HOPEFUL STEPS is Announced

This collection of thirty-six heartfelt and touching essays, many of them wryly humourous, chronicles the journey undertaken by the Smiths as they leave their comfortable Ontario existence and immerse themselves in a world vastly different from their own. The author, with her keen eye for detail, also gives us a virtual tour of the wonderful flora and fauna that inhabit this tropical northeast corner of South America.

One of the challenges Nicolette faces is getting enough protein. As a committed vegetarian she finds herself out of step with a culture that appears not to have heard of purposefully avoiding all fish and meat. Worse, is an allergy to hot peppers, where nothing is considered spicy until it has been overdosed with this form of pepper and plain boiled rice might be the only thing on the menu safe for her to eat.

Hopeful Steps lays out in detail the cultural and historical biases surrounding race, sex and the neglect of people with disabilities. It seems to take an enormous amount of willpower and energy, to change the mindset of a people, still following the outdated dress code of the British who left Guyana in the middle of the last century, and to get things done. All of this in a climate of crippling heat and humidity. Water supplies are suspect or non-existent and air conditioning an expensive luxury only available to the volunteer community in a few choice meeting places.

The Smiths take all of this in their stride. Instead of complaining, they lighten their days with good humour, such as in "Riding A Bike in Georgetown," which might just as well be called "Fixing A Bike in Georgetown, Repeatedly." Repairing bikes is only one of the ways Martin keeps active as local handyman. He does everything from crafting customized seating for differently abled children, to setting up better internet connections, or finding the CBC online so he can drown out the boom-boxes from local bars.

The Smiths do not despair, and urge others not to. After all, progress is made by continuing to step forward and rejoicing when a hopeful outcome is achieved.

A must-read for those interested in learning about the lives of others, any volunteer considering going overseas would find Hopeful Steps invaluable.

Author Biography: Retired Physiotherapist Nicolette Ursula Smith continues her volunteer work from her retirement home overlooking Georgian Bay, Ontario. She can be found teaching yoga at Sugar Ridge Retreat Centre and has a new focus on literacy. As a tutor for Gateway, she has mentored students from six to sixty in their office, in libraries and in the local prison. And yes, she still has a fondness for cycling.

Hopeful Steps
ISBN: 9780993816703
$19.50

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