Week Two: Finding My Rhythm in Georgetown
Getting Comfortable and Exploring More
Week two is officially in the books! It’s been a great week here, packed with new experiences and wrapping up orientation. I’ve been getting out and about more, exploring the city, and slowly shifting from relying on my team to navigating things on my own. Public transit and taxis have become my new friends as I take those baby steps toward being more independent. It feels good to start settling in and functioning as someone who lives and works here, rather than just passing through.
One thing that continues to stand out to me is the diversity. I touched on this last week, but it’s something I keep learning more about. Historically, Guyana’s population stems from six main groups: Indigenous, East Indian, Chinese, African, Portuguese, and European. The mix of British, Dutch, and Portuguese colonial influences has shaped everything—from the architecture to the food to the social structures. And you still see lots of that in different ways today.
Celebrating Mashramani – My First Local Festival!
This week, I had the chance to experience Mashramani (or “Mash” for short)—a vibrant, high-energy festival that blends carnival, fete, and national pride into one epic celebration. It’s all about honouring hard work, cooperation, and community, and it was amazing to be a part of it.
One of the highlights was Panorama, a steel pan festival and competition. Growing up in Toronto, I knew about steel pan music as part of Caribbean culture, but seeing it performed at this level was a whole different experience. Imagine a full-on rock concert with 30+ people playing different types of steel pans in perfect harmony. The crowd was fully vibing with it, the performers were having a blast, and even with a little rain, the energy never dropped. The event was held right on the seawall, so the ocean breeze, music, and atmosphere all came together to create one of those core memories I know I’ll always cherish. I mean, how often do you get to stand on a beach on a Wednesday night, listening to live steelpan music?
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Then there was Mash Day itself, featuring a massive street parade. The parade had two parts: the first was filled with dancers, floats, and teams from different groups showing off their culture, and the second was more corporate floats (less exciting, but still fun to see). The atmosphere was pure joy—people hanging out (or “liming,” as they say in the Caribbean), music blasting, and food stands everywhere.
The Good, the Challenge, and What’s Next
To keep the theme going, here’s my weekly check-in:
🤠 The Good: Cultural Immersion
One of the best parts of this week has been fully diving into the culture—seeing the flags everywhere, feeling the national pride, and learning all these small but fascinating details about the country. Fun fact: Guyana is a net-zero carbon producer, meaning its forests absorb more carbon than the country emits. Given the growing oil industry here, that’s an interesting contrast to keep an eye on.
😱 The Challenge: Public Transit & Navigation
Getting around is still a bit of a challenge. The buses don’t follow strict routes, and sidewalks aren’t always a thing here, which makes walking tricky. It’s not impossible, just different. As someone who loves order and structure when it comes to logistics, it’s been an adjustment. But I know the more I use the system, the easier it’ll get.
😎 Looking Forward: The Work Begins!
Next week, we finally start diving into actual work! I’ll be working with the Protected Areas Trust team, getting to know what they do, brainstorming ideas, and mapping out my marketing goals for the year. I’m excited to switch gears and start flexing those creative muscles. Time to “marketing-izekai” my way into this adventure.
That’s it for this week! Let me know what you think or if you have any tips on navigating new places. Looking forward to sharing more soon!
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