September started with the new group of Peace Corps Trainees entering their training! This means I am not a newbie anymore! GUY 29 is here; they are small (only 10) but excited. They are the first group of the newly created Environmental Sector and I was lucky enough to be chosen to help with their training their first week in country. Chad, from GUY 27, and I co-facilitates for two days on Peace Corp's Approach to Development as well as The Role of the Volunteer in Development. I remember my first week in country and how excited I was about everything and how much I was soaking up all information. It was nice to see another group who was going through the same thing. I will be going back the last week of their training and am interested to see how much they have changed in three months.
Debbie, one of the ladies in our workout group, got married on September 11th. She had a beautiful Hindu wedding (my first one!) with all of the decorations and food. Because she has been married once before and has children (and grandchildren) she was unable to have a completely traditional Hindu wedding, but there was still plenty of ceremony to go around. I went with a small group of volunteers from New Amsterdam and were able to see the bride before the ceremony! She looked absolutely beautiful and happy! The ceremony began with just her and the pandit (preacher), then her fiance, now husband, joined in. There was a lot of singing, praying, bowing, and giving thanks before the couple took their first steps as husband and wife.
When it was all over, we were able to meet the couple upstairs for pictures before feasting on seven curry!
Me and the beautiful bride!
Beginning of the ceremony
First steps as husband and wife
Gotta love the seven curry!
The following weekend, Robin and Catherine came to visit. They live in Mauritaro and only get out of their community occasionally. They do not have cell service, internet or electricity (some solar) where they are, therefore, we cannot communicate very often. It was nice that we were all able to hang out for a few days in my neck of the woods. One of the days we went to Canje to visit Aly (I talked about her on the previous blog/lives in Adelphi Village) to attend a birthday party for her neighbor. It was a small affair but one that was definitely fun! We drank, ate, played cards and dominoes, and generally enjoyed each other's company. It's always a fun time at Aly's house with all of her neighbors welcoming us like family.
Seeta hiding her cards
Love the Bota Box
Poor Phoenix...just had surgery. Made a cone from a colander...so Peace Corps
This month of school was all about sports. Sports, Sports, Sports. Now, sports here is a little different than we do it back home. There is not a lot of training that happens to lead up to the "games." There are really no teams either. Students sign up to participate and they compete with each other to receive a "spot." This competition takes place at the school and leads into the inter-house tournament held at a neighboring school. There will be more talk about Sports during the October blog. The pictures below are from sports day at school. The students are completing against themselves before they compete against their houses. It's kind of like track and field.
Teachers anxiously watching
I decided to try it out!
Creolese Lesson
Just Now Anytime between now and eternity
Me know? I don't know
You talk to she? Did you talk to her?
Fuh truth That's the truth
