Week Summary

On Thursday I woke up early because I was supposed to have four different appointments. Two of them ended up being canceled/postponed. It’s something I am going to have to learn to deal with, the spontaneity in schedules here. That afternoon, I had the opportunity to meet with the program director of the World Diabetes Foundation. I don’t know how but I somehow manage to get thrown into diabetes related organizations, even though it has never been my goal to work with them or try and help other diabetics. I have always felt like other conditions and hardships deserve more attention because of the fact that I am a diabetic, and think it is one of the easier things to manage. But maybe that is why I am thrown into these situations. To help myself come to terms with the reality of the hardships that comes along with my diagnosis. To come to terms with what I have gone and continue to go through as a Diabetic.

That evening I went to my first SOS event. They had planned a social Bingo night, which was pretty successful in my opinion. I made some new friends and met new people. I feel really lucky because I get the opportunity to meet and work with people my own age. My actual work assignment goes hand in hand with integration; unlike my fellow NGO developers and youth developers who are either working with younger children or older adults. So far the people I have met through SOS are really easy to get along with, and I look forward to working with them for the next two years =)

Friday after training we all met up with some of the EC 78 group at a local restaurant/bar. I had been craving French fries, so me and Julie-Ann shared a plate. I stayed till around 7.00pm. I got a chance to talk to Geoff for quite a while about a whole bunch of things. He’s a really really nice guy. And when Kim told me that she and Geoff had some baking materials including a hand mixer I could have kissed her. A mixer is one of the things I was ready to have Sophie ship over to me because of how expensive they are over here. But one of the volunteers who finished her service this summer left a lot of her stuff and Kim and Geoff are being generous enough to give some of it to me. Needless to say, they are both getting the best birthday cakes ever!

I know I mentioned this before, but I love the group of people I am here with. This group now includes the people from EC 78, and is growing to include the people from SOS and other community members I am getting to know. I can already see myself being really sad having to leave St. Kitts…

Saturday we went to Brimstone Hill. It is absolutely beautiful up there. Definitely one of the places I will be taking my family and friends when they come to visit (note I said WHEN not IF, hint hint). There are supposed to be a lot of monkeys in the area, but the only one I saw was the dead stuffed one on display. Ironically I happened to be the first one to walk into that room and let out a little squeal. It was not cute.


Side note, I have Will and Julie Ann started on the ‘YOU’RE’ come backs!!! They are going to hate me for it at the end of these two years, mwahaha. But it’s SO entertaining. For those of you who don’t know me, I have a habit of saying ‘YOU’RE ____’ as comebacks, regardless of whether it is appropriate or not. For example, if you said ‘Something smells bad’ I would reply with “YOU smell bad”. Or ‘That’s not appropriate’ I’d say ‘YOU’RE not appropriate’. Sometimes it comes out really wrong because I don’t normally think before using these responses. Only recently have I started using them around my fellow trainees because I’ve reached that comfort level with them. My true colors are coming out as they discover my random quirks. Will hasn’t fully caught on, he just throws in the YOU wherever he can, but he’s getting there.


Saturday evening, it took me an hour to get to Will’s host house. I left the house at 7 pm and didn’t arrive till 8. And mind you originally I was told the party begins at 6. Then I was updated that it probably wouldn’t start till 7.30ish. Kittitian timing is just like desi standard time, so I’ll be just fine. So I didn’t actually catch a bus going towards Saddlers till after 7.30. Now anyone that knows me knows how much I HATE waiting. That’s one thing that has surprised me about myself. I have way more patience than I ever thought I had. I don’t feel like I have to be in a rush to get anywhere anymore. Probably because nobody else cares. I can see this being a problem when I readjust to the way things work in the states. It was also my first time taking the bus at night, and my first time sitting up front. There are some unspoken rules of riding the bus here, that I am still learning. If a girl sits up front, the other guy sitting in the passenger seat gets out and lets her sit in the middle. Personally I would prefer to sit on the side by the window in the passenger seat, but for some reason it’s like a sign of respect for a woman to be shielded by the two men instead of on her own or something. So this was my first time riding up front instead of in the back. And then I had never actually ridden to Saddlers before. And I had never been to will’s. so I kept asking where we were, and the bus driver was VERY nice and accommodating. I got dropped off right in front of his house. I met some of his host family’s friends, and had his host sister ask me a lot of questions and share a lot about her musical tastes and sports preferences. Very sweet teenage girl. I also got to try some sandwiches that will made (Diane you will be proud, your son is learning!) and some goat water which is a soup with chunks of goat, vegetables and huge dumplings that I had great difficulty getting down. Will also made me try some ginger beer (don’t worry Mambu, it’s non-alcoholic), but I’m not a fan. I also don’t like the local malt drinks here either. But I absolutely LOVE the passion fruit juice. We told each other a bunch of riddles and jokes and had a good time. Then one of Will’s host mom’s friends dropped me home. It was a good weekend.

Sunday was the first day I got to sleep in this entire month. It was awesome.

MIA

One person can only do so much. I understand that being a PCV comes with a lot of responsibility. But I can’t do EVERYTHING. Training alone is turning out to be a handful, and I’m not quite sure how they expect us to get everything done. Since Tom and Barbara left, Mavis asked me if I could possibly help out with his organization as well. But my main worry is the work they expect us to do with our school attachments. There are four aspects that we need to prove competency in, but the school’s don’t really understand so in order to get work in any of these aspects done, you pretty much have to start a new project. So where does that leave us or the schools after swearing in? Am I supposed to keep carrying out these projects? I don’t have the capacity to possibly work on all my projects AND carry out all this extra work with the schools. I’m definitely going to have to talk to someone about this.

Update: Scratch that. I’m not so worried and overwhelmed anymore. I started writing this entry a couple of nights ago but because of my limited internet access I haven’t actually gotten to post it until now:

As NGO developer’s we don’t have our demonstration with our school attachments (I believe we have separate presentations with Abdul-Karim). We do still have to display competencies in four areas: Remedial reading, extra-curricular activities, IT training, and a life skills program. But we don’t have to start actual programs. Which brings me to this past Tuesday. I went to my primary school attachment, but all the teachers were too busy for me before the assembly. So I went over to a group of kids, mainly 2^nd graders with one or two 1^st and 3^rd graders tossed in the bunch. One of the boys decided he was too cool for me and started copying everything I said. Then we all started playing tag. But they all wanted to ‘catch’ me so as soon as I tagged someone they basically tagged me back. The girls held my hand and showed me their classroom. They all wanted me to teach their class, but I told them I was assigned to work in the library today. They begged me to take them with me, but it was my remedial reading day. I have been assigned to six boys. Four from fourth grade and two from third grade. Originally I was supposed to take each student and work with them for half an hour. I don’t know if you’ve ever tried working with 8-9 year old boys before, but you can’t get anything done in half an hour. And because their teacher wasn’t there, the four fourth graders were really curious and wanted to sit in the library with me at the same time. After the break, the four boys came together. So I improvised and pulled out an old box of scattegories. I handed them each a blank sheet of paper and a marker. We sat in a circle on the reading rug. I chose different categories and had them write out a word. My favorite was ‘things in your room’. One of the boys wrote- ‘girl’. Gosh they start early! I told him the only girl that should be in his room is his mother or sister and he laughed at me. I think it was just the easier word he could spell. At lunch time, they decided to bring some of their other 4^th grade friends. So I had around ten 9 year old boys sitting around me while I read them different story books like Pinocchio and the Ugly Duckling. Surprisingly the boys were fascinated by my hair too, so they pet my hair while I read. Somehow they discovered my fear of monkeys and love for penguins and thought it was hilarious to jump around acting like monkeys. Not cute.

Now if you’ve read any basic statistics about St. Kitts & Nevis, we claim to have an insanely high literacy rate. And according to the ‘evaluations’ of the teachers, these remedial students were able to read certain level books. So you can imagine my surprise when one of the boys couldn’t even write out the entire alphabet without my help. Over here, there is a system of automatic progression. Regardless of your academic ability, you are sent into the next grade according to your age. So you can get up to the last year of high school and never learn to read. The reading recovery program used to begin at 3^rd grade, which is already way too late in my opinion. But in my school, since I have come, they are now spreading their resources and trying to include 1^stnd graders so they can catch the problem earlier on. Now I have to deal with the issue of starting from the basics and teaching these boys basic phonics before moving on. The problem is also that within the current remedial reading programs, they are still being pushed beyond their means because the school wants to rush them to catch up and boosts their evaluations so they can weed them out of remedial classes. So I am starting at ground one with these boys. And I’ve already formed a soft spot for these six, so in all likely hood I will continue to work with them for the next year. Perhaps it will be part of the after school reading program instead of the reading recovery during school hours, but I just know that I can’t abandon them, and I know the school doesn’t have the resources to work with them. and 2

Going backwards, on Sunday I moved to my new host family. It was also Eid, however the place that Eid namaaz wasn’t easily accessible by bus, I can’t afford a taxi on this stipend, and I had to get ready to move and didn’t have enough time either. So I had a very uneventful Eid =( but I did get to call some important people and say Eid Mubarak so that was nice. And ironically, I went to an ordination at the Anglican church with my new host. The sweetest old woman you will ever meet, Mrs. Delaney insists I call her Granny. Granny Olinda. She’s made me fish twice already since I told her I absolutely love sea food =) Including the salt fish I told her I really wanted to try! She’s going to teach me how to make those and Johnny Cakes. Yummmmy =) We sat and watched the Emmy's together the other day. I’m not big on tv watching, but she lies in bed and watches before falling asleep every night. So it’s just something we do. The other night I read my book on her bed while she watched some movie. She eats breakfast later in the day and dinner earlier (after I leave and before I come back) but she still prepares food for me and sits and talks to me. And I come home and sit with her at the table while she has her tea as well. We talk about all sorts of things, and I’ve told her about our modified baking workshop idea. She thinks its an awesome idea that she’d actually like to take part in herself and she says she knows more women that would want to participate too =) Point being, I love Granny. She is awesome. And instead of thinking, oh man a whole four weeks left till we move into our homes, I’m thinking oh wow less than four weeks and we’re already moving. 

I don't have internet at my new host house, so I have to wait till I can come into a cafe and grab wireless. I have been trying my hardest to bring my laptop and come into town as often as possible, so I haven't been too bad. But I can't make any promises. 

Independence Day

Tomorrow, Saturday the 19th 2009, is the 26th year of Independence for the Federation of St. Christopher and Nevis.

There were patriotic programs to celebrate Independence Day at all of the schools today. I swear I almost started crying at one point because here these kids are sweating in this big barn like 'auditorium', some of them walking pretty far just to get to school, singing 'We are blessed' at the top of their lungs. After the usual morning assembly rituals, every grade got to participate with either a song, the anthem, a skit, etc. One group of girls did an adorable dance while another did a little modeling show representing all the colors of the flag.

The National Flag of St. Kitts and Nevis features green for fertile lands, yellow for year-round sunshine, black for African heritage, and red for the struggle from slavery through colonialism to Independence. The two white stars on a black diagonal bar are symbols of hope and liberty.

Heroes Day

Yesterday was an awesome day. In the morning I went to bake and decorate a chocolate cake with Marilyn for one of her friends. Uff the climb up to her place was intense. When she said go up up all the way to the top, I didn't take her literally. But she really meant ALL the way up. It was a workout. Hopefully I'll be working with Marilyn on establishing the baking workshop for working mothers (hence combining my two passions!)

Later in the afternoon I went to the Diabetes Association meeting and helped brainstorm for the World Diabetes Day and Diabetes Awareness Week we'll be coordinating in November. I am supposed to write an article for the newspaper but I just remembered the Peace Corps rule about checking with the Country Director before taking part in any media publications. So I should check in with our APCD first...

Then I went to the SOS board meeting. I am really looking forward to working with this group. All the members I've met so far are really really nice and they have some awesome ideas. The organization has a whole lot of potential that I hope to be able to help them reach. Before the meeting Gallio (the president of SOS) and I went and grabbed some fresh fish from this place on market street. I have to get used to eating fish with an intact head and eyes and fins that's full of tiny bones. The meeting adjourned at about 9.30 but we were 'liming' outside till after 10.30. One of the other members was gracious enough to drop me back home instead of letting me take the bus back home that late at night.

 

 

 From the ferry ride back to St. Kitts 

Today was a national holiday: Heroes Day. So I decided to go over to Nevis for the first time and spend the day with Julie Ann and Maggie. I thought that maybe the ferry would run later and more often today, similar to their weekend schedule. It turns out that everyone likes to chill out on holidays instead of taking advantage of business opportunities like they do in the states. The island was dead, there were barely any buses on the road and most businesses were closed. Nobody was really out in the streets or anything. It was actually really nice.

So I got on the 11 o clock ferry and a couple of expats that own a house in Nevis started talking to me, and then a local Nevisian sat next to me and somehow we all got to talking about fishing. Apparently he goes every couple of months and says he will invite me next time they go. My goal is to catch my own fish and cook it. Someone else will have to descale and clean it up for me though.

The ferry terminal at Nevis is nicer than the one in St. Kitts. I don't know if it was because of the holiday and everything being dead, but Nevis is just a quieter and calmer place in general. And smaller. We went to Julie Ann's host house, where we decorated the cupcakes I baked for our presentation on water safety tomorrow. Our presentation is on things that sting, and being the ambitious people that we are, we decided to decorate the cupcakes as different things like fire coral and jelly fish and have people guess what they are. It should be interesting. Julie Ann's host brother, Shakir the 12 year old, is hilarious. A typical adolescent boy playing video games, eating whatever we let him, and making fun of us the whole time.

After that we walked over to Pinney's beach. We hung out at this beach side restaurant/bar and watched the liverpool game. Will came to Nevis with his host family and joined us as well. The four of us then took a walk along the beach, where Maggie decided to kill the endangered honey bee and Julie Ann and Will had some kind of debate about how men walk differently than women? It started drizzling towards the end and we had fun being knee deep in the water while it rained a little on us. The water here is beyond warm, btw.

I am absolutely loving my life right now =)

BBQ

We had a BBQ at Cockleshell Beach today, that the EC 78 group put together for all of us (thank you so much guys!) The guys spent forever grilling some great chicken for us, and some of the volunteers and host families brought side dishes including some awesome macaroni pie and some amazing johnny cakes. All I can say is that I absolutely love every one of the PC volunteers I'm here with =)

Geoff said something the other day that I really liked: "You're going to make a difference even if you do nothing at all" He was referring to how we are making a difference by becoming a part of the community, even if none of our projects take off. That is a very comforting idea.

Oh and Sophie, I saw my first two monkeys today driving to and from the beach. It was not cute. 

Projects Galore

I think I've bitten off more than I can chew.

Potential projects:

1) SOS- Shaping Our Society
2) Green Valley Festival Committee
3) Cayon Primary School:
- Establishment and organization of PTA
- After School Reading Project
4) Cayon High School
5) Diabetes Center
6) Secondary Baking Workshop
7) Dieppe Bay Primary School Library foundation
8) Rotary Club

The first two are the primary projects I was sent here to work on and they are going to involve the most work. Or atleast they're supposed to be what I dedicate most of my time to.

I met with Mr. Bailey, a member of the Rotary Club here in St. Kitts, today. I got in touch with him because David, my former boss when I worked at For Granted, Inc. sent a shipment of books etc. out here to St. Kitts and Mr. Bailey was his contact person. So he asked me to follow up on the materials they received. It was a really productive meeting. I found out a lot about the Rotary Club (and was invited to join!) and learned a lot about what the community needs. Mr. Bailey is an extremely sweet retired man who genuinely cares about the community and I really look forward to working with him for the next two years. Tomorrow I have my shadowing assignment with someone from the Green Valley Festival Committee, and a meeting with a woman about the baking workshop. Here's to the beginning of productivity!

Cayon Primary

I had my first school attachment today. Today we just had to observe and take notes. I was put on the spot though when this adorable 5th grade boy asked me what the Peace Corps was. Caught off guard, I told him we were volunteer's from the U.S. here to help them out, and that we all had to work at a school and this was mine. He gave me the biggest smile after that. During assembly they read a biblical passage referring to being 'peace makers' so another boy asked me what a peace maker is. I guess PCV's are 'peace makers'.

It was actually a very productive day, the children are adorable with so much potential. But the greatest problem I saw was the reading level of the children. After speaking to a lot of the teachers I think the two things I would really like to help the school out with are an after school reading program along with organization of the PTA.

 

I made a new friend: Emily the crossing guard/traffic police. She's very very sweet =) Also, the chocolate cake I baked yesterday is already gone =) The girls gobbled it up today, even Lavi had a couple of slices (and she doesn't like chocolate!) and one of Vi's friends that came over today said that the cake gave him goosebumps and that I should be out on the corner selling this stuff. Vi's niece asked me if I was going to be here next year because she wants me to make her birthday cake =) Oh, and I FINALLY opened my bank account today! Life is good.

Worlds apart

There's more to life than clean bathrooms with use able toilet seats, operating ovens, air conditioning, and mosquito less nights. I think the longer I'm here, the more differences I'll notice between me and people back home.

A brand new day

Videta took me to the 'strip' last night. It's basically a row of bars and pubs at the beach on the south side of the island. She's a very proud Kittitian and took me to see the Marriott hotel first, I think to show me how they have such huge developments, and also because she used to work there. Now I've seen quite a few Marriott's in my life, and this was by far the biggest one I've been in. Huge. But I didn't really like it. Give me a cozy bed and breakfast on the beach any day over the standard huge hotels that all look the same on the inside. After that we went to the strip, which was a little awkward. Neither of us was drinking obviously (Vi's friend had a couple of beers), but it was too loud to really talk. So we pretty much sat at the bar with our grapefruit soda's and people watched. Some of the other PCV's were there, but I didn't really want to leave Vi since she had especially brought me. But I don't drink and I don't dance, so the pub/bar/club scene just isn't my thing. And the whole time I was there I kept thinking, it's Ramadan, and instead of being at Taraweeh, I'm at a bar on the beach in the name of cultural interaction? It's not like I was doing anything wrong, but I still felt weird.

I'm glad I saw it, I know what it is and where, but it's not someplace I'll be going. I'd be much happier liming on the front porch, thank you very much.

Today I went to Alisa's house because it's our consolidation point in case of a hurricane. Her house is in a hilly area on a slope, so half of it is underground and safe. It's really really close to me too and once you've been there, very easy to get to. I actually really really like her place. It's very simple, and open and clean. I loved it. We sat and talked for a good while, which was actually really nice.

Walking home today there was the usual group of men liming at the corner. But there were a couple of men I didn't recognize and one man started coming towards me saying 'excuse me miss' and beckoned for me to come closer. Not wanting to be completely rude, and following the advice we got during our S&S sessions, I acknowledged him but never stopped walking. He started following me a little, and I got a little scared and started walking faster. He kept telling me to come over and saying 'miss, miss, come here'. I apologized and said I had to get home and started walking faster. He sort of followed me for a little but realized that I wasn't going to give him any attention and stopped and went back to his friends. I got scared for a little bit, but I think I handled it well.

Random: I got on the bus without having to ask where it was going first today =)

At the volunteer panel yesterday, everyone was saying not to worry about not getting things done in the beginning and to take things slow, but at least right now I really don't feel like getting bored with lack of work is going to be an issue for me.

SOS- Shaping our Society

Today I met with some of the executive members of SOS- 'Shaping our Society', the main NGO I will be working with for the next two years. I left early, just in case I had to wait long for the unreliable timing of the buses. So I sat on a bench in independence square near the cathedral and read my book. The meeting was casual; at the Caribe Cafe in the city with a nice view of the water. They were all extremely friendly and nice. Basically, the organization had its re-inauguration this past June and they are trying to get back on track after a fading out, and want help with capacity building etc. They told me a little about themselves, about how the organization is set up, what some of their goals are etc.

Val, one of the original founders of SOS works in a lot of event management and was in charge of the Cricket World Cup that was held in St. Kitts in 2007. He will also be working on the ICC cricket matches to be held here in 2010, and it looks like I will get to work with him on it =)

I already feel like I'm learning the ropes. I already ran into someone I knew (a local) on the bus! And I said 'stay here' for the first time today too. Every conversation I have I think of potential projects to start. I actually look forward to waking up every morning whether it's to go to training or for errands in town or a meeting. I can see myself becoming one of the volunteers who doesn't want to leave when her two years are up...

Cayon

I arrived in St. Kitts Monday afternoon. We left super early from the retreat center, and as is custom with Caribbean airlines, LIAT's flight was delayed. And then our layover in Antigua was extended. My host mother came to get me from the PC office in Basseterre. She's a very outgoing woman who loves to blast music on in the car and throughout the house =) She has an 18 year old daughter (my host sister) who is in her second year at college, and wants to study business.

The kitchen, where I plan on cooking and baking with my host mother =) And thankfully she likes both! 

The back porch with a tree that grows breadfruit which I have yet to try. 

My host mother has been awesome. She took me around town my first day and showed me which store to get meat from, where to get everyday house stuff, where to get fresh produce, the bank, where to catch the bus, etc. She takes me in for training in the morning on her way to work and on the way back I catch the bus. Which I did all on my own today =) It's actually a really fun experience! I've learnt that the license plates starting with P and in black are personal vehicles. The ones in yellow/orange starting with T are taxis. And the one's in green starting with H are cabs. And when you want to get off at a certain stop you say 'Stay here'. 


On a side note: banks are the most aggravating institutions ever. Trying to open an account here has been the most frustrating experience ever, and mainly because of my bank back home, not the one here! It really shouldn't be this difficult to get a simple reference letter. Arainrianain. 

A short walk from our training center and this is the view we're greeted by =) It's impossible to wake up upset when you have a gorgeous view of the Atlantic ocean (that's the side I'm on) 

Some of our group in Independence square after a day of errands in Basseterre. 

David standing by the bamboo in Independence square. Him and Ingrid are the cutest and sweetest couple I have ever met. 

Close up of  the federation of St. Christopher and Nevis from the old French map in the museum.

Some artwork displaying Kittitian culture.

Yesterday, my host mother's sister came over with her kids. She has a baby boy, and two daughters, six and nine years old. Their reactions to me were beyond adorable. Their mouths dropped open as they said 'wow, she be white'. The elder daughter talked to me from the get go, telling me all about how athletic she is and what sports she plays and how she loves math and Hannah Montana along with the rest of the Disney channel. When the six year old got over her shock, she came and started petting my hair. Now anyone that knows me knows that I LOVE having my hair played with. So it was a match made in heaven. She couldn't get over how soft and straight my hair was and when we found out that we both share a fondness for the Alvin and the Chipmunks cartoon, and made plans to make their favorite cake (chocolate unfortunately) after church on Sunday, she hugged me and said 'I ain't never gonna let you go, you be the best girl I know'. The baby boy was adorable too, with his cute round face. He fell asleep while I was holding him. I think he might have started drooling. 

Afterwards, my host mother took me and one of her other niece's who's visiting around the country. We visit two of her friends. Her friend couldn't stop smiling at 'de white girl'. It was my first real interaction with how the concept of personal space is very different here. He shook my hand (which he didn't let go of for quite a while), pat my back and then was like 'eh come here' and hugged me. I wasn't sure how to react. I realize that he meant no offense and people are just very used to a lot of physical contact here. But in my culture, women and men have very limited physical contact. Since he was a sweet older man, it didn't make me too uncomfortable so I just smiled. When he introduced me to his 23 year old son though, I made sure to maintain my distance and just waved hello. He guessed I was 12, his son said I was 16, and his wife guessed 18.

Walking in the street on my way to and from the bus, everyone has been beyond nice. It is customary to greet everyone absolutely everywhere. I've noticed a lot of people respond by shaking their heads and saying 'ok, ok' or 'you alright?'. The men also seem a lot friendlier than the women. They also like calling us darling and similar names. I know people in the neighborhood are curious about who I am. If I don't end up going to my worksite tomorrow, I think I'd like to go meet some of the neighbors in the area. And I'll go introduce myself at the police station. It's apparently a good idea to become friends with the police, bus driver's, people at the post office, etc. I also got some advice from the volunteer who just left Cayon (my town) regarding places to meet people, and people who will introduce me to the community. 

This post is getting long, but I really want to add how amazing this whole experience has been so far. First off, the amazing people that I am serving with here. I truly feel blessed to have the fortune to be serving with the group I'm in. If it weren't for the PC I don't know how we would all have come together. And also, I feel like I'm actually doing what I want to be doing. It's been one day at a time so far, but I absolutely love everything about this so far. I know a lot is going to change in the next two years, but in the short time I've been here so far, my respect for the Peace Corps and what it stands for has increased and I know that it's an organization I would love to stay with. So even though they have a 5 year limit on being a staff member, I'm pretty sure I want to try and work with them after my 2 years is up.