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Our Wedding Day (June 12, 1965) |
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Hector & Lucy (June, 1965) |
Lucy and I belonged to The Timehri Group which was made up of about twelve volunteers. We worked with the Amerindian (native Indians) community at St. Cuthbert’s Mission, twenty miles up the Mahaica Creek. We visited St. Cuthbert’s Mission once a month and travelled by land rover; part of that journey was over white sand which often blew into our eyes. The rough terrain played havoc on my internal organs and I found each trip quite exhausting. After heavy rains, sections along the route were covered with water and we got stuck occasionally. The Timehri Group helped to establish a Co-op shop, which was still in operation when I visited the area in 1990. At various times during the year the men left the reservation to work on timber grants. Household duties, handicraft making and farming were done by women. Our group helped in the field of Agriculture, Public Health and with the marketing of their handicraft. Occasionally we were able to get friends who were physicians to accompany us to St. Cuthbert’s Mission. Their patients were chiefly children who suffered from worm infestation. The experience was interesting and rewarding for us.
Lucy and I left Guyana in February 1968, with mixed feelings. While we were leaving to seek a better economic future in Canada, the timing was very difficult for me. We were grieving the loss of my mother who had passed away the previous month. When we touched down at Toronto International Airport we were warmly greeted by the Ewing family. Lucy had met them the previous year when they visited us in Guyana. We were bundled up in winter coats and headed for Shelburne, where we spent the next four months.
After completing two months at Althouse (Teachers) College in London, we moved to an apartment on William Street in Guelph. I commuted to Erin District High School with Ivan Kukovica and Margaret Zak. I vividly remember my first day of driving my new Ford Falcon. Visibility was poor because of a dense fog and I did not know the highway very well. What a relief it was to arrive safely at school!
Ramon’s birth on June 8, 1969, was a happy occasion for us. We despatched letters to relatives and friends in Guyana. I enjoyed coming home each day and holding him. He had just started to walk when we moved to our first home in Dumbarton Street. Sandya was also a June baby. They were good companions for each other and got along very well. That friendship is still evident today. When Ramon started out in school, Sandy accompanied Lucy to do lunch hour supervision. Sandy enjoyed playing with the children and looked forward to the day she started out in kindergarten.
Like most children, they enjoyed their stuffed animals. Their favourite was Winks, which is safely sequestered in our store room in the basement. Occasionally Winks comes out of hiding, much to our amusement.
In September 1974, Wellington County Board of Education introduced French Immersion for the first time. We seized the opportunity and got Ramon enrolled in the programme. Sandy was also enrolled in French Immersion and we never regretted our decisions. They are bilingual.
Ramon attended University of Waterloo and completed his degree in Chemical Engineering. He was unable to secure employment in that field so he has had to switch to computers. He is presently employed as a programmer on contract with the Ministry of Environment in Ottawa.
Sandy earned her degree in Languages, with a Major in French, at University of Guelph. She spent her third year at University of Nice in France. From the time she was about six, Sandy wanted to be a teacher. I still recall the “classes” she used to teach in the basement of our home in Dumbarton Street. She attended Teacher’s College but could not find a job in teaching. She recently started out working with a company in the Mutual Fund Industry. So far she is finding the job interesting.
From her Guyana days, Lucy enjoyed gardening. She has maintained that interest and her flower and vegetable garden has earned the admiration of neighbours and friends. From March to October she is busy with catalogues, books and all the activities related to gardening. She also enjoys cooking, and reading.
As for myself, I have made good recovery after triple by-pass heart surgery in October 1996. I try to keep fit by exercise and dieting. I walk for an hour each morning, play Table Tennis twice a week and Bridge once a week at the Seniors’ Centre. I also participate in yoga class once a week.
We would like to do some travelling when my health improves. We would enjoy taking Ramon and Sandy to Guyana to show them some of the places we knew as well as other places of interest which we did not have a chance to see. The Guyana Government is promoting Eco-tourism to Guyanese and their friends who live overseas. Guyana’s flora and fauna are a major attraction.
