Radica

Any Guyanese person and Peace Corps Volunteer in Guyana will personally know the title of this blog the second they look at it. Radica, a phenomenon sweeping across Guyana, is the title of a song here that blares at all hours of the day and night, for birthday and wedding celebrations, while people are "sporting" (guyanese term for drinking and partying), at sports games, and many more occasions.

Let me further explain: first of all it's a chutney music song that's catchy and annoying all at the same time. Chutney music is a "form of music indigenous to the southern Caribbean, primarily Trinidad & Tobago and Guyana, which derives elements from soca and Indian film songs" (Wikipedia). It's very upbeat and was first religious in nature and sung by families but has since caught like wildfire and become one of the most popular forms of music, aside from soca, here in the Caribbean.

The song, also followed up by three additional versions, has the following lyrics:

Since you leave me
I am alone
I am like a dog
Without a bone,
And I don't want to be alone

So Radica why you leave and go?
oh oh oh oh
So Radica why you leave and go?

To listen to it fully click or paste here:
http://www.toronto-lime.com/music/chutney/CHUTNEY%202K9%20-%20Kenneth%20Salick%20-%20Radica.htm

Of course, there's Radica's reply:

Since I left you
I'm so happy
You didn't say how ill you treat me
You meant so much but not enough to me

Ah (I) had ah (a) right to leave and go
oh oh oh oh
Ah had ah right to leave and go

Again, listen to the song, it'll all make sense:
http://www.toronto-lime.com/music/chutney/CHUTNEY%202K9%20-%20Devika%20Ram%20-%20Ah%20Had%20Ah%20Right%20To%20Leave%20(Radica%20Reply).htm

You might be asking yourself why I'm telling you this information. Well my friends, I hear this song almost every single day. It's in my sleep and dreams, it's at the restaurants I eat at, it's on the commercials and in the cars passing by. It haunts me. Now I pass it on to you so you too can have it going round and round in your heads all day long. Enjoy! It's a small taste of my life here in Guyana wherever you may be.


P.S. For background information about why the song is the way it is, click on this link. I didn't know this until today, so I thought it was interesting to add. Cheers!
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/index.pl/article_news?id=161437886

Just some photos...

Some girls and I from GUY 21 after movie night

Swearing in ceremony... just before we sang Amazing Grace

Me swearing in and getting my pin.

Barry's mom at her house the morning we all left Essequibo.

Me, Barry, and his mom all having breakfast before I left

AC.. Glorious AC!!!

Sitting in the Peace Corps office with AC is the best feeling in the whole world. You might say, well I get that everyday and who cares about sitting in an office, but oh my holy goodness. A bug-free zone without anything flying at your face and free AC???!?!?! WOW!!! That's a rare treat in Guyana.

So far my experiences have been great here. It's been a roller coaster of emotions, new faces and names, laughter, tears, frustrations, challenges, and jokes, but I have the feeling it's getting off to a great start.

Just got to my new site and although there are some obstacles and hurdles I'm having to overcome, I can see a light at the end of the tunnel and these challenges will soon be met head on. Although it would take me a year to describe and detail, I can tell you that I have some amazing support through fellow PCVs, community members, PC Staff, and host family/boyfriend. Those are the things that make it or break it for me and having all of those people on my side helping me along the way is amazing in itself. PLUS... It really carries me along knowing that all the people I love and care for at home are thinking of me, because I think of them everyday too.

Ok...enough sappy talk. I've got some pics, but I want each of you to know it takes FOREVER to upload them... so this is a rare treat my friends! :)