Don’t panic but……I experienced my first earthquake this week (week beginning 25th November)…ok ok a tremor but still something to write home about don’t you think?! It took me a little while to work out what was happening….

I wasn’t sure if it was the earth moving underfoot or if it was just an after effect of the night before (!) It was in fact the result of an 7.4-strong earthquake whose centre was near the island of Martinique in the eastern Caribbean. As far as I am aware there were no casualties, except a few of the brick kind. The earthquake struck on the 29th at 1500 (1900 GMT) off the north-west coast of the island at a depth of 145.4 kilometres (some facts for those of you who are interested!). The tremor here resulted in most of the local Guyanese running out into the street….I later heard that it also resulted in hospital rehabilitation staff running out of the department leaving the speech patients that they were treating at the time! (Mentioning no names, they know who they are!) mmm…..I guess the general principle is to save yourself!! To be fair it is quite an unusual occurrence so I think it did shake (ouch!) people up a little. I have to admit the experience was very odd indeed, not dissimilar to being on a rocking ship. Fortunately the whole thing only lasted a couple of minutes, allowing myself and some other volunteers to return to our very important VSO meeting with the countries visiting programme manager, which we were attending at the time (phew…thank goodness!). I am sure that in true Guyanese style (which I am growing very fond of) some people were not so keen to return to what they had been doing and so took the opportunity to get home a little early. Joking aside our meeting on this occasion was quite productive and was followed by a pleasant ‘social’, courteous of VSO, which was held at Celina’s on the sea wall. We were treated to some drinks and some very scrumptious food, including sweet and sour King Prawn (mmmm….I’m liking VSO socials!)

As well as earthquakes there has also been some spectator sporting action. Well, snippets of spectator sporting action anyway….Sunday evening (25th November) saw us heading to the Georgetown Football Club (Bourda) to watch the national football finals. We settled down in the rather small and squashed stands, after some negotiation with the local fans, and enjoyed a few passes between the young teams playing for 3rd and 4th place. All was good until after approximately 7 minutes one of our famous blackouts occurred….and it really was ‘pitch’ black. After about 5 minutes I could just about make out the faces of those sitting next to me but as far as seeing anymore football it was a no go. The fans were promised that the power would be returning after 15 minutes…. after 30 minutes however I am afraid I lost the will to live and decided to call it a day (my decision was also swayed by the fact that we have had several recent blackouts which have lasted 2-3 hours). The fact that the game costs me G$500 (just over £1.00) meant that I was happy to let it go. I was later told that had I stuck around I would have seen the lights come back on eventually, but still it was rather a long time after the promised 15 minutes!

So having ticked off ‘watching a Guyanese football match’ Camilla, Leroy, ‘Sniper’ and I today (Sunday 2nd December) headed to the National Stadium to watch Trinidad V’s Guyana (20/20 cricket). Guyana batted first with a few appreciated fours and sixes; however our score of 130 ish after 20 overs was still a little lower than hoped. Trinidad started well and were achieving a better average per over than the Guyanese….then the rain came. The teams stayed out a little while; longer than they would have done in the UK anyway, but eventually they had to call it a day. The fact that Trinidad had a better average than the Guyanese had at the same stage meant that we lost, which was a shame but the atmosphere was nice and I am glad I went.

In the morning before the cricket I went on a disability march. This was one of the activities and the starting point of ‘National Week of Disabled Persons’. Camilla has played an important role in supporting the DPO’s (disabled persons organisations) in the planning of the activities for the week so I thought it only right I support the cause. It was a little bit of a struggle getting there for the agreed 8.00am…..mind you I was of course awake and sulking in my bed way before actually needing to get up due my now traditional ‘lets make as much noise as possible before dawn’ alarm clock, provided courteously of my neighbours! Unfortunately I also awoke to the sound of heavy rain, which was not a good sign as rain often means that Guyanese will not leave the house, however there was a reasonable turnout for the march and considering the weather one that I think the organisers were pleased with. I walked with a young man who is blind and together we negotiated the streets of Georgetown behind the steel band float. Even though he was blind he was still far better at knowing where we were heading and was able to point out to me some of the more recognisable landmarks from memory (he lost his sight in his teens) as we approached them.

The march finished at the rehabilitation centre where I also work and here we sat and listened to a few of the organisers as well some of the government ministers talk about the theme of the march and the week ahead. The theme of the week is ‘decent work for people with disabilities’ and so the appropriate ministers, from I believe labour and health ministries, attended. The prime minister was invited but was unfortunately unable to make it. The next day however I was again at the centre for the open day/carnival, I was only planning on staying for a few minutes, as I was pretty busy, so it was lucky for me that I arrived just before the president so I did in the end get my chance to see him!

You will be pleased to hear that the Christmas preparations are coming along nicely; Camilla and I have bought our Christmas CD’s and decorations, in true Guyanese style several of the decorations broke before we even got them out of the packet ( I had to glue 3 heads onto my Santa Clause’s before the putting up of decorations could even start!) but the general idea and spirit was there. I also have some very nice fairy lights which I am looking forward to putting up in the house. Christmas we have decided will be held at Camilla’s house, we have invited some friends over and we are going to have a bit of a ‘pot luck’ with everyone contributing something or other. On the 28th we are then off to Trinidad and hopefully Tobago while we are there, which I am soooo looking forward. We think now that some of our local Guyanese friends are also tagging along so it should be good fun, and great ‘cause they know the island a little better than us so can show us around….. well I think for now that is about it, I hope you are all well and looking forward to the Christmas season….am going to miss you all loads but I am very happy that I have found some good people to share it with over here, till next time….I am off to do my first workshop tomorrow in Region 2 so I will let you know shortly how that goes, lots of love always x.