Last journal entry
That is it for my travel blog. It’s been a lot of fun sharing my trip with you. If you have any questions about Guyana or any of the trips we went on, you can email me at: jessicageenen@yahoo.com or jgeenen@tridentexploration.ca.
PLEASE NOTE: Some subject matter of this blog may not be suitable for all ages. Viewer discretion is advised when noted below.
I took a day trip to another area of the country, the coast. This is the most populated area of the country, as it provides more jobs and ease of transport on well-constructed roads. We set out to see three Peace Corps volunteers, the majority of which live and work in the coastal area. It was to be a day of many types of transport. We started out driving across the Demerara Harbour Bridge over to the port of Parika. We parked the car there, and then took a speedboat across the Essequibo River for about 40 minutes. The ride was beautiful, as we were right up close to the shore, most of which is untouched mangroves. Mangroves are very important for the health of the rivers and oceans, as they are breeding grounds for a lot of fish and other animals. Here is a link to a site that explains the importance of mangroves, if you want to read more: http://ambergriscaye.com/reefbriefs/briefs3.html
There we took a taxi to a school for at-risk youth ages 12-18. It is a boarding school where the children get traditional education, along with training on vegetable gardens, hydroponics (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydroponics), fish ponds and fish rearing, cooking, use of chain saws and other tools, small business, health and more. We met up with two Peace Corps volunteers that give lifestyle courses every Thursday for a couple hours. In this class the youth learn about making correct decisions in their lives from health, relationships, anger management issues, family relationships, etc. We spoke with the assistant director of the school and one of the teachers for a long time and were also able to tour the facilities and talk to some of the kids. The school seems to really be doing some great work for kids that have had problems with the traditional system or who had problems at home.
We then walked for about 10 minutes to hire a car (they aren’t registered as taxis, but function as so) to take us to another boat landing. Both the volunteers we were with are health volunteers, one working at a health post in his community and the other with a local non governmental, non-profit organization that works on HIV/AIDS issues in the area. We took another boat across to a small island where another volunteer is working on education initiatives in the local school. She told us about her community, her work and is applying to stay on for a 3rd year as a volunteer. She told us stories of jaguars and other large cats that entered homes in her community, but luckily there was no harm done to either the people or the animals. After hearing more about her projects, I got a picture of the volunteers in front of her house, and we headed back to Georgetown. While crossing the bridge again, we saw a beautiful, red bird on the shore, which turned out to be a Scarlet Ibis. Quite beautiful www.pbase.com/merriwolf/image/38500902
Cricket is an important game in Guyana, and this year the Cricket World cup is going to take place in Georgetown. You might want to check it out if you have any interest. http://www.cricketworldcup.com/
DISCRETION IS ADVISED FROM THIS POINT ON:
A lot of people that hear about Guyana automatically think about the Jonestown incident. This was a California cult group that established a community in Guyana in 1978 and were brainwashed into committing mass suicide. This happened in the north western part of the country. There is actually a movie about this incident that will be playing at EPCOR center in Calgary that those of you in town might want to see. Or, look at the link below to find out where else it will be available. I have not seen the film, and this is not an endorsement. Parents, please help determine suitability for your children. The trailer, as well as the topic is not suitable for all ages.
“Our next film, Jonestown (info - see below), has been booked and has
been shortlisted for a 2007 Academy Award nomination.
========================
Jonestown: The Life and Death of Peoples Temple
Monday, January 15, 2007 - 7:00PM
On November 18, 1978, over 900 members of Peoples Temple died in the
largest mass suicide/murder in history. What drew so many people across
racial and class lines to the Peoples Temple? How could a diverse group
of 900 people be convinced to commit suicide? What was a California
congregation doing in the jungles of Guyana? Using never before seen archival
footage and survivor interviews, 'Jonestown: The Life and Death of Peoples Temple' tells the story of the people who followed Jim Jones from Indiana, to California, and finally to the remote jungles of Guyana, South America, in a misbegotten quest to build
an ideal society.
Check it out at www.moviesthatmatter.org.
There have also been a few books written about this incident, if you are interested in reading more. Search for “Jonestown” for a list of the various ones that have been published.
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