Saturday, 30 January 2010
Monday, 25 January 2010
25th January
Yesterday I went to Karanambu which is about an hour by boat from Yupukari, I went with my room mate Sarah, Fernando the manager of Caimen house and a boy called Oswin-who sometimes helps out with the Otters over there. We spent the river trip spotting Caimen and an array of birds it was fun to have a trip out of the village and by boat this time instead of vehicle. When we first arrived at Karanambu it was very surreal to be back there, the last time I went I was with a tour group including my Dad and Grandparents. Everything still looked the same and I could picture which room everyone had had. After saying hello to everyone and introducing ourselves to guests there we settled down into a hammock with a nice cup of rum punch, we were also served lunch and for afters Sarah, Oswin and myself went to climb mango trees where we sat for some part of the afternoon. After a few more rum punches we went back to the river to leave, just before setting off we managed to see Buddy the resident otter who lives there and is looked after by Diane Mcturk, he was also a fond memory I have of my previous trip. On the way back we saw 3 different families of giant otter and plenty more Caimen!
Today has probably been the best day so far. It was the first of my adult computer lessons, which I have been working on putting together for the last two weeks with lesson plans and advertising all around the village, have been nervous all day that no one would turn up. The lesson started at 1 and to begin with only two teachers came who I have been teaching computers to every lunch time for the past week so I didn't get my hopes up that others would follow. However slowly but surely people began to arrive until we reached the point where every computer was full and some even had 2 sharing, we started them of with typing and getting to know the computer desktop and keyboard followed by a typing program called Mavis Beacon which teaches them to touch type and use the mouse pad. I have learnt 1 very important thing from my lesson is that you cannot say a specific time for something to begin or end, the lesson was planned for 1 till 3 yet people were still arriving at 2.50. Anyway I was just happen that so many people came and left on a positive note and said they were going to attend the next session.
After I attended a parent teacher meeting where the head mistress discussed her concerns with parents not encouraging their children enough to come to school and other such issues as uniform and bringing books. I was also introduced at the meeting as some parents I had not met yet and it was a good opportunity to explain what i'm doing here.
Tonight I am spending my first night in a hammock as the manager has left for the night and wants the Caimen House to be watched over so Sarah and I are going to sleep in the hammocks near by, am quite looking forward to it just not looking forward to the mosquitoes think I will be doubling up on bug spray!
Saturday, 16 January 2010
16th January
So have had an interesting week, we had guests from a University in USA so had fun showing them around and then they came and helped in the school and library as 3 of them were education students. One of their professor donated on behalf of the department, friends and family 2 new digital cameras which I am very excited about as 1 thing I want to do is to take groups of children out and teach them how to use them and load them up onto computers.
Yesterday we had a big ceremony for the old headmaster, all week the school have been working on songs and poems and gifts for his retirement. I made the card which all the staff and some of the children signed and it was then presented to him at the ceremony. It was my first event witht he school and I enjoyed it very much, it has made me feel more a part of the community.
Today I went to my first village meeting where I was introduced to more people from the village and discussed with them what I was doing here, they seemed pleased to have me and were very welcoming. The meeting began with a prayer and then the pledge of Guyana-which I have learnt they take very seriously it is said at every event and every Monday and Friday at school. The meeting is held by the Toshau who is the village leader, Yupuakri's Toshau is the youngest in the country at 22 years of age. There were 3 main topics to the meeting, first issue was about applying to get a vehicle for the village to help people travel to get goods, to restock their shelves, to visit their children who are boarding at secondary school, to visit other villages... Second issue was concerning myself he explained a bit more about me and getting my paper work finalised, and thirdly they talked about getting another volunteer back here. A lady called Alice Layton who helped set up the library here is trying to come back. After these were discussed they moved on to other business concerning the village such as getting speed humps made so that the boys on motorbikes won't speed through the village. The matter of loud music was discussed with regards to 1 particular woman who played it loud late at night and Toshau had had many complaints, they also talked about cleaning up the village as rubbish is left on the floor a lot so they are trying to keep it cleaner and trying to encourage people in the village to keep it that way. It was nice to see people all having the chance to have a input into how the village is run and the chance to change the things they dont like, however I only understood half of the meeting as most of it was in Macushi which is the local language here. I am trying to pick up some of the words as it is also spoken sometimes in school and it would be good to know whats going on so I can follow.
I have just come in from a Wildlife Club meeting where I got to meet the member and hear about what they do there, later we are all going down to the river to play some games and hopefully see some birds which they can tell me what they are.
Yesterday we had a big ceremony for the old headmaster, all week the school have been working on songs and poems and gifts for his retirement. I made the card which all the staff and some of the children signed and it was then presented to him at the ceremony. It was my first event witht he school and I enjoyed it very much, it has made me feel more a part of the community.
Today I went to my first village meeting where I was introduced to more people from the village and discussed with them what I was doing here, they seemed pleased to have me and were very welcoming. The meeting began with a prayer and then the pledge of Guyana-which I have learnt they take very seriously it is said at every event and every Monday and Friday at school. The meeting is held by the Toshau who is the village leader, Yupuakri's Toshau is the youngest in the country at 22 years of age. There were 3 main topics to the meeting, first issue was about applying to get a vehicle for the village to help people travel to get goods, to restock their shelves, to visit their children who are boarding at secondary school, to visit other villages... Second issue was concerning myself he explained a bit more about me and getting my paper work finalised, and thirdly they talked about getting another volunteer back here. A lady called Alice Layton who helped set up the library here is trying to come back. After these were discussed they moved on to other business concerning the village such as getting speed humps made so that the boys on motorbikes won't speed through the village. The matter of loud music was discussed with regards to 1 particular woman who played it loud late at night and Toshau had had many complaints, they also talked about cleaning up the village as rubbish is left on the floor a lot so they are trying to keep it cleaner and trying to encourage people in the village to keep it that way. It was nice to see people all having the chance to have a input into how the village is run and the chance to change the things they dont like, however I only understood half of the meeting as most of it was in Macushi which is the local language here. I am trying to pick up some of the words as it is also spoken sometimes in school and it would be good to know whats going on so I can follow.
I have just come in from a Wildlife Club meeting where I got to meet the member and hear about what they do there, later we are all going down to the river to play some games and hopefully see some birds which they can tell me what they are.
Monday, 11 January 2010
Friday, 8 January 2010
Day 3
I am still getting use the fact my house has no power and barely any running water, I am learning to cook by torch light and sometimes having to wash in the river. Am making friends quickly and enjoying myself thoroughly!
Yesterday I sat in on ateachers meeting where they discussed what topics they will be covering this year so hopefully soon I will be able to work something out to do with the children that coincides with what they are learning at school, but hopefully in a new, fun and interesting way.
Today I helped coached a Vollyball lesson and then joined in myself and played against some boys from the village. I have just got back from the river where we had to wash as we had run out of water at home.
Tomorrow I am helping a new friend of mine, Monike, with her college assignment helping improve her english and grammar. In the afternoon she is taking me and some others on a picnic where we will go fishing and then cook what we catch bbq style!!
Yesterday I sat in on ateachers meeting where they discussed what topics they will be covering this year so hopefully soon I will be able to work something out to do with the children that coincides with what they are learning at school, but hopefully in a new, fun and interesting way.
Today I helped coached a Vollyball lesson and then joined in myself and played against some boys from the village. I have just got back from the river where we had to wash as we had run out of water at home.
Tomorrow I am helping a new friend of mine, Monike, with her college assignment helping improve her english and grammar. In the afternoon she is taking me and some others on a picnic where we will go fishing and then cook what we catch bbq style!!
Thursday, 7 January 2010
Wednesday, 6 January 2010
Day 1
After 3 planes and a 13 hour bus journey I am finally here!
Yesterday I moved into my new room in the volunteer house which I share with another volunteer called Sarah, who is a peace corps volunteer and has been here for just over a year now. With my mosi net up and a quick de-bugging of the wardrobe I was then given a quick tour of the village. First I saw the playing field then onto the school where I was introduced to the head mistress Maisy who took me into the school where I met some of the children mid lesson. Next I was taken to the library which is pretty impressive and consists of two floors, I learnt that an after school program has been put in place where the children can come and take out books or have books read to them or play educationalo games on the computers. Final stop took me to the Caiman House where I am told a lot of people like to hang out.
After some much needed sleep I sat in on a librarians meeting (my room mate Sarah is the head librarian) where they discussed whether goals were met last year and what this years goals would be, we also discussed projects and topics that maybe I could get involved with. It was decided that for the first few weeks I will shadow the librarians and see what topics come up and just generally get a feel of how things are run here. Then in a few weeks time we will have another meeting where we will discuss specific things I can do.
Today I sat in on two lessons in the library where a group of 5 year olds and a group of 6 year olds come and listen to a tape to help them learn maths, I got to help the children if they were having any problems. Later I will be helping the librarians set up the classroom upstairs for their after school program, which will consists of story reading and computer stations.
Hopefully later when my camera has charged I will be able to take a walk around the village and take some photos.
Yesterday I moved into my new room in the volunteer house which I share with another volunteer called Sarah, who is a peace corps volunteer and has been here for just over a year now. With my mosi net up and a quick de-bugging of the wardrobe I was then given a quick tour of the village. First I saw the playing field then onto the school where I was introduced to the head mistress Maisy who took me into the school where I met some of the children mid lesson. Next I was taken to the library which is pretty impressive and consists of two floors, I learnt that an after school program has been put in place where the children can come and take out books or have books read to them or play educationalo games on the computers. Final stop took me to the Caiman House where I am told a lot of people like to hang out.
After some much needed sleep I sat in on a librarians meeting (my room mate Sarah is the head librarian) where they discussed whether goals were met last year and what this years goals would be, we also discussed projects and topics that maybe I could get involved with. It was decided that for the first few weeks I will shadow the librarians and see what topics come up and just generally get a feel of how things are run here. Then in a few weeks time we will have another meeting where we will discuss specific things I can do.
Today I sat in on two lessons in the library where a group of 5 year olds and a group of 6 year olds come and listen to a tape to help them learn maths, I got to help the children if they were having any problems. Later I will be helping the librarians set up the classroom upstairs for their after school program, which will consists of story reading and computer stations.
Hopefully later when my camera has charged I will be able to take a walk around the village and take some photos.
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