Still Alive

I am very happy to be home in America. When I first got back I really didn't think I would be able to handle the cold weather, but surprisingly this winter was not as cold as winters past. We have sent our visa request to the Suriname embassy and they say it will take at least 2 months to process. We are patiently waiting though hoping that everything works out well, because believe it or not I miss Sranan (Suriname). I actually had a taste of Suriname the other day, because we brought home the pinda (peanut) sauce and Chevy's Gekruide Ketjap (Spicy Ketchup). I might make it sometime soon, because out of everything that I miss it is the food that stands out, of course after some people that I miss dearly. I thought I should post since I haven't posted since I got here to America. The time has really gone by fast, but it will be bittersweet to go back to Suriname.

Missing Suri....

Foto Friday

Saramacca Connect The newest bridge in Suriname is only 2 minutes walking distance from me. As of June 27th there is more traffic but now the people living only 50 minutes or so from town won't have to take the extra hours to get there. Further Reading

4th of July

 Yesterday. Heard no fireworks. Ate no barbecue chicken. Swam in no pool. BUT all is not lost. On Sunday, July 3rd, my neighbor decided to barbecue in lieu of emancipation day here in Suriname since it was still the same weekend. We just got an invitation to a 4th of July celebration that will take place next Sunday, July 10th for all American citizens residing in Suriname. That is going to be pretty cool.

The 4th of July has a new meaning to me now. July 4, 2009 was my last day as a single woman. Today, is my wedding anniversary and I am just glad to be married to such a great man. We have been married for two years now and this evening we will celebrate. Marriage is a give and take. Having a discussion about marriage my cousin said,"marriage is a collision of two worlds." Some may not agree, but this is the truth. I agree with her, but have an amendment: "marriage is a holy collision of two worlds"; the fact that God instituted marriage, 85% of weddings are in a church or synagogue, and a majority of those who get married at the Justice of the Peace call a chaplain to bless them, all support this.

I have taken a serious vow and will continue to be faithful to it. We will go to Pizza Hut, which is fine dining here. You'll see pictures on Friday or maybe tomorrow. I'll keep you updated as I am working on some videos to show you more of what Suriname is like, from a more captivating aspect.

Enjoying my anniversary...

Foto Friday

Keti Koti Literally meaning "cut chain" is being observed today, July 1, in Suriname. It is emancipation day led out by the slaves. Many people were representing in traditional outfits like this little girl above. 

Sunday Stroll

Converse Store at the Hermitage mall

Yesterday, I went to the mall with my hubby after a successful outing with our church members. We were going to go to Fernandes, to get a little snack, but opted to just get the snack at the mall. Before we arrived honestly I thought the mall might not be open, because so many other places were closed. Much to my pleasant surprise the mall was open. Yay!! First place? Food court. The food court isn't as extensive, but I did find a good snack. We both ordered a chicken sate (pronounced sah-tay) with a side of fries. I got some pinda sauce with mine. Pinda is dutch for peanuts. In a later post I hope to give you a recipe for this delicious pinda sauce.

After eating of course we just walked around like the rest of the mall goers. I looked into stores with wishful eyes and empty pockets. Oh how I wish I was rich sometimes. (Only sometimes because mo' money, mo' problems.) Anyhow though I knew I wasn't going to buy anything I still went into several stores, shoe stores to be specific. I love shoes. Until my husband was tired but by then we were practically at the end of the mall. All that was left was the huge Converse store that stood before us. Of course he was rejuvenated as we entered. I felt like I was in America again. There were shoes (of course), clothes, and a DJ. Across the Converse store is one of the two McDonald's in Suriname. I wanted a sundae, but since I had one Saturday night I figured a few less calories wouldn't hurt.

We left there around 8:45pm and it looked like the night was just getting started. The stores were closing, yet the parking lot was throbbing with cars. Then it was brought to my attention that everyone is going to the theatres which is adjacent to the mall. Going to the mall always tires me, but I stayed up for the 45 minute drive home. The Hermitage mall is a definite place to visit if you come to Suriname.

Now wanting a sundae...

Foto Friday

Papakye This green parrot is talented. At times he can sound like a child crying then go to the opposite, a woman laughing, it is really fun to watch these birds and listen to them. In Suriname they call these birds pa-pa-kye.

Suriname Visa

By the end of 2010 the National Democratic Party (NDP) of Suriname was beginning their reign. President Bouterse brought a new government to Suriname where a lot of things changed. In particular the rules for foreigners became strict. As an America passport holder I am allowed 90 days on a Tourist visa. Anyone coming to Suriname must come with a round-trip ticket. That wasn't an option for my husband and me.

We didn't and still don't know exactly when we are leaving. We came back in October 2010, and made it clear we would be here for at least a year. After working in the interior with the bush negroes and especially our Haitian brethren we have decided to prolong our stay a couple of months. Seeing that we came on a one way ticket at the airport they gave us a stay for 30 days. That is they stamped our passport with a stay for 30 days, because we applied for our Suriname visa from America (which is valid for 5 years multiple entries). Each entry can be for up to 90 days if you have proof that you will be leaving.

For us we don't have proof that we are leaving anytime soon. Solution? French Guiana! Every 30 days when our stay is up we head on over to Suriname's neighboring country French Guiana. We spend the night at La Tentiaire (pronounced la-tuhn-see-air). It is like a mini vacation from the hustle and bustle of Paramaribo. When you cross the river it is like you are in Europe, technically you are. We wish we didn't have to do this, but this is the only solution.

Last month we went to the States. We bought our ticket in February. When we went to the police station to show our itinerary they finally granted us a 90 day stay until we left for America. Now that we are back we have to keep running for the border until we can get that ticket home. The road is long, but the light at the end of the tunnel is worth it ;-)

Loving the border...

Back in Town!

It has been approximately 13 days since I have been back in Suriname. These nearly two weeks have been very full. I came back on the same flight as my friends from NAPS with whom I am currently doing more extensive work in the interior. When we got in we stayed in town for about two days then it was straight to the bush. I was really tired already from the "vacation" which wasn't as relaxing as I expected.

While in America believe it or not I didn't do half of the things that I thought I would do. I actually did go to the following restaurants: Chinese food (the broccoli was banging), Subway, Taco Bell, IHOP, and Chipotle. I really enjoyed the visit with friends and family. It was really nice to see all the people that I got to see. Unfortunately I didn't get to see everyone that I wanted to see, but when we get back permanently we will get a chance to catch up.

It  has been 30 days since my last post so I couldn't let another day go on without posting. I will be working in the interior until mid June, but today I am in town, because the doctors are coming in tomorrow. My husband and I are going to pick them up from the airport and bring them back to the interior to continue the medical work. I will probably blog another post in about a month. Feel free to check back in a month. Don't forget about me as I haven't forgotten about you! The work is progressing, but we need your prayers.

Back to the bush...

Foto Friday

School bus? Yes. Everyday this bus comes in the morning to pick up the children and drop them off in the afternoon. I look at it and wonder if this is the same bus that Rosa Parks rode back in the day. 

Going Home

In 4 days I will be in America. Yay!!! : D This blog is not over, neither will the posts diminish for the next 2 weeks (hopefully), because this is only a visit. I am going to visit my friends and family even though honestly I gave gotten used-to Suriname. Of course there are people that I miss, like my Dad and sister (not my mom because she is here visiting), but I am glad to get a chance to see their faces. I was thinking about the first thing I wanted to eat...mmm....Subway! I want to get a turkey sandwich wrap with some chipotle sauce, baby spinach, olives, onions, ranch dressing, swiss cheese, and have it toasted! Whooo...hooo! That is going to be so good. That is just one of the many restaurants on my list. Seeing that I am on a strict budget I may not get to go to all here on my list: Chinese restaurant [only for broccoli and tofu in garlic sauce w/ fried rice], Subway, Taco bell, Chipotle, Chik-fil-A, Coconutz Fusion, Papa Gyros (great greek food), Casa Blanca, any Indian restaurant, Cheesecake factory....can't think of anymore,  but please if you have any ideas I'm willing to hear.

Apart from the food I am really looking forward to shopping at the thrift store. I just love a good bargain for great quality stuff. Can't wait to go to Walmart and Target! Actually take a hot shower. My house only has cold water. You know there are usually two knobs on every sink...well not everywhere do you have the luxury of two knobs here. Most times it is one knob for the cold. If you have a tank though that faces the sun during the day, you will have the privilege of feeling nice warm water on your skin. The cold water is actually good for you though. Some say it will make you sick, but I think I have gained a strengthened immune system seeing that I haven't gotten sick. I hope too many things haven't changed since I've been gone, but I guess I'll find out when I get there.

America here I come...

Hot Road

Today I just came back from the interior and it was such a beautiful experience. It was hot, but the trip was definitely worth it. About 90% of Suriname is comprised of "bush". Leaving only about 10% developed. To me if you come to Suriname and haven't visited the interior then you haven't really visited Suriname. Traveling on the road though is pretty difficult, mainly because of the heat. Where I went was a little village called Lesplansi. To get there, from Paramaribo, you have to drive for about 4 hours south to Atjoni, a little pit stop dock to all the Saramaccan villages. From there you get on a canoe and drive or ride rather for about 40 minutes to Lesplansi. There enjoy the love of simplicity!

Back to the heat...When I said heat the road is HOT! Unfortunately there hasn't been any rain for almost a month now. So imagine the pavement just being beaten by the Amazon sun day in and day out. Depending on the type of tires you have, one of them might give out on you. This trip I experienced just that. As we were driving back this afternoon we saw about 5 tires just give out. Our tire is actually included in the 5. The driver had good control and thank God we were safe. The rubber gets so hot that the tire just explodes. Explodes is a really strong word, but it will give you an idea of the heat. Regardless of the heat I would take that road just to see my friends in Lesplansi.

Praying for rain...

Where is Suriname Anyway?

When I tell people that I am in Suriname, most of them think that it is in Africa somewhere. LOL! I guess if you don't really stop to think about it Suriname could be just about anywhere. With Dutch as their first language Suriname is nestled between Guyana, French Guiana, and above Brazil. Suriname was once known as Dutch Guiana  before they gained their independence in November 1975. Foolishly assuming that all South American countries speak Spanish, except for Brazil of course, I was very surprised to find out they speak Dutch here. Of course during the Transatlantic slave trade most of the European countries that could wanted to get in on the benefits. The Dutch were in control of this territory importing slaves and exporting rich resources. Little known fact, from Wikipedia, is by 1815 there were 5 Guianas: Spanish Guiana (Venezuela), British Guiana (Guyana), Dutch Guiana (Suriname), Portuguese Guiana (Brazil), and French Guiana. Below I have put a map of Suriname so you can examine the different cities, towns, and districts. Unfortunately where I live just wasn't good enough to make it on the map. If you look closely for Paramaribo, the capital, then find Groningen I live between the two closer to Groningen just before the river.

Click here to learn even more about Suriname 

Learning more about Suriname everyday...

Best Neighbors

Well my neighbors are the best. Why? When we first got here we didn't know ANYONE, of course, cause we were new. We did have a Suriname native take us around with them as they did their daily activities. Our neighbors went so much as to take us to both of the conventional malls here in Suriname. After the mall we went to a place called Alegria, meaning joy in spanish, to get ice cream. Alegria is a mini version of Chuck E. Cheese's.

On another day they invited us over to have dinner with them and boy was it good. The mom is an excellent chef. She made a slammin' fried fish, greens, and rice. She actually taught to make this dish that I call Surprise Yucca Balls I don't remember the actual name of it. The name I gave it though pretty much describes what it is. You partially boil the yucca/cassava/manyok, whatever you would like to call it. Then, you drain the water, mash up the yucca and cook it in a pan, season it up. Once seasoned and thoroughly cooked, let it cool. Once cool take the surprise (which is a boiled egg) and cover the egg with the cassava, making a ball. After forming all the balls, beat an egg. Dip the yucca ball in the beaten egg then fry the ball. Hmmm....mmmm.....good! Eat it as a snack or for a meal with greens. You have your starch, protein, and veggies for a balanced meal.

Oh! I can't forget to tell you that they are from Guyana so they speak English. That is why we can appreciate them even more, because we can actually communicate to them without translation.

There are many good people in Suriname, but my neighbors...the best!

Foto Friday

La Nature Enjoying the sun, flowers, and grass on a beautiful day of clear skies. In the back is a side view of my house. 

Good Eats

I have almost eaten food from all the cultural/ethnic groups in Suriname. There are many places to good to find these different foods. Among all of them my favorite is the East Indian dish, roti and curry chicken. The restaurant that is most commonly visited for this delicious delight is Roopram Roti Restaurant. I am not trying to advertise, but if you are new in Suriname and can appreciate spicy Indian food, definitely you should visit Roopram. There are other Roti shops like Joosie's, which I have been meaning to visit, but just haven't gotten around to it yet. 

My husband's favorite food in LIFE is rice. Here in Suriname the Javanese have a unique rice that has definitely deepened his love for rice and it is called nasi, which means fried rice in Indonesian. Now this is not just any type of fried rice. This fried rice includes but is not limited to carrots, celery, chicken, corn [sidebar: just noticed 4 C's, if you put these four only your nasi is C to the fourth power] and other things that you may like to spice it up. To top it all off there is a sauce that they pour over while they fry to give it  the brown color and extra good flavor. Obviously sounds like I  like it to. I do, but I can get rice any day. 

Lovin' roti over rice...

Saramaccan Greetings

Every morning "oo-fa-weki!" was the greeting I received the moment I stepped outside and it means good morning. Every person that you pass on the way will greet you this way and I responded "oo-weki-o!" Then you could be asked, "weki tanga?" which is like did you sleep well? My response could be "weki boon-boon!" (I slept good) or "weki wan-say wan-say" (I slept alright). There were many call and response greetings that really showed me the way the villagers cared to connect with you. In the afternoon the greeting was "oo-day-no!" my response would be "oo-day-o!".

These conversations through the day really showed me the care and interest they had for one another. To show how intertwined an open they are, a grown woman could be on her way to the river, to bathe, and after the call and response without being asked she would explain where she was going and what she was about to do. Simple living really allows you to take time and invest in your neighbor whom you pass by everyday. As a personal addition to my life it would be good to stop and greet people. Be simple and make time to find out what is going on, because just one minute invested could really make the difference in someone's life. Living among the Saramaccan people was really a joy and privilege.

Can't wait to go back...

Where to Begin

I feel like I have been away for so long and with all that has happened I don't know where to start. That is why it has taken me this long to post. As you know I was up the Saramacca river in the interior of Suriname for about 4 weeks. My friends that I told you about, part of an organization called NAPS, came and did a great work. A dentist, medical doctor, and medical assistants came and helped almost 1,000 people. Daily we walked, weather ~rain~ or *shine*, two miles to the school where all the children attended. We taught over 100 children Math, English, Science, and Biblical Morals. The villages where we were working  really were ignorant of biblical truths. Nightly we had meetings that enlightened them of the truths that God has in the bible for them. One of the closing events of this trip was a baptism, where 11 persons were baptized.

Now a village that had no church will meet in our locale to have weekly church sessions. The captain of the village, who by the way got baptized, gave us a portion of land where we could build a church. My husband is actually go back down there this weekend to study the dynamics of the land and assess all the things needed to build the church. This is pretty much all that happened in a nut shell, but as the days progress I will try to share with you more of my experience in the interior.

Ahhh...the ball is rolling again!

Foto Friday

Mommy is visiting us in Suriname!

Mission Life

I haven't had a chance to post anything for the past 8 days, but that is because I am on a mission trip to the interior of Suriname right now. My friends from NAPS, the organization I work with, are here. They arrived on February 15th. We actually left for the interior on the 17th. I only have like 15 minutes for this post, but I am writing to let you all know that I am o.k. and there are tremendous things happening out here. Of course there have been some ups and downs, but overall I see a continual increase in the positive outcomes of our work.

We have been teaching at the village school, visiting homes, and holding nightly family programs. The villager attendance at our programs have been steadily increasing. There will be doctors, and dentists coming in 2 weeks to really meet the needs of our new found friends here in the interior. The bond we have with the families, especially the children is amazing. Please keep a prayer in your heart for us and I will TRY to keep you updated. We plan to work out here until the 17th of March. I can't wait to see what the future will hold!

Loving what I do...

Get on the Bus

The PJU bus is our primary transportation here in Suriname. We take it pretty much every day. Roughly 15% of the buses that run here are government buses. The other 85% are privately owned and operated. All of which are named by the areas that they service. We live in Uitkijk [pronounced urwt (like earth with a funny accent)-cake]. That is the U in PJU. P is for Paramaribo, the capital and all happenings of Suriname. J is for Jarikaba where the biggest plantain plantation is located. There are a lot of Haitians that work there and also live in Uitkijk. This is why we live in Uitkijk which is 25 or so kilometers from downtown Paramaribo. The PJU bus fare is a whopping 2.25 SRD (like 70¢ USD). Recently there was a major increase in gas, food, and pretty much everything in Suriname. A few days after the gas increase the bus fares immediately went up, like the next day.

The government told the buses to bring the prices down because the people weren’t really prepared for this yet. After the bus drivers heard that they went on strike. Practically all of the buses that run were like, ‘if we can’t get paid we won’t work!’. Thank God Jean and I had borrowed a car for those couple of days. Traveling on the streets was like being in a ghost town. Usually there would be so many buses and a lot of activity, but since there was a strike, nothing. There were even children that couldn’t go to school. One of our friends barely made it to work. She actually had to look out for the government bus that of course was running. To appease the bus drivers the government decided to subsidize the difference in what they would have charged and the expected bus fare. I don’t know how long this subsidy will last, but soon the bus fare will go up to 2.50 SRD/person. Imagine that is 5 SRD for both of us one-way. Round trip is 10 SRD for just one day. Just pray that we get a car so instead of spending money on bus fare we’ll just spend it on gas and we have the freedom to move where ever we want.

Yea we can drive here…