I Pledge...

I pledge myself to honour always the flag of Guyana

And to be loyal to my country.

To be obedient to the laws of Guyana

To love my fellow citizens

And to dedicate my energies towards the happiness and prosperity of Guyana.

I listen to the schoolchildren recite this each Monday and Friday at the school assembly, as the flag of Guyana is raised by one of the students. Though I've made a point to try to integrate as much as possible and "do as the Guyanese do," it never occurred to me to place my hand over my heart, or repeat the words after I learned them. During this time, I remain silent and still, watching and listening.

Each time I hear the Pledge recited, I get goosebumps. I am reminded of reciting my own National Pledge when I was at school:

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America

And to the Republic for which it stands.

One nation, under God

Indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

I take this pledge (these pledges) quite seriously. I will not pledge myself to honor any other flag than my own. I, therefore, will not act as if I am, if I truly don't pledge as such. This is no disrespect to the flag of Guyana, or those who pledge themselves to honor that flag. Quite the contrary; I am proud to see such loyalty to their own country, just as I am proud to see and give honor to my own home country.

This duality of honor, pride and loyalty for one's own country and that of another may seem, at times, contradicting, or difficult, if nothing else. As PCV's, we are asked to confront this issue daily. In joining Peace Corps, we swore an oath of loyalty and promise to uphold and defend our country and the Constitution. But yet, we go as ambassadors, those who have to possess temperance, tolerance and open-mindedness. Hopefully all citizens of each country possess this. This does not detract from adhering to one's own country and/or one's own belief system, does it?

I remember in school, there was a family who did not choose to honor the pledge, because it used the words "Under God" and they were atheists. As we stood each morning and recited the pledge with our hands on our hearts, they remained seated, still and silent. We children did not understand that at the time, and it was something that separated those children from the rest of us, for those minutes, at least. But it's an honesty I've come to study and respect; they will not pledge to honor something they do not truly honor. And that's the beauty of our country - we have the freedom to honor or not honor our national symbols.

It is so proper to show pride, loyalty and respect to one's own country. This institution provokes a feeling of unity, a string of similarities in a long line of differences. And while I am reminded of the differences between Guyana and America every day, especially while hearing the pledge, I feel the essence of similarity there, too.

Hearing the Pledge of Guyana twice a week is a wholly patriotic experience for me.