The ‘finer’ things in life…

Okay I am about to do an entry that I swore I would never do (oooo – I hear you say).

It’s the three-month stage and as it is also the summer break for schools, I have decided to come over to Trinidad and Tobago to have my own little break (oh and to vote in the national election back home – so nice not to have to be in Australia for the campaign, though!!). I enjoying just getting away for a little bit, having a chance to rejuvenate and then I will be ready to get back into it with guns blazing.

The surprise for me has been the things I have found here that are either not in Guyana or I don’t have access to back there, that clearly impact on my lifestyle. My reaction may be tainted due to a bug I picked up in Georgetown before I left, but I am most certainly appreciating access to these things now.

The first thing that grabbed my attention was the multi-lane highway as we drove out of the airport. Then I noticed how it felt, or rather didn’t feel, going along this wonderful piece of technology. It was smooth! We were actually driving along…smoothly. We didn’t have to watch out for animals, vehicles, potholes, people or bikes. It felt good. Suddenly, I was feasting my eyes on a massive overpass, which was clearly not that old. I marvelled at its height, shaped and its curve, as it passed over the highway. Yet that wasn’t to be the biggest thing I saw. In the distance, I could make out modern, glass skyscrapers. This was the beginning sensory overload.

Trinidad and Tobago is currently on a campaign to gain ‘developed world’ status. Financing this, I suspect, is the wealth being generated from the oil industry (Trinidad is not that far from Venezuela and shares some geological features, obviously, hence the oil). It creates interesting contrasts in the capital, Port of Spain, where a lot of construction has been taking place to ‘modernise’ (yes, this post is being brought to you by quotation marks. I’ll be using heaps) the city. Obviously not complete yet, these locations were empty, or rather, that’s how they appeared to be. Perhaps the buildings were hiding the life that existed within their walls. It was difficult to tell. This also made it difficult to determine where all the people were in the city, especially as I had heard about all the shopping centres.

Eventually I stumbled across Independence Square (basically a long divided road) and into the shopping precinct. Lots of shops were selling basically the same items (how many sneakers does one need, really?). But there was life. Was it crowded? Yes. Did I feel a bit nervous walking around? Yes. Did it feel alive? YES! So this begs the question, how do you ‘modernise’, yet keep the good parts (not necessarily saying being worried about criminal activity is a good thing, but the vibe in the shopping section, most certain is something I would like to see remain)?

For decades, many cities have struggled with the ‘donut city’ syndrome, which basically refers to the city centre emptying at the end of the working day as everyone lives in other places, leaving you with an empty hole in the city centre. Numerous cities have had big campaigns and massive projects to rejuvenate these areas (making the cost of housing in nearby locations expensive, and difficult for university students who study nearby – yep I’m biased. I’m not ashamed of it, either!), to not only make better use of these precincts but also to try to curb an urban sprawl. What you do get in Port of Spain, though, are pockets that remind me of the favelas in Brazil. Favelas are most certainly interesting places, which serve a really important purpose in these cities (usually a home for many who do the lower paying jobs), as has been finally recognised in many places. In Rio, for example, they have decided to stop the campaign to demolish these areas, but rather, to legitimise them. Time will only tell how these communities fair in the drive for ‘developed world’ status.

Port of Spain is not a city people talk a lot about. People I have met who have been there have tended to be somewhere on the scale from indifferent to hating the place. I most certainly respect their views. To me, however, there is a fascination with this city. It clearly is at a turning point, which makes it exciting to see what will happen (and possibly a more pleasant experience being an outsider). It will definitely be one of the most important cities of this region. Already you see multinational companies here with large modern buildings and offices that I have not seen in Guyana (neither companies nor buildings), so it’s importance has already been recognised by some sectors. It will be interesting to see what impact this has on the vibe.

…and so you would think my blog entry would end here. Not today!

I am currently on the island of Tobago, staying at a guesthouse, not on the beach, like the website would suggest, but in a fairly well to do area. Walking around this estate I saw some lovely double-storey houses (with lots of character – not like the estates I think of back home in Australia) set in well-established gardens (which happens quite quickly in this climate). It really is quite pleasant. The guesthouse is close to everything I need, so on that side of things, I am actually quite happy with being based here.

It’s what I found when I walked inside the guesthouse, that glued my eyes wide open. I have a room with air conditioning and hot running water, but no mosquito net (I’m really starting to hate mosquito nets. Such a pain if you need to go to the toilet in the middle of the night, and restrictive on how much of your bed you can actually use as you can’t be touching the edge of the net). I walk into the laundry and there are two fully automatic washing machines…and a dryer. Of course I set to work, washing all my clothes, which have only been hand-washed (not by me – yes I pay someone to do that) for the past three months. The clothes came out smelling so ‘laundry-powder’ fresh, and after a little while in the dryer, they were actually dry on the same day! Now, don’t get the wrong idea and think I am getting way too excited over washing clothes, well actually, yes, I am getting way too excited (not ashamed to admit that either). The thing is, I simply put them in and let the machine do it’s magic. It’s easy. It feels like I have not experienced ‘easy’ for quite some time.

I jokingly, and probably facetiously, refer to everything in Guyana being a long-term project. Not that there is necessarily anything bad about how things operate. It’s just something you simply adjust to. Things don’t always happen on the day you want. Only some of the things you want may be in stock. The person you want to see may have been called away for an emergency meeting. You just learn to roll with it. I am now quite comfortable with the idea that I will not get everything done on my list when I go to the capital Georgetown, which may cause some significant delays. I’ve learnt to prioritise differently but also give consideration to the number of jobs I am trying to juggle at once. I feel I am doing a lot of the ‘hurry up and waiting’. That’s okay. I’ve learnt to take some reading material, whether for work or pleasure, so I can make use of that time, or just to use it as a chance to chill a bit. I’m a changed man, who has been forced to have more balance in his life, and definitely very grateful for it. It’s only now as I get the washed clothes out of the automatic washing machine that I realise how much I have changed without the use of all the mod cons, and adjusted to the life I now live in Guyana. It’s been nice to have them but I can live without them, for a while anyway. All I would use the time saved for is more work anyway - so what I am saving, really?

So is that the end of this entry. NO! I haven’t even begun to write the entry I swore I would never right.

The thing is, why the contrast between Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago? Both are mineral rich countries so they should have the financial capital to ‘modernise’ (and at this point I must state I am not going to get involved in the environmental or ethical arguments surround mineral exploitation). So why is it like it is? Well the answers to those questions need to be attacked from so many angles (and at this point let me excuse the semantics of defining ‘modern’ and whether to modernise is a good thing, I’m really referring to issues at the level of health, food security, safe drinking water, literacy…).

Guyana most certainly has had an interesting past, since it became independent. Basically it became a socialist state and turned its back on the world (or was that the other way around…or both – yet to determine that). From the limited discussions I have had with people, it seemed this decision, ironically, did not benefit everyone, particularly when alleged food shortages kicked in. While this was happening, the brain drain also began (and continues today – but that’s a blog entry of it’s own – which I have no doubt I will eventually write). Since then, political parties that have been split down racial lines have dominated the political arena. Although, there is a relatively new party that is trying to bring people together (next year’s elections could prove an interesting time to be here). But it can’t all come down to good governance, can it? I suspect not. We do have quite an impenetrable interior with hills and jungle plus a climate that continually attacks any physical infrastructure in place. This means, in many areas, the only access is by boat, foot or plane, which means getting to some places can take days. The cost of transport is incredibly expensive, as well. The list of reasons, starts to get longer and more complex.

The thing is, life is not easy in Guyana when you think about it. It really is a credit to the people that they are doing as well as they are because while we are not necessarily seeing some of the trappings of a ‘western modern’ (and may I point out, not necessarily the ideal either) society, we do have some amazing things happening. It’s really not that important to compare the two countries. Both are on their own paths and I hold hope for both places. If we take Guyana, we have some absolutely incredible people who care and work really hard. Over time, more and more of these people will hopefully make their way into crucial roles (but need to think about the brain drain factor again – keeps popping its ugly head up). On top of this, it will be interesting to watch the impact of places like Norway, who are paying lots of money to protect/lock away the forests (which word to use there really depends on who you are, hence why both are there. You can choose your own adventure) and Australia, with a mining company exploiting gold and uranium reserves. It just gets more and more complicated.

Which comes back to my original decision not to write a blog entry about this. It’s just too easy to fall into the trap of oversimplifying the situation and being patronising. What’s really important is whether things are getting better. The impression you get from what you initially see of both countries is really not enough to make that judgment. You really need to delve a lot deeper. Gut feeling says ‘yes’ for both countries. In the case of Guyana, it is really great to be here just to witness that.

Okay, so that was a bit of cop-out, really, (yes I will unashamedly admit to that) and my conclusion, did end up sounding a bit oversimplified and patronising. However, writing blogs posts like this one, is not why I am here. I am here because it was thought my skills, knowledge and expertise could be beneficial to those out in Region 7. I have a job to do, so I need to get on with it. But let me enjoy these mod cons just for a few more days first.

Now I am finished!

Those fleeting moments…

It was a Wednesday evening and I had just got back from catching up with a couple of friends. I went to grab my phone to go online and find out what had been happening with my friends in other places, but particularly those back in Australia.

My phone wasn’t with my wallet on the table, where I would normally put it after emptying my pockets. I was sure I had it with me. I started to look all over the table, around the table, under table. Still no phone. I widened my search. Perhaps I had put in on the couch. No, not there. Maybe I didn’t have it and had left it locked away. Checked my bedroom, my cupboard. Started to pull everything out, up, away. Still couldn’t find it. Started to panic; where was my phone?

The evening continued and the panic continued to grow. Matters were made much worse by next-door having a party, lots of loud music and laughter. I wasn’t in the mood and that was making it worse. I started to recap the evening to work out where I had been with my phone. Yes I had had it at the bar, but from the time I got in the car until I arrived home, I could not recall having it. Did I not put it in my pocket properly? Had it fallen out of my pocket? Was it in a friend’s car or had it fallen out on the street. I wanted to know; where was my phone and more importantly, who had it?

I started to think about all the things I had on it. The numbers I had acquired, the credit available. Typically I had not backed things up and I had a feeling my Skype account was still open? I knew from friends’ experiences that if someone had my phone and if I did not know them, the chance of getting my phone back was practically zero. So I started to wonder, how do I organise to stop people from access the services on my phone when I have no phone to make that necessary phone call. As friends living nearby were out of town, I decided to walk over the hill to another friend’s house, but they were fast asleep. The thinking continued…if it was lost, how do I get myself another decent phone that will enable Internet as well as phone access? Back in Australia this would be easy to sort out but here…where do I start? And for that fleeting moment, I decided it was all just too hard and quit.

In that sort of emotional state it is not the best time to make such a decision. You can here yourself becoming irrational and spiralling further and further into it. The actual issue really is so small and manageable yet it seems to overwhelm you.

Recognising my irrationality, I decided to sleep on it. But seriously, why would a phone set off such a reaction I had not even come close to experiencing during my whole time here before. Delve into that a bit deeper and it becomes very apparent. The phone is my link, security blanket, my connection to the outside world. Through it, I can check my emails, go on to Facebook to see what people are up to and use Skype to make free or cheap calls to anyone, anywhere. It is helping me to stay in touch with my family and friends from across the planet. Without my phone, bond was suddenly severed. I was alone.

This is my third stint of living overseas for a long period of time and the ease of staying in touch with loved ones has improved dramatically. The first time was nearly twenty-five years ago. The main form of contact was by mail and collect calls to my parents only. Letters could take a month to arrive and phone calls expensive, so they tended to happen on an irregular basis. This meant I was on my own. None of my regular support network was around me, in a country where they didn’t speak English. It took time to develop new friendships where you could have those matter-of-fact deep conversations you required when dealing with an unfamiliar and sometimes confronting culture (from your own perspective, not necessarily the reality). At times, I was quite lonely.

Ten years later, and mobile phones had come into existence for my next stint overseas. This meant it was easier to contact people, but still expensive. I was still quite dependent on the mail, which could arrive in four days or four weeks. In fact, sometimes I would have a whole month’s mail would arrive at once. On one occasion I read a letter from my parents asking me what I wanted for my birthday after I opened the package containing the present from them. This meant your support network was not necessarily readily available so, once again, had to rely on your own resilience to get through the tough times. (I must point out at this point that in both these experiences, I most certainly did develop strong friendships and relationships with people who have remained good friends to this day).

This brings us to today and my current experience overseas. The Internet has clearly cemented its place in our psyche. Not only can I contact friends easily and quickly, but also I actually have quite a few options in how I wish to do that. I can email friends, check out what they are up to on Facebook, chat through a range of online forums, readily share photographs, give quick updates on events happening and even make cheap if not free phone calls. This time around, I am most certainly connected with my family and friends, with very little effort. No long periods on my own, trying to deal with situations or issues. I can readily sound off with a range of friends from all over the place, to have that chat you need just to get something out of your system or to see some clarity. With today’s mobile phone technology, these many options have gained a level of portability I’ve never had before. So it was not so much losing the phone itself, but rather what it symbolised, that was creating the ‘crisis’ in my head, and without finding a quick simply way to fix that, the irrationality started to set in.

With the improvements in technology, so the experience of living far from loved ones has changed. I have certainly become more reliant on the technology for communication, whether that is via my laptop, through an Internet café, or on my phone. Fortunately for me, I have been placed where I have ready access to these options (something that was definitely a deal-maker for me when deciding to accept this position). People are most certainly more up-to-date with my adventures (although the perception is clouded by what I choose to share consciously and unconsciously – no I don’t just party all the time, PEOPLE!!!!). In some cases, technology is enabling me to be in even more contact with people then I ever was when we lived close by. I definitely have more idea of what is happening at home in the news, in particular how my football team is going (which, I always seem to become more interested when I am overseas). Not only that, I also have more ready access to resources to support my work, so no need to log heavy books or other material around with me. It has made the whole experience much easier and I’m really not experiencing any homesickness at all (sorry mum!!).

So please, do keep me informed. Upload photos, update your status, send messages via Skype or other messaging facilities, drop me an email or comment on this very blog. It actually helps me here, as I am not wondering about or missing things from home.

Oh, and it turned out the phone had fallen out of my pocket in my friend’s car, so we were reunited the very next day, much to my relief (and thank you, Asim!). I now keep a very close eye on it. Also, that fleeting moment…it was just that. I soon came to my senses. I couldn’t be happier with where I am and what I am doing, perhaps enjoying it a little too much!!