Mary visits Lethem

The Savannah Inn

Soon after we came back from out visit to England, Mary set off to Lethem in the south west of the country to do the last of her Fast Track Initiative workshops for educators. She went by 12 seater plane and stayed in the Savannah guest house which turned out to be surprisingly comfortable and with a good chef who was able to get meat from Brazil and who was very creative -an unusual trait here.

It's not all work for Mary and Odetta

Although she had only 2 and a half days to deliver she had to go for 8 days because of availability of flights and a national holiday - Eid. The workshop went well and now she can say she has completed that side of her work.

Crossing the Takatu

It had an upside because she was able to go over the newly constructed Takatu Bridge (which is already sinking into the ground but being repaired) into Brazil for a few hours. She noticed the change immediately, street lights and pavements and well stocked shops. She was also able to visit St Ignatius - an Amerindian village whose main industry is peanuts. They have become mechanised because they have a machine that shells one peanut at a time! They have a hand to mouth existence and survive; well, I don't know how but they do!

Peanut Produce in St Ignatius

Manufacturing peanut products

And, for the first time in 30 years, Mary went on the back of a motorbike. She spent a couple of lovely evenings with two VSOs from Australia - Teddy and Vanessa and got a lift home on on their motorbike (courtesy of VSO).

Drive safely Teddy, that's my wife

So Mary is back now and, due to the joys of email, is still able to work with Meg who is in Southport 5,000 mile away beavering away at stories for their third and last educators' manual.

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Mary in Lethem Novemeber 2008