Guy-ana and Gal-ana!

Ashton met Diamond Deaf pupils for the first time

On the way back to Georgetown from New Amsterdam

Guyanese passed out on the beach, British typical!

Hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil (David Rose school)

Ameridian Hertiage Month in Santa Mission

Hey everyone! How are you doing? How’s work, university, bumming around? Still not missing me? That’s good because it’s only 2 months!

Let you know that I am picked by Guyana national football team as a central-midfielder. We will play against Brazil next month… as if!!! Heehee!

Ashtonism
I am still boring old fart Ashton but I feel much less stressed and more happier in Guyana such as I learned a lot of new things here! Also I learned something from other volunteers. Of course there is still some frustration for me over lack of deaf awareness in Guyana so it’s my job to raise deaf awareness here. Deaf power! I am getting looked after myself more every day such as dangerous roads, heat, women (who need ‘em?!), satanic mosquitoes, water and much more!

Stevenism
Steven is a good mate to me now (I think!). He is wicked, funny, intelligent, confident, bit hyperactive! We always teased each other most of the time! One of his cheekiest joke (not my favourite one!), he suggested that Arsenal lost 5-0 to Ajax in Champion League last Tuesday. I was gutted and couldn’t believe it, so I checked out the scores on internet, turned out to be 2-1 won by my beloved team. I happily punched Stevo’s shoulder hard! What a sweet revenge from him because I always teased him before!! He is quite all right at cooking, not exactly Jamie Oliver but his cooking hadn’t killed me yet! We will work together most of the time, teaching deaf/hearing people ASL, raise Deaf awareness across Guyana and some activities.

Very Sexy Organisation
A lot of VSO volunteers are enthusiastic and nice, most of their offices in Guyana’s capital Georgetown and also work in other regions occasionally. Most of them come from UK, Canada, Kenya and Holland. New volunteers (includes me and Steven) always arranged to meet up somewhere for a chat and drinks such as trip to Santa Mission (Ameridian village) for the day. They are very keen to learning ASL as we had ASL class at each volunteer’s house every Tuesdays night, although, it was good excuse to bring food!! It was good fun and bit serious! Me and Steven taught them most of variety words like alphabets finger-spelling, work-related, general conversation etc. Funnily, me and 8 VSO volunteers chatted and danced at Latino bar, some of Peace Corps volunteers and American Red Cross (they are all white) approached VSO team, greeted them all but not me because they thought I was Guyanese even I was chatting with VSO!! Cheeky buggers! Anyway I will give each volunteer one thing about them;

Jo-Ann (Canadian) – very bubbly
Sarah – (British) dark horse
Marco – (Dutch) funny
Elske – (Dutch) cheeky
Terri – (Canadian) kind
Jim – (Canadian) thinker
Michiyo – (Canadian) shy
Jill – (Canadian) sensible
Annestijn – (Dutch) sharp-witted
Inge – (Dutch) bossy
Joan – (British) Mother figure
Boldi – (Canadian) womaniser
Tara – (Guyanese) smile
Marcia – (Guyanese) sweet
Koen – (Dutch) party guy
Petra - (Dutch) Open-minded

Community Based Rehabilitation
All my colleagues are nice and fun! A Guyanese deaf women called Donetta who work as a assistant, she is smart and funny. She explained to me a lot about Deaf community which is good thing because I need to know what deaf community really like such as deaf/HIV awareness. Most of deaf people have HIV positive who I met in Georgetown. It was very smaller community though. I went to St. Rose School for the Blind, I met 2 Deaf-blind girls, they couldn’t sign or speak anyhow. They seem so isolated, it was quite frustration for me. I learned Deaf-blind sign language already, so I will do my plan for teaching them DBSL. Also I will teach teachers, parents, anyone who need to communicate with these girls. I have been visited all deaf schools – David Rose (10 minutes walk from my house, Diamond (15 minutes drive away) and New Amsterdam (3 hours drive/cruise away). CBR volunteers and I travelled to New Amsterdam on a minibuses, taxis and ferries to see deaf pupils at New Amsterdam special school. They are amazing because they were so excited to see me and Steven. Asked me when I will go back again! I know what my role exactly doing for a year as a facilitator, specialising in literacy, teaching American Sign Language, parent support groups, Deaf awareness and HIV awareness. This prospect will have to be done before on 7th October, to meet CBR’s national advisor. I am sure it will be good presentation! I have been to different regions like New Amsterdam, East Coast, East/West Berbice, Essequibo, Kuru Kururu and more places for introduction, meeting a lot of people who involving CBR and different organisations. There is none of any Deaf organisation but I would like to set up new Deaf organisation, I can see huge problem is communication.

Dumb Boy
I am still trapped in the 19th century because there is lack of deaf awareness in Guyana. Hearing people still call deaf people ‘deaf and dumb’ or ‘dumb’ in un-offensive way even some of deaf people think ‘dumb’ is a right word! I was really surprised because my Guyanese deaf friend (Ian) showed me a Guyanese newspaper about his involving cycle tournament, (he was third) it says ‘Dumb Boy’ I expected him to think it is wrong but he happily said ‘I am dumb’ (sign for deaf). I explained to most of CBR members about meaning of dumb, I wouldn’t walk, sign, laugh, write, play, swim, blah, blah, blah and blah, they seems bit surprised with my saying, that’s good thing! I preferred this simple word ‘deaf’. My Guyanese hearing friend called Monty who is an ASL interpreter; he is only 21 years old!! He even volunteered to interpret for me and Steven for CBR! Not like cowboy interpreters in the UK! He is cool and fantastic sense of humour. He understands my Yorkshireian sense of humour now! I learned a lot about Guyanese jokes from him! Other voluntary interpreter called Sean, he is 32 years old but he looks younger. He is a fire-blower, actor, dancer, artist, and drummer (dustbin). He designed signs such as creating Ministry for Sport, Youth and Culture. He is keen to learn about how to use graphic and website software (Photoshops or Flash etc).

Just now
There is not really much of different culture compared to UK but most of drivers are much crazier than my British friends!! I was in a taxi with volunteers, passing people who shouted something bad, I saw a Guyanese man lying on the street, bunch of people around him in the night 2 weeks ago. There was some blood on his t-shirt, damaged bike in middle of street. This street is not very safe because not enough flooding around there and cars always overtake another cars. I think it was hit and run or accident, he could die because he looked like he was in very bad shape. Why ‘Just now’? Most of Guyanese people always says ‘Just now’ mean late! I even hate this word especially in ASL too!!!

Trips
VSO volunteers and I travelled to Santa Mission (Ameridian village) on minibus and motorboat (10 mph!). It was about 3 hours travelling. Cruising through river like Amazon River style, an hour cruise but it was good view! You might see a lot of picture in Bluemeanies website. It was great and chill out day, watched Ameridian dancing, music, crafts, face-painting, food and drink. Some of my friends said they sang so badly! I didn’t care because I was only interested in their dancing! One Ameridian man was so pissed, and he couldn’t walk properly. He passed out on the beach like typical British guy on the Greek beach!

Missing UK?
I didn’t feel any homesick for 2 months except my Mum, some good friends, YPG, Neighbours (I hope Izzy would be gone in time as I get back!) and my girlfriend Arsenal. My Mum can live without his mad son anyway! (Nah she misses me a lot a lot a lot a lot a lot a lot!). Honestly I realised that I am going to miss cold weather because winter is my favourite season!!

Arsenal needs me…
I watched Arsenal played against Ajax for 12 seconds in the Champion League on Wed 28th Sept. I felt good by watching them! I was very disappointed with their form in Premiership this season. I think Arsenal couldn’t cope without me!!

I think it’s enough otherwise you would fall sleep!

Take care of yourself!

Ashton