It's 91 degrees and I'm wearing Jeans

Hello friends and family!!

I hope your week has been good. As my title says its 91 degrees and I find myself wearing jeans.Today we had school sports for the second day in a row which means I can wear whatever kind of clothing I want and so I thought I would try and be like the Guyanese and wear jeans. I guess that I have become very acclimatized because its actually not too hot.

Okay So let me start from the beginning of the week.

Saturday wasn't too exciting. I basically spent the whole day running around. In the morning Sarah and I went to the Market which is always exciting. After we got home I was sitting there and Audrey woke up from her nap and asked if we could go shopping for all of the stuff we needed for our house. We have been needing a few things for a LONG time and finally on Saturday we went and got them.
Sunday was our Parish festival! This was a lot of fun. They set up a bunch of large tents behind the church and had a cook out. They served jerk chicken and cook-up. I really love jerk chicken and I never thought I would say that but it is very good. They played loud and popular music - that is one thing that all three of us were laughing at because we could never see the parishiners at our parish jamming out to Sean Paul. :) After the Parish festival I went with two of the sisters to Mahecia. (I don't know if I spelt that right) This is where there used to be a leper colony and where a few of them still life. By now they have all had the treatment many years ago and are cured of the disease but still have physical ailments because of what the disaese had done to them. I spent some of my time holding a blind mans hand and he talked with me. I really enjoyed my visit there. Leaving there made me feel really grateful for all I have - because the place that they are living in is in serious disrepair and I don't think they get the best medical care in the world. However - they were all very kind and sweet. They enjoyed having us come and speak with them. It was one of the most rewarding things I have done since I have been here. One woman even sang a song for me :)!
On Monday "Nurse Sarah" came to Mercy wings to speak to my girls about health. It was really funny to watch her reaction to the students. It was really rewarding for her to come - but at the same time I wish my students wouldn't have been so shy. When I am up in front of the class room they can ask about 100 questions an hour and when Sarah came they all kind of clammed up. However - that is typical. She wants to come back in a couple of months again maybe - so perhaps they will relax by then. Sarah did get to hold one of my girls 6 month old baby. She has her baby in the day care and often after school while the students are cleaning up I will go collect the baby for her so she can do her duties. It has become one of the best parts of my day because I get to hold a baby! And also the baby loves me. I went into the day care earlier in the day to talk with a teacher and I walked by the baby without stopping to play with her and she screamed - however the other teachers say she doesn't do that for anyone else! Mr. Lambert warned me that I better stop holding her and playing with her or I am going to try and escape to the US with her. :) I wouldn't do that - her mother is a really great mother - and a really good student.
On Tuesday I went into work at the hospital and was there for about 4 hours when they told me that none of the doctors were in today so basically I was free to go. Since I had free time I went up to the orphanage because I knew the nursery boys were out of school already. I really enjoy every minute I get to spend with those boys. They are all so sweet. It was also good to go when only 7 of them were out of school so I got to make a point to spend time with all of them equally rather than when we go on the weekends and its kind of a free for all! One of the boys I picked up wouldn't let me put him down - he kept saying "Miss please don't put me down". I promised him that I would come back soon. This is a promise that is easy for me to keep - because even though I get tired from working at school all day - being with the boys always brings me more energy and joy.
I also had a really interesting conversation with some Guyanese women about how the internet is slowing starting to ruin people here because they become addicted to things like facebook and e-mail. Hmm... sound familiar?
Wednesday was nothing spectacular. I went to work at the hospital after working at the school as we had a special adherence program. By the time I got home I was exhausted ate and went to bed. The one really good thing on Wednesday was that Mr. Lambert gave me a ride home. I think one of my favorite things is I will be randomly walking somewhere and I will see a silver van pull up next to me and yell get it. Lambert will show up in the most random of places and always offers a ride. It doesn't happen often - but the few times it did happen it was hot out so the ride was relieving.
Thursday I went to school and only five students showed up. So I hung out with the cook for the first hour and then I "taught" the students some computer. Basically I got permission to let them play because the rest of the school was having fun at sports. I went to sports for the second half of the day. That was fun because I got to talk to a lot of the students. A lot of the boys have started to talk with me more and I really enjoy speaking with them. They always have something funny to say. They also told me the best place to buy shoes.
That is what I did today I went to sports for the first half - and then I went and bought shoes. I saved up last month and this month stipend and bought a pair because I forgot a pair to wear with jeans. I bought converse on really huge sale - I almost felt like I was stealing them. But well at least then I had more money than I saved!! :)

Well - this is long and wordy - It is hard for me to think of new things to write about so I have a request - I would like you to e-mail me any questions you would like answered in my next weeks blog. (harris.ashleyann@gmail.com)!

Oh ya - we went to adoration/benediction at the Cathedral last night which was a HUGE blessing because they only have adoration once a month for the WHOLE country. Crazy - and normally it is during my work time - but this was special occasion during the novena to the Holy Spirit.

Okay well anyway - I'm off -

Ashley