Family and Friends,
Well once again another week of life has gone by. I can't believe that it is almost the end of June already. Last weekend was Sarah's birthday and we had a wonderful weekend. Sarah had to work on Saturday all day but when she got home she was really tired. She decided we would just have a couple people over and then go to bed. We had some people over for cake - and half way through eating Sarah changed her mind and decided that she wanted to go out. We ended up going out of town just a few miles and hanging out at a bar near the national stadium. It was a really fun place with not too many and not too little people. We had a great night! :) The next morning we got up and went to the creek with a friend of ours. We ended up seeing a ton of people that we knew there and hung out all day. We didn't get back to Georgetown until about 8pm. The creek is one of my favorite places because you can swim, relax, and enjoy the day with no stress. The creek is made up of "black water" and looks like coca cola. The water is this color because of the sediments from the leaves the fall into the water. They saw if you drink black water and eat laba (wild meat..wild rat) you will come back to Guyana. I have yet to drink black water or eat wild meat from the fear of getting sick. I guess if you count all the water that got up my nose then maybe I have drank some black water! :)
This week was fine and normal until Friday when my school decided to take a trip to the New Amsterdam Prison. The trip to the prison was about a two hour drive. We had to reach "town" (Bus park) for 7:00 am and we ended up leaving town around 7:45. When we reached the prison they were having a meeting so we had to wait about 15 minutes before we were brought inside. Once we were inside we had a brief info session and then we were able to eat our lunch. After lunch we packed all our stuff back into the bus and entered the prison. Once inside the prison they explained to us the different things about the prison. They are allowed 2 phone calls, 2 letters, and one visitor per month. They have different uniforms depending on if they are in for capital offense (murder) than if they are a normal committed prisoner. The remand prisoners get to wear their own clothes from home unless they are on remand for capital offense.
After the briefing we were able to go and sit and talk with the prisoners. I went into the lunch room for a while and talk to a few different women for just a brief period of time. They are a few inmates from the US there and hearing them talk made me realize most of them were from New York. (Which they then confirmed) After a few minutes I went back outside to a different sitting area and sat down next to a girl about my age. We started talking for about a half an hour about random stuff. One thing that we talked about was how so many different church groups come in and she doesn't like it because they all preach a different thing. She made a comment on how even though they are all Christian they all answer questions differently and she doesn't like the fact that its never the same.
After some more random conversation we were talking about tattoos and somehow tattoos lead into her telling me the story of what had happened. She is being charged with a capital offense for killing her lover. The details of the story all become blurry to me now but I just remember what she kept saying to me: "in one second of your life everything can change forever because of one small event". She kept saying how one moment can change someones entire life. She never in her life had intentions to hurt anyone. She then proceeded to tell me how she had hoped to continue her education and if she is found innocent.
As we continued to talk we ended up talking about how much we both like to write. Both of us record everything we do for the day and it is our way to clear our minds. As we were having this conversation I realized how much we have in common. We are both young women with hopes for the future. My heart went out to her as I could sense her true remorse for everything that had happened.
After our conversation we ended up going back over to the meeting area where seven different prisoners talked with us about their experience. They all explained their circumstances of what they had done and how long they were in jail for. Something that really stuck out to me was: "Nothing that comes easy in life lasts long". They kept repeating to the students: "If something seems to good to be true, than it is". I was amazed at their ability to talk about their mistakes and share so much insight to those of us on the outside. They all emphasized how important it is that the students live good lives so they won't have their freedom stripped of them. Having someone tell you what to do 24 hours a day can make you feel and think like a robot.
The students all responded well to the prison trip although, it was emotional for them. I think that I was reminded of the compassion that we all need to have in life. It is much easier for me to have compassion on someone who I don't know, and who never hurt me. For me to talk with the girl who had murdered someone it was easy to see the good and beautiful things inside of her without having judgment on what she had did. Had I known this girl and seen the altercation my opinion may have changed and it would be much easier for me to judge with a harsh eye. Sometimes we need to be reminded of the compassion that comes when we have no emotions tied to the situation. Its easier to be mad at someone you know because it affects your own life. It would be impossible for us to remove emotions and personal ties to incidents in which people have hurt us and therefore I know it would be impossible to have the same ease of compassion but, experiencing this type of compassion has helped me to see areas of my life where I know I lack compassion. None of us are perfect, everyone makes mistakes, and yet forgiveness and compassion can be a very difficult road.
On a lighter note our house has been full of many different foods this week! My aunt and uncle sent me a WONDERFUL cook book and it has added spice to our lives. My roommate Audrey made an egg bake and my roommate Sarah made chicken pot pie. This week I cooked a pasta with eggplant, tomato, and pesto sauce my family bought me while they were here. It has been a really huge blessing in our lives because we all got into the routine of cooking the same things over and over again. Its amazing how the simple things in life can be an adventure when you are trying something new.
Anyway - I hope and pray that you all have a blessed week. "Peace begins with a smile" - M. Teresa
Ashley Ann
Whatsoever you do to the least of My people, that you do unto Me.
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Friday, June 17, 2011
Sea Turtle?!?
Hello All,
I haven't written since my family left about life here so I guess I have two weeks to catch up on. My family left on the 5th of June and that day was filled with a large nap and then I went to hang out with some of my friends on the sea wall. I really enjoy spending time just sitting on the sea wall - there is always a really great breeze and its a very relaxing spot. I had to stay up that night until 12 am + because I was going to the airport with Sarah and our friend Alex to pick up Sarah's friend Jonathon. It was a nice trip because there was very little traffic and I forget how much I miss riding in cars. Yes, I do get to ride in buses and taxis but I miss taking long drives. I never thought I would miss that long drive from Morris to Ely. :)
Work at the hospital for the past two weeks has been really rewarding. I had a man come in the other day who just loved to talk. We weren't really talking about anything in particular but he just wanted to talk. I ended up spending close to two hours with him in an educational session that would have normally taken a half hour. I guess the great thing about it is that I have learned just to let people talk and enjoy the time. It was a slow day and I didn't have anything else pressing to get done so I kept reminding myself to be present at the moment. Also I have realized how glad I am to have such wonderful co-workers at Mercy. They always have interesting stories and make me laugh. They keep telling me how Guyanese I am becoming and it is quite amusing. They laugh because I like hot pepper sauce and when I first came I couldn't take any heat.
Jonathon Sarah's friend was here for the first week and we had a really good time. On last wednesday we went out to the coffee shop together and it was really fun. It was good to see one of Sarah's friends and see a little bit more of what her past life was like. You can hear so much about a person but until you meet them it is hard to put everything together.
Last friday there were some short term volunteers here and another friend invited them over to their house so we went as well. It was good to answer questions about Guyana. One of the young men was interested in doing overseas service and he asked me a whole bunch of questions about it. One of his greatest fears was the people were going to forget him. I told him that yes some people do forget you, but in the end the people who don't forget you are the ones who really matter. It shows you who is important in your life and who it is time to move on from. Although at times this can be really painful it can also be like a good cleaning of your social life. It can also help you to remember to focus on who is really important in your life.
On Saturday night before Jonathon flew out a bunch of us went to the seawall to chill. My friend and I were standing out by the ocean and we ended up seeing a SEA TURTLE!!! It was quite crazy. We called our friends over and they all saw it. The turtle was being confused by the lights of the city and couldn't find the ocean. We picked up the turtle and carried him back to the ocean. He really shouldn't have been trying to lay eggs by GT anyway - I hope that he found a nice beach somewhere down the coast.
Sunday I did some cooking and brought some food over by a friend. It was a lot of fun to do and Audrey and I ended up spending the whole day over there. We really didn't do anything. I think that is the thing I enjoy most about being here is the fact that some days we can really just do nothing but just enjoy the simple things of life. I have learned to slow down and become relaxed. Life really can be simple sometimes.
After all of this took place and this week approached I realized how Chaotic my room had become. I spent some good time listening to my favorite band, the fray, and organized everything in my room. My family brought me a bunch of stuff and when I looked at it all I realized I had enough deodorant to last me until the apocalypse. The funny thing is Sarah came and told me that she just went and bought some - we all laughed at the irony! I told her she should have come to the "Ashley deodorant store".
We had a farewell mass this tuesday for two Jesuit priest who are leaving the country. It was beautiful to think of all the wonderful things they have done for the country of Guyana. It made me realize how quickly 2 years can go and made me a little bit sad that someday I too will have to leave this place. I really am blessed to have the opportunity to live here.
Last night we ended up going out to say goodbye to the volunteers. Many of the sisters and boys from the boys home were there. It was good to talk with them all. In the end the volunteers gave us a bunch of shampoo which was really appreciated!! They were all really sweet people and it was beautiful to see the love they had for the boys.
The last thing that I really didn't talk about was the fact that Drew and Seth were ordained deacons last friday. This was really difficult for me to miss as both of them are so close to my heart. I know that they will do beautiful things for the Church throughout their lives. Drew and Seth both encourage me to be a better person. They help me to remember that no matter what I am struggling with back home someone really cares for me and loves me. Often times when I find letters from Drew and Seth in my mail box I don't even want to open them because I want to save it for a really special time. Of course I can't wait for that but I do enjoy every word they write - its like receiving love in an envelope.
"Teach us to give and not to count the cost" - St. Ignatius of Loyola.
This quote is one that reminds me of their unfailing friendship - I could never repay them for their dedication and love that they have shown me. They truly show me the face of Christ.
I pray that you will all have a blessed and great week. Until next week!
Much Love,
Ashley Ann
I haven't written since my family left about life here so I guess I have two weeks to catch up on. My family left on the 5th of June and that day was filled with a large nap and then I went to hang out with some of my friends on the sea wall. I really enjoy spending time just sitting on the sea wall - there is always a really great breeze and its a very relaxing spot. I had to stay up that night until 12 am + because I was going to the airport with Sarah and our friend Alex to pick up Sarah's friend Jonathon. It was a nice trip because there was very little traffic and I forget how much I miss riding in cars. Yes, I do get to ride in buses and taxis but I miss taking long drives. I never thought I would miss that long drive from Morris to Ely. :)
Work at the hospital for the past two weeks has been really rewarding. I had a man come in the other day who just loved to talk. We weren't really talking about anything in particular but he just wanted to talk. I ended up spending close to two hours with him in an educational session that would have normally taken a half hour. I guess the great thing about it is that I have learned just to let people talk and enjoy the time. It was a slow day and I didn't have anything else pressing to get done so I kept reminding myself to be present at the moment. Also I have realized how glad I am to have such wonderful co-workers at Mercy. They always have interesting stories and make me laugh. They keep telling me how Guyanese I am becoming and it is quite amusing. They laugh because I like hot pepper sauce and when I first came I couldn't take any heat.
Jonathon Sarah's friend was here for the first week and we had a really good time. On last wednesday we went out to the coffee shop together and it was really fun. It was good to see one of Sarah's friends and see a little bit more of what her past life was like. You can hear so much about a person but until you meet them it is hard to put everything together.
Last friday there were some short term volunteers here and another friend invited them over to their house so we went as well. It was good to answer questions about Guyana. One of the young men was interested in doing overseas service and he asked me a whole bunch of questions about it. One of his greatest fears was the people were going to forget him. I told him that yes some people do forget you, but in the end the people who don't forget you are the ones who really matter. It shows you who is important in your life and who it is time to move on from. Although at times this can be really painful it can also be like a good cleaning of your social life. It can also help you to remember to focus on who is really important in your life.
On Saturday night before Jonathon flew out a bunch of us went to the seawall to chill. My friend and I were standing out by the ocean and we ended up seeing a SEA TURTLE!!! It was quite crazy. We called our friends over and they all saw it. The turtle was being confused by the lights of the city and couldn't find the ocean. We picked up the turtle and carried him back to the ocean. He really shouldn't have been trying to lay eggs by GT anyway - I hope that he found a nice beach somewhere down the coast.
Sunday I did some cooking and brought some food over by a friend. It was a lot of fun to do and Audrey and I ended up spending the whole day over there. We really didn't do anything. I think that is the thing I enjoy most about being here is the fact that some days we can really just do nothing but just enjoy the simple things of life. I have learned to slow down and become relaxed. Life really can be simple sometimes.
After all of this took place and this week approached I realized how Chaotic my room had become. I spent some good time listening to my favorite band, the fray, and organized everything in my room. My family brought me a bunch of stuff and when I looked at it all I realized I had enough deodorant to last me until the apocalypse. The funny thing is Sarah came and told me that she just went and bought some - we all laughed at the irony! I told her she should have come to the "Ashley deodorant store".
We had a farewell mass this tuesday for two Jesuit priest who are leaving the country. It was beautiful to think of all the wonderful things they have done for the country of Guyana. It made me realize how quickly 2 years can go and made me a little bit sad that someday I too will have to leave this place. I really am blessed to have the opportunity to live here.
Last night we ended up going out to say goodbye to the volunteers. Many of the sisters and boys from the boys home were there. It was good to talk with them all. In the end the volunteers gave us a bunch of shampoo which was really appreciated!! They were all really sweet people and it was beautiful to see the love they had for the boys.
The last thing that I really didn't talk about was the fact that Drew and Seth were ordained deacons last friday. This was really difficult for me to miss as both of them are so close to my heart. I know that they will do beautiful things for the Church throughout their lives. Drew and Seth both encourage me to be a better person. They help me to remember that no matter what I am struggling with back home someone really cares for me and loves me. Often times when I find letters from Drew and Seth in my mail box I don't even want to open them because I want to save it for a really special time. Of course I can't wait for that but I do enjoy every word they write - its like receiving love in an envelope.
"Teach us to give and not to count the cost" - St. Ignatius of Loyola.
This quote is one that reminds me of their unfailing friendship - I could never repay them for their dedication and love that they have shown me. They truly show me the face of Christ.
I pray that you will all have a blessed and great week. Until next week!
Much Love,
Ashley Ann
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Family, Family, Family
Hello All,
It has been two weeks since I have last written and the last two weeks have been busy, crazy, and AMAZING. On the 24th of May my sister flew into GT, and on the 29th my Mother, Grandmother, and Aunt flew in. I have so much to recap about :)
I was super anxious for my sister to arrive that the night before she flew in I had a hard time sleeping. I felt like I woke up every hour thinking that I had overslept. By the time the taxi came I had been ready for quite some time. The ride to the airport is about 45 minutes. The taxi driver that I had was real nice. His name was Giddel. One interesting thing that he asked me on the drive was: "Are you religious, and if so are you devout?" He then began to tell me how he thought one of the largest problems with the world today is that many people have beliefs but they are not devout enough in their beliefs. We say one thing but our actions do not follow through. I was pretty impressed by his desire to share this with me in the early hours of the day. He really was an inspiration to me.
When I arrived at the airport I was so excited to see my sister I could hardly wait. She came out quickly and when I saw her I thought she looked like a lost duck... and when she found me it was like everything was okay. It was a pretty cute moment. This was followed by a car ride that had her gripping my arm! I sometimes forget how crazy people here can drive - I guess I've gotten used to this by now. I didn't let my sister off on an easy day.. right away I brought her to the school because it was one of the only chances she would have to be with my girls. We sat in the computer room and they asked her all kinds of questions. It helped me to remember what it was like when I first got to Guyana. It is hard to understand how people talk when you first arrive and I felt like I was doing quite a bit of translating :) The rest of the day we just walk around, I fed her, put her for a nap, and had a lot of good talks.
Wednesday(5/25) I ended up going to work at the hospital and she ended up going up to work with Audrey at the orphanage. I know that she really enjoyed her day up there. She ended up reading some books to the first grade boys. The boys were all asking her tons of questions. At three Audrey brought her up to the hospital so I was able to show her some of the things that we do. I then walked home with her and Audrey. We rested for a while and then went to dinner with my two friends Wai Wai and Andrew. It was good for her to meet some of my friends because I had described her to them for so long. After dinner we ended up going out dancing. It was really fun - the first drink I bought my sister was rum and coke, there was such little coke she seemed really apprehensive but after one sip she said "Rum here doesn't even need coke!!".
Thursday was a public holiday so we didn't have anything to do. Since we had this free day we ended up going to the pool and laying around for the day. It was a wonderful day just laying around and enjoying the sun. Thursday reminded me how to enjoy the little things in life. We got home from the pool, I cooked a little bit and then we ended up going to bed.
Friday we woke up to a rainstorm. We ended up catching a bus to go to work and made it to work on time despite the rain! When we got to school there was only six students and not all of the teachers had made it either. I feel like this was the point in which my sister experienced some of the really true laid back culture of Guyana. We were to go on a field trip that day at 10:00 am. We ended up not doing anything until ten but sitting around, and then when ten came it took the bus at least another forty minutes to show up. Brittany did get some good quality time with my students and one of them put "platts" (braids) in her hair. :) When we finally went to the museum it was alright but nothing worth bragging about. The only exciting part was there was a giant sloth replica in one room. The Sloth literally stood about 20 feet, it was pretty cool. My students kept touching it even though there was a very large "DO NOT TOUCH" sign. After the museum we went grabbed some food and then spent the afternoon shopping. Now this was an experience for my sister since things here are crazy, hot, and confusing. At first she got frustrated and we both got frustrated at each other but after a few minutes things settled down and in the end we ended up having a good time. When we were buying our last piece of clothing we had only exactly enough money to take the bus back home... successful day!!! Friday night we ended up going out with my friends for my birthday. We started out at a bar and then ended up going dancing after. It was one of the highlights of the weekend!
Saturday we ended up running around, doing errands, Brittany got her nails done and I cleaned the house. Saturday was just kind of a day for us to relax. That night we went to the Mercy Hospital fundraiser. The food was good but none of us are really into "old time music" which it was a "Old time BBQ and Dance" so we only ended up staying for a short amount of time.
Sunday morning I woke up early once again to make the 40 minute trek to the airport. I was less nervous going to pick up the rest of my family than picking up my sister. When I got to the airport I only had to wait around 1/2 hour for everyone to show up through the line. It was crazy to see my Mother, Aunt and Grandmother walking through the gate. When I hugged them all and talked with them I was AMAZED by their strong Minnesota accents. It was the first thing that I really remember and it made me feel like there was home with me already. We took the crazy drive into GT and went straight up to the Grand Coastal. I chilled with my family as they showered and got ready for the day. It was great just to sit with them but it almost felt surreal to me. It was different that I expected but way better than I could have ever hoped. Eventually we went back to our house where we had a small lunch and get together for my birthday. We ate really good food that one of my friends had made and sat around and talked all day. It was crazy for me because it was like a collision of two worlds. I was with some people who have been close to me for months now, and my family who has known me forever and it was weird for me to see them meet. Although it was different it was a great experience looking back at it. Grandma and I then went to church and then met up with the rest of the group when we were to go to dinner with the Sister. Dinner at the Sisters was good. I was glad they got to see the house I lived in for a very short period of time when I first arrived and met the women who are so influential in my life. They are all older women but still full of much wisdom and strength in their ministries and lives.
Monday was my actual birthday so I woke up and ate breakfast with my family! :) We took our time getting ready and then went to Mercy Wings the school that I teach at. It was really good to show them the school because I now hope they are able to connect my stories with pictures. The students were all really excited to meet them and they still ask me when my family is coming back. My co-workers all commented on how everyone in my family all looks similar. Everyone kept getting confused on who was who and it was pretty comical. After the school we ran up to the hospital and took a small quick tour. We got to see some of my co-workers which was really good. We quick grabbed something to eat in the canteen and then headed up to St. John Bosco orphanage. It was good for my family to see the school, and shortly after school was over they were able to play with the boys a little bit. The boys are one of my favorite parts about Guyana so I felt blessed to be able to share that with them. After Britt and Grandma went up to the hotel and my mom, aunt and I went running errands around town. This is when they met their to be favorite taxi driver "Wesson". My aunt kept calling him "Russel" until he said "Wesson, you know like the oil". It was all really funny and cute. That night we went for a really good dinner at the Pegasus for my birthday. Audrey and Sarah were able to join us for dinner which was really cool for me because they are like my family here.
Tuesday we woke up and our plans had been changed a little bit because it was raining. We ended up going to the City Mall and shopping. Not only did we shop but everyone ended up getting their nails painted, except Britt and I who ended up getting our toes painted. It was a fun adventure. We got some cute shoes too! (which my family ended up taking mine to the states :( ) After the mall we ended up going back to the hotel to eat some lunch. We all then hung out around the pool until we had to go to the sisters. We first went to Sister Noel and Celine Marie's house. It was a really good visit as they are so sweet to us. After our visit with them we had to head over to Pere Street convent to visit with the sisters. This was also a very good visit as these are the sisters that we live the closest to! After all the visiting we ended up just going home and chilling.
Wednesday was one of my Favorite days! We woke up and went to the El Dorado Rum tour. This is a tour in which you get to see the process by which the rum is made! After the rum making tour and seeing the warehouse where the store it all we were able to have a rum sampling tour. This was a really fun part. You get to test each rum 3 year, 5 year, 8 year, and 12 year. They then mixed the rum with different things to try it with and talked about things like "bruising the rum". It was pretty exciting. After the rum tour we had a very quick change around and got on the bus to go to Arrowpoint Resort. We had about a 45 minute bus ride and then an hour boat ride to the resort. The Resort was beautiful when we first arrived. It was so absolutely quiet I was shocked. I hadn't been somewhere that quiet since I arrived in Guyana. It was a huge relief to be somewhere peaceful and quiet.
Arrowpoint resort was AMAZING. It is a resort that is full of activity and peace. We went on a walk through the jungle, and then we kayaked our way back to the resort down the river. Even my grandmother got herself in and out of the kayak! The kayak was one of my favorite memories because the water looked like a mirror and everything was green and beautiful. I was in a kayak with my mother and well... its been a while since she has steered any motor craft manually - but we ended up having a great time. After that we had a beautiful dinner around a bon fire on the beach. The night ended with a night walk through the woods where we saw a GIANT spider eat a grasshopper! The guide on the night walk was great and he even told scary stories! My family may have freaked out a little bit... my mother and my aunt may be brave people in character - but not in the jungle at night! When we finished the walk we went Cayman (small alligator) spotting. That was a lot of fun and we saw quite a few. I also saw a big snake hanging from a tree :) Yay for wildlife. We all went back to our rooms and I tucked everyone into their mosquito nets. Once everyone was tucked in we passed out until it was 5:30 am when we got up to go see the birds.
The morning was beautiful! We went to go see the largest species of hummingbirds in the world! We saw them and they were very beautiful. We were also able to see a tucan! After our bird watching adventure we went back and I took a nap in the hammock. After that we ate breakfast and had a break until we were to go visit the Ameridian village called Santa Mission. The visit to the village was good. There was a 300+ year old tree, a craft shop, and lots of interesting trees. It rained a little bit, and although I complained, rain never killed anyone. After that we had some break until lunch. After lunch we just hung out by the water until our epic bike ride through the jungle. My mom, aunt, and I went biking and I was the only one to run into a tree. (I may still have a huge bruise to prove this) The bike ride was pretty awesome. I wish that I could go biking through the jungle everyday! After that it was sad but the truth was it was time to go. We took one last jump in the creek, got our stuff together, and hopped on the boat to go back to Georgetown. Once we reached GT my family went to the hotel and I went home to clean up. We all ended up meeting together that night and ate dinner. We all ended up going to bed early.
Friday I woke up and I did not feel well at all. I don't know what was wrong but I was defiantly sick. We all went into town to take a walk around my neighborhood. It was an interesting walk and I think my family got a little taste of the CRAZINESS of my daily life. Sometimes I forget how crazy things can be around here until I have someone from back home experience them. By the time we got to the grocery store and bought some food a few family members opted to take a taxi home and avoid the craziness. I ended up running around town with my mom and aunt while my sister and grandmother went back to the hotel. We saw all of the typical Georgetown sights and also ate some "green mangos". When we finished they dropped me back at the house where I passed out for three hours because I felt so sick. We ended up meeting up for dinner at a very good Brazilian restaurant and then going back to the hotel for bed. I was really sad that I had to sleep but there was just nothing I could do, if you are sick you are sick. Life goes that way and you can't dwell on it I guess.
The next day we went to Kaieteur Falls. Website... click here! <-- Really click there its legit and then I don't have to explain so much myself. haha :) If you clicked on the website then I don't really need to expalin how amazing our day was. The flight was good and beautiful, the weather was good, (just a little mist) and the company was the best.
Once we got back from the waterfall we all went back to the hotel. I had to collect some things from my house and then went out. The last night we ate together and hung out with a couple of my friends. It was a very relaxing last night. I was really glad to just sit around and talk.
Sunday morning I woke up at 4am and said goodbye to family near five. Although surreal because it was so early in the morning it was really sad to see them go. It was a wonderful experience having my family here. I think that it really changed my view on my mission here. At one point to me my sister said: "You just don't understand you've changed and we haven't and sometimes you forget that". It was difficult at first to be hit with reminder of life back home but after a short time I was able to adjust and remember my life and what exactly it was. It reminded me that my transition back home will be difficult but not impossible and that although people change and this can lead to some difficulties really in the end it will just enrich your relationships. Once I was able to get over the small reverse culture shock I encountered, I was able to remember the things that were important in life which is those that we love. I can't say how much it meant to me to just sit down and talk with people that knew me so well. Even if we weren't talking about something important there was something powerful about being with those who have known you for your entire life.
You don't choose your family. They are God's gift to you, as you are to them. ~Desmond Tutu
I find this quote to really describe what I was reminded while my family was here. You don't choose who you are related to - but the point is that you are with these people for a reason. I believe there is a reason for everything and each person in my family came to Guyana for a certain reason. Each of them reminded me of how much love God has for me and how much love I have back home. If it wasn't for my family I wouldn't be able to do all of this work here and feel so supported. Even my family back home that was unable to visit was a huge support to me during the week that my family was here. I am blessed to have such a giving and loving family.
Well I am trying to get my family to give me some stories to share with you! But until then I feel like this is enough for now. I will try and get some pictures up soon!
Love and Prayers,
Ashley Ann
Friday we woke up to a rainstorm. We ended up catching a bus to go to work and made it to work on time despite the rain! When we got to school there was only six students and not all of the teachers had made it either. I feel like this was the point in which my sister experienced some of the really true laid back culture of Guyana. We were to go on a field trip that day at 10:00 am. We ended up not doing anything until ten but sitting around, and then when ten came it took the bus at least another forty minutes to show up. Brittany did get some good quality time with my students and one of them put "platts" (braids) in her hair. :) When we finally went to the museum it was alright but nothing worth bragging about. The only exciting part was there was a giant sloth replica in one room. The Sloth literally stood about 20 feet, it was pretty cool. My students kept touching it even though there was a very large "DO NOT TOUCH" sign. After the museum we went grabbed some food and then spent the afternoon shopping. Now this was an experience for my sister since things here are crazy, hot, and confusing. At first she got frustrated and we both got frustrated at each other but after a few minutes things settled down and in the end we ended up having a good time. When we were buying our last piece of clothing we had only exactly enough money to take the bus back home... successful day!!! Friday night we ended up going out with my friends for my birthday. We started out at a bar and then ended up going dancing after. It was one of the highlights of the weekend!
Saturday we ended up running around, doing errands, Brittany got her nails done and I cleaned the house. Saturday was just kind of a day for us to relax. That night we went to the Mercy Hospital fundraiser. The food was good but none of us are really into "old time music" which it was a "Old time BBQ and Dance" so we only ended up staying for a short amount of time.
Sunday morning I woke up early once again to make the 40 minute trek to the airport. I was less nervous going to pick up the rest of my family than picking up my sister. When I got to the airport I only had to wait around 1/2 hour for everyone to show up through the line. It was crazy to see my Mother, Aunt and Grandmother walking through the gate. When I hugged them all and talked with them I was AMAZED by their strong Minnesota accents. It was the first thing that I really remember and it made me feel like there was home with me already. We took the crazy drive into GT and went straight up to the Grand Coastal. I chilled with my family as they showered and got ready for the day. It was great just to sit with them but it almost felt surreal to me. It was different that I expected but way better than I could have ever hoped. Eventually we went back to our house where we had a small lunch and get together for my birthday. We ate really good food that one of my friends had made and sat around and talked all day. It was crazy for me because it was like a collision of two worlds. I was with some people who have been close to me for months now, and my family who has known me forever and it was weird for me to see them meet. Although it was different it was a great experience looking back at it. Grandma and I then went to church and then met up with the rest of the group when we were to go to dinner with the Sister. Dinner at the Sisters was good. I was glad they got to see the house I lived in for a very short period of time when I first arrived and met the women who are so influential in my life. They are all older women but still full of much wisdom and strength in their ministries and lives.
Monday was my actual birthday so I woke up and ate breakfast with my family! :) We took our time getting ready and then went to Mercy Wings the school that I teach at. It was really good to show them the school because I now hope they are able to connect my stories with pictures. The students were all really excited to meet them and they still ask me when my family is coming back. My co-workers all commented on how everyone in my family all looks similar. Everyone kept getting confused on who was who and it was pretty comical. After the school we ran up to the hospital and took a small quick tour. We got to see some of my co-workers which was really good. We quick grabbed something to eat in the canteen and then headed up to St. John Bosco orphanage. It was good for my family to see the school, and shortly after school was over they were able to play with the boys a little bit. The boys are one of my favorite parts about Guyana so I felt blessed to be able to share that with them. After Britt and Grandma went up to the hotel and my mom, aunt and I went running errands around town. This is when they met their to be favorite taxi driver "Wesson". My aunt kept calling him "Russel" until he said "Wesson, you know like the oil". It was all really funny and cute. That night we went for a really good dinner at the Pegasus for my birthday. Audrey and Sarah were able to join us for dinner which was really cool for me because they are like my family here.
Tuesday we woke up and our plans had been changed a little bit because it was raining. We ended up going to the City Mall and shopping. Not only did we shop but everyone ended up getting their nails painted, except Britt and I who ended up getting our toes painted. It was a fun adventure. We got some cute shoes too! (which my family ended up taking mine to the states :( ) After the mall we ended up going back to the hotel to eat some lunch. We all then hung out around the pool until we had to go to the sisters. We first went to Sister Noel and Celine Marie's house. It was a really good visit as they are so sweet to us. After our visit with them we had to head over to Pere Street convent to visit with the sisters. This was also a very good visit as these are the sisters that we live the closest to! After all the visiting we ended up just going home and chilling.
Wednesday was one of my Favorite days! We woke up and went to the El Dorado Rum tour. This is a tour in which you get to see the process by which the rum is made! After the rum making tour and seeing the warehouse where the store it all we were able to have a rum sampling tour. This was a really fun part. You get to test each rum 3 year, 5 year, 8 year, and 12 year. They then mixed the rum with different things to try it with and talked about things like "bruising the rum". It was pretty exciting. After the rum tour we had a very quick change around and got on the bus to go to Arrowpoint Resort. We had about a 45 minute bus ride and then an hour boat ride to the resort. The Resort was beautiful when we first arrived. It was so absolutely quiet I was shocked. I hadn't been somewhere that quiet since I arrived in Guyana. It was a huge relief to be somewhere peaceful and quiet.
Arrowpoint resort was AMAZING. It is a resort that is full of activity and peace. We went on a walk through the jungle, and then we kayaked our way back to the resort down the river. Even my grandmother got herself in and out of the kayak! The kayak was one of my favorite memories because the water looked like a mirror and everything was green and beautiful. I was in a kayak with my mother and well... its been a while since she has steered any motor craft manually - but we ended up having a great time. After that we had a beautiful dinner around a bon fire on the beach. The night ended with a night walk through the woods where we saw a GIANT spider eat a grasshopper! The guide on the night walk was great and he even told scary stories! My family may have freaked out a little bit... my mother and my aunt may be brave people in character - but not in the jungle at night! When we finished the walk we went Cayman (small alligator) spotting. That was a lot of fun and we saw quite a few. I also saw a big snake hanging from a tree :) Yay for wildlife. We all went back to our rooms and I tucked everyone into their mosquito nets. Once everyone was tucked in we passed out until it was 5:30 am when we got up to go see the birds.
The morning was beautiful! We went to go see the largest species of hummingbirds in the world! We saw them and they were very beautiful. We were also able to see a tucan! After our bird watching adventure we went back and I took a nap in the hammock. After that we ate breakfast and had a break until we were to go visit the Ameridian village called Santa Mission. The visit to the village was good. There was a 300+ year old tree, a craft shop, and lots of interesting trees. It rained a little bit, and although I complained, rain never killed anyone. After that we had some break until lunch. After lunch we just hung out by the water until our epic bike ride through the jungle. My mom, aunt, and I went biking and I was the only one to run into a tree. (I may still have a huge bruise to prove this) The bike ride was pretty awesome. I wish that I could go biking through the jungle everyday! After that it was sad but the truth was it was time to go. We took one last jump in the creek, got our stuff together, and hopped on the boat to go back to Georgetown. Once we reached GT my family went to the hotel and I went home to clean up. We all ended up meeting together that night and ate dinner. We all ended up going to bed early.
Friday I woke up and I did not feel well at all. I don't know what was wrong but I was defiantly sick. We all went into town to take a walk around my neighborhood. It was an interesting walk and I think my family got a little taste of the CRAZINESS of my daily life. Sometimes I forget how crazy things can be around here until I have someone from back home experience them. By the time we got to the grocery store and bought some food a few family members opted to take a taxi home and avoid the craziness. I ended up running around town with my mom and aunt while my sister and grandmother went back to the hotel. We saw all of the typical Georgetown sights and also ate some "green mangos". When we finished they dropped me back at the house where I passed out for three hours because I felt so sick. We ended up meeting up for dinner at a very good Brazilian restaurant and then going back to the hotel for bed. I was really sad that I had to sleep but there was just nothing I could do, if you are sick you are sick. Life goes that way and you can't dwell on it I guess.
The next day we went to Kaieteur Falls. Website... click here! <-- Really click there its legit and then I don't have to explain so much myself. haha :) If you clicked on the website then I don't really need to expalin how amazing our day was. The flight was good and beautiful, the weather was good, (just a little mist) and the company was the best.
Once we got back from the waterfall we all went back to the hotel. I had to collect some things from my house and then went out. The last night we ate together and hung out with a couple of my friends. It was a very relaxing last night. I was really glad to just sit around and talk.
Sunday morning I woke up at 4am and said goodbye to family near five. Although surreal because it was so early in the morning it was really sad to see them go. It was a wonderful experience having my family here. I think that it really changed my view on my mission here. At one point to me my sister said: "You just don't understand you've changed and we haven't and sometimes you forget that". It was difficult at first to be hit with reminder of life back home but after a short time I was able to adjust and remember my life and what exactly it was. It reminded me that my transition back home will be difficult but not impossible and that although people change and this can lead to some difficulties really in the end it will just enrich your relationships. Once I was able to get over the small reverse culture shock I encountered, I was able to remember the things that were important in life which is those that we love. I can't say how much it meant to me to just sit down and talk with people that knew me so well. Even if we weren't talking about something important there was something powerful about being with those who have known you for your entire life.
You don't choose your family. They are God's gift to you, as you are to them. ~Desmond Tutu
I find this quote to really describe what I was reminded while my family was here. You don't choose who you are related to - but the point is that you are with these people for a reason. I believe there is a reason for everything and each person in my family came to Guyana for a certain reason. Each of them reminded me of how much love God has for me and how much love I have back home. If it wasn't for my family I wouldn't be able to do all of this work here and feel so supported. Even my family back home that was unable to visit was a huge support to me during the week that my family was here. I am blessed to have such a giving and loving family.
Well I am trying to get my family to give me some stories to share with you! But until then I feel like this is enough for now. I will try and get some pictures up soon!
Love and Prayers,
Ashley Ann
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