Hello Everyone! It’s hard to believe that this update talks about the last time I was at site-the last 2.5 weeks as a volunteer in Gengeston. It was an eventful few weeks!
When it came time to head from the city to the village for my last time there, we experienced the worst ride I’ve had here in Suriname. The wagi was filled to the max and already running late. Once we got about 10 minutes out of the city, the van began to run funny; you could feel there was a problem. It started to overheat, so all 12 of us piled out of the wagi to wait on the side of the road while the driver attempted to fix it. Then we piled back in, only to stop again less than a minute up the road, and pile out. This went on probably half a dozen times before the driver realized he wasn’t going to be able to fix the car. During this time, all of us passengers are sitting on the side of the road, in the sun, trying to ration out our bottle of water bc who knew how long until we were going to find another ride, an obviously it’s really hot here! About four hours of sitting on the road and trying to wave down rides, we were able to find a ride back to the city with another volunteer and her father who were heading to the city (Hello Cooks!) from a stay at a tourist camp. What a long day – we all just wanted to get somewhere to get out of the heat and sun- and some water! But, throughout it all I just kept thinking- this is my last trip to site ever, so it doesn’t matter how badly it goes.
I spent some time visiting other volunteer’s sites for the last time. At my friend Jack’s we spent the afternoon working on his lathe where he helped me to turn a project to take home. We wanted to do something simple, so we decided on an egg. He constructed the lathe himself and has made several pieces of furniture, rolling pins and candle holders on it. Quite impressive. Even though I spent most of the time watching-it’s hard on your calves when you’re pumping it to turn the lathe-it was a really enjoyable afternoon. It was strange to visit villages for the last time, to walk the trail between them for the last time.
One of the things I have been wanting to do is see some monkeys up close. You know there are everywhere here, but it’s difficult for me to see them without my glasses (which I haven’t worn since I first got here), so I made a point to bring them to site. My friend Saba took Johanna and I out in his boat at dusk in search of them, but unfortunately we didn’t see any. The next morning, I got a call from him who said to meet him at the river. A family of monkeys was swinging around right outside the village! They were still a little ways away, but we could clearly make them out, them swinging from tree to tree with their long tails.
We had a meeting in regards to the last project we were working on: latrines. The men working on them were able to finish the three before I left. It was a simple project, and unfortunately we weren’t able to build as many as we would have liked, but the village will definitely benefit from them. We placed them in locations close to the elderly villagers, giving them a closer place to use the restroom, since many have major difficulties walking.
I spent a lot of time with the villagers I’d become closest to, going to their grounds to bring back wood (yes-carrying it on my head), visiting their work grounds where they cut wood, and just sitting with them at night chatting. I was trying to cram so much into the little time I had left there. I had so many conversations about America, what I would do there, when I would come back, what kind of work I would do, the family I would one day have (and at their request must bring to the village to meet them). There were so many time we would be talking about the future and it would hit me: this is it, this is the end, and who know if I would see these people again. The elderly would tell me when I visit in 5 years or so they would be gone, they would ‘lose life’ and I would tell them of course they would still be here! Yet deep down knowing this would probably be our final goodbye. I held back tears several times, which is very difficult to do!
So clearly the last two weeks were an emotional roller coaster, but I don’t think it really hit me until I was having my going away party, 3 days before I left. The day of the festivities, other volunteers came to my site to help me celebrate. Even though there was a group of us prepared to do the cooking, my friends in the village wouldn’t hear of it. They cooked everything (minus the popcorn) over wood fires in the shelter next to my house, preparing huge batches of beans, rice, chicken and noodles. It was a busy and exciting afternoon with women from all over the village stopping by to help. The party began later that night when my counterpart arrive with gigantic speakers, and as soon as he put the music on everyone was dancing. Handing out the food to a whole village was a bit stressful-forming lines wasn’t really working so everyone was just crowding around thrusting their dishes. The whole party had a really good feel to it, yet it still had sad undertones. Friends were giving me going away gift and we took so many pictures throughout the night. Everyone danced and had a good time, telling me the next day what a good party it had been. It was a huge success! Saturday was spent recouperating from the night before and packing up my house, which was a much bigger project than I had thought. Some of the kids helped me clean, in exchange for books, toys and candy that I was giving away. Giving away an entire house was quite the process. I wanted to be sure everyone got something and tried to keep things fair, but towards the end I just wanted all the stuff out!
Sunday was my last day at site and it started with church. The preacher gave a really nice speech about me, saying how much I had accomplished over the 2 years and how grateful the village was. After, the women’s organization presented me with a fancy kosu and thanked me again. It was such a nice service and very thoughtful-I was crying for most of it!
Later that day, I walked around the village saying goodbye and spending time with the people I had grown so close to and become so interested in. There was still more things from my house to give away, so I spent the afternoon handing things out. The women’s org cooked a lunch for me of rice and meat, so I group of us gathered to eat together. I was amazed at how helpful the village was, helping to clean my house, wash my dishes, and clean out my Durotank. Everyone was stopping by to bring more going away gifts and say goodbye; there were people constantly in my house the last day. I spent the evening at my neighbors house sitting on the front stoop in the dark and talking. (The village ran out of oil again-my last night there!). It was a really special time, my friends letting me cry-but telling me I didn’t need to be crying bc we would see each other again. The sweetest part was when little Herman fell asleep on my lap. It was so sad to think about how much I’ve grown to care for these kids and how I was uncertain of when I would see them again. I headed off to bed with my neighbor calling after me “Dumi weki lobi” or “sleep well love”.
The next morning, I woke up early for one last run which ended up being the best and longest one I’ve had here. I decided to take a turn in the path that I normally don’t venture past because it’s not cut very clearly, and I am so thankful I did. The path curved around to run along the river, with a huge tree as a bridge to cross the creek. It was beautiful. I then went back home and cleaned up before I made my last walk around the village. I handed out kosus to my favorite women and gave Johnny Walker to my counterpart and my friend Saba-they love the Red Label and it’s pricey here. It felt so surreal for my time to literally be ending. When it was time to go, the women carried my things to the river and then sat on the bank to wave good bye. I gave Herman and Teddy kisses goodbye, and had long hugs with Lizbeth and the older women. A boat of women passing by waved farewell, and the school kids lined up on the river bank to shout good bye. It was so difficult, yet a group of friends were with me in my boat, one with her arm around my shoulders the whole time. After we arrived to Atjoni, Peace Corps was there with a truck to take me to the city. We all gave hugs and said goodbye, promising to call and stay in touch, and them thanking me for helping them and I thanked them for helping me as well. I turned and saw them waving from the rearview mirror. The time had come to start the next chapter of my life, but this was one I would hold dearly and never forget. I'd spent alot of time listening to Tom Petty and found some of his lyrics to be very fitting and listened to them as I recounded the past 2 year adventure:
"It's time to move on, time to get going
What lies ahead, I have no way of knowing
But under my feet, baby the grass is growng
It's time to move on, it's time to get going
Broken skyline, movin' through the airport
She's an honest defector
Conscientious objector
Now her own protector
Broken skyline, which way to love land
Which way to something better
Which way to forgiveness
Which way do I go"
Monday, July 5, 2010
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
One month to go!
Hello everyone! This past time out at site was my second to last stay in the village. I got onto the boat to head to my village and noticed a lot of the women wearing black and white, which usually means that someone has passed away. As it turns out, a village elder, around 90 years old, had recently passed away. His family was bringing his body back to the village, from the city, in order to be buried. The next three days were full of activity. People were cleaning up their yards and getting things ready for the large influx of visitors who would be coming to pay their respects. The nights were filled with 3 hour long singing sessions and the days were filled with the guests sitting together, chatting, eating and sewing. On the night of the burial, I went with one of my good friends who has since left the village. Once at the church, we stayed on the outskirts of the group, and then another one of my friends pulled me to the front so I could see better. During the short service, there were a few readings and hymns. Then the villagers passed by the coffin, waving their hands over the head of the body, the casket which had been opened. After this, everyone proceeded into the jungle where the body was buried. Eight days later, the village continued the services with another night filled with singing and dancing, in remembrance of the deceased.
I spent a few days at other sites, taking time to run on the trails between the villages. It was a bit odd knowing it would be the last time visiting certain villages and seeing certain people. The rain has been coming down very heavily, making the river and creeks rise. This also makes the creeks crossing all the trails swell; in order to get to my trail I have to wade through a thigh-high creek and in another spot, it’s took full to pass, so I’ve been making a lot of laps. The kids have been running along with me. There’s one girl who has ran with me several times, and her brother, 8, who ran with me the entire time- 45 minutes. I was really impressed with him and his endurance! His sister was a bit jealous, saying next time she wasn’t going to stop early. Sibling rivalry!
A group of girls and I had a pedicure party before I came into the city. They are always talking about my pink toenails, so the day before I left I sat down with all the little girls at my house, a group of 7. They all carefully washed their feet and then we took turns painting toes. They absolutely loved it and looked so cute with all their matching feet! I’m sure it’s something that we’ll do again before I go –next time they say I have to do their fingers too.
The village received a small amount of funding for our latrine project. After a few meetings, we decided to build three latrines, one placed in each area of the village. The men promised me that they would work hard and complete the project before I leave- which gives them about 3 weeks to get the materials, dig the 2 meter deep holes, and build the latrines. It’s something that should be doable, and I’m hoping that will be completed quickly.
I’ve had to say goodbye to a few of my friends already. They have left the village to go to other villages far upriver, and won’t be returning until after I leave. It was hard to say goodbye, considering who knows if I will ever see them again. I would possibly like to visit one day, maybe in ten years or so, but it is hard to know what the village will be like then. We exchanged phone numbers and promised to call each other, said we’d miss each other and thanked one another for everything we’ve taught each other over the past two years. With a hug and a ‘waka bun’ (walk well) farewell, we parted ways. It is hard to imagine doing this with my entire village soon. I’m sure it will be an emotional last few weeks.
So, with that short update, I’m now headed back to the village for my final 16 days. It is so hard to imagine that it really is coming to an end, and impossible to predict the readjustments I’ll face when I return. Never the less, the time is approaching to start the next chapter-one I am very excited for. Hope everyone is well. See you very soon!
I spent a few days at other sites, taking time to run on the trails between the villages. It was a bit odd knowing it would be the last time visiting certain villages and seeing certain people. The rain has been coming down very heavily, making the river and creeks rise. This also makes the creeks crossing all the trails swell; in order to get to my trail I have to wade through a thigh-high creek and in another spot, it’s took full to pass, so I’ve been making a lot of laps. The kids have been running along with me. There’s one girl who has ran with me several times, and her brother, 8, who ran with me the entire time- 45 minutes. I was really impressed with him and his endurance! His sister was a bit jealous, saying next time she wasn’t going to stop early. Sibling rivalry!
A group of girls and I had a pedicure party before I came into the city. They are always talking about my pink toenails, so the day before I left I sat down with all the little girls at my house, a group of 7. They all carefully washed their feet and then we took turns painting toes. They absolutely loved it and looked so cute with all their matching feet! I’m sure it’s something that we’ll do again before I go –next time they say I have to do their fingers too.
The village received a small amount of funding for our latrine project. After a few meetings, we decided to build three latrines, one placed in each area of the village. The men promised me that they would work hard and complete the project before I leave- which gives them about 3 weeks to get the materials, dig the 2 meter deep holes, and build the latrines. It’s something that should be doable, and I’m hoping that will be completed quickly.
I’ve had to say goodbye to a few of my friends already. They have left the village to go to other villages far upriver, and won’t be returning until after I leave. It was hard to say goodbye, considering who knows if I will ever see them again. I would possibly like to visit one day, maybe in ten years or so, but it is hard to know what the village will be like then. We exchanged phone numbers and promised to call each other, said we’d miss each other and thanked one another for everything we’ve taught each other over the past two years. With a hug and a ‘waka bun’ (walk well) farewell, we parted ways. It is hard to imagine doing this with my entire village soon. I’m sure it will be an emotional last few weeks.
So, with that short update, I’m now headed back to the village for my final 16 days. It is so hard to imagine that it really is coming to an end, and impossible to predict the readjustments I’ll face when I return. Never the less, the time is approaching to start the next chapter-one I am very excited for. Hope everyone is well. See you very soon!
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Just keep running, running
Hello Everyone! Things are going well here in Suriname.
During the three weeks I was at site I decided to take up running again. It’s basically been 2 years or so since I really ran (which I frequently did bf coming here) and I was a bit concerned on how long it would take to get back into shape. There is a trail in my village, about 2 miles in length. I was nervous to run on it by myself, as people in the village kept telling me I had to take someone with me, watch out for snakes, there are too many mosquitoes, and various other reasons to dissuade me. Since I was going to be going home in less than 3 months, I wanted to start working it into my routine again, so I just politely laughed, told them I wasn’t scared, and began my runs. Three weeks into it, my morning jogs have become a topic of conversation in the village. Every morning, instead of villagers asking me what I’m cooking, it’s “Did you run today? How many times? Are you tired?” It’s a nice change from the usual topics. I have women telling me their going to run w/ me so they’ll become ‘skinnier for their men’. One morning I had two 5 year old accompany me, and I was amazed at how fast and how long they could run! I took the time to show them some stretches, and then they showed me how to catch crabs in the creek where we cooled off. The path is definitely a bit rough, plenty of roots, holes, and ant/snake/lizard mounds, but there is something special about running a trail through the jungle and hearing the monkeys and birds around you. I always keep my eyes down on the path incase there are any snakes though!
One morning I was stretching, leaning on a ‘tree’, and then I took a closer look at it. I realized it was a signal for a gun trap, made up of sticks placed in certain positions/locations. This of course concerned me, and I asked my best friend about it. He then proceeded to tell me that it was indeed a signal for a trap, but the traps would be out in the midst of the jungle, not placed on the path. He assured me I would be fine, and then began to tell me all the specifics of the traps, the types of animals that are killed with certain ones, and people in the village who had been injured by them.
I have been spending a lot of time with the villagers that I am closest to. People are constantly asking me if my site is being replaced, if I am taking all my things with me, and if I will throw a party before I leave. PC sites typically have 3 volunteers in a row, then maybe more after 5 or 10 years, allowing other villages who haven’t had volunteers to host them. They tell me I have to stay another year, and I say I can’t my friends and family miss me- I have to go home and find a job and a man. (They love this response! Everyone here has a man and I joke about it with my close friends. They say “Bendefolo-you need to go home, find a nice handsome man who laughs, have him buy you lots of things (when a man asks for a women here they give her tons of dishes and clothes/kosus), and then have 4 kids- you must have 2 boys and 2 girls. Then you are done.”) They understand that it’s time for me to leave soon, but I tell them one day, after I find work and have money, I will come back to see them. I’m frequently told “Bendefolo-take this baby with you-they want to go to America”, and I respond by saying I don’t have the money to pay for a baby, “give it to your mom” they say. I tell them she already watches my dog for me. All in good fun!
Since my time is coming to an end, that means a new group of volunteer’s time is just beginning. The arrival of the new group was a week ago, and they are already off to their home stay, where they’ll be for 6 weeks bf going to site. Things seem to be moving much quicker for them. It was very bittersweet/melancholy to meet the group that is replacing mine, seeing them straight off the bus from the airport, and visiting the place where PC holds the training for the last time ever, sitting in the room I stayed in during training. Strange how quickly 2 years has gone by. I remember coming here and being told by other volunteers that it would go fast, and thinking, ‘how can 2 years go fast?’. But it really has, so much has happened, so much has changed, here, at home, with myself, other volunteers, family, friends, the world. It’s hard to take it all in. It was exciting to see the fresh faces, help with their trainings, and answer their questions. Being in the role of the old volunteers, those on the way out, and telling the new group what to expect (or more what not to) for 2 years was full of mixed emotions. They seem like a good enthusiastic group, and I’m sure they will do well.
The last project I was working on was a latrine project. We have been promised funding by a local organization here. It’s been 3 months, and we are yet to receive the funds. The organization isn’t responding to any requests or attempts at communication by Peace Corps, so all we can do is wait and keep calling. Unfortunately, I am not thinking the project will be completed before I leave. There is another organization I spoke with who is interested in installing an innovative type of latrine, but the project will not begin until next fall. It is disappointing bc I had really been hoping to finish with this project, but know that the community has been helped in other ways during my service, so I still feel thankful the other projects have been completed.
I hope things are going well back home with everyone! I can’t wait to see you all-so soon!
During the three weeks I was at site I decided to take up running again. It’s basically been 2 years or so since I really ran (which I frequently did bf coming here) and I was a bit concerned on how long it would take to get back into shape. There is a trail in my village, about 2 miles in length. I was nervous to run on it by myself, as people in the village kept telling me I had to take someone with me, watch out for snakes, there are too many mosquitoes, and various other reasons to dissuade me. Since I was going to be going home in less than 3 months, I wanted to start working it into my routine again, so I just politely laughed, told them I wasn’t scared, and began my runs. Three weeks into it, my morning jogs have become a topic of conversation in the village. Every morning, instead of villagers asking me what I’m cooking, it’s “Did you run today? How many times? Are you tired?” It’s a nice change from the usual topics. I have women telling me their going to run w/ me so they’ll become ‘skinnier for their men’. One morning I had two 5 year old accompany me, and I was amazed at how fast and how long they could run! I took the time to show them some stretches, and then they showed me how to catch crabs in the creek where we cooled off. The path is definitely a bit rough, plenty of roots, holes, and ant/snake/lizard mounds, but there is something special about running a trail through the jungle and hearing the monkeys and birds around you. I always keep my eyes down on the path incase there are any snakes though!
One morning I was stretching, leaning on a ‘tree’, and then I took a closer look at it. I realized it was a signal for a gun trap, made up of sticks placed in certain positions/locations. This of course concerned me, and I asked my best friend about it. He then proceeded to tell me that it was indeed a signal for a trap, but the traps would be out in the midst of the jungle, not placed on the path. He assured me I would be fine, and then began to tell me all the specifics of the traps, the types of animals that are killed with certain ones, and people in the village who had been injured by them.
I have been spending a lot of time with the villagers that I am closest to. People are constantly asking me if my site is being replaced, if I am taking all my things with me, and if I will throw a party before I leave. PC sites typically have 3 volunteers in a row, then maybe more after 5 or 10 years, allowing other villages who haven’t had volunteers to host them. They tell me I have to stay another year, and I say I can’t my friends and family miss me- I have to go home and find a job and a man. (They love this response! Everyone here has a man and I joke about it with my close friends. They say “Bendefolo-you need to go home, find a nice handsome man who laughs, have him buy you lots of things (when a man asks for a women here they give her tons of dishes and clothes/kosus), and then have 4 kids- you must have 2 boys and 2 girls. Then you are done.”) They understand that it’s time for me to leave soon, but I tell them one day, after I find work and have money, I will come back to see them. I’m frequently told “Bendefolo-take this baby with you-they want to go to America”, and I respond by saying I don’t have the money to pay for a baby, “give it to your mom” they say. I tell them she already watches my dog for me. All in good fun!
Since my time is coming to an end, that means a new group of volunteer’s time is just beginning. The arrival of the new group was a week ago, and they are already off to their home stay, where they’ll be for 6 weeks bf going to site. Things seem to be moving much quicker for them. It was very bittersweet/melancholy to meet the group that is replacing mine, seeing them straight off the bus from the airport, and visiting the place where PC holds the training for the last time ever, sitting in the room I stayed in during training. Strange how quickly 2 years has gone by. I remember coming here and being told by other volunteers that it would go fast, and thinking, ‘how can 2 years go fast?’. But it really has, so much has happened, so much has changed, here, at home, with myself, other volunteers, family, friends, the world. It’s hard to take it all in. It was exciting to see the fresh faces, help with their trainings, and answer their questions. Being in the role of the old volunteers, those on the way out, and telling the new group what to expect (or more what not to) for 2 years was full of mixed emotions. They seem like a good enthusiastic group, and I’m sure they will do well.
The last project I was working on was a latrine project. We have been promised funding by a local organization here. It’s been 3 months, and we are yet to receive the funds. The organization isn’t responding to any requests or attempts at communication by Peace Corps, so all we can do is wait and keep calling. Unfortunately, I am not thinking the project will be completed before I leave. There is another organization I spoke with who is interested in installing an innovative type of latrine, but the project will not begin until next fall. It is disappointing bc I had really been hoping to finish with this project, but know that the community has been helped in other ways during my service, so I still feel thankful the other projects have been completed.
I hope things are going well back home with everyone! I can’t wait to see you all-so soon!
Sunday, April 11, 2010
The countdown is on!
Hello Everyone! The past two months have been so hectic I didn’t realize how long it’d been since I last posted. Here’s what’s been going on:
I’ve been traveling around a bit. I headed to my friend Kasey’s village with a few other volunteers for a few days. His village is a bit closer to the city, so the trip was much better than my usual ride. And we returned to the city in a car- a first for me! During the visit we swam in the river near his site and also headed to the beach at Brokopondo Lake, where we also had our ‘water safety’ training during training nearly 2 years ago. It was good to revisit-it seemed like just yesterday when we were jumping out of the boat in our life vest getting lessons on how to float safely.
I also made a trip further into the lake with a group of other PCV’s. Johanna and I had been planning on going before we left, so we decided to get a group together to go. So, over St. Patty’s Day we headed into the lake, which was about a 2 hour boat ride. (The lake is manmade- the area was flooded so it is full of trees-called the ‘river bones’.) The sun is terribly strong here, especially when it is reflecting off the water. A few of us got awful sunburns, but aside from that it was an enjoyable trip. We spent the days in the water floating around, visiting ‘beaches’ or basically mud pits, and fishing for piranha (I stayed away from that-a friend from my village showed me a bite he received from one and it did not look pretty!). We stayed in a 2 level house-my friend Saba was our boatman and arranged our lodging-but everyone was a bit nervous about sleeping on the bottom level of the house; there were some justified concerns that it might collapse.
After these trips, it was time to head into the city with the rest of the volunteers from my group, SUR14. We had our official ‘Close of Service’ conference, or COS. It was three days filled with talk of resumes, job and career searching, and readjusting. It was a bit overwhelming to take it all in and be forced to think about what is going to happen when we return. Previous volunteers visited to warn us about how hard it was going to be to become reacclimated to the states and living ‘normally’. I think for a few of us it was an emotional time. I was asked to put together the COS closing service, the last session we all had together. With the help of a few others I put together a 25 minute slideshow of our past 2 years. To see everything we have been through and how much we have all changed during the time here, both mentally and physically, is astounding. I know I was having a bit of a reality check every time I previewed it, realizing that some of these people I had spent two years with I might not really see again, even those that were a huge part of my time here. When it came time for the closing service, I think it was definitely a success. We spent a lot of time coming up with the soundtrack, which made it even better. Sitting in the same room with everyone and watching the past 2 years playing in front of us made a few of us emotional. After, I got up to say a few words, and I don’t think it comes as a surprise to anyone that I started to tear up. I feel very lucky to have spent my time here with these amazing people, even though at times it has been difficult and felt nearly impossible, I have always felt their support. I have never felt I was doing this alone.
After the COS conference, I stayed in the city to wait for my mom’s arrival. She visit for 10 days and we spent the time at my site, in the city, and at a tourist lodge. We had originally planned an actual Easter dinner at my site, complete w/ ham, green bean casserole, stuffing and potato salad. Unfortunately, the bag which held all these treats from America got left on the boat, so for Easter dinner we managed potato salad, pasta and egg plant parmesan. Peace Corps teaches you to improvise! The bag was returned a few days later so we will instead be having Easter the next time a big group of us gets together! The village was excited to meet her-although it was hard for them to grasp the idea of exactly how far she had come and why her ‘man’ wasn’t with her. She also got the change to meet my neighbor. She is quite the character. I’m sure I’ve written about her to some of you-or have been on the phone with you when she decides to stop by! All in all it was a very good visit and I think my mom will tell you it was ‘an experience’. A lot of other PCV’s have had family and friends visiting recently. I hope you all also had a good and safe experience here!
Project-wise we are still waiting to hear about the money for our latrine project. We were told by an organization here that they would give us SRD 5000, but that was over 2 months ago. We had to put a deadline on receiving the funds in order to ensure we have enough time to complete the project while I am still here. So, it is out of the village’s hands and all we can do it wait for the funding to be deposited.
The most exciting news it that I have received my date for when I will be returning home: July 7th. It seems crazy that I will be home in less than 3 months. I’m already making plans to visit everyone when I get back. There is a lot of catching up to do! I hope you are all well and I look forward to seeing you soon!
p.s.- There are new pictures up under Suriname 2010. Instructions for the link are at the top left of the page.
I’ve been traveling around a bit. I headed to my friend Kasey’s village with a few other volunteers for a few days. His village is a bit closer to the city, so the trip was much better than my usual ride. And we returned to the city in a car- a first for me! During the visit we swam in the river near his site and also headed to the beach at Brokopondo Lake, where we also had our ‘water safety’ training during training nearly 2 years ago. It was good to revisit-it seemed like just yesterday when we were jumping out of the boat in our life vest getting lessons on how to float safely.
I also made a trip further into the lake with a group of other PCV’s. Johanna and I had been planning on going before we left, so we decided to get a group together to go. So, over St. Patty’s Day we headed into the lake, which was about a 2 hour boat ride. (The lake is manmade- the area was flooded so it is full of trees-called the ‘river bones’.) The sun is terribly strong here, especially when it is reflecting off the water. A few of us got awful sunburns, but aside from that it was an enjoyable trip. We spent the days in the water floating around, visiting ‘beaches’ or basically mud pits, and fishing for piranha (I stayed away from that-a friend from my village showed me a bite he received from one and it did not look pretty!). We stayed in a 2 level house-my friend Saba was our boatman and arranged our lodging-but everyone was a bit nervous about sleeping on the bottom level of the house; there were some justified concerns that it might collapse.
After these trips, it was time to head into the city with the rest of the volunteers from my group, SUR14. We had our official ‘Close of Service’ conference, or COS. It was three days filled with talk of resumes, job and career searching, and readjusting. It was a bit overwhelming to take it all in and be forced to think about what is going to happen when we return. Previous volunteers visited to warn us about how hard it was going to be to become reacclimated to the states and living ‘normally’. I think for a few of us it was an emotional time. I was asked to put together the COS closing service, the last session we all had together. With the help of a few others I put together a 25 minute slideshow of our past 2 years. To see everything we have been through and how much we have all changed during the time here, both mentally and physically, is astounding. I know I was having a bit of a reality check every time I previewed it, realizing that some of these people I had spent two years with I might not really see again, even those that were a huge part of my time here. When it came time for the closing service, I think it was definitely a success. We spent a lot of time coming up with the soundtrack, which made it even better. Sitting in the same room with everyone and watching the past 2 years playing in front of us made a few of us emotional. After, I got up to say a few words, and I don’t think it comes as a surprise to anyone that I started to tear up. I feel very lucky to have spent my time here with these amazing people, even though at times it has been difficult and felt nearly impossible, I have always felt their support. I have never felt I was doing this alone.
After the COS conference, I stayed in the city to wait for my mom’s arrival. She visit for 10 days and we spent the time at my site, in the city, and at a tourist lodge. We had originally planned an actual Easter dinner at my site, complete w/ ham, green bean casserole, stuffing and potato salad. Unfortunately, the bag which held all these treats from America got left on the boat, so for Easter dinner we managed potato salad, pasta and egg plant parmesan. Peace Corps teaches you to improvise! The bag was returned a few days later so we will instead be having Easter the next time a big group of us gets together! The village was excited to meet her-although it was hard for them to grasp the idea of exactly how far she had come and why her ‘man’ wasn’t with her. She also got the change to meet my neighbor. She is quite the character. I’m sure I’ve written about her to some of you-or have been on the phone with you when she decides to stop by! All in all it was a very good visit and I think my mom will tell you it was ‘an experience’. A lot of other PCV’s have had family and friends visiting recently. I hope you all also had a good and safe experience here!
Project-wise we are still waiting to hear about the money for our latrine project. We were told by an organization here that they would give us SRD 5000, but that was over 2 months ago. We had to put a deadline on receiving the funds in order to ensure we have enough time to complete the project while I am still here. So, it is out of the village’s hands and all we can do it wait for the funding to be deposited.
The most exciting news it that I have received my date for when I will be returning home: July 7th. It seems crazy that I will be home in less than 3 months. I’m already making plans to visit everyone when I get back. There is a lot of catching up to do! I hope you are all well and I look forward to seeing you soon!
p.s.- There are new pictures up under Suriname 2010. Instructions for the link are at the top left of the page.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Sorry for the delay!
Hello Everyone! Sorry it has been so long since I’ve updated. I’ve had a busy few months.
The last time I wrote I was getting excited for a trip back home to the states for the holidays. The trip was filled with friends, family, food and lots of snow! It was nice to get away from the heat and humidity of Suriname, but I have to admit after being snowed in for nearly 3 days I was getting a bit tired of all the white stuff. It was so nice being able to spend time with everyone, even though I was unable to meet up with a few of you, but I will be sure to see you when I return- less than 5 months now!
I was out of my site for nearly 5 weeks so I was a bit nervous to go back and get accustomed to the village lifestyle. It amazing how even after being back in America for only a few weeks, there were times I felt like I’d never even left home. Of course, there were plenty of times I got a bit overwhelmed- like stepping into the Atlanta airport and being surrounded by so many other travelers. Or going Christmas shopping and being in the midst of so many crazy shoppers- of course I got over that quickly and spent plenty of time shopping while I was home!
When I showed up at the village, my close friends greeted me with big hugs and yelling their excitement. It was a nice welcome back! The first day back I went down to the river and was surprised to be by myself. Usually there are a handful of women washing things there, but this time I was solo. So I washed and tried to take it all in again- back on the Suriname River instead of in the Show Me State. After about 30 minutes of floating around, 2 little girls ran down to the river and charged at me for my shampoo-they say it smells better than theirs. I had brought back a gigantic bag of Werther’s candies that my grandpa had sent with me, handing them out to the villagers and saying they were sent from home. Of course I gave extra to Teddy’s mom since they were sent by his namesake. I was amazed once again at how big Teddy had gotten even after only 5 weeks away. His mom and I spent a few days trying to help him learn to walk-he’s getting there. And now he is saying Dada. It was a little strange at first to be dressing in kosus and sports bras again every day, but I got used to it. I spent some time making casaba bread with a neighbor. I felt like I was crying nonstop for 3 hours- it’s cooked over a wood fire so the smoke really stings your eyes. The best part was when she made a dessert- it’s thin layers of the bread filled with a mix of sugar and shredded coconut. After it’s done, you put butter on it. I’m not a coconut fan- but it has so much sugar it’s just sweet and chewy. It made the day worth all the smoke!
I was anxious to see how the Durotank project had come along. The village did purchase the second round of tanks- another 41 were brought to the village and installed. There is a bit of a hold up in building some of the stands, bc some of the villagers don’t have the sand needed to mix with the cement. Granted, there is a river filled with sand in it, so I’m assuming this problem will be solved quickly. But then again, things don’t get resolved very quickly in this country. So the Durotank project is basically done. The second project, a welcome sign sponsored by WWF was installed. My third smaller project, getting soccer equipment for the kids of the village is also completed. I worked with an organization in the states and initiated the project this past spring. The kids of the village were begging me to find them new equipment, as theirs gets worn pretty quickly. The equipment arrived in a huge box filled w/ 40 jerseys, balls and other items. Unfortunately, a lot of the kids who requested the equipment are now in school in the capital, so they won’t be there to use it. But, the good news is they are continuing going to school in the city!
The village is trying to do a latrine project in the time I have left. Currently, in a village of 200 people, there are 6 latrines. And 2 are on my ‘property’: the one I use and my old one, which is full but still used by my neighbors. Everyone else uses the river or jungle. It’s gross, but twice when I’ve been at the big stones in the river with other PCV’s, kids have come over and told us to go somewhere else bc we’re on the kaka (or poop) rocks. (I amazed that writing about this doesn’t seem like such a weird thing to me. I’ve gotten used to some different ways of life!) And when we do, we always see kids scurrying to and from the rocks to do their business. We’ve put together a proposal- for about SRD 10K or about $3500. I’m not sure if this is going to be possible to accomplish while I’m here. It takes a lot of time to even hear back from organizations here. You can submit a proposal and they won’t even respond to tell you they even received it or a definite ‘no’. So, there is a lot of time just tracking people down who say ‘maybe’ or ‘call us in 3 months’, let alone getting them to say yes. It gets a bit frustrating, but I’m going to see what we can do. I’ll be leaving my site mid-June, so it’s not that much time to try and get funding and completed, but we’ll try!
Everything else is going well for me personally, which it feels really good to say. A few others from my group have left recently, which makes me realize what amazing friendships I have made here. I am very lucky to have such amazing people I get along with so well! I can positively say I will always be in touch with them. Since now I’m really realizing the time is ticking down I am trying to figure out what to do with myself when I return to America. I’m starting to get a bit anxious, nervous, and definitely excited. I’m trying to figure out what to do and where to go, and already planning trips to visit the coasts when I get back. I’m toying with the idea of moving somewhere else for a while. I’m at a point in my life where I don’t really have any strings attached, (aside from friends and family who will always be there for me! Love you!) so I am thinking of heading either out east or west, of course depending on a job. The idea does make me a tad nervous- but if I came to Peace Corps and lived in the jungle for 27 months, I can certainly handle anything in the states, right? We’ll see how it goes. I know the job market is a bit rough, but at least now I should have some interesting stories to tell in interviews!
Anywho, I hope everyone is well back home. Nic – I still haven’t gotten your package- but you know I will keep asking about it! And thank you for it! Elgin, Em and Sharon, hope you guys all have/had good birthdays this month! Erica- hope the wedding planning is going well (and Brea for you to MOH!)- I can’t wait to be back for it! Grandma – I’m glad I was able to spend so much time with you when I was home – and thanks for taking care of me when I was a bit under the weather! And everyone- thank you so much for all your support over this crazy experience. I couldn’t have done it without you! Oh Mom- can’t wait to see you in April-bring beef jerky!
The last time I wrote I was getting excited for a trip back home to the states for the holidays. The trip was filled with friends, family, food and lots of snow! It was nice to get away from the heat and humidity of Suriname, but I have to admit after being snowed in for nearly 3 days I was getting a bit tired of all the white stuff. It was so nice being able to spend time with everyone, even though I was unable to meet up with a few of you, but I will be sure to see you when I return- less than 5 months now!
I was out of my site for nearly 5 weeks so I was a bit nervous to go back and get accustomed to the village lifestyle. It amazing how even after being back in America for only a few weeks, there were times I felt like I’d never even left home. Of course, there were plenty of times I got a bit overwhelmed- like stepping into the Atlanta airport and being surrounded by so many other travelers. Or going Christmas shopping and being in the midst of so many crazy shoppers- of course I got over that quickly and spent plenty of time shopping while I was home!
When I showed up at the village, my close friends greeted me with big hugs and yelling their excitement. It was a nice welcome back! The first day back I went down to the river and was surprised to be by myself. Usually there are a handful of women washing things there, but this time I was solo. So I washed and tried to take it all in again- back on the Suriname River instead of in the Show Me State. After about 30 minutes of floating around, 2 little girls ran down to the river and charged at me for my shampoo-they say it smells better than theirs. I had brought back a gigantic bag of Werther’s candies that my grandpa had sent with me, handing them out to the villagers and saying they were sent from home. Of course I gave extra to Teddy’s mom since they were sent by his namesake. I was amazed once again at how big Teddy had gotten even after only 5 weeks away. His mom and I spent a few days trying to help him learn to walk-he’s getting there. And now he is saying Dada. It was a little strange at first to be dressing in kosus and sports bras again every day, but I got used to it. I spent some time making casaba bread with a neighbor. I felt like I was crying nonstop for 3 hours- it’s cooked over a wood fire so the smoke really stings your eyes. The best part was when she made a dessert- it’s thin layers of the bread filled with a mix of sugar and shredded coconut. After it’s done, you put butter on it. I’m not a coconut fan- but it has so much sugar it’s just sweet and chewy. It made the day worth all the smoke!
I was anxious to see how the Durotank project had come along. The village did purchase the second round of tanks- another 41 were brought to the village and installed. There is a bit of a hold up in building some of the stands, bc some of the villagers don’t have the sand needed to mix with the cement. Granted, there is a river filled with sand in it, so I’m assuming this problem will be solved quickly. But then again, things don’t get resolved very quickly in this country. So the Durotank project is basically done. The second project, a welcome sign sponsored by WWF was installed. My third smaller project, getting soccer equipment for the kids of the village is also completed. I worked with an organization in the states and initiated the project this past spring. The kids of the village were begging me to find them new equipment, as theirs gets worn pretty quickly. The equipment arrived in a huge box filled w/ 40 jerseys, balls and other items. Unfortunately, a lot of the kids who requested the equipment are now in school in the capital, so they won’t be there to use it. But, the good news is they are continuing going to school in the city!
The village is trying to do a latrine project in the time I have left. Currently, in a village of 200 people, there are 6 latrines. And 2 are on my ‘property’: the one I use and my old one, which is full but still used by my neighbors. Everyone else uses the river or jungle. It’s gross, but twice when I’ve been at the big stones in the river with other PCV’s, kids have come over and told us to go somewhere else bc we’re on the kaka (or poop) rocks. (I amazed that writing about this doesn’t seem like such a weird thing to me. I’ve gotten used to some different ways of life!) And when we do, we always see kids scurrying to and from the rocks to do their business. We’ve put together a proposal- for about SRD 10K or about $3500. I’m not sure if this is going to be possible to accomplish while I’m here. It takes a lot of time to even hear back from organizations here. You can submit a proposal and they won’t even respond to tell you they even received it or a definite ‘no’. So, there is a lot of time just tracking people down who say ‘maybe’ or ‘call us in 3 months’, let alone getting them to say yes. It gets a bit frustrating, but I’m going to see what we can do. I’ll be leaving my site mid-June, so it’s not that much time to try and get funding and completed, but we’ll try!
Everything else is going well for me personally, which it feels really good to say. A few others from my group have left recently, which makes me realize what amazing friendships I have made here. I am very lucky to have such amazing people I get along with so well! I can positively say I will always be in touch with them. Since now I’m really realizing the time is ticking down I am trying to figure out what to do with myself when I return to America. I’m starting to get a bit anxious, nervous, and definitely excited. I’m trying to figure out what to do and where to go, and already planning trips to visit the coasts when I get back. I’m toying with the idea of moving somewhere else for a while. I’m at a point in my life where I don’t really have any strings attached, (aside from friends and family who will always be there for me! Love you!) so I am thinking of heading either out east or west, of course depending on a job. The idea does make me a tad nervous- but if I came to Peace Corps and lived in the jungle for 27 months, I can certainly handle anything in the states, right? We’ll see how it goes. I know the job market is a bit rough, but at least now I should have some interesting stories to tell in interviews!
Anywho, I hope everyone is well back home. Nic – I still haven’t gotten your package- but you know I will keep asking about it! And thank you for it! Elgin, Em and Sharon, hope you guys all have/had good birthdays this month! Erica- hope the wedding planning is going well (and Brea for you to MOH!)- I can’t wait to be back for it! Grandma – I’m glad I was able to spend so much time with you when I was home – and thanks for taking care of me when I was a bit under the weather! And everyone- thank you so much for all your support over this crazy experience. I couldn’t have done it without you! Oh Mom- can’t wait to see you in April-bring beef jerky!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
