Week 2!!

Though we were sad to say good bye to Cora, our Program Director, at the beginning of this week, we have had a successful first week of lessons in our classrooms. We have been facilitating discussions surrounding physical, mental and sexual health in seventeen different primary and secondary schools. This week, our lessons primarily focused on self esteem, healthy relationships, peer pressure, and mental health. The teachers and school administrators continue to be welcoming and supportive of our health curriculum. On Friday evening we had the pleasure of teaching in Guysuco, a trades academy for young adults, where we had rewarding discussions about consent, and sexual anatomy. We also attended a youth space in the Blackbush region, where we facilitated conversations and interactive activities about communication and leadership with some of the community’s youth leaders.

            We have been focused on getting involved in the community we live in, in doing so we and have formed relationships with many of the people in LetterKenny. They have been so welcoming to us and we are very grateful. One amazing experience we had this week was attending a Hindu service at the local Mandir. It was interesting to see how the service was run by the youth in the community- we look forward to the cultural experiences ahead of us in the next 5 weeks.

            So far we have killed one cockroach and befriended another, who has found a new home in Robbie’s room. The heat is something that we have learned to embrace– our laundry dries so quickly! Our excursions to the Saturday market has provided us with the opportunity to try new fruits and vegetables, however we do have a few favourites. The pineapples and mangos have added a delicious sweetness to our experience – while (sneaky) spicy peppers have kept things interesting. They are small but mighty, Meg B and Robbie tried a bit of one and were feeling the effects for a couple hours after ingestion. Needless to say we have learned to respect those tiny hot peppers and to proceed with caution when cooking.

            We continue to be surrounded by the warmth of the Guyanese people, and face everyday with an open mind and an open heart to everything Guyana has to offer. 

Love,

The Berbesties