I got a job while in Texas with Keller Brown and Root (KBR) for job located in Georgetown Guyana. Was not too interested initially in going to Guyana a country which up to that point I knew nothing about. I had previously worked for a number as a Contractor for KBR in Iraq and then in Afghanistan. These were war zone jobs so I was thinking that working in a third world country would be much easier and so I decided to take the plunge.
Initially I expected Guyana to be like the other Caribbean countries as it is regarded as being a part of the Caribbean. I had travelled to Jamaica and Belize and Barbados and so I figured it would be pretty much the same thing. I was both right and wrong.
The cadence of the country does resemble that of Caribbean countries however if you come here expecting white powdery sand beaches and azure waters with modulating steel pan music wafting in the background you are going to be sorely disappointed. You will get the same type of delicious well seasoned foods and tasty beverages but forget about the idyllic carefree beaches as there are none here.
Because of the confluence of the mighty Amazon river in Brazil augmented by the impressive Essequibo river both emptying into the Atlantic ocean, the waters at most of the beaches along the coastland adopts a khaki colored appearance which gets a bit muddy during the dry season. I have been to a beautiful blue water lake at Linden which does fit the bill of sumptuously blue water and powdery sand. This beautiful lake is ensconced in a defunct bauxite extraction excavation crater and is about seventy miles from the capital city of Georgetown aback the interior town of Linden.
Even though this country is the only English speaking country on the South American continent, the ordinary Guyanese man in the street speaks English or a variation of the language with a certain cadence and with smattering of African and Hindi words with an accent that may make make it a bit difficult to understand or follow. One of the main problems is that certain words are pronounced with a tilt that may make common words unrecognizable. However with time, the Expat will come to get the hang of the manner in which English is spoken. The further one gets away from the capital city the more difficult it may be to understand and possibly be understood without practice
The Expat will need to become acquainted with various Cambio’s around the city and other main hubs. These Cambio’s and banks are the facilities for exchanging US dollars into Guyanese dollars. Cambio’s are less safe than banks but carry the dual benefit of being more convenient and speedy to transact your money exchange. You may want to juxtapose speed and convenience with value. It helps if you develop a ‘contact’ with whom you may safely transact your money exchange needs. I tend to use Cambios along Regent Street which is one on the main thoroughfares in Georgetown or along Water street another main thoroughfare. There are also numerous unregulated money exchangers along America Street but this is not for the faint hearted.
If you are on a budget, Airbnb is a good resource for a place to stay in Guyana. You would need to be careful about the location of the property and it is a good idea to use a property that has security bars on the windows and doors. Personally I like houses in South Georgetown commonly referred to as ‘South’, Queenstown, parts of Campbellsville and Kitty. These locations have the added benefit of being within ten to fifteen minutes of downtown Georgetown.
It goes without saying that one should be particularly careful about walking on the roads at night especially if you are alone. Even if you are with others you should still be careful. The streets of Guyana could be a bit confusing to drive on. It is a good idea to travel around by taxi until you become familiar with the style of driving on the roadways. Taxis are plentiful and should be utilized as much as possible for transportation.