Guyana Immersion Experience: 03/11/10

March 11, 2010

At 6:45 this morning, 11 American women and I arrived safely at Cheddi Jagan International Airport in Timehri, Guyana. We are all different ages, and even study different areas. Most of these girls I am just meeting for the first time. I am the only counseling grad student, and although we are looking at Guyana through different lenses, we all came here to immerse ourselves in this culture and experience a similar journey.

We walked off the plane to a hot and very humid day. We each grabbed two suitcases; one our own and the other an over-packed donation bag full of medical supplies, antibiotics, school supplies, and reading glasses. It was a proud moment bringing 11 full donation bags into this country of need.

Upon arrival we met Malcolm, a kind, educated, older citizen of Guyana that Dr. Marylou Welch made a connection with over 10 years ago through her travels and networking in this country. Malcolm is retired pilot who upon arrival had helped us make reservations in Georgetown, something we could not do from the U.S. Guyana operates much differently than any American would be used to. The phrase “just now” is frequently used to say something will be done in 5 minutes..or 5 days. Because of this lax culture, we were unable to book reservations or create any kind of formal itinerary prior to our trip. For myself, someone who likes to know when, where, and what I will need to be prepared with, this was something I needed to adjust to. Flexibility and spontaneity is key for this trip. These qualities are key to get through life so this challenge will only better me.

Today was a full day. I felt like I was trying to see it all and at the same time understand why Guyana’s people and government operate the way they do. I’m sure I will spend my whole trip understanding this, as well as examining my own culture, values and ways of being. After experiencing a wild 45-minute cab ride to Georgetown-“the left side is the right side, and the right side is suicide”, we found an empty inn for our group to stay in. Along the road were many young children walking in the street in their adorable school uniforms unattended. I had to cover my eyes while flying past them; they however, were not phased. Also noticed on the drive was the abundance of stray dogs-everywhere. After arriving at the Tropical View Inn, we paired off into rooms and checked out our homes for the next two weeks. Although starting to glaze over with exhaustion my roommate, Jillian, and I connected with two girls who had gone last year and went into Georgetown. We walked through the market where I bought a few food items to hold me over through the long days. Although there were many American/International brands, which were quite appetizing and comfortable, I bought only local brands to help support Guyana. We then exchanged our money in the market area. We were brought into a backroom to privately exchange when my new friend Nora said to one of the exchange workers “glad to see your packing heat!” I almost died. On from there, we ventured around Georgetown to find an “upscale” sandwich shop that had the most delicious milkshakes. Although worried about the ice-I enjoyed every sip. The humidity was a killer. We then went to an NGO called The Red Thread. It is a women’s domestic violence crisis center in Georgetown. We chatted briefly with women who worked there and scheduled an appointment when I could formally interview them in the days to come. I also asked if I could participate in any of the counseling services to which they offered me an opportunity to work with them in their self-help group for domestically abused survivors. This organization really touched me, as women in this country face a lot of abuse and oppression. Something I’m feeling so fortunate to not face day-to-day. I look forward to getting back there soon and learning more about women in Guyana and the services Red Thread offers.

Tomorrow we will be traveling into New Amersterdam at 7 am. Check back for pictures and an update tomorrow night!

Thought for the day: Gratitude for all the love and opportunity in my life.