You know you are a Peace Corps Trainee in Guyana when…

You wake up to the sound of the local dog gang dueling with the neighboring village’s dog gang (this sound can be compared to loud barking). For further information on these gangs, refer to the dogs’ pack leader, Tarzan.

You eat spicy chick peas (cheno) for breakfast on a regular basis. That of course is on the days you aren’t eating fish.

You get bit by at least twenty mosquitoes before you leave the house in the morning.

You spend an afternoon training session devoted to diarrhea, which might entail singing a song about the preventative measures to avoid it.

You ride a minibus packed with 30 plus people.

You begin to decipher Creolese as your host family recounts all the American oddities you embody, such as turning red in the sun.

You ask for juice and get an odd mixture of flat cola mixed with a mystery substance.

You no longer notice the curry smell that has become our staple spice/food.

You spend your lunch break playing cricket with a stress ball.

You sleep-in time on the weekend is 7 am.

You go to bed with wet hair from your shower, and when you wake up in the morning your hair is still wet (oh humidity)

You get “sipped at” on your way to the internet café (this is a kissing noise equivalent to the American cat call)

You hear the answer “just now” as an answer for question of when things will happen. For instance, when is dinner? Answer: just now. When are we leaving? Answer: just now. What exactly does just now mean. It means whenever the heck that person feels like doing what you asked. Anywhere from a minute away to several hours time. When will I update my blog again? Answer: just now.

Your daily budget for training is 3 American dollars (600 Guyanese dollars).

You notice that Celine Dion is indeed making a comeback overseas; I actually can't tell if she ever went out of style here.

You can buy the King's Speech on DVD because there are no copyright laws.

You can tell what trainees participated in the festivities of Mashramani based on how much glitter is on them the following day.

You notice that people use umbrellas to block the sun instead of the rain.

You see a mosque, a mandir, and a church all within a five minute walk.

You lost 20 Guyanese dollars betting on when a fellow trainee will correct her "regulatory" issue...if you know what I mean.