Sometimes I forget that I am here, here in Guyana. My routine and my life has mutated so far from what it was 9 months ago, but despite this, my life here now seems normal to me. I wake up and go about my morning: rolling out of my mosquito net, greeting my cat with a morning hug, pouring water out of my filter into a pot to boil for coffee. I timidly step into my cold shower, sometimes brown murky water pouring out of the PVC pipe, but I step under anyways. My feet trample through the cane dust that gathered onto my floor, the pads of my feet eternally black. I cover my body in bug spray and baby powder, ready to face the heat, sweat and mosquitos. Most days after work, I swing in my hammock just staring into the sky, watching the palms of a coconut tree blowing. I see yellow kiskadees in the breadfruit tree and goats hopping my fence to eat my grass and drink out of my dogs water bowl, and this has become my normal. Lizards and beetles crawling on my walls, frogs coming out of my water tank, and trash burning on the side of the road, it does not phase me as exceptional or unbelievable anymore, it just is what it is. I literally have to remind myself that I am living in Guyana in a developing country, and that this wasn't my normal for 30 years.
But in the grand scheme of life, my perceived normal in Guyana will never be my Guyanese friends normal, just as American culture, acceptances or prejudices, ethics, laws, morals & norms are not the normal of the rest of the world. It is so easy to forget this. After nine months I got comfortable and complacent and settled into a new normal. Talking to my neighbor tonight, about how her employer didn't give out BACK pay as they usually do at the end of the year, because there simply isn't any money to go round, she said to me... "What can you do... You just go to work and hope for the best". I almost said to her, "well in America, this would never happen... There are laws protecting workers... " But my brain put on the brakes and shut off thankfully. Guyana is not America. What good would it do to compare the two and tell her about these laws? She won't get her money or change the laws overnight, and it won't make anything better. I can't get her a plane to America to get her a new American normal. Her normal is living day to day and all I can do is listen and be there for her.
One quirck in the universe that really brings this idea home is that I have a "luxury" that most of my new friends and neighbors do not have. If I suddenly grow to hate the blackouts and loathe the cold showers, or if I catch Malaria or have some injury or other illness, there is always a plane, advanced medical care and endless hot showers just a phone call away just for me. I have an out. I can go back to my café mocha from Starbucks, driving on the right hand side of the road, enjoying a craft beer on trivia Thursday, and waking up to 800 channels on the television. But when I go home, my new Guyanese friends will still be here, with the blackouts, cold showers and lizards. When I go home, my friend will still be working 8 hour days for $2000 Guyanese per day... Translation, TEN US dollars a day, or let me break it down some more...$1.25 per hour. Remind me the minimum wage in the US? This is her normal, this is her reality... There is no plane that will take her to the land of chain restaurants, Amendments and hot water at the drop of a hat.
This conversation reminded me that my little Peace Corps Volunteer bubble is far from reality. No matter how comfortable or integrated I feel or become here, in 18 months, or tomorrow if I crack, there is a plane waiting for me. I hope that when I go back to America at the end of this journey that I take with me the reminder that the majority of the world doesn't sip lattes in a quaint little coffee shop. Taking it a step further, it would be negligent to not point out that many in America don't live this way either. I will surely come home and over time will think that my normal is unexceptional and mundane , but for some in the world, my normal, or your normal, could be their dream. Normal is all relative.
Friday, December 18, 2015
Monday, December 7, 2015
If you can take it...
I may have just gone temporarily insane. I've had a rough go of it lately, from things just seeming to go wrong, feeling overwhelmed, and homesick for the holidays (I will admit I have let some tears out when the cabbies are playing Christmas music on my way to the school). I decided I couldn't wait any longer, so I finally busted out the book, "Unbroken". I've Had it in my kindle for a while, but I have been holding off reading it until I felt like I needed it. I am only a little way in, but things just kept piling up, so I decided to fast forward and watch the movie (I will finish the book just now). It is the TRUE story of Louie Zamperini, the US Olympian who joined WWll, floated adrift for 47 days in the pacific after his plane crashed, was rescued only to fall into a greater living hell, becoming a prisoner of war in Japan, where he was tortured, beaten and made to work in a coal mine with other POWs. After watching his story unfold, Louie's life kind of puts your life into perspective. My problems don't seem so significant anymore. I don't know if that is weird, but sometimes you just want to call it a day, and his struggles, grit and fight are an inspiration to fight another day. "If you can take it, you can make it," said Louie's brother when they were younger. This was his mantra. I like it. Not to say my Peace Corps experience is anything like his situation, but at times it can be emotionally draining, and sometimes you see and hear things that make you feel utterly helpless. It can also be overwhelming and grinding being stared at, watched and judged 24/7. Despite feeling as if you are never alone, you get to be pretty lonely... Thank god for Bora and Phoenix!
So back to the temporary insanity... After spending a few solid minutes bawling my eyes out after the movie, I let my dog in the house (shhhhh remember she isn't allowed inside), lay on the floor and let her lick the tears off my face for five minutes. Now those of you who read my blog know what happened yesterday... Lets just say it was time for a shower, and quick. So in I go... I look up, and my bathroom is swarming with mosquitos. My brain seems to shut down and, maybe because they were hunting my blood, but I see red, and something snapped inside. I can't take them anymore! So I jump out of the shower, grab the broom and go Batman meets Joker's henchmen on them. I'm talking... POW! POP! BAM! WHAM! well, pieces are flying off the broom... Maybe dust bunnies too and my cat is booking it to the other side and out the door faster than that dinosaur in Jurassic park after that goat (what is up with all the movie references?). Anyway, I grab the FISH spray (cancer causing insecticide) and I spray that stuff like there is no tomorrow. Lock the door and giggle like the evil villain I am. Victory has never felt so good. So now I am in my mosquito net, quite sure that the brothers and sisters of the fallen comrades in the bathroom are plotting to get me. It's all I can think about. They are out there. Circling. Watching. Waiting. Funny thing is, I imagine if you have done Peace Corps, or any longtime living abroad that requires a mosquito net... You have probably experienced this and are laughing your a$$ off right now. God I hope so. Otherwise, I may be truly losing it! No joke, my eye has been twitching all day long.
So back to the temporary insanity... After spending a few solid minutes bawling my eyes out after the movie, I let my dog in the house (shhhhh remember she isn't allowed inside), lay on the floor and let her lick the tears off my face for five minutes. Now those of you who read my blog know what happened yesterday... Lets just say it was time for a shower, and quick. So in I go... I look up, and my bathroom is swarming with mosquitos. My brain seems to shut down and, maybe because they were hunting my blood, but I see red, and something snapped inside. I can't take them anymore! So I jump out of the shower, grab the broom and go Batman meets Joker's henchmen on them. I'm talking... POW! POP! BAM! WHAM! well, pieces are flying off the broom... Maybe dust bunnies too and my cat is booking it to the other side and out the door faster than that dinosaur in Jurassic park after that goat (what is up with all the movie references?). Anyway, I grab the FISH spray (cancer causing insecticide) and I spray that stuff like there is no tomorrow. Lock the door and giggle like the evil villain I am. Victory has never felt so good. So now I am in my mosquito net, quite sure that the brothers and sisters of the fallen comrades in the bathroom are plotting to get me. It's all I can think about. They are out there. Circling. Watching. Waiting. Funny thing is, I imagine if you have done Peace Corps, or any longtime living abroad that requires a mosquito net... You have probably experienced this and are laughing your a$$ off right now. God I hope so. Otherwise, I may be truly losing it! No joke, my eye has been twitching all day long.
Sunday, December 6, 2015
My life is a comedy: Life with animals
I think it is about time for a new post. I told you all about my new dog Phoenix. Life with her has become rather comical. Phoenix and the cat, Bora, have yet to become best friends. The landlords rules are that the dog stay outside at all times. This creates animosity and jealousy between Bora and Phoenix. I have caught Bora lying at the front door sticking her little paws out, taunting Phoenix on the other side. I come home, and Phoenix follows me upstairs, waiting for me to unlock the door and barge through. Meanwhile, Bora is on the inside waiting for me to open the door to bust outside. This is our ritual everytime I need to open the door. Sometimes Phoenix wins and she gets to come in for a few minutes while I put my groceries inside and hunt for a treat to bribe her to go outside. Sometimes Bora wins and will race down the stairs and into the yard... With me scrambling after her. In or out, they want what the other has, which seems to be the story of life.
I recently went to town to have Bora spayed by the GSPCA. Me, three other peace corps volunteers and 5 cats made the trip to town. It was quite an adventure. End result, no babies for Bora. I read a fact while I was there: one pair of cats and their offspring can produce 420,000 cats in seven years. Now wonder there are so many strays in Guyana!
One time, I was walking Phoenix and she found herself a New York Yankees hat. Naturally, it isn't a Red Sox hat so I let her keep it as a toy. We continue on our walk and on to the store to get some groceries. I go to loop the leash around the fence. Phoenix thinks I'm taking her new toy as I lean to resecure the leash... And off she books it down the street. So here I am, chasing a dog carrying a Yankees hat in her mouth. An old toothless man is giggling behind me as I turned in shock racing down the street after her. Mind you, I am already a curiosity in my community, but add on this and it was quite a show. Good dog did run straight home though.
The other day, I had to go to town, so my friend watched my animals. She had to leave and put the keys in a hiding place. Well fast forward a few hours, I get home and the keys are gone! 50/50 we picked a bad hiding spot and someone swiped them... Or my dog found a new toy! As me, and my neighbors are looking in the yard, the biggest pig I have ever seen pushes her way through the fence in the back yard. This now poses another problem... My dog has an escape route. Note there are holes all over the fence and I am constantly blocking them with wood, bottles and even coconuts to keep her from escaping. Sometimes she does and she ends up running to my neighbors to play. So we are looking for the keys, and Bora jumps out the window onto the overhang place, and down to the ground. My other neighbors dog decides he doesn't like cats and decides to try to take a big bite. Up the tree the cat goes. Did I mention she just got spayed? Anyway, landlord had a spare and my locks are now fully changed and I am safe.
Yesterday, I come outside and my dog is GONE! I freak out because she is no where. My coconut fence blocking didn't hold up. I walk up and down the street and nothing! No Phoenix. So I go to get my bike to expand my search, and out goes the cat. NOW BOTH MY ANIMALS ARE GONE. I heard all this yelping and barking down the street. I look out, and there is Phoenix, covered in mud, racing down the street with dogs barking after her trailing behind. Oye dog. As a side note, I had given her a bath three hours before. Payback?
Fast forward 24 hours... PHOENIX and I are peacefully swinging in the hammock to the sounds of Bora meowing inside, begging to cone out. Phoenix gets up and there are these little white things all over the hammock. WORMS! She ran away and got herself infested with worms! I call the vet and she comes right over and shoots her up with all kinds of good things! Let me tell you, worms are nasty little things. Poor Phoenix was licking her butt and they just kept popping out. Enough of that. Just Deworm your pets. Side note, the vet said Phoenix is probably 7-8 months... I pegged her for 5 based on her size from when I found her. The vet reminded me she was living on her own and starving so she would be undersized. The vet looked at her teeth and said yup, 7-8 months. So based on her age, all those dogs chasing after Phoenix... We shall see what happens in a few months. Anyone reading this in Guyana potentially want a guard puppy in a few months? Note I am planning to have Phoenix spayed when GSPCA does their next round of spaying in February. Assuming she isn't already knocked up.
So it has been an eventful couple of weeks with my critters! Despite the chaos, frustrations and even nastiness of being a pet mom in Guyana, it is worth it. My cat loves to cuddle when I watch movies or read at night. She hunts for bugs and keeps them out of my life. And my dog is just hilarious and full of love. Through Bora and Phoenix, I am trying to teach and show my neighbors, community and students that these animals are good and need to be cared for and loved. I have my students constantly asking after my pets. I ask them if they have pets and they say, "yes, but yours are different". Fact is, they aren't. I picked Phoenix up as a stray, starving and covered in ticks on the side of the road in a trash heap, and Bora was a stray too. They are no different than any other animal in Guyana, except I have them vaccinated, and fed, play with them, and show them love and kindness. Their pets can be just like mine.
I recently went to town to have Bora spayed by the GSPCA. Me, three other peace corps volunteers and 5 cats made the trip to town. It was quite an adventure. End result, no babies for Bora. I read a fact while I was there: one pair of cats and their offspring can produce 420,000 cats in seven years. Now wonder there are so many strays in Guyana!
One time, I was walking Phoenix and she found herself a New York Yankees hat. Naturally, it isn't a Red Sox hat so I let her keep it as a toy. We continue on our walk and on to the store to get some groceries. I go to loop the leash around the fence. Phoenix thinks I'm taking her new toy as I lean to resecure the leash... And off she books it down the street. So here I am, chasing a dog carrying a Yankees hat in her mouth. An old toothless man is giggling behind me as I turned in shock racing down the street after her. Mind you, I am already a curiosity in my community, but add on this and it was quite a show. Good dog did run straight home though.
The other day, I had to go to town, so my friend watched my animals. She had to leave and put the keys in a hiding place. Well fast forward a few hours, I get home and the keys are gone! 50/50 we picked a bad hiding spot and someone swiped them... Or my dog found a new toy! As me, and my neighbors are looking in the yard, the biggest pig I have ever seen pushes her way through the fence in the back yard. This now poses another problem... My dog has an escape route. Note there are holes all over the fence and I am constantly blocking them with wood, bottles and even coconuts to keep her from escaping. Sometimes she does and she ends up running to my neighbors to play. So we are looking for the keys, and Bora jumps out the window onto the overhang place, and down to the ground. My other neighbors dog decides he doesn't like cats and decides to try to take a big bite. Up the tree the cat goes. Did I mention she just got spayed? Anyway, landlord had a spare and my locks are now fully changed and I am safe.
Yesterday, I come outside and my dog is GONE! I freak out because she is no where. My coconut fence blocking didn't hold up. I walk up and down the street and nothing! No Phoenix. So I go to get my bike to expand my search, and out goes the cat. NOW BOTH MY ANIMALS ARE GONE. I heard all this yelping and barking down the street. I look out, and there is Phoenix, covered in mud, racing down the street with dogs barking after her trailing behind. Oye dog. As a side note, I had given her a bath three hours before. Payback?
Fast forward 24 hours... PHOENIX and I are peacefully swinging in the hammock to the sounds of Bora meowing inside, begging to cone out. Phoenix gets up and there are these little white things all over the hammock. WORMS! She ran away and got herself infested with worms! I call the vet and she comes right over and shoots her up with all kinds of good things! Let me tell you, worms are nasty little things. Poor Phoenix was licking her butt and they just kept popping out. Enough of that. Just Deworm your pets. Side note, the vet said Phoenix is probably 7-8 months... I pegged her for 5 based on her size from when I found her. The vet reminded me she was living on her own and starving so she would be undersized. The vet looked at her teeth and said yup, 7-8 months. So based on her age, all those dogs chasing after Phoenix... We shall see what happens in a few months. Anyone reading this in Guyana potentially want a guard puppy in a few months? Note I am planning to have Phoenix spayed when GSPCA does their next round of spaying in February. Assuming she isn't already knocked up.
So it has been an eventful couple of weeks with my critters! Despite the chaos, frustrations and even nastiness of being a pet mom in Guyana, it is worth it. My cat loves to cuddle when I watch movies or read at night. She hunts for bugs and keeps them out of my life. And my dog is just hilarious and full of love. Through Bora and Phoenix, I am trying to teach and show my neighbors, community and students that these animals are good and need to be cared for and loved. I have my students constantly asking after my pets. I ask them if they have pets and they say, "yes, but yours are different". Fact is, they aren't. I picked Phoenix up as a stray, starving and covered in ticks on the side of the road in a trash heap, and Bora was a stray too. They are no different than any other animal in Guyana, except I have them vaccinated, and fed, play with them, and show them love and kindness. Their pets can be just like mine.
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