Guyana will go on without me this September.
In March when I started to learn about the pandemic
and the new restrictions of social isolation, I figured that it would be over
by June at the latest. That confirmed that
I have no -- that is, Zero Minus One, skills in
prophecy. (I was sure and certain when I left the Catholic Church in 1970
that there would be married clergy within ten years. Has it been ten years yet?)
I am sure wherever you are living that you know the pandemic is not over… and, scarily, scientists
are predicting “a new normal” for many months to come.
Airline travel has moved from inconvenient and
troublesome to impossible in many cases.
Canada hasn’t decided on opening its airports to international flights
while Guyana has published, in its latest revision, plans for August 31st
… Stay tuned for a newer revision perhaps
moving that date back to September 30th. Also to be considered: it does seem that
airlines have ignored the social distancing guidelines. And if I did go for around 60 days, I would
need to self-isolate in Guyana for 14 of those days and on return to Canada
they would require the same from me. So
almost half of my “Guyana time” I’d be in isolation – ugh.
So, my decision was both easy, because right
now I can’t get there from here, and hard as I have made being in Guyana
an important part of my life. I
will not be going to volunteer with nursing and psychiatry in
Guyana. I have been exhibiting
all the signs of anticipatory grief… but I have to do them secretly as I can’t
really seem to be sad that I have to stay here with Anne and family 😊 – if I want to live!
At present, I am not hanging up my “pegs” as I hope I can return when
this new “normal” actually will be something like normal.
Not going but the life in Guyana that I am involved
with goes on .....
Mercy Hospital School of Nursing is presently interviewing a new batch of students to
begin later in the year, maybe even September.
The faculty (Elsie Asabere, Roberta Binda, Nathleen McNeil and
a special volunteer tutor from across the pond, Candy Mohan) have continued to
teach online with each of the three years of students. They are planning on doing the same in
September with the new
first-year students. However, the really
bad part of such a decision is that they invited me to be an online
faculty member for our usual Problem Based Learning Course. I am trying to decide how to “fake an
injury” that would allow me a good reason to be excused -- I do hate online
teaching, even if I can do it with my clothes off.
In the last blog, I celebrated
the work of many to graduate three doctors with Masters Degrees in
Medicine (Psychiatry). This success
has sparked more successes. Previously
we have had trouble recruiting residents; however, the graduation demonstrated
that Psychiatry and Psychiatry Education in Guyana was capable and strong. (There was much that the faculty learned – maybe
even more than the students.) There
will be EIGHT residents at different stages in the three year programme. Amazing! This growth has only been possible through
the dedication of local faculty and staff, the international cadre of
volunteers (almost entirely Canadian) over the years.… and of course, our
sacrificial lambs, the graduates: Elizabeth, Stephon and Veneta. In years to come they will tell tall tales of
their time in the programme that will seem so exaggerated that no one will
believe them. Yet, they will probably
all be true.
You will still be there .…. your Student Tablets are
there
I have purchased the usual computer tablets for each
of the first-year students, as the PBL course requires online access for
research and homeworks. (This
word proves my Guyanese expertise!) Humbly, I must explain that the tablets have
been bought through donations to Guyana Christian Charities by so many of you
..… especially a few repeat major donors who wish to remain anonymous.
I arranged the purchase online, and the tablets will
travel to New York City, to the Import/Export Business with my friend, Taju, and then on to Georgetown. He will hang on to them safely until the new
students start their courses. A few
extra tablets are for the girls leaving St. Ann’s Girls Home and starting on
their own.
Speaking of donations ..… and with thanks
Most of the costs will be the same this year as
always, as they are ongoing expenses, whether I am there or not, so please
consider continuing (or starting) with your donations.
In case you didn’t know or have forgotten, I do not
use any money that is donated for myself.
(In the interests of full transparency: I have a few friends who do send me money for
my “Beer Fund” and they don’t claim it as a donation.) I support individuals who may need small amounts
of money to enable them to live or eat and I give them money directly.
Sometimes that money is mine and sometimes it has been given to me for
those purposes. The longer I have
been going there, the more people I know who need a little to get by. This has recently applied to people I know
through social media and year-long.
Over the last two years, Mental Health Without
Borders has supported the student nurses with grants that have covered
travel, a meal and expenses for the school trip to the National Psychiatric
Hospital and the little left over has been used for PPE for them when they go
to witness the post mortems at Georgetown Public Hospital.
What will I be doing?
I really don’t know.
I’ll probably get talked into tutoring on line because I want to be
supportive. I am not sure whether a
PBL course has ever been offered virtually or exactly how it will work ..… We will see and I’ll write another blog when
the start seems more certain.
And since I have no pictures in this blog. I’ll add this one as it will be one of my favourite
“Sometimes I sits and think; and, sometimes I just sits.”
Again, thanks for reading,
John
