“Once upon a time, there was an old man who used to go to the ocean to do his writing. He had a habit of walking on the beach every morning before he began his work. Early one morning, he was walking along the shore after a big storm had passed and found the vast beach littered with starfish as far as the eye could see, stretching in both directions.
Off in the distance, the old man noticed a small boy approaching. As the boy walked, he paused every so often and as he grew closer, the man could see that he was occasionally bending down to pick up an object and throw it into the sea. The boy came closer still and the man called out, “Good morning! May I ask what it is that you are doing?”
The young boy paused, looked up, and replied “Throwing starfish into the ocean. The tide has washed them up onto the beach and they can’t return to the sea by themselves,” the youth replied. “When the sun gets high, they will die, unless I throw them back into the water.”
The old man replied, “But there must be tens of thousands of starfish on this beach. I’m afraid you won’t really be able to make much of a difference.”
The boy bent down, picked up yet another starfish and threw it as far as he could into the ocean. Then he turned, smiled and said, “It made a difference to that one!””
Obituary: Starfish
Name: Starfish Keuthan
Found: As a 6 week old kitten in Mahaicony, Guyana – being shoed away with a point broom for trying to eat chicken feed in April of 2014.
Became an Angel: October of 2015.
Age: 1 year, 4 months with the soul of a 200 year old Yoda.
Place of Residence: Mahaicony, Guyana, South America while in the process of becoming a United States Citizen.
Starfish enjoyed hunting a variety of south American creatures, including but not limited to: bats, exotic looking hummingbirds that could possibly be endangered, mice, ginormous lizards that could pass as iguanas, roaches, mysterious bugs, wasps, and the occasional hawk. He enjoyed sleeping in awkward positions, climbing into the neighbors ceiling and staring at them while they yelled at him to get down, assisting me in taking care of animals that came into the house, eating, and most of all “chillin’.” Starfish was Mr. Miyagi (AKA Mr. MEOWgi) to the animals, by cleaning kittens, teaching them to hunt, and even letting the puppy Chicken sleep on his belly at night. Starfish was the most relaxed – laid back – “Big Lebowski” – zen character I’ve ever met. On days when I would come home in frustration or tears, he always looked at me as if to say in his Guyanese Creolese voice, “don tek no stress”. As a kitten, Starfish would greet me at the door each day after school, follow me to the couch, and purr on my lap as I pet him. Once he reached his adult stage, he no longer craved to be petted or held as often, but never stopped needing to be in the same room as I was. He loved purring on my bed, purring on couches, and purring for the simple joy of life. He did not enjoy getting wet, but loved swatting water with his paw when it came out of the tap. He enjoyed climbing in the fridge and resting for periods of time to expand his “chill” character and walking in front of you when you were carrying large buckets of water. He survived a violent cat fight as a kitten, and became an even closer companion to me afterwards. He never complained or whined, and would sit in my room when he was not feeling well. Independent, relaxed, and down-to-earth- Starfish was one of a kind. Students often drew me pictures of Starfish and I. (Except many times they would draw me walking Starfish on a leash in so I’m not quite sure about that.) Everyone knew Starfish for his chill and relaxed persona – and while some called him “fat”, the vet would agree to say he was one of the healthiest cats around. When people would ask if I lived alone, was married, or had children – I would always respond that I lived with my cat. This always had a humorous response, but it became quite well known with those who knew me that Starfish was a part of my family.
Starfish became sick and passed away in what seemed the blink of an eye. While it hurts me to know the medical resources were not available due to being in the conditions we’re in, I know he went in peace and is no longer struggling in the pain he was in. Starfish brought much peace and happiness into my life and I have faith to believe I did the same for him. I look forward to the day I will meet Starfish again. Rest in Peace sweet friend.
I also want to thank everyone who has reached out during this difficult time. I have not gone a single day since the passing of Starfish without a friend, family member, or someone in the village asking about him. Even while the level of grieving or empathy may not always be similar to anotehr’s, it is still amazing to see how much people care and know what Star meant to me. Maybe, just maybe, the lesson of loving an animal can be remembered in some ways here in Guyana.
Dating in the Peace Corps By Tim Daniel and Kaylee Keuthan
1. How do you typically spend your time together?
Kaylee: We joke around, have long discussions, share stories, watch movies, cook together, play games (like Dungeons and Dragons), draw from a bowl of activities we created, and I try and teach him how to be funny.
Tim: Debating if Luke Skywalker could defeat a pack of Velociraptors without his light saber and fighting about whether the cup-holder is pronounced “coo-zee” or “cozy”
2. What are you favorite things about your partner?
Kaylee: My favorite things about Tim are: his sarcasm, his interest in mental health, his brain and most importantly, how different he is than me.
Tim: Small head circumference, slender feet, and she’s a bottomless pit of love for animals
3. What crime would your partner most likely be incarnated for life for?
Kaylee: Probably something along the lines of cheating at a video game or Fantasy Football. For instance, persuading the less-knowledgeable Fantasy Football players into trading their best players or tricking everyone on a Dynasty game to believe he’s your friend, simply so he can dominate the world. **cough cough**
Tim: Public endangerment because she freed all the animals from a zoo when a monkey told her they didn’t like the flavor of the bananas.
4. What is your partner’s spirit animal?
Kaylee: Does a Vulcan count as an animal? If not…then he’s probably a Chicken. They evolved from Dinosaurs, don’t like to be touched by strangers, and enjoy making unusual noises at unexpected times.
Tim: What makes you think it’s just one? She just released all the animals from the zoo.
5. Which fictional couple would you compare you and your partner to and why?
Kaylee: Penny and Leonard from Big Bang Theory. (Except Tim is closer to a mixture of Leonard AND Sheldon.) Tim (Leonard) is the sarcastic and knowledgeable introvert, while I’m (Penny) the expressive, giggly and quirky character.
Tim: Wolverine and Jean Grey. I have an awesome haircut and beard and she’s psychic but only for animals.
#StuffTimSays:
“That’s pretty BASIC of you.”
“I really like your smile. It’s so different. It’s like a box with corners. It reminds me of Jack Nicholson from Batman.”
“It’s not that I don’t like your stories…it’s just they’re not always significant.”
I’ve decided to try and give a closer perspective to the daily life I encounter as a Peace Corps Volunteer, so here it goes. My schedule fluctuates often, but most of the time the week-days consist of teaching, developing the library, and completing GAD task force duties. When I’m not running around town preparing for camp or collecting donations, my ideal school day in my village goes as follows:
6:30 AM- I wakeup in the mornings to roosters crowing and usually Reggae, Celine Dion, rap, or Christian Gospel music peeping through my windows from nearby neighbors.
6:30-7:45 AM- I listen to a podcast, read the news, eat oatmeal and drink instant coffee (real coffee is not available in Guyana). I then complete the morning routine with a shower/bucket bath (depending on water situation) right before leaving for school to cool off as I am usually sweating from the heat by this time. 😉
7:45-8:15 AM- I complete my 25 minute walk to school through the village with other students.
8:15-8:30 AM- I prepare the classroom and greet students.
8:30 AM- 2:30 PM- Almost always, I teach Grade 1 throughout the day. Sometimes though, I help HM with any needed tasks, and work on the library.
2:30-4:00 PM- During the school year, I stay after to sort and document books, or prepare the library in one way or another with the Grade 5 Library Committee consisting of 10 students.
4:00-4:25 PM- I complete my 25 minute walk back home, where I sometimes stop by the market for fresh veggies and fruits.
4:30-8:00 PM- My afternoon activities are quite broad, but usually consist of: exercising, GAD Task Force tasks, preparing lessons, completing school tasks, cleaning, write, gaffing with neighbors, catching-up with friends and family, playing with whatever animals are currently living in my home, hobbies and wandering around aimlessly (which accounts for more percentage of the time than I’m willing to admit for).
8:30-9:30 PM- I get ready for bed, take my second bath of the day (sometimes 3rd if it’s been a extra hot day). Then, I crawl under my mosquito net into bed, and end the night reading with my headlamp or watching a TV show/movie on my laptop.
My weekends usually consists of visiting other volunteers, gaffing with neighbors, or simply spending the weekend relaxing at home. I assure I have one day a week where I focus solemnly on cleaning, as my weekly chores consist of hand-washing clothes, sweeping, mopping and dusting. I also use this day to create my weekly to-do list of any tasks or goals I may have for the next 7 days.
It’s a pretty laid-back lifestyle, right? When I first arrived to site, it was difficult to adapt to these techniques. Now, I find myself relaxed and growing with the “just now” pace. My ADD scatterbrain has found a home where it can roam freely and not be judged for having one million tabs open at once. I am simply living. In Guyana, there is so much “relaxed” time, I crave it if I’m away from home for too long. When I have weeks of training, you’ll often hear other volunteers and myself make comments like, “alright, it’s been really nice being together but…I need some ME time now.” This is equivalent for, “I’m ready to lay in my hammock all day and read a book or stare at a wall.”
Hobbies:
• Reading
• Journaling
• Art projects (my latest craze- coloring with oil pastels and collaging)
• TV Shows/Movies
• Exercising (Running, Yoga, Bikini Bod Fitness, exercise videos)
• Cooking (which typically involves a selective few dishes)
Books I’ve Read So Far:
1. The Strength to Love, Martin Luther King Jr.
2. Eat, Pray, Love, Elizabeth Gilbert
3. Ender’s Game, Orson Scott
4. Into the Wild, Jon Krakauer
5. The First Days of School, Harry K Wong
6. Buddha’s Brain, Dr. Rick Hanson
7. Ishmael, Daniel Quinn (second time)
7. The Happiness Project, Gretchen Rubin (currently reading)
TV Shows I’ve Watched:
1. True Detective (Season 1, and currently keeping up with Season 2)
2. Game of Thrones, Seasons 1-5
3. Orange is the New Black, Seasons 1-3
4. Breaking Bad, Seasons 1 and 2
5. House of Cards, Season 3 (watched the others back in the States)
6. The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Season 1
7. Arrested Development, Seasons 1-4
8. Summer Heights High, Season 1
Movies I’ve Watched:
Infinite.
Podcasts:
1. Invisibilia, NPR
2. TED Radio Hour, NPR
3. Adventure Zone
4. Real Time with Bill Maher
5. This American Life
Evening runs through the village. One of my favorite roads- surrounded by farms, rice fields, and of course roaming animals.Best part of walking home every day? Saying hello to neighbors and roaming BABY GOATS, duh.Kids Labba huntin’ in MahaiconyArt projects galore. “She was here on earth to grasp the meaning of its wild enchantment and to call each thing by its right name.”My oil pastel perspective of my backyard.The newest stray animal to make his way to Kaylee’s Kitten Refugee. He will be making his way to his NEW home with a volunteer in just a few weeks! Thanks Kayla, he can’t wait for a permanent loving home!
June, 2015:
June consisted of camp preparations, teaching, developing the library, working on having my children’s story published (will keep you updated as the process continues!), and preparing for the summer. We made a big step in the library this month, as we finally raised enough funds to put security bars in the windows of the library. This is HUGE as we can now safely put books in the room without having to worry about people breaking in. If you are interested in helping out the library or discovering more, check us out at GoFundMe and our facebook group.
Security grills on the windows! Hooray!How we transport materials to the library. Yeehaw!The students have been overly excited for the new books that have arrived this past year!Picture of library in September, 2014. Unfinished floor, broken ceiling, no security, no books and no furniture.Picture of Library in June, 2015. Finished ceiling, finished floor, security on windows, some furniture, painted, and the donated books will be put in shortly!
July-August ,2015:
These are going to be my busiest months yet. I head out next week to Idaho to see my beautiful sister Julie’s wedding (congratulations Julie and Tyler) along with being reunited with my family and America for the first time in nearly 15 months! Hooray! I then return to Guyana for GAD training, hosting Camp GLOW, more GAD training, MST Training, and then my Buckskin friend Swatch coming for a visit (yay!). I hope everyone has a wonderful summer and as always, thank you for the continuous support!
See you soon, family! I love y’all! And I will definitely be making this overly enthused face for the entire flight to the USA.
Closer to the equator,
More sunshine is absorbed
So leave the world you know
For something new to explore
For what lies beneath the comfort zone
In search for purpose
In search for change
A mystery, exposure, the nomadic life
Leave the “what if’s” and “buts” behind
Grab your sweet faith and go
Closer to the equator,
More sunshine is absorbed
The rain is heavy at first, and you’ll always squint your eyes
They say push through; you’ll be there just now
They say push through, and take note of what surrounds you
Closer to the equator,
More sunshine is absorbed
Those who came to find their purpose
Take grab of what lies ahead
Those who came to make a change
Plant seeds of hope for trees to be
Those who came once with expectations,
May only find happiness in opening their mind
Closer to the equator,
More sunshine is absorbed
Traveling down a jungle path
That becomes more rural with each step
The further down your path
The less traveled,
Less resources,
And less communication you will find
No photograph, no story, no memory
Could explain what you’ve felt and seen
Closer to the equator,
More sunshine is absorbed
Until the path comes to an end
To which you make a beginning
And from there,
The audiences’ eyes form a glaze
But you know now,
You’re absorbing even more sunshine
Closer to the equator
More sunshine is absorbed
Further from society
Closer to the simple living
Of finding a way to serve
Without expectations of what will come
And clear eyes to what is in front of you
Closer to the equator
More sunshine is absorbed
Closer to existence
While you know more now than you’ve ever known,
You realize you know less than you ever knew
And in comes something new to explore
For what lies beneath the comfort zone
Making purpose
Making change
Discovering the mystery, exposure, the nomadic life
Leave the “what if’s” and “buts” behind
Grab your sweet faith and go
Closer to the equator
More sunshine is absorbed
I remember my first summer at Camp Buckskin – where I spent three months working as a counselor at a behavioral management camp for children having emotional and behavioral disorders. The memories and experiences I had were truly life changing and gave a whole new meaning to what I wanted to do with my career. When the end of summer came and I returned back to Texas – I felt I was a completely different person. From my level of confidence, exposure, character, performance, perspectives, and experiences – I felt my world and myself had completely transformed. I wanted to share all of it with those around me, I wanted my friends and family to understand the way it felt when a child went from a 0 to a 10 in less then in a minute. I wanted them to feel the way I did when the same child who lashed out at me in the morning was the same child who could calm down and become one of the most loving, sentimental, and animated people I’d ever known. I wanted them to see the way a group of staff could support one another, emotionally, physically, mentally, when you felt you didn’t have time to question your next move or the level of your current sanity. I wanted them to feel what it felt like to appreciate people beyond measure, to love past something as simple as “disobedience” or a “cry for attention”, and search deeper for the psychological ice-burg that covered these children from displaying their true forms of purity – I wanted them to see the progress each of these children made when they were given that chance to find alternative ways to express themselves and how glorified they became when they conquered success in any way or form. I wanted them to see what kept me so energetic and full of serotonin at camp on a daily basis, what kept me going back a following summer and encouraged me to apply for Peace Corps. I remember my first night back from camp, trying to tell a story to a group of friends at home, and how politely interested they seemed – but how naturally their eyes began to form a distant glaze as the story went on. The truth is, it is in our own natural behavior for our interest to fade away from events that are not related or of interest to ourselves. It says nothing of the importance of the story, but simply how far our mind is from grasping exactly what went on, if we have not experienced it in the person’s perspective or do not obtain interest. Most people have encountered both sides to this. It is not to say one has more experience or knowledge than the other, but simply we all have different stories to tell.
The further I reach into my Peace Corps experience, the more my stories fall within this category. While I have moments of realization, epiphanies and transformations, I realize the most I can get across – is a story. And if I go on for too long – the story will miss it’s point and the distant eye-glaze will begin. Someone once told me, “the closer you get to your own individual goals, the lonelier your road becomes.” As time goes on, I continue to find truth in this statement. At first, it felt disappointing that these experiences couldn’t be fully shared and explored through others, but I realize how individual of a being I’m becoming by living through them. I always appreciate when people ask me how I’m doing, but it’s also one of the hardest questions to answer. I keep this blog in hope I can provide an entertaining, semi-explainable, “SparkNote” version of my journey. The good, the bad, the ugly – it’s all been shaping me and despite the moments where I simply want a nice warm Starbucks Vanilla Soy Latte in an air-conditioned room filled with low-volume music and topnotch customer service, nothing could compare to the transformations taken in leaving everything behind for a grand adventure of the once unknown.
“Closer to the Equator” was written in relativity towards Guyana, the little South American country I currently call home that’s surrounded by tropical rainforest and less than 500 miles from the equator – providing year-round summer weather with rain and sun.
Lindsey’s community service “Mural Project” in New Amsterdam – for those that don’t know Lindsey is one of my best friends and the HARDEST working volunteer I know. Amazing job LD!My mural I painted- Girls Leading Our World 🙂My finished mural! Women breaking away from inequality.Heading out for an adventurous 6 hour speed boat ride to Shell Beach with this lovely crew!Big momma Leatherback Turtle at Shell Beach!Baby Leatherback Turtle!Grade 6 has been working hard on planting flowers around the school. Looking beautiful!
Until next time my friends. As always, thank you for the continuous support and encouragement. Keep in touch! Sending my love to all back home!
As of April 28, 2015, my Peace Corps Group (GUY26) has hit the one-year mark in country. This puts our service at nearly 13 months down, leaving 13 months to go. Trying to reflect on what all I’ve encountered within those >365 days is a complete whirlwind. I’ve decided to reflect back on my initial goals that I made when I decided to take on the Peace Corps experience:
Exert my energy towards helping others and making a difference
To obtain SELF-confidence and SELF-discovery through being SELF-less 😉
To become more open-minded and appreciative
To leave where I go better than it was
To leave life-long skills and take a life-time of memories
To leave with a stronger understanding of cultural differences and myself
To leave with answers I’d never even considered the questions to
Looking back, I’d like to think I have touched upon these goals, but I realize they are never-ending and I will simply grow with them in time with focus and reflection. The longer time goes on, the more I realize that trying to describe my Peace Corps experience in an entertaining and understandable way simply becomes more challenging. If someone were to ask me what I have brought the country of Guyana through my service, I could not provide him an answer. I could though, give a variety of ways Guyana has helped me and introduced me to new experiences. I have found the importance of truly running with “The Starfish Story”, and taking note in ways I may be helping. One of the most fascinating and mysterious ways of serving through Peace Corps is that we are more than likely making changes in ways that we may never know.
I enter this second year with constant reminders of the tips I’ve listed in my previous blog, goals I’ve presented myself with, and more importantly, the consistent support of others. My Peace Corps Family, family, friends back home, and the little comments made by locals on how they appreciate my presence – y’all truly keep me going. While I may not see the results of my actions, I will keep faith in believing they are there. With a little more than a year left, I look forward to what is next to come. An interesting aspect of being one year in is that the surprises, the unfamiliarity, and the culture shock…it’s all settled in. Guyana feels like home. I am comfortable with the uncomfortable, I am accustomed to the system, and nothing seems to boggle my mind as it once did. While I still meet challenges of the developing world, and challenges back home that I unfortunately can’t always be present for, I keep faith in believing I am exactly where I’m supposed to be. I feel thankful to have been placed in such a unique country as Guyana. The beauty of this hidden Caribbean culture within South America might possibly be one of the best-kept secrets in the world.
Laundry drying and my backyard sunset. Home, sweet, home.One Year Ago – I Skyped little Sammy for the first time in Guyana. Can’t believe it’s been over a year since I’ve been home with my family!
As time goes on, the months have become shorter and shorter and the “just now” concept of time has fully integrated into my lifestyle. I apologize, once again, for not keeping up with the monthly updates, but here is a brief overview of what’s been going on since my last entry.
March
According to the Peace Corps “Cycle of Vulnerability and Adjustment Scale”, the month of March came with a strong dip of the roller-coaster. For a while, things seemed to be at a relatively high level, but I encountered a few more bumps than usual this month. Within the first week, a car hit one of my students when she was walking through the village. She was rushed to a hospital in Georgetown, where thankfully, she survived. I had the opportunity of visiting her with my HM (Head Master) the following weekend, and although she couldn’t speak yet, she held my hand and smiled all the while as I read her stories and watched a movie with her. A church group came in and we sang to her while she smiled up at us with joy. The school held morning prayer for her each day and my Grade 1 class eventually went to visit her when she was released out of the hospital. Also, thank you to friends and family who continue to keep her in their prayers. I can’t even begin to explain how amazing it has been to see how caring, passionate, and loving the community became for this sweet young girl in a time of need. I was reminded again of the power of love and support. I still receive weekly updates on how she is doing and am happy to say she continues to heal and is predicted to re-enter the school year in September.
My sweet student, Angelika, and I holding hands and reading stories. She continues to heal. Thank you for the positive vibes, energy, and love you send for her and her family.Sweet Angelika and myself.
I went almost my entire year without encountering medical concerns, but March decided to introduce me to some new cultural exposure. I began the month with food poisoning and a sinus infection that didn’t seem to go away. From here, I was told my Asthma had re-developed. I haven’t had asthma since I was 12 years old, but in a country where trash is burned and dust and mold are prevalent – I soon learned it is common for volunteers who had asthma as children to redevelop the symptoms within Guyana. This put a halt on my usual daily activities. My library project was put on hold, as I couldn’t seem to be around the donations without my wheezing increasing. The infection eventually got worse despite the medicine and inhaler, so I went to a lab in Georgetown to get tested for Tuberculosis. Thankfully, it was not TB. The tests showed to be a type of Pneumonia, which was then treated with the correct anti-biotic needed. It’s times like these where I am reminded of how lucky I am to have grown up in a country where medical resources, diagnoses, and education are readily available. With limited resources and education, it is only natural for diagnoses to take a longer point of time, which isn’t to say that sicknesses are always accounted for in the States. I am thankful for the cultural experiences I have been able to acknowledge in every way possible, from behaviors to mannerisms and even medical standpoints. And I am thankful to be serving in an organization that will help me remain at a stable health and will not let me go on being sick. When I was able to return to the library, my HM encouraged I wear a dust mask. For those who may not know already, my HM is one of the most kindhearted people I’ve ever met – she is always looking out for my well being and treats me like she is a mother watching me away from home. I followed the procedures, which gave the kids a real kick, as I now appeared to them as Bane.
“Calm down, doctor! Now’s not the time for fear. That comes later.”
The end of March arrived with a couple weeks off of school for Easter Break. I made my way to Essequibo, Region 2 of Guyana, where I visited my boyfriend, Tim and met his host family and host monkey. Our travel time to one another consists of: a one hour bus ride to Georgetown, a one hour bus ride to Parika, a two-hour ferry ride to Essequibo, and a 20 minute car ride to his site. The adventures of traveling are endless. This was my first time to travel his way and ride a ferry, and I was reminded once again of the excitement in discovering new places along with how diverse the country of Guyana proves to be. While I live in a farming community filled with rice fields and farmers, Essequibo also consists of many farms, but appears to have more jungle than my little Berbice area. Electricity wasn’t available as often as my region of Guyana and while I previously claimed to live in a village that went to sleep and rose with the sun – Essequibo appears to be even more on this schedule. Tim and I made our way to Bartica for Easter Weekend celebrations, located in Region 7 of Guyana, which is an island made-up of a small town. We rode a boat to the island, stayed at a Bed and Breakfast, and watched the celebratory Boat Races that lasted throughout the weekend with some friends. This was also the life-turning point where we found Chicken! For those who haven’t heard, Chicken is the latest stray animal I took in to foster. This puts Chicken as the 5th animal I have helped care for since I’ve come to Guyana. (5 little Starfish stories!) At the time, Chicken was a six-week old flea, mite, and worm-infested puppy I found scavenging around the trash outside of a fast food restaurant, Churches Chicken. When asked what one of the biggest challenges I’ve encountered in Guyana has been – I always answer the same – it’s the amount of stray animals living on the streets. For most people in Guyana, the amount of stray dogs and cats has always been a norm. I continue searching for ways to help with this, such as requesting for help from World Vets and Vets Beyond Borders, but still have difficulty remaining rationally detached from all the animals without homes. When I saw Chicken, I knew I couldn’t leave this tiny abandoned pup alone. I carried her back to the hotel with us, where a group of volunteers and I helped clean her up. From here on out, Chicken transformed into the luckiest and most loved dog I’ve met in Guyana so far. Multiple volunteers helped care for her and transport her, I took her into the Vet for vaccinations and de-worming, and she became best friends with Starfish my cat. My landlord made it apparent I couldn’t have dogs though, so I made it clear this was a temporary thing. My buddy Joe, living in the hinterland of Wakapoa, asked if he could adopt sweet Chicken as his own and that is where she now lives. Chicken and I had a great month a half together while I cared for her, took her to her vet appointments, and spent as much time as possible being by her side. I would be lying if I said I didn’t shed any tears when I passed Chicken on to Joe, but I know Chicken couldn’t be in a more loving and spacious home than his. He still keeps me updated with photos of her sleeping in his lap and running through fields, which puts a huge smile on my face to see how this sick little puppy’s life has completely turned around. Thank you to all the volunteers who helped get Chicken to a safe and loving home. She is such a lucky pup.
Leaving Parika on the Ferry for Essequibo.Jeffrey the monkey.Suddie, EssequiboTraveling with Tim to Bartica
March also consisted of a special friend of mine heading back to Spain. I love you Ash and hope you’re re-adjusting well! I know we will meet up again. 😉
BGC !
April
The end of March/beginning of April consisted of Camp BRO (Boys Redefining Ourselves) where a group of volunteers and myself hosted a 3-Day Overnight camp for Primary-Aged boys where we taught sessions and activities based on healthy lifestyle choices and equal gender rights. Everything went well and it was great to see how involved and enthusiastic the campers became. On the last night of camp, I returned to my dorm room to find someone had broken into my personal belongings – along with other peoples’ – and stolen both my debit cards, all of my living allowance, and my phone. It was an unfortunate event to occur and for the first time in my service – I became quite homesick. I missed the feeling of safety in my home with my family and being able to go to my mom in times like these. Through the support of family, friends, and especially Peace Corps though, I was once again reminded of the power of support and love. While I couldn’t get all items recovered, I was able to receive a thankful amount of help and jump back up on the horse to continue going.
Campers and staff at Camp BRO! Photo creds to Chase!
Where the rest of April went – I couldn’t tell you. The month was a complete blur. As mentioned earlier, I’m realizing that the more time goes on – the quicker it goes – and the less I know where it’s run off to. I’d like to believe this is me becoming more integrated in the “just now” time schedule as I can’t seem to keep track of time. I continued to work on a grant I’ll be opening for this summer – Camp GLOW (Girls Leading Our World) and stayed busy with teaching and working with finding funds for the library-to-be. I spent majority of the weekends and afternoons playing and caring for the darling, hyperactive little pup named Chicken. Another friend left to go back to the States, which was tough to encounter, as I always loved the fun and energetic vibes he carried with him. The more service that goes on, the harder it is when people leave. I know each decision made is the right one though and those people will always be a part of the Peace Corps Family. Then came the end of April where Chicken made her way to the hinterland, and Starfish and I became “just the 2 of us” once again. Oh yes – and Miss Lindsey cut off “4 inches” of my hair…more like 10 😉
Starfish was a little skeptical at first, but he learned to love her.Next door neighbor wearing Chicken out!It takes a village to raise a Chicken.Chicken loves to help out with laundry day.Chicken frolicking in the fields of her new home in Wakapoa, Guyana 🙂Peace Corps Hair Salon: asking the nearest volunteer to cut your hair.
May
May started off well with the normal activities of school, library funding, and lesson planning. Election time arrived in Guyana, where I was put in a “consolidation point” for one week with other volunteers for protection against any possible riots or protests that may occur. Luckily, the week went well and elections did not end in any violence. This also resulted in a week-long vacation of 18 volunteers searching for ways to occupy themselves without losing their sanity and purpose of existence. This was fun. Seriously though, I’m already missing being around such a fun group of folks. A new president was elected for Guyana and for the first time in 22 years, APNU has become the political party running the country. While I do not choose sides on political matters outside of the United States, I look forward to seeing what might occur for the time to come. This week I’ll be adventuring over to Shell Beach, located in Region 1 of Guyana, where large endangered sea turtles lay their eggs at this time of the year. It is known for it’s tourism during this special time. Naturally, I’m overloaded with excitement. I’ll be sure to keep you updated on the journey to come.
Consolidation Point Activities.Clearly, Peace Corps Consolidations can get awfully crazy.
As I always say and always mean – thank you all for the consistent support and encouragement. Y’all keep me going and help me keep the optimism high. Having not seen family and American friends in over a year now, I still hope to remain in close touch and keep updated on your lives. I hope all is well!
kayleepcv 