Leavers' Forum leading up to Christmas

Liming in the Park (To lime is to laze around)

Communication with home has gone pretty quiet. I would guess that everyone is getting into the manic lead up to Christmas. I hated it for years and I feel now that this might be the first Christmas I will enjoy since I was a little boy. The Day is great but everything that leads up to it is a problem for me. Here in Guyana, It's manic too but in a different way.

Mary and I were the facilitators today at a Leavers' Forum for four VSOs who have been here at least two years and one for four. Afterwards we went Christmas shopping in Regent Street. Obviously two or three boats have arrived from China and hundreds of make-shift street sellers are selling everything under the sun. It's great because, at very cheap prices, hopefully lots of Guyanese children will have a good Christmas.

It's the first day for ages that they've been able to do it because the rains have been pretty awful. If you think the cold is bad, try the Guyanese rainy season!!!!!

Some people have said that we must be having an easy time because I have time to write the blog. Actually we've never been so busy and we'll be in action until Christmas Eve. It's just that it's my hobby, I've just got broadband and it's become easy and a lot of it is written in the middle of the night when the frogs keep me awake. Mary's gone to bed; it's 6-40pm and we can't face another episode of the thrilling weekly documentary "National insurance and you!!!"

Amber, Ian, Petra and Christine after the Leavers' Forum

Good Luck and best Wishes to them all in their new lives!