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I fell in love with Guyana

Sep 14, 2008 Letters

DEAR EDITOR,
Permit me to write about some new and overwhelming feelings that I developed during CARIFESTA X. I assure you this is not a love letter, but I think many people may share parts of this experience which came about directly from our involvement in CARIFESTA X.

I arrived in Guyana in the middle of August as a curious tourist and accidentally ended up in the office of the Artistic Director with whom I proceeded to quarrel about my accreditation. She sorted it out though this was not her responsibility. After that day I never left her office for long.

Though I had no intention of becoming a volunteer and working that hard for CARIFESTA, when I saw how long and hard and with what patience this woman worked I made a commitment to help. Her office was like being in the eye of a hurricane.

Few people know of the personal sacrifices that this person and her young staff from the University of Guyana made.

How she never went home before 3am and was back by 9, how many days she never went home at all, how she fought for accountability and fairness, how decently she dealt with internal attempts to undermine her, how she would never eat unless everyone else had eaten first, and how it seems like everything that was not her responsibility once the festival started ended up on her plate.

There are stories that would make your hair curl which I know she would not want anyone to tell…but they are part of the reason why some of us made sure that she was never alone in the office that late, even if it meant that we slept at our desks while she worked.

I have never seen someone commit so totally to something and inspire so many others to do the same. And I think while so many of us are sending her personal letters of congratulations and thanks, some of us need to publicly acknowledge what she and her staff gave to Guyana and to the world.

I am now truly in love with Guyana and with this remarkable festival and person that your country has produced.

Thank you Paloma and CARIFESTA staff. You are loved!
Fredo Casperelli
Festivals Coordinator
Paris, France

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