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.