Iwokrama!

At the Canopy Walkway, alright!

Instruction before trekking to the Canopy Walkway

At the Iwokrama resort for 6 days


Staring at the Sankar the alligator amazingly
Ashton and Steven on top of the Turtle Mountain, so breathtaking!

Ashton and Jo-Ann exchanged their stockings

Hey everyone!!


Happy New Year to you all! Hope you have a great Xmas and New Year party in the UK and over the world!

I was with 7 volunteers (Stevo, Jill, Jo, Sarah, Michiyo, Boldi and Mary-Ann). Doctoring student Mary-Ann is not VSO volunteer but she joined us at last minute. She is from England, She knows some of BSL; so I taught her some of BSL signs as she is leaving on the 7th January.

We were so excited and ready, we took a first photo of us before leaving… cheese!

It was ‘ok’ journey to Iwokrama, we were supposed to leave by a coach at 10pm but left an hour delay over overload thing! But 30 minute later, the coach broken down, the driver and other staffs tried to fix it while heavy raining!! It worked!! Heehee! We finally arrived Iwokrama rainforest in middle of Guyana, all rainforest and rivers looked so beautiful! I can see this is really Guyana, breakaway from crowded, hostile, selfish, crime, pollution, bad environment, colonies building Georgetown.

Iwokrama resort looked cool and impressive, I could live there for ever! The guide called Gary who is Amerindian himself. He showed us around Iwokrama, Turtle Mountain, Canopy Walkway, Essequibo river, Screaming nature trail, wildlife, Fairview and more! You can see amazing pictures! It was really exciting to see rainforest in Turtle Mountain, Screaming trail and Canopy Walkway. I may have been to rainforest in Dominica, West Indies but this Iwokrama rainforest is more interesting!

On Christmas eve, My best trip is Turtle Mountain, I trekked up (800 metre high) for one and half hour and back for another hours. It was so cool experience! We were on the top of mountain, beautiful view of Iwokrama and river. Took a lot of pictures as well as filming!

I am not big into animals but most cool thing I have seen is Sankar the alligator! We thought he would attack us but not really, he is really a vegetarian! My friend Hannah (another volunteer) she swam with it last year!!!! Bloodly hell!!! I wouldn’t do it even I am a big man!!! Hat off to her!!! She noticed it without a leg! Although I still wouldn’t swim with it heehee! Saw other species like spider, different kind of birds, ants, dragonflies, fishes, snake, monkey, turtle (and turtle eggs in the red sand) of course mosquitoes (I got much fewer love bites than Georgetown). Tribe people lived there long time ago but wiped out over colonies thing. What a shame!

We were excited about receiving our secret stocking from other friend. It was Jo who gave me the brilliant present, this big sock with ‘Ashton’ sewed! You might see a picture! I took things out like a lot of sweets, cards, key-necklace holder, shot glass etc. I gave her a handbag, a wooden bracelet and a sign ‘Take off your shoes’ because she brought loads of shoes from Canada! We were pissed and having some fun!

On Christmas Day, I had a wicked Xmas at Iwokrama rainforest resort. Actually we really didn’t celebrated Christmas on Xmas Day, it is like normal day to me! Most of us slept, relax, read books/magazines, walking around and eating normal meal!

On 26th December, we went to Canopy Walkway, it was cool! We trekked up for just half an hour. Just relax and enjoyed view of Iwokrama rainforest. Poor Jill got sting from a wicked wasp; at first I thought she pulled her back because she held her back with her horrifying face! I saw a wasp, I killed it straightaway! The light went off at 10pm, we turned a torch on, unfortunately loads of flies attached around us!! A massive moth ticked my ankle, I jumped and thinking ‘It was sexual harassment!’ Heehee!

When I got home (Georgetown), I learned that Georgetown or other regions in North of Guyana wasn’t really Amerindian culture or rooted! In the 18th century, it was British, Dutch and Spanish colonies dragged African slaves and East Indians labourers into Amerindian Guyana changed most.

On New Year eve, I had a good time at Annestijn’s for celebrating New year, Stevo and me were supposed to meet Deaf people at Deaf church about 10.30pm but there was different church in same area though. Although we didn’t remember what street (we went there last August!), so we had to ride to look for most streets! We drank and rode! Oops! We couldn’t find them; we had to go back to Annestijn’s about 11.40pm.

My resolution? That’s all I am thinking about is setting up a new Deaf club for Guyanese Deaf community AND improving my footballing!

Funnily, 3 ex-Preston University students is in South America at the moment is me, Helen Phillips with Jason Vessey (Brazil) and Lulu Fresiel (Chile)! Lulu said she love this country (where her family is from) Chilean Deaf community is not good as Chilean Sign Language only started 10 years ago. Most of uneducated Deaf people used oral though. Lulu assisted with her Deaf friend Paola who is a CSL teacher and improving Deaf education across Chile. I’m sure she make difference for Chilean Deaf community!

That’s it!

Missing you all!

Ashton xXx

Deaf not dumb!

Beach party in Corrvertion, much much much better than Georgetown

At the Deaf Awareness Day, Ashton signed the poem in ASL to impact on the Deaf & hearing audience, 'Empathy' by Gavin Lilley

Diwaii - wonderful lights

Overnight stay at the Shanklands, awesome!

March of 100 people on the Deaf Awareness Day on 27th Nov 2005, Deaf power!


Hey everyone! How are you all in coldly England??

At the moment, I am at 1970’s groovy Guyanese house with super-polish wooden, lovely mosquitoes especially my great mate (a biggest fan in the world) called Big Fan, luck for my baldness otherwise I had to brush. I am typing up here while watching Oprah (my Mum’s favourite programme) on TV, not exactly Guyanese programme eh? About 5.31pm, sunset at the same time every day in a year, so my watch doesn’t need to turn back or forward! Nothing much interesting for you eh (!)

Ashton Stevo Lecture (ASL)
I think ASL is now my first language! Stevo and me always use this at home most of the time. Even we forget some of BSL signs. Stevo and me tried to communicate in BSL but accidentally using ASL signs! We feel so weird!! Anyone of you could teach me BSL alphabet when I get back next year??? Hee! My ASL evening classes went very well, most of VSO volunteers (includes 2 Red Cross volunteers) learnt so quickly! Normally Stevo’s (7 vols) group are less experienced and beginners and my (6 vols) group are more experienced on Tuesdays. Next level, they will need to learn about non manual signal behaviours (expression), ASL’s own grammatical different from SSE next year. I am absolutely sure they will learn quickly! My own ASL class on Wednesdays, teaching 4 volunteers (only one VSO and other 3 are other voluntary organisation) I will do 4 ASL classes every weekly in the New Year. I enjoyed it very much!!!

Trip to New Amsterdam/Corrivertion
On the mid of November, my visiting at New Amsterdam/Corrivertion was so wonderful experience! Stevo, Monty (ASL interpreter) and me were given a lift by Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR) 4x4 car… it was 2 hours journey from crowded, busiest, aggressive city Georgetown. Suddenly this car smashed an innocent and poor stray dog! I was so shocked, I never seen anything like that before! Even although I am not big on animals!! I think it definitely died. We arrived New Amsterdam by ferry, lovely view on the dirty river. I felt so excited and looking forward to seeing Deaf children again since September. I was happy to see Deaf, hearing and other learning difficulties children at New Amsterdam. I would work at NA on Wednesdays and Fridays once every month. Many of children were so excited and a lot of handshake or hugs either! Some of them helped me with my bag and even lunch in a plastic bag!

Found out that 2 teachers were not there (I know one of them were at university, didn’t know about other one). So Stevo and I covered for them, it was my first proper teaching for Deaf children age range 5-8. It was only 5 pupils; some of them were trying to be good at reading and writing. They kept looking at me in case I might punish them which I didn’t! Also other subject was PE and drama on Friday, I was teaching deaf pupils basketball (ages between 10-12), it was good fun! Deaf children seem they so enjoyed drama subject, games, doing facial expression, emotional includes happy, sad words etc on the blackboard. I worked alongside with a Deaf woman (teaching assistant) called Sheila for teaching drama, she was nervous at first but enjoyed it later!

Deaf community
I have been spent with hearing volunteers more than with Guyanese Deaf community; although, there is a small community in big country. I met most of Deaf people in Guyana’s capital Georgetown (Region 4) occasionally. Not many of them using ASL; more like home-made signs or contextually Most of Deaf people have a basic job like working at supermarkets, bag-keepers, street-cleaners etc. Rest of them doesn’t have a job; one Deaf man told me that employers refused to give him a job just because of his deafness. A Deaf woman called Donetta, she works as a copywriter at Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR) where I work at. She is really straight-forward woman. I will work alongside with her for ASL class & Deaf education workshop across Guyana.

Only 2 Deaf social communities are Ian’s workplace and Gary’s Flex Gym. I always visited/stopped by and chat with my Deaf wicked mate Ian, who work at cycle shop. He was the one who fixed my ‘impaired’ bike countless!! He is really funny and extremely good at story-signing in a beautiful own sign language (Guyanese Sign Language) mixed with ASL (murders or burglary mainly!). I can see that he is trying to work hard to keep his family good life tirelessly. Some of his mates met up for a chat at a working hour times, it was good socialising! Whenever my bike breaks, I always take some of my working times off to visit them. I know some Deaf people meet up at restaurant Popeye’s on Saturday nights but I never turned up (always going out with volunteers for drinks, meals and activities). Yeah there’s no excuse! But I will try my best to turn up for a chat after Christmas!! Other Deaf social community, Flex Gym, Deaf GYM instructor Gary, I love him! He is a wicked guy! He is really really really funny! We always wind each other up! He reminds me of my mate in Yorkshire! Some other Deaf people turned up for a chat everyday. Only time was I see them on Sundays (Deaf Church), actually I last visited was October! Been visited there only fourth time.

Stevo and I are planning to set up a new Deaf club in Georgetown very soon!! It starts in January/February. I asked Deaf people around, they are very much interested in supporting. We will have a meeting first before opening. I really can’t wait for this very special day!!!!!!! I prefer Deaf club run by Deaf people themselves in the future. This club will definitely gain Deaf community stronger, confidence and identity.

Also Donetta (Deaf woman) and me planning to set up a new Deaf drama group for Deaf and hearing people too in the new year.

First Deaf Awareness Day
Most important day was Sunday 27th November, Guyana’s first ever Deaf Awareness Day in Georgetown. I tell you all, it was so successful! A parent support group called Sign Language Club (about 20 members) supported that event through 2 months. Stevo and me gave them more ideas about the march and other activites etc. They did make big difference for the Deaf community! I created Hands Up for Deaf Rights leaflets about Deaf awareness, sign language, negatives in Guyana and finger-spelling etc. 4 wonderful people (Stevo, Donetta, Sean, Annestijn and me) who created loads of placards with visual (more understandable for Deaf people who can’t read).

‘Deaf not dumb’
‘Deaf future is in our hands'
'Respect the talking hands’
‘Action is louder than words’
‘Deaf power’
‘Equality for all’

I was really impressed with a number of people (Deaf and hearing) attended for marching and watching speeches, about 100 people includes Deaf children marched to the National Park!!! Wow!! I encouraged some of people to chant ‘Deaf not dumb!’ Best thing was a cool Deaf man called Paul who didn’t much about the Deaf Awareness; he tirelessly handed out our Hands Up For Deaf Rights leaflets to cars and minibuses while marching! It was about 20 minutes marching! We arrived at the stadium, sat down and saw/listened to Sign Language Club chair-man Leon Walcott spoke out about the Deaf Awareness and thanks to people who supported that event greatly.

I did sign out to the audience my favourite poem – Empathy by Gavin Lilley from the UK.

Stevo signed out about history of British Sign Language; finally I joined him for showing people what BSL like different from ASL.

Christmas
I have to enjoy my Christmas without my Mum for the first time in the whole 26 years! I am sure she will be ok! She will be with family and friends on Christmas Day. I am going to stay in Iwokrama (rainforest resort) for 6 days with Stevo, Jo, Jill, Sarah, Michiyo and Boldi on 22nd -28th December. It will be great experience for me! We did Xmas stocking, I will tell you after in case Stevo might find out before!!!

I wish you Merry Deafmas and a happy New Year 2006!!!

Mwah mwah mwah mwah (under the mistletoe!… not you, guys!)

Take care of yourselves and miss you all loads!

Ash xXx