Link to www.ncerdleaders.com

Did you know that you can now access this blog through:

http://www.stephenharding.co.uk/

It's easier to remember.


But also, the http://www.ncerdleaders.com/ website (in the form of a blog) is now fully operational. I have spent many hours working on it. All of the modules that I have written are on it as well as a description of the Graduation I attended and the workshop at Bartica High School and much more. So if you are interested in the work we do, just check it out.

Graduation Report -Click here!

Bartica High School Report - Click here!

Mary's visit to Santa Mission Amerindian Village

"Inspiring our nation to move forward in unity"

On 13th September 2008, last Sunday, Mary went to Santa Mission to celebrate Amerindian Heritage Month and it was a really good day out. There were all the usual long winded speeches but she said it was lovely to see the children singing and dancing and reciting poems.

The Prime Minister was the guest of honour and after the ceremonies, including the opening of the new school, he went 'walkabout'. She was sitting on the grass with the group of people she was with and did not know he was behind her until he shook her hand, asked her if she was VSO and told her she was very welcome in Guyana. Somehow I don't think you are meant to be sitting down when you shake hands with the Prime Minister!

The day included the official opening of a school and the village office, the unveiling of a monument, a kayaking competition, various cultural events and the President (well, the acting President in the form of the Prime Minister).

You can see all of the photographs in a slide show here.

Or click on the picture below and it will take you to the actual photos.

News for July and August 2008

It's 31st August 2008 and having a lazy day after Carifesta. Martin and Nicolette return today from Canada and will have dinner with us tonight.

It's 26th August 2008 and Celia (volunteer from Mabaruma Region One) has returned from England on her way back to her placement. More problems with planes and so she didn't get to until 3am. We went to city Hall to see a St Lucia Dance. Brilliant!!!

It's 24th August 2008 and Cheryl has come for the night (volunteer from Corriverton). We went to JR Burgers for a bit of western style food as it was Meg's last day before she goes to New York to see her son and England for a month. We always go to JR's when someone leaves.

It's 22nd August 2008 and Derek and Trudy (volunteers from Bartica) came for the weekend. It is also the starte of Carifesta. See main article on the right.

It's 22nd August 2008 and did the second part of my presentation. Again, it seemed to go alright but I'm not sure that they really wanted to hear what I had to say but were polite and told me I had given them food for thought. This type of training is my least favourite part of my placement and I have to confess it causes me a lot of stress. But it's over now.

It's 21st August 2008 and Peter and Angela are already on their way home after a superb week of adventure, chat and the occasional Rum and Juice. Today I had a big workshop presentation with all of the Regional Education Directors and all of the Offoicers of the Ministry of Education. It was a real challenge for me as i was asked to describe education as it exists in Guyana from my point of view and then give strategies on how to develop it. It went OK but was far from easy.

It's 13th August 2008 and Peter and Angela didn't arrive last night but were directed to Trinidad where they stayed in a hotel for 3 hours and then got the 4am flight to Georgetown. Some violent lightening storms put out the lights on the runway in Georgetown and so they couldn't leave until it was light. We met them and the adventure started. See main article on left.

It's 12th August 2008 and our friends peter and Angela are arriving today at around 10pm.

It's 8th August 2008 and the workshop is over. It was a great success, a triumph because i got a standing ovation at the end so they must have liked it. Lots of hard work but makes you feel good about what you do.

It's 4th August 2008 and today I started my biggest workshop of the year - Master Trainers from all over the country - 32 of them. They are the people who train the Headteachers and I train them. What a responsibility.

It's 27th July 2008 and I am on my own. Mary is in Mahdia in Region 8 with Meg delivering her fast Track Initiative Literacy Workshop. I'm pleased to report that we are both well and thriving in Guyana.

It's 9th July 2008 and it's Matt's birthday. Happy Birthday, Matt. I always seem to be saying how busy we are and it's certainly true. We had a three day weekend because of Caricom Day. It's like the EU for the Caribbean. We were saying how much we enjoyed the extra day but we are also really looking forward to the 7 day weekends we hope to enjoy when we get home. Yes, we are starting to think of home as it gets closer because there is so much to do in just 7 months.

Mary continues to do her Phonics Fast Track workshops and will be doing some serious travelling with Meg in the next few weeks. 3 -5 day workshops in Bartica Region 7, followed by Mahdia Region 8 in the mountains and the next week Mabaruma Region 1. All require a long boat or plane ride. I will be a lonely batchelor but I have enough work to do to keep me occupied.

My deadlines are now that I have to have 5 modules print ready (about 80 pages each) by 18th July. A tall order but it will be done. So, my computer in the office is red hot and I am churning it out at an alarming rate. Thank God for the internet and, in particular, the Standards Site which helps me enormously.

Whilst writing this our landlady has just rung the bell and given me a basket of bananas from the garden. This morning a teacher gave us a bag of mangos so I know what the juice will be next week.

I notice that the longest day in England has passed. Every day in Guyana is the longest day as they are all the same length - 12 hours day and 12 hours night. There's no sense, therefore, of the passage of time except for the rainy season which is now over but the weather doesn't seem to have noticed yet because we have torrential rain almost every day. I battle through the rain on my bike but Mary sometimes gets a taxi as she is performing and can't arrive all wet.

Carifesta X Guyana

About every two years, a huge festival is held in the Caribbean. It started 36 years ago in Guyana and it has returned here this year for Carifesta X (ten).

The whole week has been full of activities - cultural, religious, culinary, literary etc. It has been a great success and Guyana has done itself proud. They are to be congratulated. From an outsider's point of view it has been all it should have been. It seems, however, that a few Guyanese boycotted it for political reasons. That's sad because anything that brings peoples together cannot be a bad thing.

We enjoyed it and went to a literary evening with readings from Guyanaese writers, a children's play performed by the children Mary works with, the Amerindian village, Sophia exhibition centre - arts and crafts and an excellent performance by a St Lucia Dance Troupe who performed the Village dance with such energy that we wre exhausted just watching it.

The opening was marred by rain at first but when it cleared it was excellent. We saw it on TV as tickets were hard to get for the National Stadium. But the rest of the week has had little rain and has been in the 90s feeling well over 100 with the humidity. But that's the way it is here.

The Bahamas will have a lot to live up to in two years time. The closing ceromony is tonight. Well done Guyana!

To see the official website of Carifest, click here

Slideshow of Carifesta X

Peter and Angela's visit

We want to thank Peter and Angela for making the 14,000km return trip to visit us here in Georgetown, Guyana - no mean feat when you consider the journey, the heat, the humidity, the mosquitoes and of course, the expense. They arrived after a slight hiccup with flights and runway lights (nothing serious) on 13th August 2008 after a week's stay on Palm Island in St Vincent and the Grenadines.

We had an excellent week. We visited Bartica by speedboat and walked to the monastery (nothing like you would expect in England). On our return we stayed one night in the Toucan Inn in Meten Meer Zorg and then back to Georgetown.

Peter and Angela went to Kaieteur on the Sunday. We spent time in Georgetown loooking at the tourist trail (if there is one!) - museums, zoo etc. We had lots of lovely meals and imbibed a fair portion of Rum punch with excellent conversation.

We finished up at Cara Lodge for a meal on Wednesday night. It's an old colonial style restaurant with excellent food.

The visit was too short but life is like that and they had to return for work, examination results and all the mundane things in life. A wonderful time was had by all.

To see some more of the pictures, see the slideshow below:-

To see the full size pictures, click on the picture below:-

Peter and Angela's visit

Master Trainers' Workshop

Stephen addressing Master Trainers with

Minister of Education Hon. Shaik Baksh and Mr Goolsarran (Director of NCERD)

The main part of my job is to train the Master Trainers who train the aspiring Heads and Headteachers in post on the Education Management Certificate Programme. I am also responsible for rewriting all of the materials for this programme. I am half way there. One of the reasons why I have not done many postings on this blog is because I have been preoccupied with a lot of training anf the prepartaion in the last couple of months. In addition I have been working on the NCERD website which is now in the form of a blog.

http://www.ncerdleaders.com/

Anyway, back to the workshop. There were 32 Headteachers / Regional Directors / District Education Officers who all carry out this task. We met for a full week's training in NCERD. A full report on this workshop can be found on the above website or click the link below to go directly to it:-

Official Report

Master Trainers' Workshop

Report with Pictures

Picture report of workshop

Thanks to Mary for so ably assisting me throughout the week!!!!

News for May and June 2008

It's 29th June 2008 and this must be the longest time I haven't kept the blog up to date. but we were away for three weeks so I'm sure you will forgive me. It's just after nine on Sunday morning and it's hot again. We are in the middle of the rainy season and we certainly have had a lot of rain especially in the last few days. Yesterday, going to the market as you do on a Saturday, I was as wet as if I had stood under a shower for ten minutes. But so was everyone else, so it didn't matter.

Life is certainly very busy for us and will be until the end of our placement in February. Mary has been working with Meg on the National Literacy fast Track Initiative. They have been training people (some teachers, some students, some members of the general public) to teach reading in after school clubs. It is an enormous workshop and they have to train the whole country in three day workshops so their work is cut out for months and then they will have to monitor and do follow ups so there will be no let up.

On the other hand, I'm not training at the moment. All that will start again when the course starts in September. Then I'll be off to the deepest parts of the country. Currently, I am a bit office bound because I continue to write the programme. Now on to Module 4 of 9 which I must finish by Christmas. Tall order considering all the other things I have to do. This one is about the curriculum and is probably the hardest because it will need a complete rewrite. It mainly deals with secondary education and needs to be slanted towards nursery and primary as well. What do I know about nursery schools? I know that the children hang onto your ankles an awful lot but that's all. So I will have to be a fast learner.

Social life as always has been good but I have opted out of one or two things but Mary is up there with the best. She went to the FIFA world cup match played at the new Providence cricket ground (I though the pitches were different shapes!!!) and saw Guyana beaten 2 - 1 by Suriname, the Dutch speaking neighbours but she said the second half was really great especially when the crowd turned up. I think they expected it would be like most Guyanese things starting 2 hours late but it seems to have started on time because it was World Cup and so lots would have missed the start.

We went to the Brazilian Embassy June Festival yesterday evening. it was packed and a great atmosphere. we followed the theme by going to the Brazilian restaurant afterwards - wonderful barbecue meat!!!! We met with Meg's friends, Maureen and Brian who are over for a week or so.

And that's all our news for the moment and I'll try not to leave it for a month next time.

It's 31st May and another month has almost come to an end and we've been in England for almost a week. Stayed with Dad and then came to Swindon to visit Peter and Angela. Made us unbelievably welcome as always. Going back to London today and the tour continues!

It's 24th May and we're flying off to England via Trinidad in just 4 hours! Yippee. Hope to see some of you there.

It's 17th May and we are seriously into the rainy season. So far not as bad as last year but little and often. Never mind, that's the way Guyana is.

Since we came back from Barbados we have not stopped, especially Mary. Working alongside her VSO partner in NCERD Meg, they have delivered a five day workshop on the new National Literacy Project to Educators (teachers) from the north of the country, given a presentation to Jamaicans on the Literacy Hour (including one hour video they produced), given a two day Fresh Start Literacy workshop and on Monday, they will be off to the East of the country to do another 3 days on the National Literacy Project.

On the other hand I have been plodding away at the rewrite of my Headteachers' course. Writer's block has definately gone and now making good progress. Hope to complete another module before we go home next Saturday for a well deserved break, although I don't think it will be a rest. I have completed the preparation of the next set of HT exams and presented it to the exam board as well as all sorts of things such as working on the Education Strategic Plan.

Looking forward to seeing any of you who may be around at the time. See over to the left for some photos of the last few weeks.

It's 6th May and Barbados is already history. We had a wonderful time - aquamarine seas, white sand, perfect weather, wonderful food and and and..........

Back to work today and a lot of frustrations for Mary and Meg, but that's another story. My Education Management Certificate results were the best ever - 99% success. So I must be doing something right.

News for August

It's 31st August 2008 and having a lazy day after Carifesta. Martin and Nicolette return today from Canada and will have dinner with us tonight.

It's 26th August 2008 and Celia (volunteer from Mabaruma Region One) has returned from England on her way back to her placement. More problems with planes and so she didn't get to until 3am. We went to city Hall to see a St Lucia Dance. Brilliant!!!

It's 24th August 2008 and Cheryl has come for the night (volunteer from Corriverton). We went to JR Burgers for a bit of western style food as it was Meg's last day before she goes to New York to see her son and England for a month. We always go to JR's when someone leaves.

It's 22nd August 2008 and Derek and Trudy (volunteers from Bartica) came for the weekend. It is also the starte of Carifesta. See main article on the right.

It's 22nd August 2008 and did the second part of my presentation. Again, it seemed to go alright but I'm not sure that they really wanted to hear what I had to say but were polite and told me I had given them food for thought. This type of training is my least favourite part of my placement and I have to confess it causes me a lot of stress. But it's over now.

It's 21st August 2008 and Peter and Angela are already on their way home after a superb week of adventure, chat and the occasional Rum and Juice. Today I had a big workshop presentation with all of the Regional Education Directors and all of the Offoicers of the Ministry of Education. It was a real challenge for me as i was asked to describe education as it exists in Guyana from my point of view and then give strategies on how to develop it. It went OK but was far from easy.

It's 13th August 2008 and Peter and Angela didn't arrive last night but were directed to Trinidad where they stayed in a hotel for 3 hours and then got the 4am flight to Georgetown. Some violent lightening storms put out the lights on the runway in Georgetown and so they couldn't leave until it was light. We met them and the adventure started. See main article on left.

It's 12th August 2008 and our friends peter and Angela are arriving today at around 10pm.

It's 8th August 2008 and the workshop is over. It was a great success, a triumph because i got a standing ovation at the end so they must have liked it. Lots of hard work but makes you feel good about what you do.

It's 4th August 2008 and today I started my biggest workshop of the year - Master Trainers from all over the country - 32 of them. They are the people who train the Headteachers and I train them. What a responsibility.

It's 27th July 2008 and I am on my own. Mary is in Mahdia in Region 8 with Meg delivering her fast Track Initiative Literacy Workshop. I'm pleased to report that we are both well and thriving in Guyana.

It's 9th July 2008 and it's Matt's birthday. Happy Birthday, Matt. I always seem to be saying how busy we are and it's certainly true. We had a three day weekend because of Caricom Day. It's like the EU for the Caribbean. We were saying how much we enjoyed the extra day but we are also really looking forward to the 7 day weekends we hope to enjoy when we get home. Yes, we are starting to think of home as it gets closer because there is so much to do in just 7 months.

Mary continues to do her Phonics Fast Track workshops and will be doing some serious travelling with Meg in the next few weeks. 3 -5 day workshops in Bartica Region 7, followed by Mahdia Region 8 in the mountains and the next week Mabaruma Region 1. All require a long boat or plane ride. I will be a lonely batchelor but I have enough work to do to keep me occupied.

My deadlines are now that I have to have 5 modules print ready (about 80 pages each) by 18th July. A tall order but it will be done. So, my computer in the office is red hot and I am churning it out at an alarming rate. Thank God for the internet and, in particular, the Standards Site which helps me enormously.

Whilst writing this our landlady has just rung the bell and given me a basket of bananas from the garden. This morning a teacher gave us a bag of mangos so I know what the juice will be next week.

I notice that the longest day in England has passed. Every day in Guyana is the longest day as they are all the same length - 12 hours day and 12 hours night. There's no sense, therefore, of the passage of time except for the rainy season which is now over but the weather doesn't seem to have noticed yet because we have torrential rain almost every day. I battle through the rain on my bike but Mary sometimes gets a taxi as she is performing and can't arrive all wet.

Latest news from Guyana

It's hard to believe but it is already a month and a half since we came back from England and for those of you who have been looking, there has been a surprisingly small number of blog posts. There is no excuse really, just a lack of inclination and a lot of work. But today I feel inclined. Actually it's a special day today because, according to the little widget on the side bar on the right, we have only 200 days left in Guyana. That sounds about right because it's 6 months to go on 13th August and that's not far away.

Miss Ali (Head of Unit), Director of NCERD Mr Goolsarran, Minister Fox on the far right

Meg and Mary waiting for the start of their first of many FTI workshops klistening to the opening speech by the Minister

Mary and Meg went to Region 8 on Saturday, which is the most remote region in the mountains. They went to a place called Mahdia to deliver their fast Track Initiative Literacy Workshop. Not sure how many they have done so far but probably around fifteen or so all over the place. They were really looking forward to it, although it took them about 8 and a half hours in a minibus, on an unmade road. When they looked up the town it said it was a mining town, (gold and diamonds), it has a population of between 100 -500, a dry store, a garage, a hotel and a brothel. It left them wondering where they would be sleeping! Anyway, she has just called to say that because of storms, the teachers who were coming to the workshop can’t come because their plane is grounded (no roads) so Mary and Meg have to come back all that way tomorrow not having done anything. That’s frustrating Guyana for you! However, they are enjoying delivering the Literacy programme and they had a lovely surprise at work on Thursday. They were both given a Guyanese gold bracelet and picture of Kaieteur Falls as a thank you for their work. It was totally unexpected but very much appreciated.

Educators participating in the FTI workshop

I have been working very hard on my course and it is now half way completed and printed for distribution throughout the country. I have finished Modules 1 - 4 and and a Programme Handbook. Each is between 50 and 100 pages. I have now started planning for my major workshop for Master Trainers in August. They are Headteachers, Regional and District Education Officers from all over the country. It was a great success last year and everyone who came is very keen to come back again this year. All the feedback shows that the training has been very successful and the exam results for the trainees (Headteacher and aspiring Headteachers) were the best ever.

If you want to find out more go to the website http://www.ncerdleaders.blogspot.com/

The following week I will deliver a session at a workshop for all Regional Education Officers throughout the country at the request of the Minister of Education on "Raising Standards in Schools and Regions - Proactive Leadership." This will be short but a big one for me.

We have heard that there is a programme on Wednesday 30th July about Guyana and its wildlife. It is at 8 o’ clock on BBC 1 and it is called "Lost land of the Jaguar". It's a series and promises to be good so watch it if you can.

The weather has been pretty awful for this time of year. it should be dry and hot and sunny. No, not in Guyana. We have the tail end of the hurricanes in Mexico and Texas (better than the hurricane itself, I must say). So we have had serious thunder storms, very heavy rain at no notice, frequent blackouts and it's still hot and the mosquitoes are still around and there should be less of them. But when it's dry, it's very very dry and it's hot all of the time - touching on 34C (95ishF in old money) but extremely humid and feels like 110F at times. But, to be honest we hardly notice it any more and cope very well.

It was sad this week because we had to say goodbye to a colleague we have worked with for a year - One year placement for Special needs - Hans Neienhuijsen. He left on Friday to meet his wife in Trinidad after a little reception on Thursday with speeches from the HOD and Director of NCERD and a presentation for all his efforts. We will miss his joviality, friendliness and wit. Good luck in your new life back in the Netherlands, Mr Hans!

Things are quiet VSO- wise at the moment. Some are returning home for good, some have gone mountain climbing and some gone back to England. Schools are closed and the roads are quiet but work continues for us at its busiest pace. But with anly 200 days to go (that means 515 have been completed) retirement in Wallington is beginning to seem very attractive!

Two or three new volunteers will arrive in August, one of whom will be working in NCERD. She has experience with children's TV in the BBC and her first task will be to assist me in making some programmes about Education Management. She is the third person who has been due to do this but I am convinced that she will come, even though the others weren't able to.

Well, it's Sunday evening and I think my inclination has run out or a Banks Beer calls (the sun is definately over the yardarm) 6 o'clock. So, I'll wish all of my readers a fond fairwell and hope you found this little update interesting.

Banks beer makes Guyana a much better place to live in!

Trinidad June 2008

On our way home from England, we stayed in Trinidad for three nights and had a whistle stop tour of the north of the country. We stayed in Arima which is just an ordinary Trinidad town not really on the tourist trail, just south of the northern range of mountains. But what was wonderful was that the owner of the guest house drove us around the island and gave us 2 1/2 full day tours by minibus and car.

We managed to fit in a night trip to sea the turtles on the beach laying eggs. And that after a 15 hour journey, so we didn't sleep for 22 hours. But we soon recovered the next day to go to a Botanical Gardens in the rainforest and a boat trip to a bird sanctury where we saw flocks of red ibis.

The following day we had a personal guide and toured the north of the island by boat and in particular stopped at some caves where we went deep into the ground to swim in a private natural pool 30ft - 140ft deep. we were the only ones there and it was a chance of a lifetime. This was followed by a tour of port of Spain (capital).

The whole trip was one we will not forget for a long time.

To see more in a slideshow, see below:-

If you prefer to look at the full size pictures, click on the picture link below:-

Trinidad June 2008

Visit to England 2008

Oh, this is long overdue but, as they say, better late than never. In late May we took our second trip to England for three weeks. This time we went via Trinidad - short wait there and then the 10 hours by BA through Barbados. It was an uneventful flight and arrived early Sunday morning to be met by Daniel and Matt.

We had a wonderful three weeks starting off staying with Dad when he got back from Poland and then off to Peter and Angela who cracked the Champagne and made us so welcome as always. We followed up with two nights with Debbie and Mike and a wonderful welcome from James, Kate and Will - barbecue and all.

Alice and Kobi invited us and another great welcome and superb meals and then off to Oxford to meet the GOG friends with Mary G where we stayed the night. We left for Malmesbury early next morning to stay in a superb guest house with Irene and Alasdair. We had visits to NT and a whole NT village. Really brought the differences between the English and Guyanese cultures into sharp focus. Then it was back home, meal with our good friends Jane and Trevor after visiting the Tutankamun Exhibition at the O2 Dome. We stayed the last 4 nights with Dad and we didn't watch any more than one hour TV the whole time. We only cooked one meal and slept in 9 different beds.

The final days we had a barbecue with Matt, Lucy and Dan at Matt and Lucy's place and a great Nepalese meal with John, Ed, Alex and Ella. Then we needed to come back to Guyana for a rest.

During our time home we visited Tim and Cath and made flying trip to Bernadette'e School.We had a wonderful time. Thanks to everyone for your great hospitality.

If you want to see some of the photographs you will find them in the slidshow below-

Or you can go directly to the album by clicking on the photo link below:-

England Visit June 2008

Having a great time

Just a quick one to say we are having a great time on our holiday to England. All is well. Visiting friends and family as you might expect and making us really welcome.

Perhaps the photo will explain all!

Homeward Bound

For all those who are interested we will be in England on a well deserved break from Sunday 25th May until Thursday 12th June when we will fly off to Trinidad for a few days and then back to work in Guyana. Hope to see some of you soon.

Stephen and Mary

From Barbados to England

As you will read on the left, the last few weeks have been amongst the busiest we have had in Guyana. And they have included some of the greatest frustrations but we will gloss over them. We always knew there would be frustrations but they're not nice when they all come at once. But we survived and are looking forward to three weeks home, coming via Trinidad and staying there for a couple of nights on the way back.

Here are a few pictures of what we have been up to.

Firstly, the workshops.......

Mary at the national Literacy Workshop in NCERD

Meg working at the other side of the Auditorium

Making phonic sounds to repeat!
Meg's the teacher

and then Barbados......

March and April 2008

We are still in full bloom. Here is some of the older news from March and April 2008

It's 30th April and yet another month has gone. So what's my excuse this time for taking so long to write.

1. Too Much work

2. Very sick computer

3. Too much enjoying ourselves

Well, it's true, all three

I'll say more in the post on the left

It's 16th April and it's less than 2 days this time. Is the writer's block easing? Sometimes I think all of this stuff must be pretty boring for the average reader. But please remember, that we are doing this for ourselves as well and we will want something to look back on.

Mary keeps an excellent diary using the old fashioned method which she prefers (pen and paper). She keeps it up to date and writes an entry for every day. Since we past the year mark, she reads the entry for that day last year. It's unbelievable how fast this is all going and things that happened last year are coming round again. It makes really interesting reading.

It has been great in the last few days to hear the enthusiasm of the new volunteers. It reminds us of our first arrival. Not that any of our enthusiasm for what we are doing has lessened but, like the first flushes of any relationship, it has settled into a pattern. Trouble is, a lot of this is seriously out of the comfort zone!

Have finally managed to book our trip home. Should arrive on Sunday 25th May 2008 and return on Thursday 13th June, travelling via Trinidad for three days on the way back. So as we will be homeless, anyone who would like to put up a couple of weary travellers, it would be much appreciated?

It's such a thrill doing all this Caribbean island hopping. The downside is that it is seriously draining our resources but who cares? Hopefully, the Prudential and the Teachers' Pensions will look after us when we get back. We worked hard enough for it.

Just had a 20% increase in stipend. That's due to VAT at 16% being added in one go in Januaty 2007 and an amazing rise in some food prices. But I believe that is world wide.

We are both well. Until the next time.

It's 14th April and another 11 days have passed since I last wrote. The Library work went well and it's a big improvement. The staff are continuing to make it better.

On Sunday, we all went to Hans' house to meet the new volunteers for a Pot Luck Lunch - as always a great group and a lovely lunch - thankyou Hans!

Hans also took Steve and I for a drink as his birthday present to us and the same day we did some training on Living and Working in Guyana for the new volunteers. Some of them came to NCERD on the next day. But Friday was the big drama - a fire at NCERD. The electrics are old and we are frequently told to unplug everything. On that day there was obviously one plug too many and sparks started flying, people ran around with extinguisters and the fire brigade, complete with police chief and braid, attended the scene. It was over in no time but it was a little excitement. People then seem to have drifted home but nobody told us (as usual) but eventually we got away about an hour early. That was a treat!

More good food on Saturday when 12 of us went to the Windjammer Restaurant for a few individual celebrations including our 14 months. We have celebrated every month so far and it seems to be going so fast!

So, it's back to work today and whatever that will hold. Mary is really busy with the Mass Literacy Fast Track Initiative. Lots of planning seems to be taking place with workshops to come.

The highlight of the day though will be when we book our holiday to England. We hope to return for 3 weeks in late May followed by 3 days in Trinidad on the way back. Might as well take advantage of the Caribbean whilst we are here because we may never return. 3rd April and April Fools' Day (yes, they have it in Guyana) passed uneventfully and now it is already 2 days later. I have been involved in a lot of physical work in the last 2 days. Dulce (a newish VSO now working in our office) has been working on the NCERD library. Should we just say, without being too unkind, it needed a little makeover. 8 of us have spent the last two days doing just that. It now looks much brighter and organised. I won't be doing any more because I have too many other things to do, so I am sure Dulce will complete the job.

Another group of VSOs have arrived in Georgetown and we will meet them on Sunday and will be part of their in-country orientation next week. This is the third group since we arrived as well as all those who have been and gone in dribs and drabs. We're beginning to feel like real old stagers. But, it's always great to have some new blood as they say.

Have now booked our trip to Barbados for 1st May for 5 days to celebrate 35 years of marriage. Hope to be coming home at the end of May, early June. It's been really difficult sorting out the days around the work.

Wow, it's Friday again tomorrow - what happened to yet another week?

It's 31st March 2008 and we have just spent a lovely day celebrating Mary's birthday by going to the Brazillian restaurant - a meat fix and that will be it for some time. We must start being sensible. It's back to cook-up rice and chicken wings for a while.

It's 30th March and I have been really bad at writing blogs but hopefully I will have come out of the "blog doldrums" and start to write! Yes, it really is over 3 weeks since I last tapped this keyboard and a lot has happened in that time (as it always does). So what I'll do it to give you a brief outline of our comings and goings and put a few pictures over the other side.

So here's my excuse for not writing. Just after the last entry, Mary and I went to the North West of the country (by speedboats and minibus) to the Pomeroon Region in the North of Region 2. Not too many Ministry officials go there, so we really wanted to keep our commitment. Mary did a workshop for Nursery teachers on SEN and the next day I did a training session with wannabe heads in Charity. They were so enthusiastic, it was a joy to be with them.

The following week, I went to Bartica and did a similar session at the Resource Centre. All this travelling by speedboat must be good for the lungs and the nerves!

On the Friday of that week, we had the traditional St Patrick's Day Party at Michelle's place (new volunteer from Ireland) As last year it was a magnificent affair with lots of Irish dancing and impromptu singing. It is good that no-one was living below because the sound on the wooden floors really carries.

The following week, our friend Meg had her family to stay and she hired our own personal plane to take them and us to Kaieteur followed by Orinduik Falls. It was a perfect day as the weather had started to improve by then. See over on the left for more information and pictures (when I get round to doing it). This day was Youman Nabi - a national holiday and the Birthday of the Prophet (Islam).

Good Friday was spent as Good Friday should - a quiet day at home. Didn't go to church as I don't like that sort of thing anymore. Meg's family came round in the evening. Easter and Phagwah (Hindu Spring Feast) was spent in Corriverton near to Suriname with our friend Cheryl who has lots of friends working at the new sugar factory in Skeldon - so a great time was had by all, including the river beach on Easter Sunday with the traditional Easter kite flying.

In fact, when we returned on Easter Monday, after I had been bitten by a Scorpion (extremely painful but I'm still alive), we saw lots of kite flying all along the East Coast. Interesting that in the countryside, they were nearly all home made with special Brazillian tissue and the nearer you got to Georgetown, they were plastic. Clearing up the next day after the Guyanese had partied was a major event.

When we had our birthday party (with other volunteers) at the beginning of the month, we had a present of a "Meal Out in the place of our choice. We decided that Afternoon Tea at the Pegasus Hotel was a good way of celebrating. So 10 of us went there and had a little luxury. The buffet looked as though there had been a plague of locusts when we had finished. But everyone enjoyed it.

And finally, yesterday, Mary went to the Easter Hat Parade - went to it last year - very oldy worldy, 1950s with yet another afternoon tea.

It all sounds as though we are living it up to much. But you have to get a balance with the work. It is extremely challenging at the moment but we are surviving. I still have a bit of writer's block but after this long missive, I think I may be cured.

It's 6th March and I've just realised that it is almost two weeks since I have made an entry. Well, we are now into our second year and, with almost a month of that gone I am beginning to panic a little. I have a whole course to re-write (9 modules with around 7-10 units in each). That's a VSO placement in itself, so I will have to start working differently. Less training and working in schools and more writing. I won't say I have writer's block at the moment but it is not flowing and I thought it would but never mind.

The day after the last entry was Mashramani - big celebration and parade for Republic Day. We were advised by the British High Commission to stay away as a precaution because of the troubles. We did stay away as we had seen it before but we certainly heard it. Different noise coming through every window. It all went well with no trouble but it was a lot less energetic than last year.

We had visitors last week - Helen from Mabaruma and her mother (Christine) stayed with us and "did GT" as well as going to Kaiteur. We went out with them to the New Thriving restaurant with a group of 10 volunteers. They left on Friday to go to Mabaruma and Christine returned for the night on Monday and we went out to the Brazillian restaurant for my birthday - All that eating and all that meat! The weight is beginning to return. Bad news!

Had a great birthday because we had a joint birthday party for 4 volunteers on Saturday, Roti Hut on Monday and we went out with Mira on Tuesday and to Michelle's (new volunteer) yesterday. All very good!

I came off my bike on my birthday as someone tried to squeeze through a narrow gap and forced me into the side. Only a few minor bruises but not a bad record for over 30 years of cycling - first time to hit the deck!

Tomorrow, Mary and I will go to Pomeroon, setting off at 5-30am, using 2 minibuses and two speedboats to do a workshop for Nursery Teachers in a river school. On Saturday, we will do a workshop for management trainees and we will stay the two nights with two of the Master Trainers. Pomeroon is a far out river in Region 2 so we decided to go because they don't have too many visitors. It should be a great experience.

The following week I will go to Bartica where some of the troubles were recently.

It's just started to rain and it's not the rainy season! We get serious rain here and I have definately decided that the weather in England is better! Must get going as it's 6-28am and got to get to work.

Thanks to all my readers for being so patient. Pictures to follow.

It's 22nd February and we've just had the last day of our annual leave so we pretending that Friday was a Saturday and did all of the Saturday things that you do on Friday, so that Saturday will feel like Sunday and we'll have a free day and it'll still be Sunday the next day and there'll be another day 'til Monday!!! Well, there is some logic there somewhere if you can find it!!

The last week we have had awfuuuuuuuulll weather. This time last year when we arrived it was bright, sunny and a lovely temperature (hadn't quite hit 30), but this year la nina has kicked in and left us with the tail end which has meant rain for the last 5 days - almost continuous and a temperature of 24C at night (bed socks weather). But today, there was a break and hopefully it will be clear for Mash tomorrow (it means celebration after hard work). It's a big parade right across the country and especially big in Georgetown. We saw it last year and oh my! What noise! but it was very colourful and interesting. There's a cloud over it this year because of what has been going on in the country but perhaps it is what they need.

It's 17th February and all of the volunteers are coming to our house for a Pot Luck Lunch - see below, so have to get cooking.

It's 16th February Saturday was a little different because Nicolette and I were asked to take the new volunteers to see the shops. Three hours later we arrived at Roti Hut, tired and hungry, but it was a good experience for all (I hope). We're watching on DVD November's Celebrity Come Dancing - one a week.

It's 15th February and four new volunteers arrived safe and sound in the early hours of this morning - Lucia, Derek, Trudy and Michelle. Already they have been thrown into In Country Training and Meg did a session on Security this afternoon. Tomorrow I will give them a tour of the places to shop with another volunteer (not Mary's cup of tea - shopping) and on Sunday all of the volunters will come to our house for a 'Pot Luck' lunch. On Tuesday we will be doing a session with them on living and working in Guyana.

It's Friday and the weekend has come. Mary has been out in schools this week looking at the practice of the literacy hour and I've been preparing management exams and model answers.

It's 14th February and the new volunteers should be arriving early in the morning in about 4 hours. The first day of our second year passed like most normal days except for the fact that about 2-30pm, whilst I was preparing an exam, in walked Dr Ken Hunte - we had worked together for 5 years as DHs in St Michael's, Bermondsey in the mid 80s. He returned to his native land in 1993 and has had quite a number of high profile jobs here in Guyana working in education - the most notable of which is the SSRP (Secondary Schools Reform Project of which he was Director for a number of years seeing the project through.

It was great to meet him and to see an old picture of us in St M's in 1985 along with 600 or so students.

It's 13th February 2008 and this time last year we were waiting in Barbados Airport, sitting next to Allende who we didn't yet know, waiting for the plane to Guyana. One year later, we're ready to start the second year. How time flies!

It's 12th February and all of you who have been logging on in the last 10 days have been seeing nothing new - that's because we've been travelling. over a week ago I went by speedboat to Bartica in the middle of Guyana with Peter and Bharat - the two Diaspora Volunteers from Canada. We visited schools and the Education Office on the Monday, delivered a workshop to Headteachers on the Tuesday and visited more schools on the Wednesday. At 5am on Thursday morning I got the speedboat, in the dark, to Parika and then a minibus to Georgetown to return home for work.

Unfortunately, I left my bag on the minibus and didn't realise until I was nearly home. Got it back though, even though there are about 17 million minibuses in Georgetown, thanks to an enterprising taxi driver who was prepared to get very wet for the sake of it. He was, of course, rewarded handsomely.

The next day Mary and I were off to Mabaruma across the rainforest by 12 seater plane to visit our friends Celia and Helen. They are working there and it is one of the remotest places any volunteers go to. We worked on the Friday after arriving at 9am - visited the Education Office and schools and had a wonderful and peaceful weekend with them, flying back on Monday morning.

Tonight we will be going out to celebrate our one year in Guyana along with Meg and some others who are celebrating 6 months.

More details about all of this later.

Catching up

So Janelle and Nicholas's baby is almost two weeks old now and very beautiful. And growing. Mary has been involved in serious work in supplying teaching materials and training courses for the MOE Fast Track Initiative in Literacy. Everything has to be done the day before yesterday - a bad concept which means that quality is seriously compromised (except for Mary and Meg's work).

I am just plodding on with the review of my course. Good news is that exam results for this year (management course) are the best ever. Must be doing something right. But I have so much to do and the time is ticking away. Never thought I would say it.

The computer died!!!! Probably a virus despite very expensive anti-virus software and my being totally neurotic about keeping it clean. I now hate computers with a deep loathing!! Sort of got it mended. Windows died completely and had to load another copy in a different directory. That means I can see my files and use them but have no connections to any of my programs so had to load some essential ones again. Got the internet going and it will stumble on until we return home when I hope to deal with it properly.

And for the enjoying ourselves. Well, 35 years of marriage is certainly worth celebrating. Mary was too busy on the actual day so we just went into town to watch the launch of Carifesta - a big cultural event in August. Very good, but too many people and there were a few demonstrations, allegedly about food shortages but by the size of the woman who started it, I don't think she had ever experienced a shortage and was probably causing one all on her own. We went off to a newish restaurant - Sizzling Platter and had a really good Indian meal with lovely fresh ingredients.

We have always been known for spreading out the celebrations. On Saturday we went to the Pegasus Hotel for lunch and a swim followed by a night, evening meal and breakfast in Cara Lodge, only 1/4 mile from where we live but a beautiful old colonial place with excellent service and a great atmosphere. A once in 35 years experience.

And then the "piece de resistance" to come. Tomorrow we're off to Barbados for 4 nights. Thursday is Labour day and Monday is Indian Arrival Day, both national holidays, so we only had to take one day off to make a long weekend. I'll say little about it now but will report back when we get home.