Friday, December 10, 2010

I don't even know where to begin...

So, new rule. I can't go as long as 7 weeks without posting something new, because otherwise there is just too much to talk about. I like to keep these manageable, but this will be full of some random things.

First, my projects: Things are and will be picking up after the New Year here. I've bee scanning thousands of pictures from sporting events in the early 90's in the National Archives to put on the website. Also, a committee will be established in the office that will be dealing with the actual content and layout of it. In addition to this I want to hold a training seminar in the next 6 months or so for all the coaches that teaches them how to incorporate life skills training with their time with the kids. Other items on the agenda include designing an e-newsletter, observing some sports practices, and I also must get over to the Save Our Sons residential home in Sandy Point. I hear they could use some serious assistance.

And now, some random pictures:



I pass this sign almost every day on my way to the gym. This is my favorite thing to see every day, I'm not sure why. 


Now, I know calf meat is called veal. But what about piglet meat? Can we call it "baby bacon?" 


This is a high school football game. The kids in blue are from Saddlers Secondary (my school), while the white is Washington Archibald High School. This field is pretty much right across the street from my apartment. I love my neighborhood. 


Black Rocks, cooled lava flows about 1 km from my place. 

There is a pool of water by the shoreline
arms wide open, trying to keep
every last droplet of water
within her grasp
but the children slip through her fingers
as she squeezes tighter, gasping for help.
Were it not for the waves
she would be a bone-dry exoskeleton
imagining herself immortal,
she greets each new crash 
with a smile
But the replenishing soul of the water
will grind her to dust 
in time
and yet
she knows otherwise. 


This is not all there is to be told, but I'll write again sooner than 7 weeks from now. I promise. 





Monday, October 25, 2010

40 Day Dream



I was having a bad week last week for whatever reason. Reality was setting in and I was actually feeling a little homesick for the first time since being here. I wasn't sure what I was supposed to be doing at my worksite or my school attachment and was getting a little frustrated at myself for various reasons. The 40-minute bus rides to and from town were starting to get annoying, not being able to buy more than a few items at a time because I had to carry them back in the bus was getting to me, and the heat was just pushing me over the edge. Monday was our swearing-in ceremony, which made things that much more permanent. On Thursday I went on a run to get my mind straight and clear all of these thoughts out of my head. When I was almost home and running by the ball courts by my apartment, I was stopped by a boy that I have gotten to know named QuShawn (at least, that's how I picture it spelled). He wanted to listen to my music, so I scrolled to the song at the top of my post, 40-Day Dream by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes, knowing that he definitely hadn't heard anything like it before. He walked with me back to my home, humming along to the song with a smile on his face.  And for some reason, that's all I needed to get out of my funk and back on track.

Like I said, Monday we were sworn in as Peace Corps Volunteers, which elicited a variety of emotions from myself. I was happy to finally be done with training, and on the broader scheme of things it was the culmination of over a years' worth of work, starting with the application process. It has definitely been an exciting trip so far, and the thought that it is now just beginning is a great feeling.

I have had the good fortune of also meeting some amazing people in the past 2 months, both volunteers and locals. We've all had the opportunity to do some great things, from taking a catamaran/snorkeling trip to participating and being "baptized" into the local Hash House Harriers. Also, karaoke. Locals love karaoke. And their song choices are really not too adventurous, but it's pretty amusing as to the choices of some classic songs. (Check out examples of these classics Here and Here, I have not gone a day without hearing either of these two gems that make me feel like I'm trapped in a prom from 1992. Seriously, where are the puffy-sleeved dresses?) I broke the mold by dropping a little David Bowie knowledge on the locals, but I got a lot of strange looks halfway through Space Oddity


Really, as you can see, we are working hard. This is on-the-clock integration time shown above, on our catamaran trip. Things haven't really been so bad. One reason the Caribbean is great for being in the Peace Corps is that, as a volunteer, you're expected to go through some lows as well as highs. And how low can things really get if you're in the Caribbean? Honestly... 

Thursday, September 23, 2010

The Island of National Holidays

It has just been a whirlwind of activity lately on the island, so I can finally sit down to write about it.

Last Thursday was National Heroes' Day in St. Kitts, so we all received a day of vacation. My host mom and sister, along with Cristie (the Anthropologist-turned-volunteer) went down to Frigate Bay and the Strip to spend a day on the beach. It was great, although the beach itself wasn't all that I expected. The Strip is a series of tiki hut-style bars and snackettes that line the beach for about a half mile, so I am told that it is a much more happening place in the evenings. However, it was quite good to get some sun and actually get into the ocean for the first time since arriving. My side of the island is a very rocky coastline, so swimming areas are scarce. There are no busses that go down to the tourist areas, so you have to either get a ride from someone or walk to the nicer beaches. Or, you can always hitchhike, but I will save that for braver days.

On Saturday our Assistant Peace Corps Director (APCD) took our training class on a field trip/cultural day at Brimstone Hill Fortress. It's known as the Gibraltar of the West Indies, and is quite an impressive structure at the top of a hill that overlooks one whole side of the island. You can also see the islands of St. Eustatius and Saba easily from the top.

THEN... this weekend was Independence Day in St. Kitts and Nevis. So, guess what? Another free day for vacation on Monday. We attended a military parade at Warner Park in the capitol Monday morning. Now, this isn't like a standard parade. It is essentially sitting in a cricket stadium and watching military drills being performed with the Prime Minister, Cabinet, and Governor General in attendance. It was pretty interesting, but thankfully rather brief. It was something to see though, and yet another opportunity to do something in the community.

Monday evening was the Governor General's Ball, which my host mom is invited to every year. It is strictly a tie and jacket affair, so I ended up borrowing a jacket from my host dad. And, since the jacket was black and I don't have a pair of black pants to match it, I ended up borrowing his pants as well. The event itself was attended by all members of the cabinet and the prime minister. I saw and spoke with several of the ministers, and even got a chance to shake the hand and speak with the Prime Minister Dr. Douglas himself.

The holidays were a fun time of the year, but I felt like they interfered with time I could have spent either at my school or at my worksite. I am getting acquainted with the island and community as a whole, but I need some time now to figure out my place within my work environment. I have been feeling a bit impatient lately to be cut loose, even though I am not entirely sure what I will be doing once that happens. Still getting myself to adjust to the laid back atmosphere of the island...

I have found a great running road in my neighborhood that goes out into the countryside towards the middle of the island. Of course, in St. Kitts, going towards the middle of the island automatically means having a steady incline. Being at the base of Mt. Liamiagua, Saddlers is no different. It is quite a workout, but I tell myself the run is only uphill half of the way. Going home is all downhill at least. Plus, about a mile up the road the view can't be beat. I can see all the way up the island to Dieppe Bay and St. Pauls. There is just something about running towards a dormant volcano.

Good news as well for people who keep telling me to post pictures. My mom has sent me a battery charger for my camera, so expect some pictures in a couple of weeks. Of course, I don't know how much justice a camera can do here. This is truly a place that has to be seen to be believed. But on that note, I think I am catching a cold, so it is time for me to get a little bit of sleep.

Friday, September 10, 2010

Natuuuuure... Goulet

Well then, I have finally made it to St. Kitts and have been here for exactly one week. It has been quite busy since my arrival, but I have been getting along pretty well since I've landed. My host family is fantastic and has been keeping me well-fed with the local cuisine. Some of the foods I have had include potfish, saltfish, dasheen, breadfruit, plantains, green banana, starfruit, guava, and plenty of chicken. A note on the potfish: this is usually fried with the head and eyes still attached, so I have never experienced a staring contest between myself and my food until now. It is delicious once you get passed the guilt trip the fish lays on you. My mom's name is Armel and I think knows everyone on the island. She is very friendly and does my laundry even when I insist I do it. Her husband is Heston, and he works on the sightseeing train that uses the old sugarcane tracks. He is very talkative and loves to go on walks and hikes. I'm hoping he'll take me up Mt. Liamiagua (which we live right under) and down to Black Rocks one of these days. They have a 13-year old daughter who attends the same school that I will be attached to for at least the next 6 months, so it is very nice to see a friendly face in the classrooms. 

Speaking of my school attachment, I am currently working at Saddlers Secondary, which is the newest school on the island. They are more or less a pilot school, focusing more on giving the students hands-on experience and less "chalk and talk," as they refer to it. The students have mandatory after-school programs to attend that I hope to become involved with as the weeks go by. During training each of us has to come up with a service learning project with a group of youth, and currently I am working out a small program to improve the aesthetics of the school. As it is a new school, a lot of the walls are bare and there are no flowers or trees nearby. I'm hoping a quick project will be for the students to design some posters with positive school-related themes. 

Yesterday I visited my work site for the first time, which is the Department of Sport. The offices are located at Wagner Park, which is a big complex with a cricket field, football pitch, netball and basketball courts, and tennis courts as well. I will be focusing on designing a website for the department (good luck, me) as well as helping out with their after-school programs. Their idea for me is to run some more fun and games-type activities, especially ones that increase coordination and overall fitness. I will repeat that - I will be running activities focused on coordination and fitness. So, a lanky 6'2" pasty white (transparent, even) guy who couldn't run a 10k will be in charge of these two areas. Oh, and designing a website. Time to get on my jazzercise and html classes, preferably at the same time.

The town that I live in is called Saddlers, which is almost on the opposite side of the island. I take "busses" to get to the capitol for training and my worksite. These busses are simply 15-passenger vans that travel at very high speeds on the winding and very pothole-friendly roads. Trust me, it only bothers you the first time. After you learn that it doesn't matter how tightly you shut your eyes that they will still scare the crap out of you, you tend to figure out why everybody is so religious. 

Things overall have been pretty exciting since arriving. I definitely have my work cut out for me, but I guess if it was going to be easy they wouldn't need us. I'm feeling a little overwhelmed, but it is in a good way. It is definitely something that I have missed feeling for a long time, a sense that there is real work to be done and I can't just idly sit by anymore. 

Monday, August 30, 2010

Here I am, Rock you like a Hurricane

Lesson #3,462 in Humor and Flexibility, the Peace Corps Way:

For all of you who haven't been watching the news, Hurricane Earl has just finished ripping through the northern Leeward Islands, which, of course, includes St. Kitts. Due to this, we were not able to leave today as planned. Both my group and the Antigua group had to stay behind and see off the St. Vincent crew leave early this morning. It was definitely bittersweet to see off a group of people who I've spent hours and hours each day with since last Monday in Miami. I wish them well on their projects and can't wait to hear updates from them about how they're getting along in their communities. 

After they all left, the 17 of us who couldn't fly out went on a little field trip to the south of the island to the community of LaBorie. It was great to see a more realistic-sized town that I will be living in. We met a current PCV who worked with an NGO, and one of her projects was developing some tourism activities in the area. They had a small community center with some native artifacts that I took great interest in. Then we had a walking tour guide given to us by local from the community. It was incredibly hot and sunny, but absolutely beautiful walking down small roads and along the beaches among the fishermen weaving their fishing traps out of bamboo strips. There was also a very quaint church built in the late 1700s that I really enjoyed walking through. There was also a very long beach with a man-made reef structure built just about 15 feet from the water's edge to protect a childrens' swimming area. It was just incredibly tempting to just take off my shirt and shorts and go for a swim, especially when the kids started asking us to. Another incredible sight was being able to see the island of St. Vincent from the beach, and I think it all made us think of our friends who were on the island getting settled in with their host families. We all waved, but I don't think they saw anything.

I was pretty speechless for the duration of the trip. My mind kept wandering. I was mostly anxious and have felt ready to move on for the next step in this process. I have to keep telling myself that I've waited over a year for this moment, so what's another day? I also kept telling myself how lucky I am to be in this part of the world by myself with no worries except, of course, the ones that will greet me at my job. But at least I will finally feel like I'll be making some kind of difference again, no matter how minute that might turn out to be in the beginning. 

Also, my camera battery died, and without a charger there won't be too many pictures posted here for a little bit. That is definitely priority #1 over the next several weeks. 

Saturday, August 28, 2010

Right Where I Need to Be...

Well then, I have been on St. Lucia for about a week now and honestly, as the days go by I have never felt more right about any decision that I have ever made. I have met some amazing people, seen some of the most beautiful scenery, and have sweat more than I ever have in my life (as hard as that is to imagine), and I haven't even made it to my island of service yet!

Before I go any farther, here is a video that my brother John did about my last weekend in the states. I watched it and it made me very happy to see members of my family, but it also goes over some of the reasons I joined the Peace Corps, which will be a good reminder to me when things inevitably get tough.




Now, on to the exciting stuff... the all-encompassing assignment! I was always nervous about the fact that I have gone through this whole process of applying, being accepted, and then actually flying to the Caribbean before I knew what my job would entail. I mean, it's not like any other job. How many interviews have you done where they don't tell you what you're going to do, extend you an invitation, and then expect you to take that job? I guess that goes with the territory. But anyways, I'll be working in the capital of St. Kitts, Basseterre, which has quite the colorful history of colonialism and being destroyed by natural disasters and rebuilt. Exciting! I will be working with the Department of Sports for the government strengthening some current programs they have going, as well as starting some new projects that they have requested. One of these projects is helping to design a webpage for the Department, which, I have to admit, is the second-most intimidating feature of my post (second to, of course, learning the rules of cricket). So, I have a request... anybody who has any good advice on either webpage design OR learning cricket are encouraged to contact me. I took an html class my freshman year of high school, but those were back in the days of more hair on my head and zits on my face.

On a more personal note, I am accomplishing my goals of trying new things as they come up on a regular basis. I have been doing yoga (!) almost every day with the fantastic instructor Camille, and if we were volunteers on the same island I would be knocking on her door 3 times a week for sessions. And fried plantains = deliciousness. In fact, every way I have had them is great. chips, fried, baked, whatever. I really hope my homestead host is a good cook, because I hope to be in the kitchen every night learning how to cook up these fantastic looking fruits and vegetables on the island.

Well, that about does it for me this evening. I realized I really need to take more pictures, so perhaps I will make that a priority tomorrow before *gulp* Tropical Storm Earl might make the sky a little cloudy. It is time to commence the evening guitar circle with earlier-mentioned Camille and Christa, the latter of whom might be better than me at guitar after only 8 months of playing, which I doubt more and more. Until then, the next post will be from St. Kitts!

Monday, August 16, 2010

The ol' Bait and Switch

My time is coming fairly rapidly. One week from now I will be in Miami with a group of hopefully equally excited and perhaps somewhat confused future volunteers. My confusion was only heightened after today. Since receiving my invitation, I was expecting to go to St. Vincent and the Grenadines since, well, that's where they told me I was going to go. Over the weekend I received an email from the APCD of St. Kitts and Nevis, welcoming me to serve there and wanting to contact me. I responded back with some confusion, as I thought I had was on my way to SVG. This morning I received a call from the placement office in DC stating that, due to an error on their end, they told me one thing and the island staff something completely different. Yes, you may be telling yourself, the Peace Corps is indeed a government program. I guess this is the reason they say you should be both flexible and have a sense of humor about serving. So it's off to sunny St. Kitts and Nevis, which isn't so bad after all.

After I sorted all of this out and was able to do a little research about my new island of departure I received a phone call from the APCD of St. Kitts to discuss a few things. I know a little bit more about what I will be doing. Originally I was going to be working out of a school, and now it appears I will be working with the Department of Sport in St. Kitts. Imagine that - me, teaching kids about sports! Guess I'd better learn how to play cricket after all. So, now it's time to pack up this week and make sure I have everything I need. I guess this process has gone a little too smoothly for myself; there had to be a snag somewhere before I left. I was frustrated to learn all of this information today until I realized that if I would have known from the beginning where I was going to be I wouldn't be so upset about it. But anyways, my next post will be in the Caribbean! (hopefully!)

Friday, July 23, 2010

Bienvenido a Miami

So this is the first post of many dealing with my Peace Corps experience for the next couple of years. I don't have any specific goals as to what will be shared or posted, I just figure things will come to me that need to be shared. Hopefully, I will be able to provide updates once a week with any new or current projects, as well as share whatever is running through my mind. I suppose the first thing to do would be to recap the whole application process, but, you know, I don't think I will right now. A brief summary will do:

As you may or may not have heard, I will be a volunteer in the Peace Corps serving in St. Vincent and the Grenadines in the Eastern Caribbean starting August 23rd. I am in the Youth Development program, and if that sounds overly vague and general to you, you're not alone. I still do not know precisely what my position will entail, other than the brief description I was given in my invitation packet and some helpful insight from a handful of volunteers already on the island. I will most likely be working out of a school and assisting in the development and implementation of educational programs in a wide variety of subjects ranging from math and science to health, hygiene, and environmental awareness. Furthermore, it seems that I will be assisting or creating after school programs, possibly in the areas of art, music, and sports. I have heard there is much to do down there, but it takes some digging to uncover what the specific needs are, so I am looking forward to just getting down there and doing some exploring on my own.

I have just made my travel arrangements via SATO Travel this afternoon, and I will be flying out of O'Hare airport at 5:55 in the A.M. on the 23rd, Miami bound. Registration is at 12:30 at the Crowne Plaza, and I'm pretty excited to meet the other trainees and see who will be in the Eastern Caribbean with me. There is just so much to do between now and then that it is a bit overwhelming at times to think about. I still have to sort through my belongings I brought back from Denver and take stuff to salvation army, fill out a dozen or so forms, mostly registration forms for the PC but also my deferment forms for the thousands of dollars in student loans that will not be paid. Sorry, fat cat bankers, but you won't be seeing a dime from me for awhile! I still don't know what I'm taking with me, so that will have to be figured out. Oh, I probably need to get some new luggage too. I think my duffel bag that I've been using since I was 15 has seen better days, and a trip like this might need something a little more, um, durable and packing-friendly. I can't get away with just throwing loose clothes in and zipping it up this time. Well, maybe I'd better get on some of that stuff this afternoon. I've said enough by now.

Note to self: check to see if Sams Club sells sunblock by the metric ton.