Coconut trees are everywhere and they make me feel good.  They remind me that I'm in a completely different place worth appreciating.  But honestly, we should appreciate nature and our surroundings wherever we are.

I continue to enjoy the food of Guyana, and continue to learn from Claire how to cook them.  This means the world to me, since my father was an amazing cook, and used to cook and bake everything Guyanese from saltfish and bake, curry chicken, roti, cookup rice, pepper pot, fresh baked bread, garlic pork, everything. He used to try to teach me and my sister, but we were too busy watching Saturday morning cartoons to worry ourselves with how to get around in the kitchen.  

Here are some more food shots. 

Chilling, eating my roti and curry with my Spotify music.

 Fried snapper with fried plantains, dal and rice. (The fish is so fresh)

 Claire wears her baseball cap everytime the Cardinals play, and they have had great luck because of it! (Fried rice and barbecue chicken)

Chana, white rice, breadfruit and pepper/ketchup mix. Soooo good.

 Making roti is an interesting process, but well worth it.

Fresh roti. We made waaay too much roti that day!

 Fresh guava.  

Now that I'm here, I know Daddy's looking down from heaven with a smile on his face watching his baby girl cook all of the dishes that he used to make.  Ain't life funny?  It took me coming here to Guyana and being submerged in the culture for me to finally learn how to cook these amazing foods that I've loved my whole life.  Needless to say I'm beyond grateful for this experience.

I've been able to spend some time with my Aunty Gerty (my Dad's sister), who lives nearby.  She just left to head up to the states for the next 7 or 8 months, so I was lucky to catch her! 

Here is my Aunty Gerty. She is so down to earth! 

 Aunty Gerty with her daughter and my Cousin Romaine

 Added is Romaine's Husband Georgie or Richard. They live in Canada, but were visiting for a couple weeks.  He owns a tire shop very close to the school. I hang out over there sometimes to run errands.

 Oh yeah. You need an umbrella when you're walking.  Everywhere. That sun is no joke!

Between Claire and I, we have about 120 students at the school.  Because the academy is open to the entire Guyanese community, we have students of all ages in the same classes.  Many of you are under the impression that I am only teaching kids.  But the majority of my students are much older than I.  My students range from 11 years old to 75 years old.  It makes for quite an interesting classroom and experience!  Oh, how I love it!

Here are some of my students.  

These two are guitar students, but both have incredible voices. So much potential.

 Here is another guitar and voice student of mine, who took us to the Berbice Expo, very similar to a State Fair (music, food, games, outdoors, just fun all around). She was trying on a millitary cap. She's simply delightful!

Oh, and Claire wore the hat as well. lol

A few weeks ago our school hosted a worship service led by Glocal, an organization that ministers using local songs native to different cultures and global songs known throughout the world.  I had the pleasure of spending time with these fine musicians from different parts of the world (some from Puerto Rico, Namibia, India, Palestine, The United States, and many other places), and then being able to engage in amazing musical moments with them.  Claire and I had such a great time with them. 

 During an amazing worship service, this happened, and just created such an amazing energy and vibe! I'm glad I caught this moment! Click Here to watch the vid.

more pics from Glocal event

Here is an academy class that Claire and I taught on a Saturday afternoon.

When I first started teaching here, I was super nervous and anxious everyday before I began teaching.  And because my teaching doesn’t begin until late afternoon, I spent the whole morning and afternoon with my stomach in knots, my heart racing, in fear that I am not really prepared (and sometimes unworthy) to teach these amazing, eager people that come from near and far to learn music. 

When I go through those moments of anxiety and even fear, I rely on the Holy Spirit. God has shown me many times over how everything in my life up to this point has shaped me and prepared me for this moment and experience.  I can't begin to tell you the dozens of "coincidences" in what I've been doing here that matched a task that I learned how to do 10 years prior or even a week prior to me coming here.  That's how God works.  He really does prepare us for responsibilities that are expected of us, even if we don't feel like we are prepared.  He's really got our back.

I spent some time with family.  Sadly it was due to a funeral, but it's usually in those times that you get to enjoy the company of extended family. We took a ferry to Essequibo and the young people took a speedboat back to Georgetown. Man it was a wonderful time of travel, family, and nature. 

My cousins Dannille and Ryan on the ferry

 My cousin Elise and her aunt

 Little cousins. So cute!

 Gweneth, my mother's first cousin, holding her grandson.

The Essequibo River was magnificent. 

I don't know this man, but he was enjoying the river in such a peaceful way. 

 Cousin Ryan again, and great scenery. #nofilter lol

I have been meeting many people who knew my Dad.  Some of my students even.  One of them was a schoolmate of his growing up and was able to tell me exactly where my father lived!  Such an amazing and surreal moment.  Learning things about my late father brings about a whole lot of emotions from beautiful to bittersweet.  Bittersweet because I miss him so much, but beautiful because being here, I've never felt closer to him.  

This experience is so much deeper than I could have ever imagined.  It is stirring up feelings and emotions that I haven't allowed myself to feel in a very long time.  But it's alright because I've never felt so alive. It makes me feel like this is what life is about. Not avoiding fear, pain, change and challenge, but embracing it and accepting it as part of the ride of life.

Another valuable lesson that I'm also learning here so far: take THINGS ONE DAY AT A TIME. I don't let myself look too far ahead into the future, or I get nervous, afraid, and physically make myself sick! I start thinking; "What if something happens and I never make it home? Who has gone a whole year without sickness or an accident? Can I handle this year?"  Seriously. Worry can take you to hell. No exaggeration. Hell. You don't have to die to experience hell. Just think really far into the future about all the possible negative things that can happen to you in your life and there you are. Smack dab in the middle of hell.  Twerking with Satan. And the sad part is that people live their entire lives like this!

So one day at a time. It's a must for me. A week is the max as to how far ahead I allow myself to think and plan for. I simply need to take it all in around me, you know? Fully let myself receive this experience in all of its glory. Even thinking and daydreaming about being home with friends and family sort of takes away from the experience too.  So what I do to ease the pangs of homesickness when they come are reach out to family through WhatsApp and then go on Facebook for brief moments to check in and show some love.

I mean, let's be honest. A year is a long time to be living outside of your original country. Is it possible to do so and do it well? Absolutely! Have people done longer with no troubles? Most certainly! I'm just putting it into perspective here.

Until next time, be well.  Take things one day at a time, and appreciate your surroundings. Love you and blessings to you and yours.

~Twy