GOLD Guyana 2012

Hello and welcome to our blog! We are a group of 6 Girlguiding UK members aged between 19 and 27, who have been selected to take part in a GOLD project this summer.
GOLD stands for Guiding Overseas Linked with Development, a project run by Girlguiding UK which gives young women aged between 18 and 30 the chance to assist in community action projects in other countries. As well as making a positive impact on the community, we also hope to grow the Guiding Association in the country so that they can participate more fully in WAGGGS (World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts). There are 8 projects this year, including our destination Guyana.
We're all very excited for our GOLD journey to begin, and we hope you enjoy reading about how we are preparing and what we are doing when we get there!

Wednesday, 1 August 2012

Happy Emancipation Day!


The crowds and the stage in the National Park
Today is Emancipation Day (celebrating the abolition of slavery fully passed on the 1st August 1836) and we have been celebrating in true Guyanese style! We went to Berle’s office at a prompt 2pm expecting to meet Schemel and Oshelle, two people we know from Guides, and of course left about 3pm! We were joined by Barry and Claire, a couple working for the church in Guyana, from New Zealand. When we arrived at the National Park it was busy and boiling hot! We had a wander along the rows of stalls selling food, jewellery, toys and some with information about the original Guyanese villages and African culture. (Before you say, I know we are in South America but due to the slave trade – our bad – there is lots of African culture here and that is what they were celebrating!) There was also some African material and clothes to buy and lots of amazing creations on display! Quite a lot of people watching ensued as we finished purchasing and headed to the stands to watch dancing, martial arts and singing displayed on a stage. We tried lots of Guyanese food – cassava pone wrapped in a leaf, a pink and white cake type thing with coconut involved, sweet and salty plantain chips (amazing) and candyfloss! (Not sure if that’s traditional, but we ate it anyway!)
Some of our favourite outfits
As we baked under the equatorial sun even the Guyanese were feeling the heat and we copied their brilliant idea of hiding under an umbrella from the sun. The displays on the stage were great and really entertaining but we sadly had to leave as it would be soon time for sun setting and it’s better to be safe at home before that happens. We have been busy since then planning and taking in washing and making dinner! Tomorrow we are back to training and hopefully the girls will learn some first aid skills… watch this space!
Lots of GOLD love
A very warm Team Guyana 2012

The team feeling hot but happy!

P.S. Hope all the other teams are having as great a time as us on project – can’t wait to hear all the adventures and we’re enjoying reading the blogs!
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1 comment:

  1. Anonymous2 August 2012 at 01:21

    Sounds like you had a great day. What an experience! Hope the first aid goes well. Loving the posts. Judith xx

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