Domesticity- part 1

Monday 29th August 2011

I have now moved into my shared accommodation.
Each single volunteer, or couple, is allocated their own room, within a larger shared apartment.
I share with Fiona, who comes from Ireland, and Joke (pronounced Yoker) who comes from The Netherlands.

All the Georgetown volunteers are housed within a few districts considered "safe", but not elitist.
As we are in the capital of Guyana, all the basic facilities are available in our homes, and it has been relatively easy to adapt to a routine of sleeping, eating, showering, cleaning and laundering.

Here is a picture of our flat, taken from the stair well. We live on the first floor of a two storey wooden structure. The older houses in Georgetown are made of wood, and many are built in stilts, as the coastal plain is at or just above sea level and prone to flooding during heavy rains.
you can see the beautiful polished wood flooring and wall panelling. Within this structure, room divisions are made using panels almost to the ceiling. This allows for free air circulation- and a different notion of privacy.
Beyond the sitting area, you can see the dining table to the right, three bedrooms to the left, the bathroom behind the dining area and at the back the kitchen.

The area is spacious and light, although the bedrooms are darker.