Reflections from last week...

Today is Thursday, March 19, 2009. I had a great day. It was possibly the best day I've had here in Guyana since my arrival, and here are the reasons why:

I slept really well and felt that everything I did today was productive and positive. Training was 85% interesting and I was never bored. I had energy beyond anything I've been used to this whole month and that made me able to focus; being able to focus makes me extremely happy because I feel IN CONTROL. I got silly with some of my fellow trainees and wrote some music for a presentation that we did for our safety and security session on "unwanted attention." We did a lot of laughing. It was Chris Adkins' 24th birthday today (he is one of us Guy 21 trainees) and many of us celebrated on the sea wall after training. I borrowed Jess' guitar to add entertainment. Jess is also a Guy 21er.

I did some laundry when I got home and my towel doesn't smell like crotch rot anymore. I watched jeopardy with my host mom and dad and they told me that I needed to have my parents call because going one month without phoning is not good. I agree.

I also pooped today, it was glorious and I read three chapters in my book while waiting for it. I'm reading "Confessions of an Economic Hit Man" by John Perkins; he was also a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ecuador during the 1970's. It's a good read so far, makes you wonder about why Americans get to pay so little for gas, energy, and other things we take for granted. Go read it... unless you are a neo-con. In which case, you should read it for the ideas on how to exploit the working class of an underdeveloped country.

One of my friends and PCTs came down with Dengue fever yesterday night. Lindsay has been on a team with me and one other trainee. The three of us have visited Hampton Court Primary school a handful of times to observe, perform guest lessons to their fifth grade class, evaluate teachers, and to get a general sense of what primary education is all about in Guyana. Today was our last day and last lesson at Hampton Court and Lindsay couldn't make it on account of the Dengue. I felt awful for her and immediately felt guilty for being so cranky about my own personal issues. They seemed so trivial compared to what she is going through. She had connected the most to the children at Hampton Court, so for her to have missed our last day there really hit Mica and I hard as we had to give our lesson without Lindsay.

It is also unfortunate that my best day here has probably been Lindsay's worst day here. I am positive that she will bounce back, though. She has a wonderful host family that is rapidly falling in love with her and pushing Peace Corps to let her be placed with them for her two years of service. With that kind of support and concern, I think Lindsay will pull through.