Hello all.
I have obviously been a little negligent when it comes to entertaining you all with my blog recently. And I am sorry for that. Unfortunately, when the novelty of living in Suriname wore off for me, it became harder and harder for me to think of appropriate things to talk about in this public space. As I got used to the place, I became more and more occupied with making friends and the drudgery of routine. Thus the most interesting topics for me became some interaction I had with some neighbor, or whether I needed to go do laundry in the river today.
It is safe to say I have spared you all some very uninteresting posts. So, when it comes down to it, I was really doing you all a favor. I'm so generous.
Alas, the time has now come to end this blog. For some weeks now, I have been a RETURNED Peace Corps Volunteer. The last few months were a blur, as I struggled to finish my work and to get as much as I could out of social relationships I had formed. I am proud to say, the construction of the pour-flush toilets did, in the end, get completed. We were awfully close there. I had a goodbye meeting with my villagers, in which we opened the toilets for business. Now it's up to them to keep them up!
My village also threw me a little party. It was very nice of them, and the band that I was a groupie of, Tranga Faya, to hold this party for me. I cried the whole way through it, and was a terrible party guest, but that is what happens when the realization hits that you have invested all of your time and energy into something that is about to end abruptly.
And so, to all you faithful readers, it's been swell. I hope you learned something about Suriname, and I hope you saw some awesome pictures.
Until next time,
Alissa
Sunday, August 18, 2013
Saturday, February 16, 2013
Carnival. WOW.
Hello All.
I just got back from a week of vacation in Trinidad and Tobago. Trinidad and Tobago are two islands in the caribbean, but they are one country. We stayed on Tobago, which is a tiny island. By the end of the week we had literally driven around the whole island and explored almost every beach. Tobago has about 50,000 people on it, but you wouldn't believe it if you went there. It has a very small-community feel. Trinidad had the bulk of the population, somewhere around 1.5 million, and many Trinidadians (that's the official term) go to Tobago for a relaxing vacation. Most of the country's income is from oil and gas exports, as opposed to most of the other Caribbean Islands, which contributes to the country's increased wealth and less-developed tourism.
But we went there for CARNIVAL! Many countries have events for Carnival, but from what I understand, this one is the real thing. (Is that true??) Anyways, for Trinidadians, preparations for the carnival start around december, when this year's most popular Soca music goes up for evaluation. The artists spend the next two months performing their songs and the whole thing culminates in discovering the winner about two days before the carnival. This music is everywhere.
We flew from Tobago to Trinidad for the event itself. Monday morning, starting at 3 AM, is an event called "J'ouvert." People have usually paid to get into one of the "bands" that has a set route along the streets. A band will have a giant music truck, an open bar truck, a toilet truck, and sometimes even a breakfast truck, and you just walk alongside them. We did not pay to get in, but we just followed one band around all night. And as you walk, you spray paint at each other, throw mud, alcohol, whatever you have. It's one big mess. And a whole lot of fun.
That ended about 8 AM. Then people go home and wash up. (We didn't have a home in Trinidad, so we just stayed dirty.) Starting around 10 AM on monday is the rehearsal parade, which is much like walking around with a band at J'ouvert only without mud. You can also pay to get into one of these. Again, we did not. Some people are already wearing their costumes, most are wearing the skimpiest clothes you have ever seen people wear in your life. This goes until nighttime. At this point, my friends and I had to go home because we had a flight.
But, no rest for the weary! Starting about 7 AM tuesday morning, the bands are out in full costume, and they parade around ALL DAY until nightfall. This is the event you can see on TV fairly often. You should find some videos on youtube. There are smaller versions of this in every city of Trinidad, and there was one on Tobago that we attended. And then there was much drinking and dancing after nightfall. You have to party hard because starting at midnight is Ash Wednesday, and you have to start repenting all the sins you committed at Carnival.
All in all, it was a crazy week, full of parades and Soca music and beaches and snorkeling and seafood. I had a wonderful time and I am starting to think I should take up residency in Trinidad. What a great place!
See you all next time!
I just got back from a week of vacation in Trinidad and Tobago. Trinidad and Tobago are two islands in the caribbean, but they are one country. We stayed on Tobago, which is a tiny island. By the end of the week we had literally driven around the whole island and explored almost every beach. Tobago has about 50,000 people on it, but you wouldn't believe it if you went there. It has a very small-community feel. Trinidad had the bulk of the population, somewhere around 1.5 million, and many Trinidadians (that's the official term) go to Tobago for a relaxing vacation. Most of the country's income is from oil and gas exports, as opposed to most of the other Caribbean Islands, which contributes to the country's increased wealth and less-developed tourism.
But we went there for CARNIVAL! Many countries have events for Carnival, but from what I understand, this one is the real thing. (Is that true??) Anyways, for Trinidadians, preparations for the carnival start around december, when this year's most popular Soca music goes up for evaluation. The artists spend the next two months performing their songs and the whole thing culminates in discovering the winner about two days before the carnival. This music is everywhere.
We flew from Tobago to Trinidad for the event itself. Monday morning, starting at 3 AM, is an event called "J'ouvert." People have usually paid to get into one of the "bands" that has a set route along the streets. A band will have a giant music truck, an open bar truck, a toilet truck, and sometimes even a breakfast truck, and you just walk alongside them. We did not pay to get in, but we just followed one band around all night. And as you walk, you spray paint at each other, throw mud, alcohol, whatever you have. It's one big mess. And a whole lot of fun.
That ended about 8 AM. Then people go home and wash up. (We didn't have a home in Trinidad, so we just stayed dirty.) Starting around 10 AM on monday is the rehearsal parade, which is much like walking around with a band at J'ouvert only without mud. You can also pay to get into one of these. Again, we did not. Some people are already wearing their costumes, most are wearing the skimpiest clothes you have ever seen people wear in your life. This goes until nighttime. At this point, my friends and I had to go home because we had a flight.
But, no rest for the weary! Starting about 7 AM tuesday morning, the bands are out in full costume, and they parade around ALL DAY until nightfall. This is the event you can see on TV fairly often. You should find some videos on youtube. There are smaller versions of this in every city of Trinidad, and there was one on Tobago that we attended. And then there was much drinking and dancing after nightfall. You have to party hard because starting at midnight is Ash Wednesday, and you have to start repenting all the sins you committed at Carnival.
All in all, it was a crazy week, full of parades and Soca music and beaches and snorkeling and seafood. I had a wonderful time and I am starting to think I should take up residency in Trinidad. What a great place!
See you all next time!
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Yep.
Just a heads up, I have uploaded a couple of pictures to Picasa. Check those out.
It's february, everyone. That means my time in Suriname is getting short! I am down to 5 months left. Everyone here is starting to look for jobs or schools to apply for. All of our staff is overworked and thinking only about things that they need to do to close the Post. A lot of staff members have been looking for other employment and many have quit and left the remaining people with even more work. It's getting crazy over here.
With that said, if anyone wants to offer me a job, I'm open to suggestions.
More updates coming up!
It's february, everyone. That means my time in Suriname is getting short! I am down to 5 months left. Everyone here is starting to look for jobs or schools to apply for. All of our staff is overworked and thinking only about things that they need to do to close the Post. A lot of staff members have been looking for other employment and many have quit and left the remaining people with even more work. It's getting crazy over here.
With that said, if anyone wants to offer me a job, I'm open to suggestions.
More updates coming up!
Thursday, December 20, 2012
yup...
Merry Xmas everyone!
This year's Christmas is feeling a little bit more lonely than last Christmas. This might have something to do with the fact that almost every PCV is currently traveling either in America or somewhere in the world, off with their families. There are about 6 of us left in the country. It feels very lonely in the office right now.
But we have decided to have a good time together. We are all going to enjoy being by the poolside of the residence inn, enjoying a beverage or two. If we go dancing sometime this week, I'll be wearing my new Surinamese skinny jeans with the bleached and torn fabric. Yes. That's right. Skinny jeans. Now all I need is a neon colored bedazzled shirt to go with it. That's my goal for this time. So, as you can see, we are going to do Christmas Peace Corps style. We may not be opening presents or baking cookies, but we have secret santa and a potluck dinner. Eat that, people that are going home!
I'm a little bit jealous.
At least I get Kersbrod. Yum.
Merry Christmas everyone!!
This year's Christmas is feeling a little bit more lonely than last Christmas. This might have something to do with the fact that almost every PCV is currently traveling either in America or somewhere in the world, off with their families. There are about 6 of us left in the country. It feels very lonely in the office right now.
But we have decided to have a good time together. We are all going to enjoy being by the poolside of the residence inn, enjoying a beverage or two. If we go dancing sometime this week, I'll be wearing my new Surinamese skinny jeans with the bleached and torn fabric. Yes. That's right. Skinny jeans. Now all I need is a neon colored bedazzled shirt to go with it. That's my goal for this time. So, as you can see, we are going to do Christmas Peace Corps style. We may not be opening presents or baking cookies, but we have secret santa and a potluck dinner. Eat that, people that are going home!
I'm a little bit jealous.
At least I get Kersbrod. Yum.
Merry Christmas everyone!!
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Yes... I'm famous.
Just so you all know, I am now officially famous.
Recently one of my bosses has been obsessed with trying to get some media out to the interior to see what the Peace Corps is doing out there. He has been working tirelessly to this effect, and eventually convinced four people from the US Embassy and two reporters to visit my site as well as two others along the river. I played host to all of them about a week ago. I made sure their presence was announced, I got them a meeting with my head captain and some basias, I made sure people would be around to represent the various sites they wanted to see: the school, our barbershop, the tourist shop, and the "solar powered movie theater" in the meeting house. All of these sites have solar panels, and I work with all of the people that were involved in those projects.
It was stressful! I was running around for at least a week before they came to my village to make sure everyone was on the same level and knew what their roles were when the news came to visit them. But as a perk, after they had gotten the full tour, they took me with them to the tourist camp. So I got to be a tourist and I even got to visit the other villages and get led around by the volunteer that was hosting there. Plus a free ride into town!
Anyways, as a result of this fiasco, my village got some exposure! Here is what I've seen so far:
An article based on the interview with the head captain of Nieuw Aurora.
http://www.starnieuws.com/index.php/welcome/index/nieuwsitem/13145
Pictures at least in two places:
http://news.yahoo.com/photos/peace-corps-volunteer-kispersky-assists-native-womens-organization-photo-141522762.html
http://topics.wsj.com/subject/s/Suriname/4016/photos/3f6f1022d2ec49cc8588373bca005e02#photoId%3D4
So yeah, I'm teaching people how to run a store in the Wall Street Journal! What have you done to change the world lately?
Enjoy!
Recently one of my bosses has been obsessed with trying to get some media out to the interior to see what the Peace Corps is doing out there. He has been working tirelessly to this effect, and eventually convinced four people from the US Embassy and two reporters to visit my site as well as two others along the river. I played host to all of them about a week ago. I made sure their presence was announced, I got them a meeting with my head captain and some basias, I made sure people would be around to represent the various sites they wanted to see: the school, our barbershop, the tourist shop, and the "solar powered movie theater" in the meeting house. All of these sites have solar panels, and I work with all of the people that were involved in those projects.
It was stressful! I was running around for at least a week before they came to my village to make sure everyone was on the same level and knew what their roles were when the news came to visit them. But as a perk, after they had gotten the full tour, they took me with them to the tourist camp. So I got to be a tourist and I even got to visit the other villages and get led around by the volunteer that was hosting there. Plus a free ride into town!
Anyways, as a result of this fiasco, my village got some exposure! Here is what I've seen so far:
An article based on the interview with the head captain of Nieuw Aurora.
http://www.starnieuws.com/index.php/welcome/index/nieuwsitem/13145
Pictures at least in two places:
http://news.yahoo.com/photos/peace-corps-volunteer-kispersky-assists-native-womens-organization-photo-141522762.html
http://topics.wsj.com/subject/s/Suriname/4016/photos/3f6f1022d2ec49cc8588373bca005e02#photoId%3D4
So yeah, I'm teaching people how to run a store in the Wall Street Journal! What have you done to change the world lately?
Enjoy!
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Solar Panels Rock
Lets just say that I'm over living hard-core. I used to kind of regret that I had electricity at my site, because I wanted to be able to go home and tell everyone that I lived in a place with no running water and no electricity and then I could expand on all the hardships I had endured. Then I could feel good about how hard core I am.
As it turns out, that stuff really doesn't affect your every-day life. Any life you choose to lead, if you lead it for long enough, it just becomes normal. (I noticed that when mom came to visit and she kept hitting her head on my doors. She just couldn't get over how short they were. I had completely forgotten how annoying that was. I had just gotten used to it.)
But for the last two months, the generator in my village has been broken. That means no electricity at all. That means no charging your cell phone. That means at 7 PM, if you don't light a candle or a lamp, you can't see anything inside your house and you're scrambling around to find the candle or the lamp. That means you can't charge the batteries in your headlamp and your camera. It means no computer, no movies, no entertainment other than the company of other human beings. It's just really annoying. I have lived with no electricity now for two months, and have gotten used to the lifestyle, just like I have with all changes that came with living in the interior. I have taken to washing myself by candlelight, and eating dinner with a lamp at my side. But there is one thing I really can't get used to. Always having to get things charged with people that have a generator. I dread the day, every four days, when it comes time to charge my phone and I have to leave my phone's side. And then there's a 50 percent chance the person won't actually stick the phone into the charger properly, so maybe it won't get charged at all. AND the general price for charging your phone is 1 SRD. There is nothing good about charging your phone elsewhere. It is lame.
So, I have decided that I have done my time. The hardship of having no electricity is not cool. Please, dear god, make them fix the electrical network in my village in a timely manner, and may I find a decent amount of lighting in my house from approximately 7 to 11 PM once again. Thanks.
Speaking of which, the solar panels that I have installed have become incredibly useful. That's how I'm powering my laptop right now. That's how, one boring night, I powered the projector that played an AIDS education movie for the whole village to see in the village's meeting house. (Peace Corps moment, anyone?)
If we had functioning speakers that could overcome the loudest peanut gallery I've ever heard, I would play movies that way more often. It was almost perfect except that we couldn't hear anything...
So here is my ode to solar panels. In a place where there is no electricity, they gave a person who cannot live without her iPod, camera, laptop, headlamp, phone and various other appliances, a little hope. Thank you, solar panels, you rock.
As it turns out, that stuff really doesn't affect your every-day life. Any life you choose to lead, if you lead it for long enough, it just becomes normal. (I noticed that when mom came to visit and she kept hitting her head on my doors. She just couldn't get over how short they were. I had completely forgotten how annoying that was. I had just gotten used to it.)
But for the last two months, the generator in my village has been broken. That means no electricity at all. That means no charging your cell phone. That means at 7 PM, if you don't light a candle or a lamp, you can't see anything inside your house and you're scrambling around to find the candle or the lamp. That means you can't charge the batteries in your headlamp and your camera. It means no computer, no movies, no entertainment other than the company of other human beings. It's just really annoying. I have lived with no electricity now for two months, and have gotten used to the lifestyle, just like I have with all changes that came with living in the interior. I have taken to washing myself by candlelight, and eating dinner with a lamp at my side. But there is one thing I really can't get used to. Always having to get things charged with people that have a generator. I dread the day, every four days, when it comes time to charge my phone and I have to leave my phone's side. And then there's a 50 percent chance the person won't actually stick the phone into the charger properly, so maybe it won't get charged at all. AND the general price for charging your phone is 1 SRD. There is nothing good about charging your phone elsewhere. It is lame.
So, I have decided that I have done my time. The hardship of having no electricity is not cool. Please, dear god, make them fix the electrical network in my village in a timely manner, and may I find a decent amount of lighting in my house from approximately 7 to 11 PM once again. Thanks.
Speaking of which, the solar panels that I have installed have become incredibly useful. That's how I'm powering my laptop right now. That's how, one boring night, I powered the projector that played an AIDS education movie for the whole village to see in the village's meeting house. (Peace Corps moment, anyone?)
If we had functioning speakers that could overcome the loudest peanut gallery I've ever heard, I would play movies that way more often. It was almost perfect except that we couldn't hear anything...
So here is my ode to solar panels. In a place where there is no electricity, they gave a person who cannot live without her iPod, camera, laptop, headlamp, phone and various other appliances, a little hope. Thank you, solar panels, you rock.
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
A Sad-Face Post
My mother just left.
Its a sad thing to realize that the visit from your mother that you have been anticipating for a whole year, is now a thing of the past. What will I have to look forward to now?
But we had a great two weeks. Mom's plane landed in Suriname at night. That next morning, we got up bright and early to get on our bus and then our boat to the interior. Mom got a pretty sweet deal, and by that I mean that she didn't have to pay for her ride out, because I had chartered the car and the boat in order to bring three sets of solar panels back out into my village. (And, it made me feel good, because my mom got the impression that I was working very hard. Double win!)
Once in my village, we were confronted with a plethora of ceremonial stuff revolving around the recent death. I had known the guy that died. He died while I was in the city during the lessons we were getting on how to set up solar panel systems. So every night that my mother was there, my villagers were "breaking the day," which is to say that they played loud music all night and at least a handful of people were guarding the body throughout the night. Someone has to guard the body, or else Jaguars will steal it, as I was told. Seriously.
Still, mom got a once in a lifetime opportunity to witness ceremonies that few people get to see, so she was incredibly lucky! We never did stay up long enough to witness the young hoodlums and their dirty dancing, which was something mom was always curious about, but really, we all know what that looks like, and it's not pretty. On the other hand, I was being told that my lack of attendance at the ceremonies was being monitored and that I might be asked to pay a fine of soft drinks or rum if I didn't show up at some point. I got out of that this time around, but I think I'll have to start going if there are any more deaths.
On day one I took mom around all of Tutu and showed her the highlights. The school, the soccer field, the landing strip. We had to stop every ten seconds for me to introduce her to people and to have a quick chat about her marital status. We were tired by the end of that day. I also took mom to Gunzi and we met the captain there. We checked out the tourist camp and chatted with some people. Mom saw her first Koni-koni, which is a rodent with legs like a rabbit. Another day, a lady from my village took my mother and me with her to grounds. We helped her cut a little patch of rice. Then we carried things on our heads on the way home. A highlight. I'm sad we never took a picture of mom with the piece of wood on her head. Mom witnessed the processing of rice from start to finish, and she saw half of the process to make cassava bread. She saw people in Gunzi pounding Maipa seeds but I don't think I pointed it out to her.
Meanwhile I was working on stuff for the solar panels and going to the shop with some women that sell things to tourists, and had meetings with people who came from the city, and even got word that a project of mine was funded. A huge number of outside things were going on. Needless to say, mom got the wrong impression of how active I usually am in the village. But hey, it made me look good, so I can't complain.
All too soon, (and I was admonished for taking her away from the village before she knew everything), it was time for our trip back to the city. On the same day that we traveled, we went directly to a party at the American Ambassador's residence. My mom met the Ambassador, my PC Country director, and various staff. She also got the chance to meet some of the volunteers. The next day, we did our best to tour the city, not getting very far because of our meandering pace. She got to experience the enormous market, and the grimy Saramacca Straat, where all the people from my area hang out when they come to the city. On the next few days, we saw some of the prettier areas of town. Among them the presidential palace, the tourist area, and the palm garden. We were taking the little ferries across the river and we got very familiar with some of the bus lines during this time. I even took her to a meeting with one of the partners I work with in the city. We did a day trip to see the butterfly museum in the outskirts of town, we went hiking in a nature reserve, and we hung out with the dolphins (pink underbellies!!) that live in the river.
And now that it's all over, I can't believe that it is. It will be one whole year before I see mom again. But I'm glad we had a good time and I hope that she will remember her trip fondly. All of you people that opted out of coming to see me, I hope you see that you royally missed out.
I'm posting some more pictures as well. Ta-ta!
Its a sad thing to realize that the visit from your mother that you have been anticipating for a whole year, is now a thing of the past. What will I have to look forward to now?
But we had a great two weeks. Mom's plane landed in Suriname at night. That next morning, we got up bright and early to get on our bus and then our boat to the interior. Mom got a pretty sweet deal, and by that I mean that she didn't have to pay for her ride out, because I had chartered the car and the boat in order to bring three sets of solar panels back out into my village. (And, it made me feel good, because my mom got the impression that I was working very hard. Double win!)
Once in my village, we were confronted with a plethora of ceremonial stuff revolving around the recent death. I had known the guy that died. He died while I was in the city during the lessons we were getting on how to set up solar panel systems. So every night that my mother was there, my villagers were "breaking the day," which is to say that they played loud music all night and at least a handful of people were guarding the body throughout the night. Someone has to guard the body, or else Jaguars will steal it, as I was told. Seriously.
Still, mom got a once in a lifetime opportunity to witness ceremonies that few people get to see, so she was incredibly lucky! We never did stay up long enough to witness the young hoodlums and their dirty dancing, which was something mom was always curious about, but really, we all know what that looks like, and it's not pretty. On the other hand, I was being told that my lack of attendance at the ceremonies was being monitored and that I might be asked to pay a fine of soft drinks or rum if I didn't show up at some point. I got out of that this time around, but I think I'll have to start going if there are any more deaths.
On day one I took mom around all of Tutu and showed her the highlights. The school, the soccer field, the landing strip. We had to stop every ten seconds for me to introduce her to people and to have a quick chat about her marital status. We were tired by the end of that day. I also took mom to Gunzi and we met the captain there. We checked out the tourist camp and chatted with some people. Mom saw her first Koni-koni, which is a rodent with legs like a rabbit. Another day, a lady from my village took my mother and me with her to grounds. We helped her cut a little patch of rice. Then we carried things on our heads on the way home. A highlight. I'm sad we never took a picture of mom with the piece of wood on her head. Mom witnessed the processing of rice from start to finish, and she saw half of the process to make cassava bread. She saw people in Gunzi pounding Maipa seeds but I don't think I pointed it out to her.
Meanwhile I was working on stuff for the solar panels and going to the shop with some women that sell things to tourists, and had meetings with people who came from the city, and even got word that a project of mine was funded. A huge number of outside things were going on. Needless to say, mom got the wrong impression of how active I usually am in the village. But hey, it made me look good, so I can't complain.
All too soon, (and I was admonished for taking her away from the village before she knew everything), it was time for our trip back to the city. On the same day that we traveled, we went directly to a party at the American Ambassador's residence. My mom met the Ambassador, my PC Country director, and various staff. She also got the chance to meet some of the volunteers. The next day, we did our best to tour the city, not getting very far because of our meandering pace. She got to experience the enormous market, and the grimy Saramacca Straat, where all the people from my area hang out when they come to the city. On the next few days, we saw some of the prettier areas of town. Among them the presidential palace, the tourist area, and the palm garden. We were taking the little ferries across the river and we got very familiar with some of the bus lines during this time. I even took her to a meeting with one of the partners I work with in the city. We did a day trip to see the butterfly museum in the outskirts of town, we went hiking in a nature reserve, and we hung out with the dolphins (pink underbellies!!) that live in the river.
And now that it's all over, I can't believe that it is. It will be one whole year before I see mom again. But I'm glad we had a good time and I hope that she will remember her trip fondly. All of you people that opted out of coming to see me, I hope you see that you royally missed out.
I'm posting some more pictures as well. Ta-ta!
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