Clean Drinking Water Project Part 2

Last week we reached the goal of raising $11,229.00 for the Clean Drinking Water project in my village! Support for the project was amazing and I am thrilled to know that so many people want to help with this cause.

Due to the fact that I have met my financial goal my project is no longer available on the Peace Corps Donation website. However, if you are still interested in helping provide Clean Drinking Water to communities of Suriname there is another project that still needs funding.

Caroline H. is a fellow  Peace Corps volunteer in the sister village of my village. Originally from Georgia, she is a 10 minute boat ride away from my village. Her village has the same population as mine and is also in desperate need of clean water. She is working very hard to raise $11,000 in order to buy 45 Durotanks ( 400 gallon rain catchment tanks) for her community.

For more information on Caroline's project please visit: https://donate.peacecorps.gov/index.cfm?shell=donate.contribute.projDetail&projdesc=568-139

The Peace Corps donation website may be down for system updates during the time period of December 20th - 30th. If you have difficulty accessing the site, please try again after the New Year.

Thank you for your help with bring Clean Drinking Water to the communities of Suriname!

Goal reached!!!

We reached our goal of raising $11,229!!! I am thrilled we will be able to accomplish this wonderful project! We will begin purchasing supplies after the first of the year. Stay tuned for updates on the progress!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year everyone!

Yaai oooooo!

Party September - Ko i sa boo opening

In September I went to a fellow volunteer's site for a tourist camp opening. The tourist camp had recently finished construction and was throwing their grand opening. We took a boat across the river and after a 25 minute walk through the jungle we arrived at the camp. The owners of the camp hired a local drum band and we dance our hearts out. 

 

The camp was beautiful and we had a blast. Tourism is increasing on the river especially amongst the Dutch who are looking for an adventure. The camp provided us a great meal of chicken, noodles and local vegetables! Peace Corps volunteers will never turn down a free meal! 

John dancing

 

Humidity in the air

 

Julie, Brooke and a little girl from Camp Glow!

Dale dancing

 

Me dancing with a little guy

the band

Evan

a few of the volunteers on the river

If you are ever looking for an adventure there are plenty of awesome tourist camps all over Suriname. Most of them offer jungle tours and other fun adventures! Or you can always visit a Peace Corps VOLUNTEER!!!

World Map Project

Prepping the wall

Covering old mural

We traced the map using a projector

We had students come out of their class and paint one country each

6th grade student working on the map

Mid way point

On their way to the river, they stopped to check out the progress

Almost done

After painting a country the students had to find the country they painted on another map

Brooke putting the final touches on the map

Admiring their handy work

School of Gaantatai

Our map!

In August we finished our World Map project at the school in Gaantatai. The map turned out great and was possible thanks to Staatsolie, a Surinamese company that donated funds for the project. The map gave the students at the school a fun way to be involved in learning. It was amazing to see the students enjoy the process and begin to teach each other about the world.

My favorite moments were when you could hear one child explaining to another where certain countries were. It was a fun and interactive project that will continue to enhance the lives of the students long after we're finished in the village.

Clean Drinking Water Project

For the past 8 months I have been working with my village leader on a plan to bring clean drinking water to my village. Establishing a clean water supply for my village is my primary project as a Peace Corps volunteer in Suriname. Currently, the primary access to drinking water is a small creek and a larger local river. These water sources are polluted with trash, human waste and pesticides. During the dry season months, the near by creek dries up and villagers are forced to walk deep into the jungle to retrieve water from another creek. Below is a photograph of a friend of mine leading me to the dry season water source.

Once the villagers arrive at the creek they fill empty soda bottles, 5 gallon buckets and other large containers with creek water. The walk is intensive while carrying 5 gallons of water on their heads back to the village.

Below is a photograph of my neighbor and me filling up bottles at the creek during dry season.

This is a picture of the closest creek and the main water source during the rainy season. The water is constantly churned up by foot traffic and littered with trash.

Elderly villagers that are no longer able to walk to the creek often rig a catch system at their home. They catch rain water run off their roof into large tubs. Below is a home in my village with the home made system built on to the side. The open containers are unfortunately breeding grounds for Mosquitoes are are easily contaminated with bacteria.

In order to improve the accessibility to clean water in the village we are working together to provide rain water catchment tanks called Durotanks to the village. These tanks hold 400 gallons of rain water and have a life expectancy of 25 years. The tanks are easy to install and by purchasing 45 tanks the entire village will have access to clean water. Below is an example of a Durotank and stand.

I am in the process of fundraising locally and abroad. The village community will also contribute financially and provide all the labor for installation. With the money raised we will be able to purchase 45 Durotanks, mosquito netting to prevent mosquitoes and debris from entering the tanks, wood and zinc to build tent-like structures called "Gangasa's" that provide a space to connect gutters to, provide transportation of supplies and provide water maintenance trainings. Below is an example of a Durotank and "Gangasa" installation that we will be able to build in the village. The "Gangasa's" are needed due to the fact that a typical home in the village is made of a Palm thatch that is unable to support a gutter.

In order for me to complete my project, I must raise $11,229.32 for the tanks and other materials. I need your help. Please visit my Clean Drinking Water Project site for donation instructions. Thank you so much, Jamie Cliburn.

One year down and one to go!

Hey there! May 3rd was my one year anniversary here in Suriname! I can't believe how fast and slow at the same time it went by. One of the things you hear all the time about Peace Corps is that the days crawl by but the weeks fly by. It's true! It feels like just recently I moved out to site and I was scared out of my mind but I also remember how I didn't think training would ever end! The one year mark is bittersweet though. We will be saying bye to the 16's, the group of volunteers that came to Suriname a year before my group did. They have reached the end of their service and are headed home over the next few months. It's hard to say bye since we've made such great friendships. I've relied on several of them as a huge support system during my adjustment in Suriname. They new the ropes of life when we arrived in country since they had already lived here for a year. I was assigned a wonderful volunteer mentor a few villages away from my own and I'll miss her presence in Suriname and the long chats we have. I wish her luck though with beginning graduate school!!! I'm excited to have so many new friends in their group that i'll get to visit once I'm done with my own service in a year! Site is going well. Nothing to exciting to report. Since I don't have anything new to talk about I decided that this blog I would tell you all about my good friend Woi. She is my closest friend in my village and pretty much my Saramaccan Mother. Woi is my captains daughter and my counterparts sister. She is the secretary in the women's group that is established in my village. During my very first visit in the village Woi was the person who helped give me a village name, Badjamai, set up my hammock, brought me a table for my stuff since my house was completely empty, brought me dinner, a lantern to sleep with, checked on me right before she went to bed, checked on me first thing the next morning, brought me breakfast and tea, and introduced me to the entire village. Since my first visit she has essentially adopted me into her family. She lectures me on how to live like the Saramaccans and brags on me when I do everything right. She continues to grump at me about my ability to wash pots. I believe they are perfectly clean but she believes they can SHINE and get cleaner. I don't think we'll ever agree on the status of my pots. She checks on me at night before she goes to bed and checks on me first thing in the morning. On days that I get to the village after being in the city for awhile she'll bring me dinner since she thinks i'll be tired. While i'm away from the village in the city or elsewhere she and her daughter Sunuka clean my yard for me and check on my vegetables. Woi wakes up very early to take her dishes and laundry to the river to wash then after washing everything (for a family of 8) she comes back to her house and begins cooking for her family. She also washes dishes and laundry for her elderly mother and father. Once the food for the day is cooked she sends her kids and grandkids off to school then heads to work. Twice a week she walks 45 minutes through the thick jungle to another village and rakes the grounds of one of the organizations there. After finishing her work she walks back to our village and washes the dishes from the morning meal. Once she is finished at the river she walks with some of her children and usually a grandkid tied to her back to her grounds where she tends to her vegetables and looks for Maipa seeds to bring back to the village. When it's Maipi seed season she spends the rest of her day breaking open the seeds with a heavy mortar and pestle in order to eventually gather enough to make Maipi seed oil. I've helped her break open the seeds before and I get tired after about 10 minutes but she sits for HOURS working. At the end of her day she washes dishes and laundry again before preparing the evening meal and getting all the kids ready for bed. The last thing she does before bed is walk over to my house to check that everything is good with me. She has had vast amounts of patience with me and continues to go out of her way to teach me about life in Saramacca. She has taught me about growing vegetables, using a machete, the "right" way to wash clothes and dishes, she taught me how to cross stitch like the women and always checks to make sure i'm included in any events taking place in the village. She knows i'm shy and forces me to come out of my shell. I'm so thankful to have her in the village. She made my first year in Suriname go by so easily. On days when i'm homesick she seems to know and makes me help her with something which always cheers me up. She has also been a key player in helping me with the water project for the village. She is fantastic at reminding everyone we have important meetings and ensuring that everyone shows up to the meetings. She also helped me with gathering information about the village in order to develop the project. Needless to say I don't think I could have made it through the first year without her. She is an incredible person and i'm so thankful for her. Here are some pictures I took of her recently! Another blog coming soon!

Me De - I'm here

It's been a while since i've written. I've discovered that it's hard to find time to sit down and write a blog while i'm in the city. When you are in the city you can't get enough of spending time with other volunteers, doing fun things like going to the movies, and eating lots of pretty delicious food. This trip in to the city was really special because they just opened up a Subway Sub Shop here! It is very expensive (on a volunteer budget) but we enjoyed eating there immensly!

Life on the river is still going well. I've hit my groove with my part in the village. I have my routine and I have close friends now. I feel at ease in the community and am no longer stressing out about how I am going to integrate. My villagers will seek me out to invite me to be a part of things they are doing like working or ceremonies. It's great!

I have had a bit of homesickness lately. I thought I was in the clear of that stuff since I haven't really had it since being in Suriname. I've heard before that the 1 year mark can be surprisingly hard. Well turns out thats true. The novelty of life out here kind of wears off, i.e - rats aren't funny anymore they are just annoying and gross now and so on. I've also had the sense of being disconnected from my life at home. It's difficult to try and be in two places at once. I love my life here and I am so thankful i'm here but I'm sad to miss out on my life back home. Friends are having babies, it's Easter and i'm not with my family, I miss my dog, and I miss Chick-fil-a! The good thing is that several volunteers have been through this or are going through this with me. Luckily I am blessed with an incredibly supportive family. I'm almost at my 1 year anniversary here in Suriname, May 3rd!!!

A lot of eventful things happened in the village during my last stint there. We had an 8 foot Anaconda (which is funny since the name of my village Grantatai means Anaconda) in our creek where we wash clothes and dishes. The village decided to try and blow it up with kerosene, twice, but to no avail. Finally after much chaos the teenagers in my village picked him up with long poles and hauled him to the river. They threw him into the river and we haven't seen him since.

A few days later a little boy (6) was accidentatly cut with a machete on the forehead while another little boy (8) was cutting bananas out of my banana trees. He ended up with several stitches. He was a little trooper through all of it though.

I also had Amry Ants swarm my house. I don't have enough time to explain what those are but you should take a minute to Google them and read about them. It was terrifying and luckily I made it out of my house in time! I had a bit of help from my best little buddies!

I'm going back to site today but only for a couple of weeks. I'll be back in the city for a meeting at the end of April.

Happy Easter everyone!

Seriously awesome New Years Eve!!!

One more quick thing about Suriname on New Year's eve, it is amazing! There are street parties everywhere with live bands and fireworks! The entire day is a huge party. At noon on New Year's eve they set off lines of fireworks that are nearly as long as a city block! The fireworks are extremely loud and you need to wear a something to cover your face because of the smoke and flying objects. :) Pretty intense! At 11pm everyone returns to their families and they spend time giving thanks for the year that has come to an end. After midnight the parties begin again. We brought in the New Year together as a group at a local guesthouse. It was weird to not watch the ball drop on tv and to count down to midnight in Dutch! Tien, negen, acht, sefen, seis, fief, vier, dri, twue, ein!!!!! Woo! Don't check my spelling on those and it's even worse if you hear my attempt at speaking Dutch.

Again, Happy New Year!!!

Thank you 2011

Happy New Year everyone!

2011 was a fantastic year and i'm so thankful for it! The Surinamese know how to celebrate the end of a year and i've learned a few things from them. They throw huge parties with a serious amount of fireworks to celebrate the year that has passed. In America we tend to celebrate the year that is coming, to look forward to doing things different in the coming year. I was inspired by the Surinamese to look back at all the things that happened in 2011.

In 2011, I went to Disney World with my family and that is always amazingly fun! I learned how to clean fish while having a superb hangout with my Mississippi relatives. Dressed up like a medieval lady at my niece's princess birthday party. I walked in Springtime Tallahassee's parade with the Returned Peace Corps Volunteers of North Florida while carrying Bolivia's flag (we didn't have a Suriname flag but i still represented South America!). I enjoyed cocktails and literature with my book club ladies!! I showed off my impressive softball skills, ha ha, with a wonderful group of people! Go FMS!!! I ate as much mexican food as possible with amazing co-workers from Retirement! I partied it up at Alligator point with all my close friends and family. I met baby Ari! I received and accepted an invitation to serve in the United States Peace Corps. I googled the crap out of a country called Suriname. I started packing and repacking and repacking some more for moving to another country. I may have repacked some more too. I cried a lot while saying bye to family and friends. I cried on a plane to Miami while flying over my neighborhood in Tallahassee. I got super nervous about the idea of moving to a place I knew nearly nothing about and living in a culture completely different than my own. I met 22 equally nervous people in Miami, all headed to Suriname with me. I got to know 22 amazing people and formed friendships that will last a long long time. I began my 2 years of service in Suriname in May of 2011. From May 2011 to the end of 2011, I learned how to carry a bucket on my head, wash clothes and dishes in a river, clap along to a song (still working on that), fry cassava bread, beat rice, cut rice, make oil from seeds, speak Saramaccan, cross stitch EVERYTHING, how to sleep through roosters crowing, tie a koosu, cook coconut bread, braid hair and i'm in the process of learning how to dance like a Saramaccan woman... I have no rhythm so this is difficult. In 2011, I saw an anaconda eat a bird, saw a caiman hanging out on a rock at my village and I saw a monkey swing by using vines in the jungle! I ate monkey, tapir, iguana, jungle rat, fish face, piranha and iguana eggs. And had the funnest time ever splashing in the river with all the women and children of my village.

All in all, I have to say that 2011 absolutely rocked! I'm beyond excited to see what 2012 has in store for me.

Happy New Year!!!