Construction Site Living, Graduation and Gratitude

"Be careful what you wish for."   I can't remember for sure from whom I heard those words, though it was probably a nun with a yardstick intent on destroying any adolescent daydreams.   However: I had been wishing that the construction at the hospital would have gotten going last year; well, now it has begun in full force.   And their staging work area is under, next to, beside, around and in between everything we need to get to and from.   Mercy-fully, it is less than a war zone only in the sense that it has a beneficent schedule; the work noise begins at a respectable 7AM and so far has finished by 5PM and just six days a week.

Beside

Under

Next to

In Between

The decision was made to gut the "new" wing which is a concrete structure and re-configure the insides to get more usable space - that is, more patient rooms and professional offices.  The major factor for the decision was the amount that Mercy was able to raise for the construction.  An entirely new building to replace the Colona Building that was burned to the ground was way too expensive.   Like the signature hole on a golf course, the Colona building was the signature point for Mercy Hospital, especially with Sr. Sheila's beloved and well lit cupola with cross.

Colona Building - a GT Landmark

In somewhat untypical Guyanese style, the construction is going along at a torrid pace.   The renovations are starting on the top floor and working their way down.  In the first week, it looks as if the whole top floor has been gutted and the reconstruction has begun.

As well, the new building for Materials Management and the Maintenance Department has a foundation being laid out and is waiting for some concrete to form the foundation.

Almost All by Hand and in the SUN

A moment of reflection:  I saw some of my old '60's buddies at the Wall Street demonstrations.  They looked almost the same as they did back then.  I have to admit that I don't really follow the news when I am here, so do not know enough about the whole thing ..... except that if they are there, I'll support their cause.   (Lack of evidence has not stopped me before from having an opinion!)

These men work hard and long - and in a heat and humidity that gets me tired walking in the shade.  I would think that they earn about $10.00 Canadian a 10 hour day.   And while it might be somewhat cheaper to live here, AND they have all probably dropped out of school before a high school graduation, AND jobs are all low-paying or non-existent (they were offering a relief RN at Mercy $10.00 Canadian for a 12 hour shift), this is my thought .... If there's a bunch of people who make $1,000,000 Canadian a year AND we assume that they work 365 days a year AND 10 Hours every day, they are still earning 274 times as much as:

Riches are strangely relative...

• "Enough" is seemingly more than one has, while "Too Much" is equally more than one has... AND "Not Enough" comes closer to expressing one's present wealth. This slippery statement seems true whether one makes the $10 or the $1,000,000.
• And just as relative are the judgments:   Those who make more than we do, somehow do not really deserve it, while those who earn less do so deservedly.   This slippery statement too seems true whether one makes the $10 or the $1,000,000.
• As well, there's the thought that everyone considers themselves generous; and would gladly share more - if they made more.  This slippery statement too seems true whether one makes the $10 or the $1,000,000. 

If I were god and got the chance to re-construct society, I do think that I'd give the John Rawl's "just society" a try.  [It is too bad a previous god never thought of it.]   The idea is something like this:  Sometime before you  are born, you get to design any type of society that you wished. [This assumes that the pre-birth individual has an adult mind - well, maybe an adult woman's, as babies, male adolescents and men might take chances not supported by any odds or reason.]  The only proviso to your design is that you would not know to which part of your society  you would be born.  

I doubt that many of us would design a world that resembles our present one; however, we are content to live in it... or at least, not engage in any significant revolution that would bring our personal Rawlian fantasy closer to reality.  It is almost impossibly hard to get past our own self-interests.

I do not know why I spend time thinking of this as nothing is ever going to change (is it?)....... so just bring on the gladiators, athletes, celebrities, the rich and famous for our viewing pleasure and envy as the "poor will always be with us"... an inerrant truth, no?

Before I depress myself even more:  MY first year nursing students of 2007 had their graduation celebration... and they even remembered me.   It was a service in the true formal Guyanese sense ...... a ponderous and uneventful ritual that belied the joy of the graduands.  

Me and graduate Evelyn.

As well, Tony and I were invited to their dinner celebration at the Pegasus where I had to pose for another picture with Evelyn.  There is something to be said for uniforms as "some" teachers might not be able to concentrate on the right subjects!

Out with the CEO - Dr. Tony's and Rev. John sport coats were compliments of Stanton's Mensware.

And finally, for the first time in  9 years, the first year students celebrated "Teacher Appreciation Day".  They treated all the tutors to entertainment, tributes, song and food.  It was lively and fun... The students did it all overnight.   I was truly touched by their appreciation... and thoroughness.   Of course all the teachers (except Tony and I) cancelled their classes -  in appreciation too.

All were escorted to the classroom

We all received special certificates.

And a Homemade Brunch

More than enough ..... I have to quit for this week.  When /I look back on all the stuff that I haven't written about I understand why I am tired at the end of the day. 

Take care,
John