Guyana’s like a box of chocolates…
on Fiona Craven (Guyana), 29/Feb/2012 00:58, 34 days ago
….You never know what you’re gonna get. I thought the longer I lived here, the less surprised I’d be by things. But so far I continue to be constantly surprised. It’s that sense of adventure that I am going to miss so much upon returning home. Over here life is lived in Technicolor. Every day is an assault to the senses: the music on the streets, the colour in people’s clothes, the interesting and surprising conversations… I’ve been away from the hospital for about a week doing funding reports and attending the VSO annual forum. And while the work has been fruitful, I was aware of how much I missed the rich contact I have with people through my work with the rehab assistants and the patients. Today a nurse came up to me and asked me to help her with a project she’s doing for her course atUniversityofGuyana. She said she wasn’t sure if she was going in the right direction and she liked that I was always so friendly and would I mind helping. Then in the lunch room colleagues started asking me when I’m due to go and what do they have to do to make me stay. Watching one of the new graduates working with a child today,I felt so proud of her ability to put together the theory and practice I’ve been mentoring her with. Forget end of placement references or formal appraisals, that’s the best feedback I could ever wish for. Later, at the market, I pushed by bike through the hustle and bustle and soaked up all the smells and sounds. This time last year I found it all so overwhelming, but now I feel I’ve become addicted to the slightly chaotic rhythm of life here. The woman I buy my tomatoes from asked me where I’ve been for a while. We joked at how I’m addicted to plantain chips and will have to pack a suitcase full of them when I return home. The woman and her friend asked me why won’tI stay longer out here, and I realised I couldn’t even answer that question for myself.During the VSO forum we had workshops to analyse the projects we’ve been working on and discuss the future of VSO in this country. We debated the rationale of taking a rights based approach versus a needs based approach. My job here has been most focused on filling a need here inGuyana, while other placements have focused more on policy development at a rights based level. Now nearing the end of my time here I am convinced there is a role for both approaches. And this year has been not just about fulfilling a need here inGuyana,Guyanahas fulfilled a need in me. That need for adventure and inspiration. As a fan of chocolate,Guyanahas been the richest mix of flavours I could have wished for!Here's a selction of some of the experiences I've been sampling.....