During VSO’s pre departure training, the SKWID course (Skills for Working in Development), we looked at a diagram that showed us the ups and downs of being a volunteer. Or rather some of these ups and downs.
You can check out "stages of culture shock" online.
In short, when arriving in the new country, all senses are being stimulated and excitement is the word, as you discover the new country, with all it has to offer*.
- Even in the capital city, Georgetown, everybody acknowledges your presence. Whether or not you feel that the way it is done is appropriate or not, depends on you. I know volunteers who feel it’s an invasion of their personal space, but I, on the other side, love the fact that people are not ignored. My favourite lines are: “Shopping?”, when people see you shopping; “Taking a lot of rain” – Yeap, no locals will be seen walking in the rain and I sometimes do it without an umbrella. Wonderful, especially if you imagine temperatures higher than 30ºC and warm rain.
- The variety of landscape is breathtaking: within the same region you can find the beautiful, huge skied and silent savannah and the loud waterfall-filled rainforest.
- The work you are expected to do is highly needed. During my initial meetings with the nursery, primary and secondary teachers, there were clearly two stages: a first stage where teachers were not sure who I was, and did not know if they could trust me, because they felt that if they asked for help it was a sign of weakness or incompetence; As we gradually got to know each other, teachers started to ask for specific help.
- There is no such thing as Winter. Although I am coming from a place where you experience the four seasons, and where Summer is slightly longer than Winter, I have never been a fan of more than a month of cold weather, so thumbs up to short sleeves!
- Music is so sexy. Ignore the sexist lyrics, of course, and enjoy the beat. Dan has a downloadable mix on his blog.
- I have always loved cat caps and in Guyana it's ok!
- I have always loved cat caps and in Guyana it's ok!
Of course, after some time of being in the country, what you love can cause you pain: I have to admit that seldom I feel like being ignored, just one in the crowd, do my “survival” shopping and hide in the house and this is never possible where I am based. As a consequence of going shopping on an emotionally grey day, you can hear things you do not need, namely: “Looking tired white girl”; “You draggin’ yuhself”.
All the heat and humidity are perfect for fungi and terrible for your skin. Medicated powder is a skin saver!
Food wise, I miss the simplest homemade food that I cannot make here because I do not have the ingredients.
That's the time when the packages family and friends send make you smile a huger smile and cry more tears. And then, you can listen to John Legend's "Someday" and look forward to the reunion (Re lyrics: ignore the fact that it's about a couple breaking up! Focus on the "someday we'll be together")
That's the time when the packages family and friends send make you smile a huger smile and cry more tears. And then, you can listen to John Legend's "Someday" and look forward to the reunion (Re lyrics: ignore the fact that it's about a couple breaking up! Focus on the "someday we'll be together")
In terms of work, beaurocracy might get in your way or power related issues and frustration can take over. At this stage it is important to remember that your role is to help improve the lives of people you know/work with and not to change the government/world. (I think I read this in the book “The white man’s burden”… not sure)
It’s important to actively find out what else has been done in your region before you arrived. Even if it is a new placement, some project has most certainly been developed involving your region, in one way or another. I remember writing recommendations (and feeling proud of them) and discovering that somebody had said the same almost ten years before me! There’s no need to reinvent the wheel as they say. That’s something we should think about while we are in placement: making connections with past projects and leaving things in place for people to take over what we are doing or to move on from there, as a stepping stone in one of the many rivers this magical country has.
So, here's to a great 2011! Keep those spirits high, beautiful people!
(Soundtrack: Save room, John Legend)
*I didn’t mention people as part of my excitement-list-on-arrival, as Mahdia is a special little place. I suppose it has to do with the fact that it is a mining town and nobody is actually from there, so it takes a while for people to open their doors to you, as - from what I now understand – the place they consider home is elsewhere. In a later stage I have been involved in unforgettable family events, which I am very grateful for. I know that this is totally different in the rest of the country.
