November 26, 2005
So, I have been in Paramaribo briefly for an Emergency Action Drill. All went smoothly, and somehow Peace Corps managed to coordinate the drill around the time that the Ambassador invited us over for Thanksgiving. Not a bad deal at all. :)
I had my birthday in Gunsi. For the birthdays here, if you hold one, instead of others giving you gifts, you are supposed to make or do something for the people. So, this year, I wanted to have a Saramaccan birthday. I made popcorn and a type of coolaid. I also had out pictures of America (NC, NYC, Arizona, friends, family) for people to see. Two people in Gunsi gave me some goma to help feed people. This is a type of cake.
One of my fellow volunteers was sick in Tutu. So, I took a break mid-day to go see her. I held some party in the morning and then left. When I returned, my counterpart and some others had decorated the outside of my house with flowers, balloons, and leaves. It was beautiful.
I then grabbed my big bag of popcorn and pot of goma and walked all around Gunsi. A group of kids were the first to meet me on my walk. They sang and played the drums for me with a fervor bordering on ecstatic frenzy. They then followed me around the village as I gave out more popcorn and goma, all the while singing and playing drums. I felt a little like the Pied Piper.
When I returned to my house, I found a band on my front stoop. 2 of the band members had come for my birthday from Tjali Konde, and they brought their friends. We also had some other instruments which the kids and I played. This all lasted for about 3 hours, and was fantastic! They played some traditional and more modern Surinamese music. It was so much fun.
Afterwards, my counterpart had me come on the radio in an interview. He talked a little about Peace Corps in general, asked me about my birthday, had me talk a little about training, and then I talked about what I have been doing since then (helping tie roofs on, learning how to break seeds for some cooking oil, and general Saramaccan life). It was a very fun birthday, though I'm glad holding one only happens once a year.
The next week, I helped out with one of the Tutu volunteer's birthdays. I made some garlic mashed potatoes and some coffee cake, both of which were very good. She did not tell everyone about it in her community like I had done, but she also has a massive amount of people, compared to me, in her village. So, we had more of an American type birthday.
One more person died while I was in Gunsi. I did not really go to the Booko Didija, but I did walk to Lesipaansi with the Tutu volunteer. We sat and talked with the family for a little while and gave them the gift of a few sodas (considered very kind and thoughtful). I was happy to help them a little and make them feel a little better. The path was gorgeous, too. This was the first time I made it all the way there. It was so lush and green.
I have watched a little bit of the process of how one of the Gunsi men makes canoes/boats out of trees. I helped out a little. Later, I am hoping to help more, to learn the trade.
Not a great deal more than this has happened in the past couple of weeks since I last wrote, but I am becoming more and more accustomed to life, and the people in Gunsi are becoming more and more accustomed to me. It is as beautiful as ever. The rainy season is coming closer and should be in full swing soon, I imagine consistently drenching me every day. :)
Yesterday was Suriname's 30th Independence Day. They received independence from the Netherlands on Nov. 25, 1975. The country is only about 1 year older than me. :) We ate food, watched bands play and dance, and I even danced a little myself. It was a lot of fun, a great celebration, and I was glad to be here for it.
So, I have been in Paramaribo briefly for an Emergency Action Drill. All went smoothly, and somehow Peace Corps managed to coordinate the drill around the time that the Ambassador invited us over for Thanksgiving. Not a bad deal at all. :)
I had my birthday in Gunsi. For the birthdays here, if you hold one, instead of others giving you gifts, you are supposed to make or do something for the people. So, this year, I wanted to have a Saramaccan birthday. I made popcorn and a type of coolaid. I also had out pictures of America (NC, NYC, Arizona, friends, family) for people to see. Two people in Gunsi gave me some goma to help feed people. This is a type of cake.
One of my fellow volunteers was sick in Tutu. So, I took a break mid-day to go see her. I held some party in the morning and then left. When I returned, my counterpart and some others had decorated the outside of my house with flowers, balloons, and leaves. It was beautiful.
I then grabbed my big bag of popcorn and pot of goma and walked all around Gunsi. A group of kids were the first to meet me on my walk. They sang and played the drums for me with a fervor bordering on ecstatic frenzy. They then followed me around the village as I gave out more popcorn and goma, all the while singing and playing drums. I felt a little like the Pied Piper.
When I returned to my house, I found a band on my front stoop. 2 of the band members had come for my birthday from Tjali Konde, and they brought their friends. We also had some other instruments which the kids and I played. This all lasted for about 3 hours, and was fantastic! They played some traditional and more modern Surinamese music. It was so much fun.
Afterwards, my counterpart had me come on the radio in an interview. He talked a little about Peace Corps in general, asked me about my birthday, had me talk a little about training, and then I talked about what I have been doing since then (helping tie roofs on, learning how to break seeds for some cooking oil, and general Saramaccan life). It was a very fun birthday, though I'm glad holding one only happens once a year.
The next week, I helped out with one of the Tutu volunteer's birthdays. I made some garlic mashed potatoes and some coffee cake, both of which were very good. She did not tell everyone about it in her community like I had done, but she also has a massive amount of people, compared to me, in her village. So, we had more of an American type birthday.
One more person died while I was in Gunsi. I did not really go to the Booko Didija, but I did walk to Lesipaansi with the Tutu volunteer. We sat and talked with the family for a little while and gave them the gift of a few sodas (considered very kind and thoughtful). I was happy to help them a little and make them feel a little better. The path was gorgeous, too. This was the first time I made it all the way there. It was so lush and green.
I have watched a little bit of the process of how one of the Gunsi men makes canoes/boats out of trees. I helped out a little. Later, I am hoping to help more, to learn the trade.
Not a great deal more than this has happened in the past couple of weeks since I last wrote, but I am becoming more and more accustomed to life, and the people in Gunsi are becoming more and more accustomed to me. It is as beautiful as ever. The rainy season is coming closer and should be in full swing soon, I imagine consistently drenching me every day. :)
Yesterday was Suriname's 30th Independence Day. They received independence from the Netherlands on Nov. 25, 1975. The country is only about 1 year older than me. :) We ate food, watched bands play and dance, and I even danced a little myself. It was a lot of fun, a great celebration, and I was glad to be here for it.
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