On the Ground and Raring to Go

Tony and I arrived on Saturday morning after a few hours delay in leaving JFK.  They said it was because the International Airport in Guyana had fog .....  They have become cautious after last month's accident where the plane went off the runway and split in two.    Other than that, we arrived without incident at Mercy about 10 am, only about 4 hours late.  Kampta and Kavita greeted us and drove us back into Georgetown; Kavita is a very safe driver, so it took us 30 minutes longer than a minibus.

The big news this year is that Tony and I will be living together in the same flat.  [If you believe in prayer, now would be a good time to send a few to the gods about our mutual survival through this ordeal.]  Actually, we have been doing fine so far; at least, we have no open wounds.  We just returned from a Sunday Night's stroll on the seawall; Tony got some exercise and I had a beer.

As Tony was the senior resident in this flat from last year, he got the larger room.   I do have some bad news: my windows will not open... this makes the screens very effective against bugs, but there is no breeze...  However, the air-conditioner - yes air-conditioner - works adequately.    And Tony's AC machine does not.
And NOW nothing works thanks to Guyana Power and Light!  Hopefully, the power outage will be short lived.   

A few hours later:  back in that land of power. After eight years it is in some ways like coming home.   There are so many people - some I even remember the names for, and for some I am reduced to mumbling, though I have the same level of enthusiasm to see them.   On the other hand, it is not like coming home:  there is no real family, each flat takes some time to set up and make it feel homelike ... all in all, though, I do belong here and I have a purpose - that is enough.

We have all the computers with us.  We picked them up at Taju's Restaurant and, of course, we had to have an ice cream while we were there.  He had been storing them all for us as they arrived from China, US, Canada... You probably remember Taju from last year:  he is our colleague here who was refused a 5 day study visa by an unknown and non-appeal-able bureaucrat in Canada's Immigration Service who couldn't see a connection between being a nurse and selling ice cream!   Even my faithful, local member of Parliament has given up trying to do anything about it .....  maybe I should have voted for him.    Taju is less perturbed than I am, but hey -- it is my government.

Tony has taken the lead in setting up all the computers to work with the wireless system here.  Of course, that assumes that there is one wireless actually set up as requested over the last several months.   My money is on nothing having been done; Tony is more optimistic.  The individual laptops seem to be an excellent value - thank to everyone who donated to the cause.   I will continue to keep you informed on how they are working and appreciated.

We took out Marysia Donnelly, the nurse practitioner from McMaster and her husband Ian who is here with CUSO/VSO as an investment banker for Amerindian companies.   They are a great couple and Marysia already is trying to improve us!  [Actually, that really isn't too hard a challenge.]  We were also privileged to have Dr. Claudette Harry join us as a co-tutor.  She was the first Dean at University of Guyana Medical School and initiated Problem Based Learning there after studying at Maastricht University in The Netherlands.  She has worked with PAHO and the Ministry of Health.   In fact after dinner she found out the the Donnelly's had never been liming.  So she took us all out to a very well-to-do home near Ogle Airport... it was very upscale liming indeed.  I am more used to the plastic cups at the rum shop on the corner.  Anyway, it was a wonderful Guyanese welcome for all of us.

We start with students tomorrow -- I think.  We really have gotten no official notification, but that is par for the course.   It will be an interesting start... 

I feel that this is a little spastic and unremarkable, [Anne has had more excitement with the hot water tank conking out] but I did want to get it out.  It's only been 2 days:  I'll work on getting better for next week.

And if you like, you can put your email address on the blog and you won't miss a new post!  And it is free ..... what an offer!!

Take Care,
John

PS... If you still send "real" greeting cards consider sending some of my original ones at:  http://www.redbubble.com/people/revjoc/portfolio.   Any of my prints are availble and you can get an assortment of your choice for a discount.    All the money that I receive will go to Guyana Projects.

Thanks to Everyone and The Countdown Begins

The "Do-Nothing-A-Thon" is over and was a success.   When I finally figure out all the donations, the total will come close to $4,000.    I am now in the process of buying the computers for the students at the school.   They will need to share the laptops as even the cheapest units that will do what we want were more expensive than my initial assesments.   There will, however, be enough resources to be more than successful.   I'll keep you all informed about how they actually work down there.   As anyone knows who has done any work in Guyana - and probably anywhere else in the developing world - things never happen as imagined.

The "Laptops for Guyana" Project received a grant for one sophisticated laptop from Friends & Returned Peace Corps Volunteers of Guyana (FROG)!  This will be a strong addition to the students' access in the Computer Cafe.

This is a picture of the First Year Nursing Students from 2010.

As well, an anonymous gift of two sophisticated laptops has been received.  

An additional piece of great news: a nurse educator/researcher from McMaster University will be in Guyana for six months with her husband who is volunteering with CUSO and she was looking for something to do!  Amazing.   We contacted her immediately and have her lined up to give us a try-out.   I am sure that once she gets to know us  ......  how could she refuse?!   "When" she decides, I'll share her name; till then, I may need to protect her anonymity... and from any unsolicited comments about Tony's sanity.

Random Comments About Returning:

• I leave home to meet Tony at JFK in New York City on the afternoon of 2nd of September and we arrive at Cheddi Jagan at first light on the 3rd.   Our first class will be on Monday, the 5th.
• I still have no idea of where I might be living as the parsonage at Calvary Lutheran might be occupied by a "real" pastor and the hospital is still short on spaces.  
• There will be 24 First Year Students - YES, TWENTY-FOUR!  This will place a burden on all the resources at the school and hospital.  On the other hand, it is good to see the confidence  the in the school even after last year's fire.   (It will probably take me a whole month to call the students by their right names.)
• Anne and I still have not sold our home by the sea so we can return to Ontario to be closer to family and old friends,  and that will hang on my mind ...... though I wouldn't mind moving when I am not there!  If you have some loose USD funds lying around and want a safe place to invest, buy our home: 323 Abbott's Harbour.

 Thanks to everyone for their support with dollars, prayers and good thoughts.   Our work there needs more of each.

Take Care, John

PS... If you still send "real" greeting cards consider sending some of my original ones at:  http://www.redbubble.com/people/revjoc/portfolio.   Any of my prints are availble and you can get an assortment of your choice for a discount.    All the money that I receive will go to Guyana Projects.