Adjustments

It's day three here in Guyana. Talk about culture shock. Here are some of the major differences living in Georgetown compared to life in the states.

The Farm Animals
Why did the chicken cross the road? I don't know but there's a cow and a horse right behind the chicken. Ask them. I can't get over the whole animals walking around a major city bit. Stray cats and dogs I've seen, but horses? Cars always yield to them. It's hard enough driving and having to worry about children running into the road, but you've gotta be a pretty sharp driver to dodge a cow that wanders out in front of you.

And speaking of the cars, a few of the vehicles I've been in don't have seat belts in the back seat. What's up with that? Safety first please.

Television
I have tv. How lucky! So television here is a little weird to me. There are Guyanese channels that import shows from the US, Puerto Rico, India, and other countries in South America. The line up is designed by the station. So, for example, a line up may include "True Stories from the ER" of discovery channel, the Tyra show, then Seinfeld. Interesting.

Also, some commercials are in Spanish. Although, it's very much a multilingual country, I haven't heard anyone speak Spanish since I've been here. Not yet I guess.

Buildings
The buildings are colorful. Lot's of wood buildings with island inspired colors.

Water, Water, Everywhere
And not a bit to drink! It's rainy season here. At any point during the day there's a major storm, then sunny ten minutes later.
One piece of advice I received again and again before departure was
DO NOT DRINK THE WATER! I've been buying bottled water to brush my teeth, wash my face, and wash my dishes. Yes, it's definitely an adjustment.

Sunshine
The sun here is harsh. Nothing compared to even the sunniest days I've experienced. I've been trying staying cool with my sombrero and sunscreen 100, however, I got a serious tan just walking to the grocery store, tan lines and all.

Time Zones
There is no time difference between Guyana and EST, however, the radio stations and locals alike usually report the time in military hours.

I'm confident I'll get with it soon. Even the farm animals walking around part. I'm very much taking in the new experiences.