Dear Readers,

 

An uphill battle always ends with a better view than before. If you’re reading this as a PCV, congratulations! You have made it through a hot summer and the month of September. As some RPCVs may remember, this is the month filled with almost every activity one could imagine. Most importantly, it’s Indigenous Heritage Month, but it’s also: Education Month, Suicide Awareness Month, and Hispanic Heritage Month. >If it sounds busy, that’s because it is. This issue is filled with some quotes for inspiration, some memes for laughter, some travel ideas for the dreamers, and even more. Stay cool, PCVs, and remember to subscribe & share the GAFF link with family and friends in Guyana and the U.SA.

– Your GAFF Staff
Ryan Brown, Samantha Daisy, Derek Methu

 

August 15th, 2018 was yet another exciting day for Peace Corps Guyana as the latest batch of Trainees to enter the country were officially sworn in as Volunteers at the US Ambassador’s home. Thirty-three new faces, filled with excitement, nerves, and maybe some exhaustion, listened intently as Tamara W. gave the Volunteer Speech at the ceremony that day. For those of you who didn’t make the event, or wish you could relive that day, we are honored to archive Tam’s speech in this Gaff Newsletter. Friends, family, volunteers: grab some tissues and enjoy the read.

Guy31 Swearing-In Speech
by Tamara W, GUY31

“Good morning fellow trainees, current volunteers, staff, and distinguished guests. Thank you for being here to bear witness to this next chapter of our lives. I am honored by this chance to speak to you. I wasn’t sure what to say to you that you haven’t heard already. So, I settled somewhere in between a graduation speech and a vow renewal? I’ll let you decide. Guy 31 here is my love letter to you.

I look out on this cohort of 33 amazing persons and am overwhelmed with happiness and awe. You bring so much to this experience: your service, our service. Peace Corps has made teachers out of all of us, even if we weren’t before. But we are also artists, scientists, dancers, philosophers, scholars, and so much more. Each of you has personal reasons for joining the Peace Corps, but common among us all is a commitment to service and belief in the power of people.

 

I think back on our first night in Philadelphia which already feels like so long ago. The storm that night drenched and bonded us. That rain felt akin to the shower you take before jumping in the pool. That last Pennsylvanian downpour washed us clean and sent us off for the plunge into this country of many waters.

Remember our first day here? We were sweaty, anxious, and silly with exhaustion. I recall a debate on the ferry that began with the timeless question, “Are hotdogs sandwiches?” and ended with the assertion that ravioli are sandwiches too. We gaffed about our curiosity of Guyana, the people we will meet, and the projects we might accomplish. It was a day of gazing out over the Essequibo and imagining our lives here.

We only dipped our toes into the shallows of Guyana and its culture at Mainstay, but dove headfirst into getting to know our Guy 31 family. It was like summer camp or university orientation. We lingered after meals savoring the company and conversation, survived our first round of challenges, and ended the week armed with some Creolese phrases and a whole lot of nervous energy as we ventured out to the coast.

We walked a little deeper into the pool as we met our host families and began training in earnest. Here we found ourselves in a realm where time ebbed and flowed and measures of success were so incremental. Every clapped roti was cause for celebration and a simple conversation in Creolese something to be proud of. Our host families have our love and sincere thanks for the role they’ve played in shaping our training. It was with our families that many of us first began to understand the significance of learning through conversation, integration, and cultural exchange.

 

By the time we reached model school, we had waded in up to our necks. It was time for our first swim test, and it was not easy. But with the support and counsel of the incredible cooperating teachers, we were able to both teach and learn. We had a brief introduction to the tools we can build alongside our counterparts and the impact we can have on a child’s education that will reverberate throughout their lives. By the end of those short weeks, we had grown not only as educators but also as volunteers, acquiring skills that will help us succeed these next two years. We began to dream and craft images of what our service could look like, the partnerships we will nurture, and the growth we can inspire.

Our first heartbreak came with losing four of our family. It was unexpected and painful. And as heartbreak is wont to do, drew us closer together. Lumesh, Maddie, Ryan, and Lauren we miss you already and hope you are enjoying your pizzas, burgers, and ac. We wish you the best of luck in the places you are meant to serve.

Throughout all of this, we turned to each other for laughter and support. You gave me comfort when I needed, and sense when I was nonsensical. You helped me to construct meaning and lessons out of anxiety and confusion. While I know that each of us is capable of going through this alone, we don’t have to. And that is truly wonderful. I want you all to really feel how incredible it is to be given this family that is so passionate, talented, and kind.

So, now here we are at the edge of a diving board or maybe a cliff if you prefer. With the help of the tireless efforts of staff, the language and culture team, and our other training partners, we are ready to dive in and move forward with our commitments to each other, this country, and the ideas that have brought us all this far. I cannot wait to see what we will accomplish.

Guy 31 I love you. Go be you.
Thank you.”
-Tamara W., Guy31 Volunteer serving in Region 9, Guyana

-Samantha D, GUY30

 

GREETINGS FROM FROG. It has been an exciting summer for our team at Friends & Returned Peace Corps Volunteers of Guyana (FROG)! In July, we hosted our annual summer luncheon with RPCVs in Washington DC at the Kimpton Mason & Rook Hotel (photo below).

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Left to right – Hellen Beckner, David Reeves, Kristin Stadum, Peter Theis, Scott Stadum, Shane Loorz, Maria Luisa Hayem, Mason Richards, Lorine Ghabranious.

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Recently, we’ve provided grants and supported three great projects to help the Guyanese community including The Suddie Health Center located in Suddie Village on the Essequibo Coast, Region 2 of Guyana. The center provides services to many villages along the coast. FROG funding made it possible for the health center staff along with Peace Corps Guyana Volunteers to host a “Wellness Fair” for people in the community this past September. Topics at the “Wellness Fair” ranged from healthy nutrition, proper hand-washing and disease prevention, personal hygiene, mental health, stress management, and coping skills, healthy relationships, self-esteem, sexual and reproductive health as well as physical health. Handouts and giveaways were available at each station for participants to use for further learning.

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The Suddie Health Center – Wellness Fair 2018

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FROG also provided a grant to CAMP GLOW for Girls in support of a week-long series of self-care workshops, Q&As and discussions for 28 young women in July. On hand were Peace Corps Volunteers who helped with the facilitation of learning sessions on special topics including Self Esteem building, Healthy Relationships, Puberty/Sex Ed, Healthy Body Image, Anger Management/Triggers, Stress Management and Self Care. The week-long program also included interactive games and activities such as human knot, egg race, water balloon toss, and obstacle courses to get the students moving, talking and more comfortable. At the conclusion of the camp, the young women each received a water bottle, a pen, pencil, eraser, and stickers as a little gift for participating all week in the program. They also received certificates and our Peace Corps Volunteers thanked the community and all who participated. We have supported Camp Glow in the past for various programs and will continue to provide opportunities for the empowerment of young women.

We are happy to announce FROG’S official “Goodwill Ambassador” Princess Ariana Austin Makonnen of Ethiopia. Princess Ariana is an American writer, arts manager, and philanthropist, and a member of the Ethiopian imperial family and the House of Solomon through her marriage to Prince Joel Dawit Makonnen, the great-grandson of Emperor Haile Selassie I. Princess Makonnen was born in Washington, D.C. to Bobby

William Austin, the president of the Neighborhood Associates Corporation and the first African-American full-time academic faculty member at Georgetown University, and Joy Ford, the executive director of Humanities DC, an affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Princess Ariana is of African American and Guyanese descent. Her maternal grandfather, John Meredith Ford, was Lord Mayor of Georgetown, Guyana.

 

Princess Ariana will work closely with FROG President and Chairman of the Board, Mason Richards, to continue providing funding and support for cultural, health, environmental and arts non-profits in Guyana.

Photo: FROG’S official “Goodwill Ambassador” Princess Ariana Austin Makonnen and Prince Joel Dawit Makonnen courtesy of Washington Magazine, 2018.

 

Let’s face it. Memes have taken over the internet and potentially our lives. Many are humorous reflections of today’s issues, and in many ways are considered modern art. We know we aren’t “Jaded Corps,” but we decided to have a little fun and throw our hat into the ring too.

 

– Ryan B, GUY30

 

In this issue’s of Blog Highlights, we shine some light on an amazing volunteer from Region 2, Carly R. of GUY30.

 

• As summer comes to a close, a number of PCV’s have had adventures and held camps that enrich their experience and the communities they serve. Two main blogs that stood out to me were Carly’s exploration of Rupununi and Mabaruma and a Health Fair.

• Rupununi and Mabaruma – She features: a rodeo, bull riding, expert lassoing, Mary the Howler monkey, a kissing rock, and a breathtaking view of the surrounding jungle.

• Healthy Body, Healthy Mind, Healthy Soul Summer Camp – the focus of this camp was on helping grade 6 students have a healthy body, healthy mind, healthy soul as they transition to secondary school.

Take a moment and view her blog CarlyGoesToGuyana
– Derek M, GUY30

 

Independent Living:

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A Guide to Being Understood and Getting It Done!

As a country, Guyana has been colonized by the British and the Dutch; the results of this history can be found in the type of words used on an everyday basis. The adventure of language is what fascinates me the most. The following are some common words or phrases that have helped me navigate Guyana. Enjoy!

Housing, maintaining your home is 50 percent of the physical effort and pastime you will experience. If you don’t have time to handle the outer part of your compound, you call upon a strong>Maintenance/ Gardener, he would be the landscape person. His job would be to maintain the compounds’ aesthetics or floral survival. A Slasherman would be the person who cuts your grass or anything within that area of brush and overgrown “whatever.”

If you have a bug problem, Pest Control is the adventure of Guyanese living. Depending on where you are serving, this is a daily task or a call away. An Exterminator is called to deal with termites, mostly. Though their efforts include killing most household pests which include roaches, rats/rodents, and insane looking insects; most people will just say call RentTokil, it’s the name of a pest control company.

If there is an issue and Handyman level work needs to be done, here is who you ask for:

• If you need some furniture made or fixed, you call a Joiner.

• If you’re looking to build a house out of concrete, you call a Mason.

• If you are looking to build a house out of wood, you call a Carpenter.

• If, during building a home or having issues with your bathroom pipework, you would call a Plumber.

Now, when it comes to electrical work you must be specific. Generally speaking, if you have an issue that is very specific: cell phone failure, computer failure, TV failure, or fan failure, then you would ask for the Technician. He would be someone who would be specialized to fix the issue at the store. If you have an electrical issue, be aware there are two types of electricians. One is called an Ordinary Electrician that only works on wire work in a home, and then there is an Auto Electrician who works only on wire work tied to cars.

Traveling is a task. The honking car horns and random hand gestures, one can really get confused about what is the best mode of transportation. Here are the different types you can take:

 

• A Hire Car is the car-pool-Uber of Guyana, they work the road and service certain destinations. They pick up multiple persons going in the same direction or destination.

• A Taxi is a private car service that you pay more for, they don’t pick up random people, and you can call ahead and reserve.

Public transport or trans-p (pronounced trans-pee) is the second most adventurous activity in Guyana.

• The Bus Shed is a stationary place on a road where you wait for a bus (its an actual shed/covering with or without a bench to sit and wait). It’s a public transportation waiting area for a ride.

• The Bus is the cheapest way to travel. If your area does not have a bus running through it, then the bus shed is an area where you wait for a Hire Car (or lime, catch some shade from the sun or catch the local gossip #BusShedGaff, or even urinate – if you’re desperate and feeling local enough). It is possible that some areas don’t have a proper bus shed but just a designated area of pick up and drop off.

• Lastly, we have Boats. Depending on your commute, this experience can be smooth and quick or it could the wettest ride you will ever take unless you’re lucky enough to catch a Shed Boat, which has a roof.

Emergencies do happen and Guyana has a system in place where 911 calls are received and the appropriate agencies and persons are dispatched.

 

• During a Flooding Issue, if it’s tied to water from the road coming into the house one would ask for DNI (drainage and irrigation). This agency is a local government department, they would dispatch the appropriate persons to assist.

• If there is a Fire, one would call and ask for the Fire Service, they would do what they need to put out the fire.

I hope the above information is helpful as you continue to navigate your service. Remember part of integrating into your community is knowing who to contact and where to go for assistance.

 

– Derek M, GUY30

 

Panama City
by Sam D, GUY30

Is there anyone in this world who gets excited about layovers? How about really, really long 48 hour layovers? I used to dread that number popping up on my screen as I searched for flights to important destinations. However, in May 2018, when I traveled home for the first time since coming to Guyana, a 48 hour layover turned into a highlight of my entire trip.

Copa Airlines is an air service based out of Panama City, Panama. It flies all over the Caribbean, Central and South America, and the world. If you’re trying to get an inexpensive flight back to the States, and you’re not from NYC or Florida, you may have seen Copa Airlines’ flights pop up – and they almost always have a layover and connection in Panama City.

I was scheduled for a 24-hour layover inbound to the States, and a 48-hour layover returning to South America Undiscovered. If I had stayed in the airport, like I normally do to save money, it would have been miserable, like most layovers are. Instead, I had a mini vacation in Panama City, and it was worth it. Here are my traveling tips for Panama City: whether it’s a true vacation or just a layover.

TRAVEL TIPS

1) Get a roaming plan. Yes, this may be basic travel knowledge, but sometimes we forget the importance of having network connection for things like Airbnb & Uber, which we don’t use in Guyana. I got 300mbs, which was plenty to get me around and only cost me US$15.

2) Download Uber again. Or maybe you didn’t delete it like me… Uber in Panama is not only efficient and easy but cheap! Most trips around the city cost me less than US$5 and as low as US$2. Yes – you read that right. It only cost me US$15 to get from the airport to the center of the city and to get me from the center of the city to the Panama Canal. If I took a taxi it would have cost me US$30 all ways. If you don’t speak Spanish, don tek stress – Uber English is an option for only a few extra dollars.

3) Use Airbnb. Okay, maybe these are seeming like obviously travel tips, but I’m serious! I got a room in a 5 Star hotel, 18th floor, overlooking the ocean, with 5 ocean-side pools for only US$100 – all of this off Airbnb. There are a lot more options where that comes from, and it’s cheaper than anywhere else.

4) Visit Casco Viejo. Known as the “Old City Heart”, the cobblestone streets, marble town squares, rooftop bars, and safe alleyways make this destination a gorgeous place to stop and eat, get some drinks, or even go dancing. It’s like channeling Europe while being in Central America, all for the sake of some inexpensive beers and relaxation. Did I mention it’s only a US$2.00 Uber from the City Center?

5) Visit the Panama Canal. This sounds obvious too, but it’s a destination that makes the layover worth it. Only have a several hour layover, but you want to say you “did something” in Panama? Besides Casco Viejo, the Panama Canal is a cool opportunity to see a piece of international history, and the drive to the Canal is a nice opportunity to see the rural side of Panama.

 

6) The Islands. Now, I didn’t do this one personally, but I wish I could have. There is a ferry that leaves right out of the city and travels to the small islands off the coast of Panama. It’s about an hour ferry ride and the islands are just what you would imagine of a tropical Central American Archipelago. Lounge on the beaches, enjoy the ocean, relax.

Now, here I am at the end of my travel-tips, dreaming about how I can go back. Did I mention that Panama City is the cleanest, best architecturally styled city I’ve ever been to? Take a look, and I hope you see it for yourself soon!

Reused Bottle. Wash out remaining soda residue using soap, then refill the bottle with your favorite drink or even water. Store it in a refrigerator if one is available for a nice cool drink, or place it in the freezer for a giant chunk of ice. Fill it with heated water for a large heat pack.

Decorative Plant Pot. Just cut it in half and fill it with the appropriate soil. You can start with a seed, or you can place an adult plant in your new pot. Make sure not to tear those roots! You can find more complicated ideas online.

Bug Trap. Cut the bottle around 1/3 of the way from the top. Fill the bottle with a sweet liquid or sugar water, and then flip the bottle top so it is pointing into the container without touching the liquid. Lastly, secure the edges with tape. Flies will fly down into the container, but can’t find their way back out. As a bonus, you can add yeast to the liquid which will release CO2. The bug trap attracts mosquitos now too!

In Guyana, trash fires are practically unavoidable. In places where trash pickup is unavailable or citizens are unwilling to pay for the service, burning trash seems to be the primary method of waste removal. But of course, you gotta do what you gotta do. Trash cannot be allowed to just pile up outside the house. On any given day, Guyanese and volunteers alike are burning their trash, and more than likely, one gets started RIGHT when you hang your laundry on the line.

Aside from the acute effects of burning trash, there are serious dangers associated with inhaling trash fire smoke. One of the most dangerous chemicals in trash fire smoke is Dioxin. The chemical has the potential to cause cancer, and that risk increases the longer one is exposed to Dioxin. It is mostly formed from the burning of plastics.

 

The next time you finish off a 2-liter of your favorite soft drink, rather than throwing it in the trash, try reusing it instead with these cool ideas. – Ryan B, GUY30

Learning and Observing: A Summer Literacy Program
conducted by a Peace Corps Volunteer

As an Education Community Promoter, I find myself in situations where I have to adapt as I learn. I have found the Guyana education scheme a bit challenging when it comes to executing certain lessons or sessions, so I look forward to the summer break. In 2017 I conducted my first Summer Literacy Program, which lasted 5 weeks. This was the longest period of time in my life. This year I was fortunate to be allowed to conduct another summer program; this time only 3 weeks. There is no current map I have found that shows the exact location of my village of service, but its just 8 miles from New Amsterdam, the oldest town in Guyana.

 

The reason for a shorter summer program came down to the number of volunteers I was able to get to help me run the three weeks. I was blessed to have 3 members of the community who stuck with me this year; Ms. Roselyn J., Ms. Natasha S., and Ms. Mennakshi G.. In 2017, I was fortunate enough to have Dravid S., Soma S., and Ms. Nandrani B. volunteered their time to conduct lessons for 26-46 students. The focus of this year’s program was simple and direct. My time in the classroom and with the students I noticed 3 main areas that really needed practice: Week 1 Letter Recognition and Letter Sounds, Week 2 Blending Letters to Make Words, Week 3 Reading Comprehension and Computer Literacy (typing skills).The curriculum I came up with was pulled from many resources to find what worked for the 16-23 students that attended this year. Each day and each Activity was detailed in its description and each had a Goal and Assessment detailed. Here are some of the fun activities I introduced to the students:

– Literacy Through Comic Books
– Alphabet Hopscotch
– Alphabet Walk
– Letters Run
– Tornado
– BANG!

The only materials needed to participate were newspaper print, exercise books, pencils, crayons, markers, chalk, and rulers. Every day was a new revelation of how to adjust and be able to modify lessons. I found that during this time I had more time with a set of students than during the term. I was able to use aspects of Discovery Learning to drive an idea home, especially on the last week. For me, comprehension is the most under-served part of education in Guyana, but it’s the easiest to practice at home. I found that modeling the desired approached worked well, and found the parents that volunteered adapted to my request with great ease and local vernacular to get the desired result.

I share my success story as a thank you to members of my village and to motivate any volunteer who feels overwhelmed by the task at hand and feel they lack a certain skill to succeed. It is because I took my time, observed, engaged and built partnerships with the least likely persons that I find myself looking at my service (6 months left) with a better set of lenses than when I started. I end with what is now one of my favorite quotes from our Country Director, that speaks to my service, “Commit to and own YOUR service. It need not be like or compared to any other as no one walks in your shoes, but YOU.” – Director Kury
– Derek M, GUY30

So, you’re exhausted. You feel socially drained. Sometimes bed just seems so much more appealing, and you think that leaving work 6 hours early may be the best solution to this depressive state.

 

You’re not alone. You’re just burned out, and we know how you feel.

Burnout happens for lots of reasons, namely:

• Having little or no control over your work

• Lack of recognition for efforts at work

• Unclear work expectations

• Working in a chaotic environment

• Lack of resources to complete the job

Sound familiar? If this doesn’t ring a bell yet, keep reading.

Two often overlooked aspects of burnout include:

Secondary Trauma [n.] def: the emotional duress that arises when one person hears about the traumatic experience of another.

Compassion Fatigue [n.] def: indifference to charitable appeals on behalf of suffering people, experienced as a result from the frequency of such appeals.

How about now? Can you relate to any of this? The truth is that being a Peace Corps Volunteer is both rewarding and challenging. These are things that we knew when we signed up, and even though the Volunteer Handbook doesn’t say “Burn Out” verbatim, it definitely spelled out some of these things that we may experience.

The difference is that some of us didn’t understand the true toll of mental health in cases of burnout until we were here. How many of us came in with bright eyes, swelling hearts, and creative minds on all of the opportunities that the Peace Corps has to offer? How many of us are left feeling tired, dull, strung-out, and indifferent to the point of humor?

The truth is that those positive feelings are still here, and we can’t forget them. Not so quickly. We all remain as volunteers because our eyes still see the possibility of our beloved communities. Our hearts are still full with the children we teach, and our minds still spend hours thinking of possible explanations, if not solutions, for where we see struggle.

You see, burnout is normal. It is a natural reaction to the challenge we have given ourselves as Peace Corps Volunteers. It is okay to feel this way, and you are not alone. How many of us have been asked for help by so many people that our reaction is no longer empathy, but indifference? How many of us have witnessed so much trauma, that our hearts have become angered, and our actions riddled with anxiety? Lastly, how many of us can see these symptoms in those people that we work with? Fellow Volunteers, RPCV’s, Host-Families, Counterparts, and Host-Country Nationals?

The trick to burnout isn’t pretending that you don’t have it or using it as a blame-card for the country, culture, or other people’s capacity. The trick about burnout is to create responsibility within yourself. Not responsibility for those traumatized who tell you their story, or for those who have asked for your charitable help time and time again. Create responsibility for caring about yourself, for giving yourself the empathy that you need to get by. Create responsibility for how awesome you are. You came to this country, knowing full well that you would be faced with painful experiences, or things that make you go, “whaaaaaaa????” and you came anyway.

Create responsibility for the fact that amidst all of the challenges you face: your distance from home, your distance from family, your distance from friends, that you are still here. You may not admit it to other PCV’s, but your eyes are still bright, your heart is still full, and your mind is still moving.

Most importantly, know that you are not alone. You are part of a team of many volunteers here with the same goal as you. It’s a national team, but also a global team.

Burnout, secondary trauma, and compassion fatigue are real. Don’t short yourself, but don’t let it get in the way of having a full experience. Staying home won’t fix it, avoiding people won’t fix it, and waiting around reading a book until your COS date comes won’t fix it. In fact, on the other side of burnout is lack-of involvement and boredom… and that has almost the same symptoms. You can overcome this burnout, and it doesn’t have to take away from your experience, because you deserve a life-changing service.

-Samantha D, GUY30

Emily L.

Emily is a GUY30 Peace Corps Volunteer serving in Region 1. As an education volunteer, her primary duty is teaching English and literacy to grades seven through ten at the secondary school. She says she absolutely adores her students and could not be happier with her host family. Overall, she thinks her experience at site has been great.

Right now, she has a few projects on her hands, particularly building a library and populating it with books. At the beginning of service, she was able to raise money to actually build shelves for library books. The school also received a donation of books including a TON of the thin science readers for her budding science students. However, the progress on the library has temporarily halted due to school repairs and money being allocated elsewhere. After repairs are finished, she expects to continue.

 

Emily was able to hold a Camp GLOW at her site from July 9th through the 13th. She and her counterpart, Veron, were large contributors to the success of her camp, but of course, she had help from multiple Peace Corps volunteers as well as three mentors.

She outlined three objectives for Camp GLOW
1) Girls will learn and implement healthy lifestyles
2) Girls will develop leadership abilities and learn to take control of their lives
3) Girls will work together (teambuilding) to bring about strong women in their community

Every activity that the girls took part in satisfied one if not multiple of these objectives. Every lesson had a reason, and it was a big point to not just fill up some time. Each Peace Corps Volunteer was assigned a topic and allowed to construct their own sessions. Emily says she was “blown away” by the creativity of the volunteers in making their sessions. Her most favorite session was a mental health exercise identifying negative feeling and figuring out coping mechanisms.

One session showcased a panel of women who were invited to talk about their careers. After the speeches, the students were given paper and told to draw themselves ten years from now. Then they wrote a letter addressed to themselves reminding them to work very hard and to continue their education. Lastly, the girls wrote their name on a poster board to publicly display what they wanted to be. By the end of the session, the entire room was chanting how women in the community were able to work. For Emily, and undoubtedly the rest of the village, this was an immensely powerful moment.

“A big thank you to the PC volunteers that came. They did such a good job, and the camp wouldn’t have been successful without them.” – Emily L.

– Ryan B, GUY30

Peer Support Network

 

Mission- To support Guyana’s PCVs by addressing ongoing physical, mental, emotional needs experienced during service, and fostering morale through encouraging healthy coping.

For More Information: psnguyana@gmail.com

Diversity and Inclusion Support Committee

 

Mission- The Diversity Inclusion and Support Committee will educate, include, and support a diverse volunteer and staff population and encourage an open dialogue about diversity and inclusivity in a multidimensional framework that incorporates volunteers, trainees, staff, and host country nationals.

For More Information: diguyanapc@gmail.com

Volunteer Advisory Council

 

Mission- The Peace Corps Guyana Volunteer Advisory Council (VAC) shall be the formal representational body for the Peace Corps Volunteers (PCVs) in Guyana. VAC acts as facilitators and mediators between all PCVs in-country and PC staff by assisting in the communication of current issues, concerns, and suggestions. VAC also serves to support the fostering and strengthening of the larger PC Community (inclusive of PCVs, Staff, Counterparts, Host Families, etc.)

For More Information: guyanavac@gmail.com

Editorial Board/GAFF Newsletter

 

Mission- The mission of the GAFF Newsletter is to provide a creative outlet for current volunteers to publicize events, share experiences and achievements, and learn about others perspectives on living in Guyana as a Peace Corps Volunteer. The regular distribution of the newsletter serves to enhance connections among current Peace Corps Guyana Volunteers to Peace Corps Guyana staff, Returned Peace Corps Volunteers, family and friends back home thereby supporting the overall mission of the third goal of Peace Corps, “to help promote a better understanding of Guyanese on the part of Americans.”

For More Information: guyanagaff@gmail.com

 

Thank you to everyone that participated in our Content Survey 2018.
This survey was done to better serve our audience and make sure we are staying true to our mission and third Peace Corps goal, “to help promote a better understanding of Guyanese on the part of Americans”. We appreciate how candid everyone was and we have taken all of your concerns and suggestions very seriously.
Here are the main results:

PLEASE remember, you can submit to us anything you want to share that highlights your experience, has given you a better understanding of Guyana, or inspires other PCV. Send To: GuyanaGaff@gmail.com