Next stop- St. Kitts =)

This is our last night at the Coubaril Retreat Center. Tomorrow night I will be sleeping at my host families home, where I will remain until the end of October (InshAllah).

One of our activities for training today involved listing three characteristics we identified with. I listed myself as: -
1) A Muslim
2) A daughter
3) A baker

So most of the other volunteers put things like caring, friendly, curious, etc. There are two types of societies: individualistic and collective. Apparently Americans are at the individualistic end of the spectrum and other places such as Japan are at the collective end. I apparently do not identify with the American individualistic qualities (Amie, Abu, you will be relieved to know that I do have good Pakistani qualities).  A lot of our training sessions have stressed how we are representing the United States and how we are trying to help with a cross cultural exchange between American and other cultures. I don't know if I'm going to be such a good representation of the United States.

Another workshop we had involved half of us playing the role of the 'people' and the rest were the 'visitors'. We as the people were given rules to follow such as only answering yes or no questions, no speaking to people of the opposite gender, responding with yes when the person was smiling regardess of the question, etc. The visitor's were told we needed their help. It got pretty funny, but it was actually a great activity because it helped us realize just what kind of communication barriers we might be dealing with.

Last night was filled with games. Ted taught us something that was a cross between charades, taboo and catch phrase (Sophie, I thought of you the whole time), Will taught us all these crazy camp games I'm guessing he used as a counselor, one of which involved kaw-ing at each other like dinosaurs, and then the last one we played was where everyone went in a circle adding a word till we collectively compiled the most absurd sentence you have ever heard. It was good times =)

Then tonight, Courtney taught me and Will how to play some Blue's tunes on the guitar and afterwards, Will taught me a couple of chords and the beginning of this song by the Shins. I look forward to having calluses on my fingers from guitar playing =)

I'm going to miss all the St. Vincent people... This week has been really awesome and I think we have a really amazing group and I'm sad that we have to split it up already. But hopefully we'll be able to make weekend trips etc. Mid service training reunion will be great!

Castries

Had some training at the PC office in Castries today. Got some of our immunizations too, I had a Hep B booster and Hep A vaccination (both my arm muscles hurt a little which is weird because I'm really used to shots) after which we were sent off on a scavenger hunt. Everyone opted to stay later to spend the rest of the day there instead of heading back to the retreat right away. So after finding random information like how much it costs to send a letter back home from the post office and when the fire's took place from the library and checking out the cathedral...

We sat at a local bar/restaurant (which had this view)

Then walked around the city some more...

A homeless man (or so I assumed) approached our group as we waited for the bus and showed us us ribs asking for money so he could get food (someone said they thought it was a six pack and not his ribs but I didn't really stare). I had the chicken roti that we all got for lunch in my purse, and it being Ramadan and all too I told him I wouldn't give him money but that I had food. So I gave him my chicken roti, hoping to see him take it gratefully and maybe start eating since he claimed to be hungry. But he just kind of waited around, I think assuming everyone else would give him something too.

We also had a little bit of drama at the end of the night when it was time to come home and we were all paranoid after all our safety and security lectures and decided not to trust the bus driver when he told us he was the one sent to get us because we didn't see the PeaceCorps banner Margo told us to look for. But it was all alright in the end, I think some of us were just being careful and other's were just cranky and tired. Personally, I was just really darn hungry after fasting all day and wanted to get back for dinner.

Random bench we all have been enjoying the view from out back. I sat and read my book before the sun set after training the other day. My butt started hurting after a little bit though...

Here is the gorgeous view of our dining hall (behind the tree). I should probably have posted a picture showing you the other side but I wanted you to see where we eat. The nun's that have been serving us here at Coubaril Retreat have been awesome btw.

David shared some yummy recipes with us tonight for some awesome apple cake and swedish pancakes as well, and Julie Ann started talking about her herb stuffed turkey so I think I'm off to dream about yummy food now...

Training

Yesterday we went over a lot of stuff like safety and security concerns (common issues), we met all of the Eastern Caribbean PC staff, went over the PC's core expectations of us volunteers and about some of the program.

We also got our postings (finally!) I'll be working primarily with two organizations: the SOS club (Shaping Our Society) and the Green Valley Festival Committee. From what it sounds like I'll be working in and around the capital; Basseterre.
SOS was created to "foster dedicated and responsible young people with effective leadership skills to assist in the promotion of social development and a better life for underdeveloped youth." Green Valley works to promote community development in the Green Valley festival area.
I'm really excited because some of the stuff they currently work on has been scholarships and book drives, hikes, cultural exchanges, car washes, bake sales (woohoo!!!) and there' a huge list.
I am supposed to strengthen the institutional organization and governance structure, management systems and delivery of services, capacity building, increase participation, support and create systems for volunteer recruitment, develop strategies for the organizations, aid in establishments of new systems, assist and train individuals in maintaining website and establishing a system for documentation... the list goes on =)

And then today we went over a lot of medical concerns, like dengue fever and sea urchins and dehydration... and apparently the most common problem is STI's. Which I don't have to worry about. We went over some other policies, and there was a long session on Drugs and Alcohol, which I fell asleep in!! It was only for like ten minutes but I feel so bad! I think Michele thought I passed out because of the heat or something and Will thought I was having a low blood sugar reaction. But anyway, then after that we had another safety and security session on unwanted attention.

But the best part of today was after dinner. We all played mafia. There were about 15 of us, a lot of whom had never played before but ended up being really good and tricked all of us! I got to play the 'godfather' or narrator for the first time. I was also killed by vicious monkeys in the last round (yes, I'm still deadly scared of monkeys and I've made sure everyone in the EC-80 group knows it!) I've been sharing the video of drunk monkeys with everyone.

Julie Ann and Maggie are both going to be on Nevis, but I'd really like to work on a secondary project with Julie Ann so I'm hoping I'll be allowed to travel to Nevis for that. We were thinking of a baking workshop for working mother's...

Tomorrow we're off to Castries (the capital of St. Lucia) and we're apparently going on a scavenger hunt in the city after some more training! Then a lot of us want to stay back and roam the city and have dinner there afterwards since we've been restricted to the retreat since we've been here. I'll update you guys on how that goes with pictures of the city... sleepy time for now.

St. Lucia

The island is gorgeous. Looking out the window on the plane, I kept saying 'MashAllah' because the color of the water with the coral reefs, wow.

This is the retreat center were staying at, those are the balconies of our rooms and the view from our room.

I'll have a lot more pictures later. These are just the few I took today. It is so incredibly hot and humid. I've already showered twice today. I'm not sure what animal/insect I keep hearing, but it makes you feel like they are playing one of those recorded tapes to help you fall asleep. Will says its cricket frogs but I'm not sure if those are even a real thing. It feels like its so incredibly late even though its not even 9 pm yet. Everyone I'm here with is so awesome. One of the other volunteers here, Julie Ann, loves baking just as much as I do and we've already started planning our thanksgiving dinner!

It begins

I got to Miami last night. Hung out with Sameer and slept really late. Then had staging all day till around 7.30. I love everyone I've met =) Everyone is so different, but its a great group. I'll write a lot more details about how it was later, but I have to be up at 4.30 am to leave for St. Lucia in the morning. The main thing I want to say right now is that I feel at peace in a weird way. Like I'm doing the right thing =)

Ramadan Mubarak

Ramadan starts tomorrow/today =)
Tomorrow is my last day here. I think I'm going to end up unpacking and repacking my big suitcase all over again tomorrow night.
I'm really curious about everything. I'm really excited about having a host family, and hope that my being Muslim and fasting won't cause any issues. But from what I've heard, I'm not worried.
I can't believe it's finally here. I started my Peace Corps application back in the winter of 2007/2008. Everyone keeps asking me if I'm ready. I'm 'ready' for something new. But how can you be prepared for the pseudo-unknown? Until I get on that plane, or actually maybe not until I'm on the island, is it really going to hit me.
Last night we had a farewell bonfire sort of thing. It was really nice of everyone to come out so far and it really meant a lot to me. So to any of my friends who came out last night and who are reading this, thank you SO much =) It didn't feel like a farewell though, and I'm glad for that. I wanted it to just be a bunch of friends hanging out and that's exactly what it was. Goodbye's are kind of depressing if you ask me.

My new city

hehe, this is where I'll be!!! I can't wait... in case you can't tell I'm SUPER excited =)

The Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis (also known as the Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis) located in the Leeward Islands, is a federal two-island nation in the West Indies. It is the smallest sovereign nation in the Americas, in both area and population.

The capital city and headquarters of government for the federated state is Basseterre on the larger island of Saint Kitts. The smaller state of Nevis lies about 2 miles southeast of Saint Kitts, across a shallow channel called "The Narrows".

Saint Kitts and Nevis were amongst the first islands in the Caribbean to be settled by Europeans. Saint Kitts was home to the first British and French colonies in the Caribbean.

Saint Kitts was named "Liamuiga" by the Kalinago Indians who inhabited the island. This name, roughly translated in English means "fertile land," a testimony to the island's rich volcanic soil and high productivity. Nevis' pre-Columbian name was "Oualie", which translates to "land of beautiful waters", presumably referred to the island's many freshwater springs and hot volcanic springs.

One down, one to go

I really started freaking out today. Sophie said that I looked like I had climbed out of a suitcase myself. That's because I started packing today. The random pile under my bed has been growing steadily, to the point where it wasn't just under my bed anymore... everything was poking out all over the place. So I took all of it downstairs to the room with my suitcases, along with all my medical supplies, and as many clothes as I could (that I know I will be wearing there, but won't wear in the next couple of weeks). There was also another pile already in the suitcase room from the PC shopping I've been doing with mommy. Then I sat there and started hyperventilating over how much there was and how I'd never get it all to fit.

And then mommy came to my rescue. I think I'm a pretty decent packer from all the years of having watched her, but I will never pack the way she does. She somehow fit pratically everything into my smaller suitcase (which still isn't THAT small haha, but come on, I'm leaving for over two years!) My larger one is still practically empty and I know that will be filled primarily with clothes. And clothes I can handle.

Anyway, point being, I was going a little crazy when I had no idea where to start with the packing. But I'm feeling really really calm now knowing that I will be able to take everything I want (I think, please don't let me be jinxing myself!) and I'm feeling less stressed knowing that I have a whole suitcase packed already! I hate being late, I hate being stressed for time... so I'm glad I started this process slowly and won't be freaking out last minute. It seems really early to already have packed a whole suitcase, but I like to be prepared. I feel at peace.

A little of this, a little of that

I took Nala (my cat) to her new home the other day =( but I still keep hearing the jingle of her bell around the house. I'm relieved that I found her a good home, I know Nadia is going to love her and take great care of her. But I'm still sad. It was just another one of those things that made me stop and realize, holy crap.

I had my conference call with the Eastern Caribbean directors the other day too. This was so that they could start figuring out where they can place us according to the needs on the island. They seemed to love the fact that I had international experience and the fact that I've been reading other people's blogs and doing research and am prepared but at the same time very open to the fact that anything is possible. I'm not setting myself up to have particular expectations because I just don't know. They asked me if I had any ideas about secondary projects or anything, and I told them that I was under the impression that it was better not to go in with any concrete plans because we were supposed to go there and figure out what the community needed and act accordingly. Mavis seemed to love that...

All the volunteers I'm in contact with (both on the island already and those leaving in a couple of weeks with me) are going to be working on Youth Development. I haven't found any blogs or anything of people who are going to be working with Institutional NGO development. So I'm pretty sure my work is going to be pretty different from the kind of thing I've been reading... but I'm actually really excited about that.

I was going through the travel section at Barnes and Noble today, through all the books on the Caribbean (I know most of it isn't useful because it's geared towards tourists, but still), and a bunch of the islands have their own books. St. Lucia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Antigua... but not St. Kitts & Nevis. Oddly enough, I'm kind of happy for the fact. It makes me feel like it's not this huge tourist island and they DO need my help there.

Oh, and I also just discovered that there's a medical school on St. Kitts. I know that med schools are big out in the Caribbean, I just thought St. Kitts was too small to have one and I'd never heard of it before.

I know there's still quite a bit to go. First theres pre-staging, then the short time in St. Lucia, then training and a host family before actually swearing in as a volunteer. But still...