A week ago last Thursday, the Catholic church in the village that I work in held their annual church fair on the Hindu holiday of Diwali. It was a day off in the middle of the work week and it was much appreciated.

The little fair cost $100 to get in (about 50 cents in the U.S.). It’s put on as a fundraiser for the church and it takes in more money than any other fundraiser throughout the year. It’s held on the small grounds right outside of the church, and it’s adorably quirky and a little old school. The food and games are set up in tents and everything is priced well. The games were simple, like throwing a ball into a hole, shooting a basketball into a net, or trying to pluck twenty clothespins off of a line in one hand without dropping any. There was a pastry booth, a bar-b-que, drinks, and every Guyanese snack you can imagine. My roommate and I had a blast on our day off at this simple fair.

For me, the best part of the day was getting to mingle with so many people that we know. With two of my roommates out for the day with some of their co-workers, it was a chance for me to realize just how many people I’ve met in my first two months in Guyana and how nicely the relationships seem to be coming along. Not only were all of the boys from the orphanage present at the fair, but we also got to mingle with co-workers, neighbors, fellow volunteers, colleagues from other organizations, and a couple of out-of-towners from the U.S. and Canada. All in all, it was a great day to have off in Guyana, and a great place to be donating our money.

Above are photos of the booths for food and games, as well as pictures of some of our friends, the boys from the orphanage, and me…trying to get twenty clothespins to stay in one hand. In case you were wondering…I did get all the clothes pins in my hand and for that I won two pencils and a drawing book. Fitting, for a teacher. The pencils are already going to good use.