The volunteer community and "going local"

With a substantial number of volunteers here in Guyana:- about 50 with Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) and another 50 or US Peace Corps, many based in Georgetown- the easiest option for a social life is to mix with the volunteer community. Missing family and friends and a known working routine makes you long for anything familiar.
Furthermore, as with other countries experiencing poverty, Guyana has a history of aid and volunteer support, particularly in education. For Guyanese staff in our places of work, the temporary volunteer staff from the UK, the Netherlands, Canada, the USA, the Philippines, Uganda etc have long ceased to have any novelty interest, but have become work colleagues only.

Among the new intake of volunteers I arrived with we have commented on this, discussed and come to quickly realise that by following our personal interests we can begin to "go local".
All the following have been taken up by various volunteers in Georgetown:-
Liming- thats Guyanese for hanging around with friends and drinking.
Also:-
Watching football- eg Guyana v Bermuda in some sort of early World Cup qualifier
Watching cricket- men's, women's and the GBCA- that's the Guyana Blind Cricket Association
Jam concerts- R and B and Rap artists fly in from Jamaica and perform at the national stadium
Church- for worship and community support activities (also there are temples and mosques)
Gym-
Quiz night in a bar
Choir- community based- there are also church choirs
Yoga- at the Indian centre
Activist support groups and fund raising- eg Women's Aid, Elderly support, Disability Awareness.

Sometimes, for example, going to an activist support group overlaps with work interests.

Like many others I have registered for Spanish language classes at the Venezuela Institute.

This building looks quite stunning- wrapped like a birthday cake  with the country's flag. Within it is dark, cool, lined with wood -with small offices and classroom on the upper floor. To the left of the building is the assembly area used for publicity events.

We are in classes of 20-25, seated in a formal classroom setting. We learn simple phrases and use them to put together paired dialogues. I have bought a dictionary and made a personal promise to keep up with the homework, followed by the guilty rush to complete set tasks just before the next session.

I have also found a dance school- Lets Dance, which teaches all the ballroom and latin steps, plus a dance unique to Guyana (which I cannot find on the internet) called the Oriel (I think) which adapts waltz steps to a 4/4 beat. Classes are held three nights week, from 5.30- 7.30pm- which translates as 6- 8 ish. We meet in the large hall of the Public Services Union building. I miss the Monday class which is Ballroom only. Women out number men by 2:1, the ages range from late teens upwards and all but a few arrive separately rather than as couples. Throughout each session there is a constant changing of dance partners as we practise steps, which makes it easy to get to know people.

Next Saturday evening the dance school is hiring the Red Cross building to hold a Dance, with some display dancing by the teachers. The picture shows Clarence and Kisha rehearsing their Cha Cha Cha routine, with guidance from Mr William Tate, a visiting teacher from Barbados.