Lady Liberty

Today, as a last ditch attempt at being a tourist, I went to the Statue of Liberty.

The day started with a heavy haze across the skyline, which did not bode well me-thought. Thankfully, things cleared up and by the time I got to the Statue, the view was clear and the weather accommodating. Thankfully, my client wanted to go and see the Statue too, so the trip became 'work' and it was free!!! Hurrah! (Free, as work paid for it, but also got a free access to the pedestal as the lady took pity on the poor deaf man - little travel tip for ya there!)

So, here are some photos, and then I will tell you some facts.

She's on Fire!

Lady, your slip is showing

Funny story about the face

Thought this was a lovely statement

From 1920

Very funny - this is right next to the massive list of repair work it has needed over the years!

That be she

You may recognise her...

So - fun facts:

-  Nothing to do with slavery - was a 'well-done' to the Yanks for the victory over the Brits a 100 years prior (dont mention the war!) - In fact, slavery was still legal when the Lady was finally finished in 1886 - wonder how they felt when 'freedom' 'liberty' and 'equality' were being thrown around

- Made by the French, it was designed by a variety of dudes, including Mr Eiffel, of Eiffel Tower fame, who designed the iron-work frame holding her up: see the pic above

- It was made in France and shipped over in pieces for construction. Interestingly, when sent over, the Americans were vexed a lil bit, as they didnt know what to do with this massive thing! They needed something to put it on, and asked people to help out so they could build a pedestal - everyone REFUSED! People didnt see the reason to pay into this monstrosity. Eventually, the raised the money ($1 from everyone) thanks to Mr Pulitzer. It took a really long time and most of the hype over it was over by the time it was ready.

- She is green, right? WRONG - she started off as reddish - a copper colour. However, 14 years on and she started to show her age - little green specks began to show and within 6 years, she had oxidised and turned from red to green! The reason it was allowed to happen - they didnt have the money to stop it!

- The torch was supposed to have been this amazing light-house/beacon affair, yet have you ever seen it light up? NO. They could never get it to glow properly and despite much experimenting, they gave up. The original designer from France wanted her gilded to be all shiny, but again, no money!

- She is a stern looking French lady - non? Qui! People think she is fashioned after some Greek number, but actually, she is the face of the designer-dude's maman!!! That dude had issues.

- The walking tour of the island is rubbish - use google and do it in half the time!

- The overall impression I had after this little jaunt was - Nimrod! The irony of a lot of the statements were just laughable and erecting something so colossal to one's own greatness is just asking for it, isnt it? 

Tomorrow, off to Washington DC for some more Babylon the Great / system of things musings, lol.

Met up with Matt and Rachel tonight for some ice-cream with my client... interesting! Once again, Rachel came to the rescue with her list of talking points, allowing Matt and I to walk in silence, as we like to ;)

Right, off to bed for an early train to DC baby!

Summing Up Phase One...

So I have been in the US of A since the 21st of last month, and doesnt the time fly!

This visit is definitely a split-personality affair. I arrived with a burst of theocratic energy and activity and loved every minute of being with the different brothers and sisters and getting a much needed boost of encouragement and inspiration in equal measure.

 Now I am in the second part of the journey - the work stage. I am definitely re-subscribing to the adage - 'we work to live, not live to work.' I really do not miss this life at all. Sure it is interesting living vicariously through someone else, having doors opened to venues and individuals that I would never have cause to meet. It is certainly interesting testing out my ASL in a secular venue and encouraging to realise I am not a complete numpty when it comes to ASL interpreting... but... wow... I couldnt do this again. I miss my congregation. I miss my boys. I miss my studies. I miss my hammock. I miss juiceman in the mornings shouting 'Mr David' with my breakfast. I miss the humidity and sweating. I miss 'home'.

That said, I will not look a gift-horse in the mouth... whatever that means. I am loving the NYC experience and am relishing being here, even if it is full of them blasted americans ;) This is my third time to this part of America. I came here a teen, with my parents and twin (love ya Jo, I miss you too.x) I then came again with some friends as part of the most random roadtrip experience ever, in the year 2000. Coming here as an 'adult' who has travelled the world to some extent and has the opportunity to take some time out and lime, as opposed to pin-balling around the state with no particular agenda - NYC is okay, you know?

 For the first week and a half I was based in Battery Park in Downtown Manhattan. A very lovely area that is akin to Bank and Canary Wharf combined - very functional and full of - you know their type. It was a lovely introduction, but was very much the 'finished product'. The apartment that I rented for my client and I was on the other side of town... and I mean, the OTHER in all senses of the word.

He had stipulated that he wanted access to a gym, yet the work account was taking an age to get approval, so by the time we were ready to rock, the choices were slim as where to stay. I have since realised that Street View is a godsend and can never be underestimated. It can be overlooked, however, which is how we are currently residing in the Kuwait of Brooklyn. To be fair, it is growing on me (proverbially) and is not that bad really, but it was a shock to the system to go from hanging out in the wine bar in the harbour to admiring the graffiti and speaking Spanish in the shop in order to get what I needed. You try to going from Canary Wharf to Tottenham in one day and see if you moan!

 Well, anyway, we have been working a LOT, which was not the original plan, but is the reason we are here. Nevertheless, there have been a few excursions - have a perusal below.

 Wednesday we are off to Washington DC which I am really excited about. I cant wait to see a more 'traditional' historic town. New York is awesome and Jo keeps telling how amazing it is - I just have lost my love of cities a little bit. Hopefully Washington will be a bit more comfortable and a bit more relaxing for us. Have some visual stimuli:

Finally - For My SL Friends

Hey there

Bit rushed, but this is for you!!! I decided to record a BSL clip, then thought 'why not' throw in an ASL one too - they are hardly masterpieces, but I wanted to make sure I took the opportunity of being in a civilised world and having fast internet! Enjoy BSL

ASL - bit different!

Out and About...

So, as most of you know... I am in New York to earn some money.

Regardless, I was able to wangle some early flights from my client, so I have had the weekend at the ASL convention (where I saw the best sign language talk in my life) and the week seeing the sights of New York. I have spent the money I am earning... oops.

Now, the first was brilliant, the second, I have failed somewhat. In the mornings, I have had to work online with my client (who is actually in Qatar right now - 7 hours time difference) at 6am until lunch so I have only had the afternoons to play.

Today is Wednesday and to be honest, I have not achieved a lot. I have been walking around Lower Manhattan and trying to take nice photos - enjoy: (sorry to the Instagram crew who have seen some of these)

Stanley Theatre: ASL convention

At least I saw the sights this way...

My first New York food - hellowww!

Historic Sight - soon the sign will be gone

Some sisters doing the public 'ting

Scriptural reference - see if anyone can work it out
(Stock exchange on the left, Oldest Church in the middle and Judiciary on the right)

Hello Mr Washington - so dapper

I got so close!

My new New York hat

Im a chain hag

Harbour by my apartment

From spiritual to Spiritual...

So, to continue...

After all that exultation and loveliness, it was on the more spiritual stuff.

With Matt and Rachel being temp Bethelites, they could wangle a lunch spot and a behind the scenes tour of Patterson. Well, I was not happy at all:

1. You do not have to wear a tie at lunch!!! What!!! In Guyana I am not allowed to wear odd-socks, must wear a suit, some places still adhere to the white shirt rubbish, and yet... in Patterson... they DO NOT HAVE TO WEAR A TIE at lunch!!!
2. Now, to help right-hearted people that expect people to wearing ties and are thus suffering from shock, one would expect some coffee at lunch - NO COFFEE!!! I was aghast. Literally, a-gh-ast.

We met some lovely people - Levi in text processing, Warren in the art department, Andrew in Audio Visual (who works on Caleb!!!) and Andrew and Peter in Sign Language. Everyone was so kind and gracious and upbuilding to myself and M+R. (forgive the formatting and placement of the pictures)

My new best friend

There's your contributions at work people!

This is how they dress him!

The many faces of the family 

How they make him jump

New album recorded

Saw the original - love this

On Tuesday, I was invited to lunch by a couple who are in Translation Services. I met them on Friday with M+R, at their apartment, and they are two of the most lovely people you would be able to meet. They were so interested in M+R and their experiences (note to self: get new stories) and really encouraging for me to continue in Guyana. They patiently listened to my frustrations with the language and the field in Guyana and gave some excellent advice. It is good to know that my feelings are not new and are at least in line with the governing body's wishes. It is just up to me to be patient.

The area around Bethel is amazing - lots of cafes and grocery stores and the river is beautiful. The rooftop culture here is awesome (forgive the American hyperbole). The Bethel residences have rooftops gardens and pizza and salads have been plentiful over the last week.

I call this: 'Sun behind a big building in Jersey'

Massive pizza on the top of Towers, a bethel residence

Another bridge / sun picture... part of my bridge / sunshine series

The lights

Heavily edited photo ;)

New York, New York - why did they name it twice?

Because it is sooooo good!

It is so nice to be back in a city - with all the trappings from Satan wrapped up with a bow and a sprinkle of sugar. with the option of frying. I really do love Guyana, but there is something truly beautiful about walking into a cafe and asking for a malbec and not having to explain anything! - the simple things in life, ha.

So, my new best friends (sorry Jo, they are mine now) are Matt and Rachel - voila!

These two are really inspirational and have given up so much for Jehovah, 'as refuse', and have made themselves so available to Jehovah. They are currently on the amazing Warwick project for three months, having spent much time in International work. So, anyway, they are my guides/fellow tourists. They are from Virginia (they arent but it is easier to say that they are) and so they do not know the city that great either. Matt is actually from New Jersey but is in denial and pleads ignorance. So, the new phrase is 'Yelp it'.

So, I am staying with a friend of a friend of a twin sister - Mike. He lives in Battery Park daarling. This is what welcomed me:

and then...

and then...

I miss Guyana already! Hic

Port Number 1...

TRINIDAD!!!

So, I have landed in my home from home - Trinidad. After having come here a year ago for the ASL pioneer school, I have been able to return to Trini (TT) a number of times now - it is such an amazing place with such amazing people.

So, with free flights on offer to travel to America for work, I couldnt help but wangle a few days stop-over in TT to see my lovely friends - Che and Natalie. They are just so hospitable and relaxed. The word that sums up TT is 'hospitality' - say it together now: 'hospitality'. I remember at pioneer school, the class ended up singing to us 'Guyanese' a song that was written for the International Convention called 'Welcome'. The thing is, in many places, this is said in jest, with levity, or utter hypocrisy. In TT, it comes from the heart. It was so funny last night, Natalie was complaining that they have not had the privilege of feeding the speaker for about 8 weeks - so funny, here they WANT to host the speaker!

Anyway, so I flew from Guyana after being dropped off my my friends who wanted to drive me up and say goodbye. We hired a car and travelled up to the capital to go to the movies, eat and play around until the early hours when they would drop me at the airport. It was cool, but I regretted it, as the flight was delayed by about three hours.

So, here I am in Trinidad, ensconced in my cocoon of luxury working whilst my friends are out at their jobs. Last night, a brother - Carlos - came over to cook for us. He is a chef at a five-star hotel here in Port of Spain and a great personality. He is flying out on Thursday to Uganda to cook for the government! But, he spared time to come and cook for me - so cool. Okra, pig tail and swordfish pilau... was lovely!

Carlos - the TT Ainsley Harriot

Pig Tail... Yep...

Smells awesome

Enough to feed 20

So, today I am heading off to New York - actually, tomorrow at 0040. Thankfully, I have a business class ticket, so me and the minibar are going to be fine friends. Two of my sister's friends that served in Nigeria with her are meeting me - the Priscos. They are an amazing couple whom I hope to get to know better over this month.

Ill be trying to make my blogs interesting... sorry in advance.