{guyana} introducing another continent

Guyana. Pronounced "guy-anna".
Sitting just barely north of the equator.
Tropical {read: hot and humid}
More than 80% of the land is covered in forest.

Its name comes from an American Indian word meaning "land of many waters".
It is home to the famous Kaierteur Falls -- the world's largest single drop waterfall by volume. We're going there.

We'll be there in the middle of the rainy season.

Guyana is home to many many animals including golden frogs, iguanas, giant anteaters, tapirs, the Hoatzin {national bird}, jaguars, saki monkeys, sloths, and howler monkeys.
and snakes, yes, but we're keeping real quiet about that. like don't even whisper

Agriculture drives the economy {specifially, rice and demerara sugar} followed by mining, timber, and shrimp fishing.

Guyana is a cultural melting pot with descendants of immigrants and slaves coming from India, Africa, Europe, China.
English is the official language.

Malaria is the leading cause of death.
More than half of the country is virtually unpopulated {dark areas are highest pop}.
"Life in Guyana is dominated by mighty rivers, including the Demerara, the Berbice and the Essequibo, which provide essential highways into the rain forests and jungles of the interior."
from Travel Guyana

I'm meeting up with a group representing New Reality International and staying with a mission family who run a medical evacuation flight program called Wings for Humanity.


to see more videos by Tyler Quiring {video philanthropist!} click here

Most of the members of the team are either dentists or medical workers. We will be traveling via river to remote villages to do tooth extractions and most likely health education. The rest will be a surprise. Hopefully not in the form of unspoken creatures in the middle of the night. I'm taking a tent. Seriously.

And I'll be taking lots and lots of pictures. And video, specially requested by my dad. And helping wherever necessary. And smiling and giving hugs.

To read about my take on "philanthography" click here {part one}. 
To see some examples of other bloggers doing just this, click here {part two}.
To read what I'm doing to reach my goals in this area, click here {part three}.