Anna Regina has some very Special Guests

WE’RE HERE!!

Our 3 hour trip from Georgetown was successful. Georgetown -> Parika -> Supernaam -> Anna Regina was the itinerary. We had to take a speed boat from Parika to Supernaam and that was super cool, I didn’t want the ride to end.

Parika

Ride on the Essequibo River

Supenaam

Our house in Anna Regina is massive. It is the old headmasters apartment on the school compound. It’s nice to be 2 feet away from the workplace. We have a large livingroom, dining room and kitchen. There are also 3 bedrooms; unfortunately the biggest has the least amount of breeze so we aren’t using it to sleep in… at least that meant that Sarah and I didn’t have to fight over it =). My room has a bed… that’s it. I am going to keep an eye out for a small desk or bedside table. I am using the third bedrooms closet as it is bigger than mine, and we are also using that room as our laundry room.

We have spent a little time in the town. We walked around the market on Friday, and then visiting Zorg on Saturday with our friend Antonio. We walked on the beach, drank Blanko and collected a mango and sugar cane from his backyard.

*insert house pictures*

We chillaxed on Sunday before the big day.

There’s an enormous dragonfly on the outside of my net

The first day of school is over, I made it through. I can easily reflect on this momentous day while hiding within my mosquito net, listening to Bon Jovi and watching a frog climb on my wall.

Sarah and I were so nervous this morning. We were up (a very loose term) around 630am this morning. I was awake at this time but hadn’t departed my bed. I showered, dressed and ate a banana. Sarah and I left our house around 755am and went to the canteen for breakfast. The ladies that works there are awesome; they are so fun and are so nice to us, nothing is too much trouble.  We then went to the office and met 2 other new teachers. At around 945am we were taken to the staff room for an orientation meeting, the official daily staff meeting started at 10am while the students were on break. It was then we were introduced to the rest of the staff. One of the teachers has taken to calling me “Katt-ee” without realizing that that isn’t how you pronounce my name. I think it might be a little late to start correcting her..  :L

I then was sent to a classroom where I was meant to be assisting a teacher. It turns out that for various reasons that this teacher didn’t come to class… seeing as I was told I wouldn’t be teaching until Tuesday I didn’t prepare a lesson. I walked into the classroom with all these bright eyed eighth graders looking at me… think think think. I introduced myself and gave a little background, and then we went around the room. I asked each student to tell me their name, where they are from, and what they want to be when they grow up. I could not hear half of the students; they talk so quietly that I have to tell them I’m old and deaf to encourage them to talk louder. Some of the career choices were: doctor, lawyer, nurse, teacher, mechanical engineer, and architect. We then did some nature talk; it was review for a lot of them, but I enjoyed it. I feel that being thrown into a classroom with nothing prepared has been a good start to my year here in Guyana… any structured lesson will be better than what I came up with today. Overall I handled it pretty well, but I wish I had had something super fun planned.

After lunch we met up with our head of department and got the syllabus (broad term) for our subjects. As of right now I am teaching 7,8 and 10^th grade integrated science, and 10^th grade chemistry. Unfortunately ARMS is overstaffed with maths teachers, so she is stuck teaching 9 and 10^th grade integrated science and 10 and 11^th grade physics (basically because no one else wants to teach it). I told Sarah that if she wanted I would take the 11^th grade physics off her hands, the deputy head said that we would rework the timetable if we had to.

I have been working on the 2 lessons I have to give tomorrow (two eighth grade science and tenth grade chemistry) and I am feeling pretty good.

$100 to ride the bus?!

I have been writing a lot of long emails to people, then I remembered that I have this blog and writing out all my info once to everyone is a lot easier.

So orientation is over, we spent the last 2.5 weeks getting adjusted to life in Guyana and especially the heat. Here is the journey so far: After 4 plane rides I was finally in Guyana. I tried to keep my eyes open through the bus ride from the airport but it was hard, and I think the heat made me more sleepy. We arrive at the education college around midnight and we were all exhausted. We found our rooms and figured out how to get into the mosquito net. Our days were filled with classes talking about safety, culture, language, and lesson plan making. We had a lot of free time, also, to take the bus into Georgetown and roam the markets. We had an endless struggle to find Guyanese SIM cards and phones, there seemed to be none left... but by some miracle a few of us were able to find SIM cards. It cost me $600 for a SIM card.
I bet you're thinking that $600 for a SIM card is a little steep... well there are 200 Guyanese dollars for every 1 US dollar, so infact my SIM card cost me $3 US. For you Brits, there are 320 Guyanese dollars for every 1 Pound Sterling. It means that I am walking around with $1000 dollar bills, makes me feel like a millionaire, until I remember that I am in Guyana.


I am slowly adjusting to the heat. I am continuously sweating, and constantly freckling. I have my first ever tan line, and compared to everyone else I am still unbelievable white, but for me this colour is amazing. The security guards at the college laugh at me for being so white and covered in mosquito bites
We have been to a few places, we have walked on the sea wall and seen the beautiful Atlantic Ocean... I just the word beautiful very loosely. The water is solid brown from the sediments from the Amazon River. We have been to a river resort called Splashmins; Fiza and I enjoyed sitted on the sandy bank with our drinks and the floating tide. It was pretty relaxing. We have also been to a lot of bars, playing cards, UNO, and jenga are great ways to pass the time... especially with our newly found drink "White Krishna". 

I have met a lot of interesting new people. I have also made a few non human friends too. I have had a few geckos hiding behind my door and under my suitcase, tree frogs in the shower, and stray dogs running around campus. Some of these dogs are cute, but some are really diseased; it's hard to see uncared for dogs and to just let nature take its course. These dogs are wild just like any other wild animal and need to be treated as such, even though I am so used to domestic dogs.
I have also seen a lot of birds... unfortunately I can't for the life of me find a decent bird guide. Georgetown does not have much in the way of (affordable) wildlife guides. I guess we are going to have to play it by ear and use the trusty internet to ID my birds.

I have made the executive decision to start eating meat while in Guyana. My vegetarian principle takes a stand against commercial farming and inhumane treatment of animals. The majority of animals farmed in Guyana are free range, therefore coinciding with my morals. I don't have any personal reasons not to eat meat in this country.  

Speaking of food, I am off to get something to eat. I am getting rather hungry.

-peace out!

Malaria tablets: check. Passport: check. All the clothes I need for one year: check?

Time: 11:40pm
Weather: very dark, slightly overcast, 57 degrees Fahrenheit/14 degrees Celsius  
Current mood: itchy
Time until departure of house: 6 hours and 20 minutes
Time until departure from Dublin: 10 hours and 20 minutes
Time of arrival in Chicago O'Hare: 12:10pm Central
Time of plane departing from Chicago to Miami: 4:10pm
Time of arrival in Miami: 8:20pm Eastern

That is Friday, ladies and gentlemen... it's going to be a rough one.

Next is Saturday:

Time of departure from Miami: 3pm Eastern
Time of arrival in Georgetown: 9:25pm (still Eastern but they probably have their own name for it)

TOTAL TIME UNTIL ARRIVAL IN GEORGETOWN: 50!!!
The countdown begins now.

Anna Regina is in for a shock!!

I FINALLY HAVE MY PLACEMENT!

I was clearing the bedroom of my old apartment Wednesday morning when I took a break to check my emails. I made the mistake of checking facebook at the same time and saw that two of my fellow volunteers had received their school placements. I instantly went back to my emails and continually clicked the refresh button, 30 minutes later I still hadn't received my placement. Frustration started setting in.... refresh, refresh, refresh ... still no placement. Lunch ... refresh, refresh, refresh ... no placement. I then got ready to meet my old advisor, Linda, for ice cream ... one more refresh... really, one more refresh... no placement. After some very satisfying strawberry-banana-mango sorbet from Coldstone ... refresh ... PLACEMENT!!

I have been placed as the science teacher at Anna Regina Multilateral School (ARMS). Anna Regina is a small town in Essequibo Coast region of Guyana, however it is the largest town in that region.

 

It takes about 3 hours to get from Anna Regina to Georgetown, the capital, using buses and boats.
The majority of people in the Essequibo region are Indo-Guyanese, but there are some other cultures such as Afro-Guyanese and Amerindians. I can't wait to get a taste (well it'll be more than a taste) of these cultures.

Map of Anna Regina

ARMS is one of the best schools in the country, but is large with an enrollment of 1100 students last year... wow... that's double the size of West Lafayette High School. eek. I guess I will describe the school more once I get there and see it for myself.

As far as communication goes, it looks like I will have access to cell phone reception, and the internet, so you all can stay tuned with my blog once it really starts to get going =).

As of right now I am a hodge-podge of emotions... sad because I just left Lafayette and all my friends, relaxed because I am at home doing nothing, and excited because I am leaving for this incredible place in just two weeks. Seems more real now =)))))))

So I had a real blond moment a few days ago, for some reason I thought I had read that I could only take one bag weighing 22lbs on the plane... ummmm.... that's not much room for clothes... at... all.... :S I thought I would have to go through the clothes I planned on taking and having to decide whether I needed to take it, or if I just wanted to take it. Well, after reexamination of the Caribbean Airlines website, it turns out I can take 2 bags weighing 50lbs each... PANIC OVER!!

Okay, time for me to go outside to read and relax for a little while.

-peace out for now

A New Twist

I have over 6 weeks left until I leave for Guyana. I still haven't received my placement yet, but I hoping to get that any day now. I will also (hopefully) have an address to post so you can all send me letters :).

I do, however, have some new news. I have decided to make one more trip home before I leave for Guyana. I have a lot of time in Lafayette with not a whole lot to do. I have had a few unfortunate and frustrating events that are making me hate being here. I didn't see the point in being stranded in Lafayette with no real home, no car or no bike when I could be stranded in Ireland with my parents and Chica.
I hate to leave everyone in the US so early, but I am going crazy here.

My next post will (hopefully) have details of my placement!!!

-peace out

This would happen...

As soon as I update everyone with basically no news of my departure I receive the news that same day. Turns out I will be leaving Saturday August 13th from Miami at 3pm!!!!!!!!

-peace out

Update so far...

I know it's been over a month since I have updated on here but things have been kinda crazy around here. First of all I spent a couple weeks across the pond. I was able to spend some time with my family before I leave for Guyana. It was hard to say goodbye, especially to my sister, but it's not goodbye forever.

 I still haven't heard when I'm leaving yet, but I am hoping that I hear this week. The tentative date is during the second week of August, but I will let everyone know once I do. I should also know where I'm being positioned in July, so I will know all about possible internet access and such. Again, I'll keep you all updated.

I actually do have some interesting information though, I have a 90 page booklet and a guide to Guyana so I have learnt so much already. I know what I need to take (clothes wise) in order to be socially respectable, and what I need to take in terms of toiletries. I am feeling pretty confident in the way I will dress, I just need to check if I need to cover my tattoo while in public.
I have also been looking at all the wildlife I could see and I am PRAYING that I see a jaguar (from a distance of course),  but any new wildlife sightings would be amazing. I'M GUNNA TAKE SO MANY PICTURES!!

I am getting so excited, I just want to leave right now!!

-peace out