Cashews Roasting on an Open Fire…

Think I have the lyrics wrong? Not in Guyana! It just so happens that December (and Christmas) is cashew season, and during my recent trip to the Rupununi (more pictures and information on my trip later), I was fortunate to be taught the elusive process of cashew roasting, the hobby of many village children this time of year.

I didn’t know until I arrived in Guyana, but the cashew tree produces both a fruit and a nut. In the following picture you can see the unripe cashew nut and the strange shape above it will eventually develop into a pear-shaped, pinkish cashew fruit.

Here’s how it begins: You find the ripe cashew nuts, a roasting tray, and some convenient bricks and branches to build a fire.

The cashew nut has an outer shell, then a layer of oil that surrounds the actual nut. By roasting the outer shell, the oil (which is actually poisonous, don’t eat it raw!) is heated to cook the nut inside. As the outer shell cracks, it will release the oil which will catch on fire and burn away.

Sometimes you need to help it along by tossing a burning branch into the tray once the nuts are roasted.

Put out the fire with some sand, or by tossing the tray onto the ground and using dirt. As I was told, this is the one food that you must eat off the ground!

Then you remove the outer shell by hitting it with a piece of wood to crack it open and reveal the nut inside. This is much more difficult than it sounds! My cashews were warm and delicious, but kept breaking apart before I could get them out of the shell. Luckily, I had some expert help…

Beware, however, of the side effects of roasting cashews – blackened fingers and a few days of your skin peeling away due to the oil residue.

And the finished product! Roasted cashew nuts that I could snack on during the trip back to Georgetown.

Merry Christmas!

Just a Flood or Two

It has been pointed out to me that it has been months since I’ve updated my blog. You’re right, I’m sorry. A combination of poor internet, busy work, travel, and general exhaustion got the better of me. Now that things are starting to calm down a bit, hopefully I will be able to post more. To begin, let’s talk about rain – you may think it’s not as bad as snow, but it can still shut the city down 

It’s a Georgetown reality that when it rains, it floods. Most of the time it is still possible to get around the city, although many people will find their houses becoming islands in the middle of a rainy pond – there’s a reason some houses are built on stilts.

While I typically enjoy the rain, today was the worst flooding I have seen in Georgetown. My commute to work was about 30 minutes longer than usual, due to several detours and trying to catch a bus that was actually going past the street my office is on (since the large lake that used to be the intersection at Vlissingen and Homestretch seemed impassable).

Following are some pictures of my commute this morning, and a few other places around Georgetown. Keep dry!

On my way to work – entire streets and buildings were flooded out. No work for them today!

 

This bridge seems a little useless, and as a fellow volunteer said: The ferry service wasn’t operating on South Rd.

 

Even the President’s house is flooded.

 

This is the street that the school I was supposed to be working out of today is on. You can’t tell, but there is a green belt down the middle of the road – completely under water. Luckily, schools were cancelled today.

 

The cows don’t seem to mind the rain!

 

Realities after Kaieteur Falls

Despite the sporadic electricity, lack of sidewalks, and occasional collapsing buildings, it’s sometimes easy to forget that Guyana is a developing country.  Then an event will occur that you can’t ignore, that makes you realize the lack of infrastructure, technology, and in some cases, knowledge that means people interact, get hurt, and die in ways they wouldn’t elsewhere.

One such incident occurred when myself and other volunteers were travelling back from Kaieteur Falls.  The plan was that we would take a small plane from Kaieteur (3 actually to fit all of us), stop in Mahdia, and then take another plane back to Georgetown.  One group had left by plane already, and another volunteer and I were to take the next plane.  When it landed, we were told the plane was already transporting a patient to the hospital in Mahdia.  In one of the plane’s small seats sat a man, his eyes vacant and staring out the window.  He clutched a young boy on his lap.  The boy’s eyes were glazed with what looked like pain or shock.

We came to find out that the boy and his father were from a very remote village, and the boy had fallen out of a tree on the Friday and was paralyzed from the neck down.  Because Friday was a holiday, there was no doctor available for him until Saturday.  We encountered the family on the plane on Sunday, where he had already endured two days and two take-off and landings before reaching a hospital.  Even then, it was well known that the Mahdia hospital did not have the facilities and equipment to even evaluate the injury, and he would need to be flown again to Georgetown.  In addition, it took another pilot at the airport in Mahdia to insist on a backboard for the injured boy, and to convince a taxi driver to transport the boy and his father to the hospital when the ambulance would have required another hour’s wait.

Georgetown hospitals also do not have the capacity to deal with a broken back from what I’ve heard from other Guyanese.  A fix would require another flight to Trinidad for surgery, and even then only if the boy’s family is able to raise enough money to cover the cost.

Sometimes you can forget that you live in a developing country, and sometimes it’s all you can think of.

Fern Gully and Kaieteur Falls

When I was about 10 years old, one of my favourite movies was Fern Gully.  The basic plot followed the cartoon heroine and her animal friends as they worked to save their rainforest from the evil logging company.

This was probably my first introduction to the idea of the rainforest, so it isn’t unexpected that during my journey to Kaieteur Falls I couldn’t help but think back to this movie and my childhood. For me, travelling through the rainforest by foot or by water is like being transported into a different world, beautiful and exotic.

It’s unfortunate then that the evil logging company of Fern Gully has an equivalent in the rainforests of Guyana.

Along with logging, mining is a critical issue in Guyana when it comes to the preservation of the rainforest.  Gold and diamonds have been mined here for many years, and gold is one of Guyana’s largest exports.

As I travelled, it was impossible not to notice the rusty, cumbersome excavators or the sandy scars across the land replacing what should be swathes of trees.  Not only does this type of mining diminish the forest, but it results in land degradation and the loss of habitats for some creatures that are unique to Guyana – the golden frogs, jaguars, and many different birds.  As well, the issues that accompany the mining camps and towns are numerous – child labour, forced prostitution, transmission of diseases and STIs, etc.

Every year, more and more rainforest disappears and the effects of mining become more obvious. Perhaps some of those foreign companies and governments with interests in Guyana (looking at you, Canada) should consider human rights, good governance and environmental conservation over profit.

More reading:

Canadian Exploitation in the Mines of Guyana – http://www.coha.org/21247/

How Guyana gold mining threatens its green future – http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-15852970

Formerly forest – now an abandoned diamond mine.

Scars on the land – mines as seen while flying into Mahdia

 

Travel Travails and Kaieteur Falls

Imagine an eight-hour drive on a bumpy dirt road in a minibus travelling at high speeds. 

Starting at 6:30 in the morning.

Now imagine that you woke up with a migraine.

Yes, the driver did have to pull over at one point.

And that was the beginning of my five-day journey into the rainforest, my first time out of Georgetown, to see Kaieteur Falls.

Kaieteur is called the largest single-drop waterfall in the world and is three times higher than Niagara Falls.  Sound impressive?  It gets even more so when you realize that there are no roads for miles.  The only way to get there is to fly in or hike up the mountain.  Of course, I and a group of other volunteers opted for the hike in order to see as much of Guyana as possible.  This involved a series of vehicles, boats and hikes over three days that culminated in the several hour hike up the mountain to reach Kaieteur Falls.

After the eight-hour drive to Mahdia, a mining town, we took a speedboat for about an hour to reach our first campsite.  Camping in Guyana does not involve tents and sleeping bags, but hammocks and mosquito nets, and I have to say that we are all very proficient now at setting up our own hammocks!  The campsites were short on electricity and running water (unless you count the river), but there’s nothing like falling asleep to the sounds of frogs and the nearby rapids. 

By the third day, we had reached the base of the mountain we would climb to reach the top of Kaieteur Falls.  This was probably my least favourite part of the journey, as anyone who has heard me complain about Ecuador knows that hiking and rainforests are not the best combination for me (it’s the clumsiness).  Of course, I was with a group of very fit, active people who sped away into the forest, leaving me with one of the guides to make my own way up the mountain.  The climb isn’t actually that difficult, however a backpack full of five days of gear makes it a bit more challenging.

As it happens, I didn’t take that much longer than the rest of the group, but by taking my time and going at my own pace, I think I was able to enjoy the experience more.  I was able to listen to my guide tell stories about different parts of the trail and the plants we passed.  We picked some mushrooms and refilled our water bottles from a fresh spring.  I was even the first in the group to see the Cock-of-the-Rock, a bright orange bird found only in Guyana, and the tiny golden frogs that spend their whole lives in a single plant.

By taking my time, I was able to see much more than I would have by rushing through the journey just to reach the destination.

That’s almost a metaphor for life, isn’t it?

If you are ever in Guyana and want an amazing experience, take this trip.  Kaieteur is an amazing sight, almost completely untouched by humans and so different from the tourist trap that is Niagara.  But it is definitely the journey that made the destination worthwhile.

It’s a long drive…

Yep, that’s a bridge we crossed (for a certain definition of bridge…)

Speedboats on the river

Beautiful views

 

 

 

Our lovely hammocks and mosquito nets.

Kaieteur at last!

 

 

 

 

Finding a Purpose: Guyana & Youth Employment

As many have reminded me, it has been quite a while since my last post.  I have finally settled into my work and have a decent social life (Yay, I can make friends!) so the blog has been a lower priority.  However, I thought I would give a brief description of the work I am doing here in Guyana and the organization I’m working with as a Cuso volunteer.

Volunteer Youth Corps (see picture above) has existed for almost 17 years in Guyana and is a national NGO (non-governmental organization) that works towards to the development of vulnerable and at risk youth from economically depressed communities in southern Georgetown.  They run all kinds of programs for youth, including after school tutoring, a hydroponics program, and Work Readiness training, among others.

Currently, I am developing a new program to guide youth in deciding on a career path and gaining the skills to succeed in the workforce.  Basically, it’s a Career Guidance program that hopefully will be implemented in secondary schools as well as through nonprofits for out-of-school youth.  I love what I’m doing and have had the opportunity to sit in on other training for youth – work preparation and otherwise – that is going on around Georgetown.  The program that I am developing seems to fill a gap and I hope it will make some kind of difference.

The youth unemployment rate in Guyana is very high and lack of opportunity means that youth often turn to criminal activity to make money.  Guyana has the highest rate of youth crime in the Caribbean.  A young man in a class I attended today, when asked what were his strongest skills, listed convict, hustling, and robbery.  Even when youth find jobs, it is difficult to keep them, as critical workplace skills are not taught in schools.

But Guyana has many people that are working to make a difference.  Change, as always, is slow to come, but I believe it will happen.

Let’s Go Fly A Kite!

It’s been a busy few weeks as I’ve finally had the chance to get out of Georgetown.  Although that means that it’s been a while since my last update, I have lots to share in the coming days!

I was out of town for the Hindu holiday of Phagwah on March 27^th, but I did return in time to join the celebrations on Easter Monday.  And how do you celebrate Easter in Guyana?  By flying a kite!  Families pack picnics and head to the parks or sea wall where the skies are filled with colour as children (and adults) try to raise their kites higher and higher.

The sea wall in Georgetown is literally a wall that is meant to hold back the high tide, as the city sits several feet below sea level.  It is not a pretty part of town, since the water is more brown than blue and the beach is covered in garbage, but on Easter it all transforms.  You can walk on top of the wall and admire the kites or walk beside it and tempt yourself with the amazing smells coming from the grills and booths where vendors sell everything from fried rice to ice cream.  You can even jump on a trampoline, as there were several set up along the sea wall being enjoyed by the children.

But do beware!  Kite flying is not a spectator sport and the unwary can easily find themselves tangled in kite lines or hit on the back of the head by a free-falling kite.  That definitely didn’t happen to me… :S

 

 

Walking on the seawall

Can’t forget the ice cream!

 

 

The P’s and Q’s of Queuing

Whether you stand in line, on line, queue, or whatever the phrase may be where you live, you’ll find you do a lot of it in Guyana.  Especially for banks and government services, there is something in the bureaucracy that must not be happy until you have stood in line at least twice while trying to accomplish your task.

As a perfect example of this need to stand in line, I went to the post office today to pick up a parcel.  I stood in line to hand over my parcel slip and get my ID checked.  Then I stood in line to watch as they opened and checked my parcel.  Then I waited to receive the customs slip and bill.  Then I lined up again to pay the cashier, followed by lining up at the delivery window to hand over my receipt and finally receive the package.  This entire process took over an hour and a half, but was ultimately achievable as long as you are patient and not in a rush!

Here are some of my tips (and reminders to myself!) about receiving packages in Georgetown:

1. Arrive early – That particular part of the post office opens at 7am and I would probably recommend arriving before 8am, as when I got there shortly after 8 there was already a line.
2. Check the postmark – My package was shipped last Monday, and I received the parcel slip exactly one week later.  But the package actually arrived in Georgetown two days before that.  After one week in the post office you have to pay additional storage fees, so make sure that you are able to retrieve your package within a week from the date on the postmark.
3. Don’t send anything you want to keep private – All packages are opened and evaluated by customs in front of the twenty or more other people in line.  Even envelopes inside the package.  So be prepared.
4. Bring ID and cash – Bring your passport and enough cash to cover the fees.  There will be at least a $500 GYD handling fee, plus whatever the customs fee is.  My package was luckily appraised at much less than it was worth, so I paid only $1284 GYD (about $6.50 CAD).
5. Make sure you are standing in the correct line – You don’t want to waste your time and everyone else’s.  There is never any harm in asking which line to stand in wherever you are.  (I find the security guards are usually quite helpful.)
6. Be patient!  Make sure you have lots of time to spare just in case, and don’t let yourself get frustrated.  A smile never hurts. 🙂 

Who Turned Out The Lights?

Almost a month in Guyana and while I’ve had a great time, I’m starting to experience those aspects of life in a developing country that I was warned about before coming.

One of those warnings concerned power outages, but after three weeks and not a single blackout, I was beginning to think it was all an exaggeration.  Not so.  My first day at work I experienced three – one at work and two at home in the evening.

Not a big deal, right?  After all, my laptop battery lasts for eight hours.  But the Guyanese attitude of combined resignation and annoyance towards the blackouts doesn’t convey the significant impact they have on productivity and daily lives.  Older laptops and desktop computers won’t survive without power and neither will internet modems or many landline phones.  No lights at night means you can’t read, watch TV or prepare meals.  And when your fan goes out in the middle of the night, you start to feel the heat quickly.

Many businesses have generators, but those only last so long.  Imagine how much work you would get done if the power went out for a few hours every day?

“Life’s challenges are not supposed to paralyze you, they’re supposed to help you discover who you are.” – Bernice J. Reagon

Put the Lime in the Coconut: Cooking in Guyana

I love to cook and was quite excited to finally move out of the Georgetown guest house and into my apartment where I have a kitchen of my own.  But not so fast!  Cooking in Guyana is a bit different from what I’m used to.  Not only are there different foods and spices (some I’d never even heard of), but buying a gas tank to hook up to your stove and using a match to light it makes dinner preparation a touch more complicated.

Luckily, I was able to participate in a lesson on tropical foods and how to prepare cook-up rice, a Guyanese staple.

Step 1: Learning the vegetables – Of course I know what eggplants and plantains are, but I don’t think I’ve encountered eddo or bhagee or ochro in Canada.

 

 

Step 2: Prepare – Soak your beans overnight, cut up onions, garlic and seasonings, and make sure your cubes of flavouring are ready!

Step 3: Make coconut milk – Why buy it in a can?  Just grate your coconut with this handy tool then soak it in water to make your own coconut milk.

 

Step 4: Frying – Mix your rice with your seasonings and beans, and brown in cooking oil.

Step 5: Cooking – Add water and coconut milk and simmer, also adding any other vegetables or meat you’d like.  This could include, carrots, shallots, bora (string beans), corn, or almost anything else.  For meat, use chicken, fish, oxtail, or leave it vegetarian.

Step 6: Finish – Simmer until cooked, stirring often, and serve with whatever sides you want or on its own!

  

Cook-up seems to be a ‘throw whatever you want in the pot’ kind of dish.  If you would prefer a recipe, here is one from allrecipes.com: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Guyanese-Cookup-Rice/

And if you’re wondering, the first meal I made in Guyana was… an omelet. 🙂