattern lozenge-shaped forts which were common in West Africa during that period. Within the compound of the Fort are the Armory used for the storage of ammunition and several canons reminiscent of the belligerent history of the site.

The Court of Policy served multiple functions. It was a store and at the same time a church, court, seat of government and a sales office. Inside the Court of Policy are the tombs of three Dutch Officials. It is the oldest non-military structure in Guyana. To this day church services are held there."

I have some beautiful pictures of the Fort and one of me looking like quite the tourist! It was here on the island that I met some friends who would also be overnighting at Baganara. Mireille and I spent quite a bit of time together. She is originally from Rwanda and has moved here with her husband and two beautiful little girls. Also with her was two brother-in-laws and another couple with their fat happy little baby. Her English is quite good, but her daughters (3 and 6) speaking French and their native language of Kinya-rwanda. With my poor French and intense sign language, we found our own way to communicate!

The bartender remembered me from New Year's so it was nice to chat with him and get him all caught up on the family at home. I was also able to meet his wife and two little girls who came for a day trip and somehow on my bumpy boat ride back up the Essequibo were able to sleep soundly! The food as always was delicious and thankfully this time because the resort was booked full most nights was buffet so I was able to only take on my plate what I would be able to eat!!

I spent a lot of time with Mireille and her family. It was nice to make new friends and learn from each other. We had some adventures with the littlest girl attempting to swim head first during a walk along the beach, some quality time in the hammock with an armful of children and attempts at playing cricket! I also had some quiet quality time in the hammock, enjoying the sound of rain, the waves of the river and the hammock swaying in the breeze.

I missed the boat to Bartica to see the Bartica Regatta which is a feature of Easter Weekend in Guyana. It consists of a growing variety of entertaining holiday activities including water sports (featuring mostly speed boats), cricket, boxing, soccer talent shows, a street parade, and a Miss Bartica Regatta Pageant. The Regatta attracts people from all parts of Guyana and even from other countries. I was semi-attracted to the idea of seeing the boats and the festivities, but it turns out I was a bit more attracted to the hammock and I missed the boat to Bartica! I had the island to myself for a couple of hours though which was lovely.

So far so good and no hookworm... I couldn't resist walking in the sand. And this time I know what to look for and which drugs to take!!



On Easter Monday, I went with Maria and her family to the University of Guyana fields to fly kites. On Sunday and Monday, wherever you traveled you could see people flying kites, from their yards, along the sea wall and in big fields like at UG and the National Park. It was a little adventure complete with full picnic baskets, new kites and all sorts of family members! I am now a trained kite flyer and helped her two oldest children keep the newest kite nicknamed Sharkie (obviously because it's a kite shaped like a shark) up in the air. My understanding is that kite flying was originally linked to the Resurrection of Christ. People at work couldn't believe that I had never been kite flying at Easter - not quite understanding that most of the time at Easter there is still snow on the ground in Canada or cold enough that people don't want to be outside!!

I like how this Guyanese columnist said it (http://ezinearticles.com/?Kite-Flying-and-Easter-Buns&id=179373)
"This Easter weekend in Guyana, my homeland, thousands of people, young and old will turn out to fly kites. It is a vivid kaleidescope of color and light, a warm, friendly family outing that give many children an important bonding experience with their parents. I have been unable to find the origins of this national event in Guyana. None of the neighboring countries in South America and the Caribbean have similar mass kite flying. It has been suggested that Guyanese kite flying is their way of celebrating the risen Christ. In multi-cultural Guyana Kite flyers are not only Christian but Muslim and Hindu. Our nation of six peoples have among them people who originally came from China and India--two countries which have long kite flying traditions..... My mind dredges up snap shots of a stark blue sky filled with many thousands of colorful dots swaying in the Atlantic breezes. There are other shots of long kite tails sky dancing, buzzing falling kites, the thrill of reeling out twine, hoisting kites, tangled twine and kite tails.... This Easter Guyanese around the world will bond if you mention kite flying."

Contract Extension

It's official. The end of my contract is just around the corner (or weekend!), but my time in Guyana isn't over yet! I enjoy what I have been doing - both in the clinic and with the modules for the health information system. There was a bit of a mad rush to try and schedule meetings and have me do this document and that document, so I took a moment and offered to stay. The wheels were set in motion and I find myself with a 2 month contract extension from CSIH - two more months in Guyana! It feels a bit strange after looking forward to some quality time at home, but I am happy to have the opportunity to finish or continue some of the work that I have been doing. So the blog isn't ending yet!

Have a lovely posting in my head for Easter weekend, but my laptop has died again and I am stealing minute at work while disassembling the office to post a somewhat important update. Will post again soon!

Snapshots

St George’s Cathedral is located in the middle of a roundabout. Driving in a taxi, the driver stops, makes the sign of the cross in front of the cathedral and turns into the roundabout.

Meeting Kevin, a boy in the Male Medical Ward with cerebral palsy. Has had no physical rehabilitation, very little speech, doesn’t seem to know we are at his bedside. Starts to respond to talking, handshaking, his eyes start to follow the conversation and he shares with us the most beautiful smile.

“I like your size. I know you may not, but I want you to know that I do.” Followed by a statement that he walks everyday in the National Park and hopes to see me the next day… “Remember this face.” One of my favourite pick up lines because it wasn’t too aggressive – bold, but not aggressive. Just a statement of fact that respects however I may feel about myself, but lets me know that he does find me attractive. Setting the ground work for the following day when I didn’t go to the park anyway.

A little baby girl in the Children’s ward at the hospital. Two months old, lying on her back in the cradle. Content just lying there. The greatest urge to hold her.

Having a meeting with a woman and explaining how the health information system can be used in her specific health care area. Sharing in her excitement when she realizes the amount of information at her fingertips if the system is used properly.

Praying at the bedside of a woman diagnosed with hepatitis and tuberculosis, but still find faith in God to take care of her and make her strong to go home to her baby.

Working in the clinic to get them using the health information system, one step at a time. Taking away the pens, having them type only in the computer and print records. Controlling panic when the system is down for two minutes, something that would not have been noticed before.

Getting goosebumps watching Margaret Lawrence perform in ‘Testament’ – a play based around a book of interviews with cancer survivors. Sensing her fear, feeling her strength to overcome, watching her deny fear its place, defending another woman not strong enough to fight alone…

Adventures with Anu

This is kind of funny because this is the first blog post that I’ve written where I know the subject is probably going to read this post… Hi Anu!! J

Anu is another kindred spirit that I have found in Guyana. She works on the other side of the building, an accountant with PSU. I always thought she had a lovely smile when I went over to PSU to visit and I can’t quite tell you when we started having lunch together, but I am suspicious that it started with a Friday Anu-Navin-Elizabeth lunch from Popeye’s with one of the best chicken sandwiches I’ve ever had (spicy chicken, mayo, dill pickle, lettuce on a bun - amazing).

Really the adventures started when she decided that she was going to take me to the gym. Me? At the gym!?! I trust her. I’d like to be healthier. Not that I’m going to stop eating lunch at German’s anytime soon, but every little bit helps. She does aerobics sometimes, but twice a week she works out with a personal trainer. That was my main problem when I was part of a gym that I didn’t know what I was doing so a personal trainer might be just the thing. Unfortunately I can’t go to the gym without running shoes so, time for some shopping!

We took the minibus to Regent St. I’ve only been on a minibus once before in the fall. The music was so loud, I could feel it vibrating in my bones all afternoon and I had no idea where it was going or when to get off. I was probably just about as lost with where the minibus was going, but I am much more trusting of Anu then my previous tour guide. Our stop on Regent St was to The Discount Store where they unfortunately had no running shoes, but had walls full of sandals and heels – decided I would be returning to this store (side note: went back later and bought a lovely pair of silver heels for about $16, make me about 10ft tall). Back on the minibus to Stabroek Market! I had driven by the market and the red/white clock tower is usually shown on postcards or in tourist pictures. To say I was a bit overwhelmed is a bit of an understatement. Our first stop was a stall outside with a table piled high with every kind of shoe imaginable. I let Anu do all the talking because she knew the Shoe Man. We promptly found a pair of running shoes, my size, perfect fit for G$2000 ($10) which he gave us a discount on! Next stop, in the market Anu needed to pick up some shirts and wanted to show me her family’s jewellery stall. At the back… Anu was lucky – I was pretty close to needing someone to hold my hand so I didn’t get lost. I actually don’t know if I have words to describe the inside. It’s like a flea market packed with stalls. Stalls that reach often two stories high. You can buy anything imaginable at the market – you name it, you could probably find it. Anu wanted to know if I wanted to buy anything besides socks inside, but I was too busy taking in the sights to even think about buying anything!

Back on the minibus to the office. An afternoon of work followed by another minibus ride to Anu’s house. I’m practically a minibus pro. Okay well, not quite – but I am much more comfortable on them. And I know which one I need to take to get home! Anu’s trainer is very good. Not that it takes a lot of physical activity to get me hot and sweaty being so out of shape, but he was very thorough. Had a lovely dinner of delicious homemade squash curry and roti made by Anu’s sister in law. Some day somebody is really going to give me lessons on how to make roti hopefully. Let’s just say for the next couple of days, I had difficulty walking, but it felt good.

Our next adventures took us around trying to find a dress. I feel like I have just as much trouble finding clothes to fit here as at home, plus the added problem only being able to find fancy, sequined dresses, not just a pretty dress. We ended up in the pouring rain on the street with wet shoes. Thankfully it did stop raining and my soggy shoes only fell off once getting out of the minibus. Found a lovely purple dress and perfectly matching jewellery. Also got a lesson in undergarments, but that’s all I’ll say.

Tragedy in Bartica

I've been rather slow in my posting, but this one is long overdue.

Last Sunday evening, there was another shooting in Guyana - this time in Bartica, a mining town on the Essequibo River (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7251141.stm). The town's police station was attacked, killing three police officers and nine other individuals found inbetween the docks and the station.

Being the second attack in a matter of weeks, tensions remain in the country, but I feel like there was less of a march in protest after this latest shooting. I didn't have access to the local cable channels last week so I am thankful that I didn't see any of the images and I made a choice not to read the newspapers. I feel the pain and fear without having the images in my mind.

This attack especially shook me because during the Christmas holidays, my family and I took a side trip to Bartica on our way to Parrot Island. We walked on that dock. We walked on that first street parallel to the river. We walked by the police station and even spoke with a police officer.

One of my supervisors made a comment that I would probably want to end my time in the country sooner because of recent events, but as much as the violence shakes me to my core, I'll stay. It will be harder to leave the people that I have grown to love in this beautiful country with the recent events and I will stay with them as long as I can. And I will come back. I'll have to start reading the newspapers after I leave to keep up to date on events in the country - thankfully I will have had the experience of people explaining the news to me and know how to read inbetween the lines...

Taxi Drivers

A major part of my experience has been transportation. Driving in itself has been an adventure - new stories for that, but I'll keep that for me. Now that Wallis has returned, I am second on the list of drivers. We are keeping different schedules too so I can rely on her less to pick me up and drop me off at work... Thank goodness for my taxi drivers.

It is very handy that the project has an account with one of the taxi companies, meaning that I can charge for work related trips. I'm usually taking a taxi ride atleast twice a day so most of the cars and the dispatcher know me on a first name basis, they know where I live (after my first attempts at describing) and they know my usual drop offs. They wave at me when they see me on the street. I lost my favourite driver, but I am hoping that he is following his dream to go back to school.

My understanding for how it works is that if you own your own car, then you pay the company $1000/day ($5 CDN) to get trips from the dispatcher and use the company name on the car. A drop can be anywhere from $260-300 ($300=$1.50CDN) for a flat rate. I know they work long hours to make a living, but from discussions that I have had, they also have great pride that they are making an honest living compared to other options available.

They have provided me with interesting persectives on the tragedy up the coast, coming from different backgrounds then the usual people I talk with and different races (and in turn different political parties because the parties are divided by race). They had related stories to share and safety tips.

They share their experiences with me and give advice on where to buy certain spices, how to store them and make sure that I have tried the variety of foods that Guyana has to offer. A little bit of concern for my social life at times which I think is sweet.

I am thankful to have a good relationship with the company and the drivers. They have forgotten me on occasion, but now that I am a bit more of a regular customer, they care a bit more when I call the dispatcher.

People, Part Two

I realized that I have done a part one with the first people that I met in Guyana, but there are quite a few people since then that have had a big imact on me and influenced my day to day life.

I can't imagine living anywhere but where I live with Mrs Boodie as my landlady. She adopted me as part of her family and has taken great interest in sharing Guyanese history, stories, culture and places with me. I'll never forget my first blackout when she called me, no formal salutation, just "Are you afraid of the dark?" - which I do happen to be afraid of and this probably ranks among one of the great lines in scary movie history (my assumption since I am not a scary movie watcher) - but the line said with such genuine concern and in a sweet old lady voice (she's really not old and would kill me if she read that, but you get the idea) that I couldn't help but smile and reassure her, that no I was fine. Since then we have had various shopping adventures together, meals together, walks together and conversations about my health, her life in Guyana and England, history in Guyana and reassuring support about my future whatever direction I choose. She has also introduced me to new beverages like a lovely chocolate cream liquer and the equivalent of homemade egg nog (obviously containing Guyanese rum)!

The next set of people that have made my life more complete here are the people who work in the CIDA Program Support Unit at the building where I work. Kala of course (from Part one) as well as her staff. Where to start... I believe I mentioned OJ before who works at the reception area and always greets me with a "pleasant good morning" and a smile, with maybe some teasing about my frequent arrivals and departures. Marcy cleans the building and is the woman kind enough to stay with me during my random shopping experience on Regent St and getting my vehicle trapped. Rani and Anu are the office assistant and part time accountant respectively. I think. Kurt, Navin and Prem are drivers and general support guys (computers, workshops). Those are the job titles I will give them, though when I go visit, I'm usually distracting them from whatever they should be doing. They kept me company when I was all alone in my office. Wallis likes to tease me that I'm a shared intern between CSIH and PSU. I love our conversations and random visits, occasional lunch dates and I will endure a certain amount of teasing from them because I know they mean well. I don't know what I'd do without them. Definitely a special place in my heart for each of them. I'm getting a little teary thinking about leaving and who and what I will miss. It's people like at PSU, Wallis, and Maria that will make it hardest for me to leave. And the fruit. :)

I am also a shared intern with the Ministry of Health, officially with the Management Information Services Unit (MISU), but also now partly with the Health Sector Development Unit (HSDU) because the MISU director there has tasks for me to do where as MISU itself doesn't really know what to do with an intern. Roland is the MISU director at HSDU and we have been working on a project together and I also keep updating him on what I am up to. At first when Wallis was leaving, he was concerned about me working by myself, but discovered quickly that I am a very good independent worker so he stopped checking up on me. He is very impressed by my quick replies and comments on documents we have been working on. Ish is the director of MISU and officially signed my contract, but I don't think he knows or cares how I spend my time. Paul is responsible for the software department under MISU so we have a bit of communication about updates and the status of things. I feel for him because everybody thinks that their requests are number one priority and he is only one person and the unit itself can only do so much at one time. Ozell is the programmer, Naajiyah the Clinical Coordinator and Maria has been hired as her assistant. I am thankful that I am still based out of the CSIH office because I often have difficulty at MISU because the GHIS is my priority but there is a lot of demand on the unit about other sotware applications. There are also some differences that exist between work ethics with me and some staff so the setup is probably for the best.