Today my kids went crazy. The boys got really jealous when I decided to spend lunch time reading with the girls. I literally had to lock them out of the library (which didn't stop them from banging the heck out of the doors). Needless to say, I was beyond pooped after the school day.
Then, during the Diabetes Association meeting, there were some students (our meetings are at the Nursing school) sitting together and the Azaan went off on this guy's laptop. Then him and the guys he was sitting with starting talking about the lakers. I was DYING to run over. Desi Muslims laker fans??? It was like dangling candy in front of a starving kid. But we had a potential sponsor/donor at our meeting and I couldn't exactly excuse myself so instead I had to bite my lip and sit through it. I was feeling really homesick, wishing I was sitting watching the game with Ali and Taha and Madina at his place, with some of Auntie's kabab's and some sheesha afterwards. Side note: super thanks (I don't think that's a real
phrase) to Amar for finding me a site to watch the NBA games live!!!
Seriously, who needs cable when you can watch EVERYTHING online? GO
LAKERS! We won tonight, 92-99, btw =)
Today's SOS meeting had a presentation on "Budgeting, Savings and Debt Management”. It was interesting, and made me a little proud of myself. Even though I haven't had to pay an electricity bill yet, I've been making sure to unplug everything when it's not being used since it still drains power. I've been logging my expenses on an excel spread sheet so I know exactly where all my money is going. And I've just been careful about what I spend on. Not that I ever thought of myself as a frivolous spender, but I'm even more careful than I used to be. Not making much money will do that to you.
For some reason I agreed to go for walks at 5.30 am every morning with some of my neighbors. So I'm off to bed now.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Settling In
I can't believe it's almost been a week since I moved into my own place here in Spooners. I kept meaning to update here with a video of the swearing in ceremony, but my computer and you tube just don't agree for some reason. So I put off posting cuz I thought I would just wait till I could figure it out. But that hasn't happened yet.
I have less of a regular schedule than I did during training, but that's fine with me. I can't believe I'm finally an official Peace Corps Volunteer, after SO long. And I'm loving it. I thought it would be really weird having my own place all to myself, cuz I've never lived completely on my own. I've always had roommates or lived at home. And everyone knows how I hate doing things alone. But I actually really like it. And I don't really feel alone because I've been busy. I actually am still waiting for a day to just chill at home and not do anything.
Here's some pictures of the my house, backyard, view, and neighborhood. There's some green onions, basil, chives (or Max- the caretaker just keeps saying herbs), soursop, sugar apple, breadfruit, passion fruit (SO excited about those) and some other fruit either in my back yard or next door. I'll take pictures of the inside and post those once I have set up a little more.
I moved in on Saturday. I have dealt with a few roaches (killed a couple too, I'm learning), and there was a frog in my kitchen last night. I've bought some household items to set up (necessities like a FAN, can't live without one here). I've been around the neighborhood and have been getting to know more people. I'm starting to feel a lot more comfortable about Spooners than before. Everyone has told me that as a single girl living on her own, Cayon isn't the best place. Actually, most people have had very harsh reactions. But Spooners is tucked away uphill and it's so communal. Everyone seems to look out for you, and I've been really careful. If I've ever taken the bus at night I just pay that extra dollar for them to drop me at my door instead, and the bus driver's are really awesome. A couple of them take me up to my house without charging extra.
My neighbor, Brenda, is really sweet. She's already had a sample of my baking because I didn't have gas until this morning (that was THE hardest part). So I had to go over to her house to bake for the SOS bonfire last week. Which was a lot of fun. I invited Tiffany and Will to join, and Alisa and Kelsey came too so it was kind of nice to have my PC people there too. I really want Will to meet locals our age, and I don't think he's going to meet a lot working at Saddler's Primary so I hope he comes to more of our events. I'm not worried about Tiffany meeting people, she's already fitting right in here. And it's always a good thing to have more participation in my organization. Yes, I just called it 'mine'.
There's been a lot of different projects and meetings and ideas floating around along with socializing and integrating this past week, I don't think I'll be able to fill you in on everything. So I'll just leave off at I will post more pictures and hopefully everything from swearing in soon.
I have less of a regular schedule than I did during training, but that's fine with me. I can't believe I'm finally an official Peace Corps Volunteer, after SO long. And I'm loving it. I thought it would be really weird having my own place all to myself, cuz I've never lived completely on my own. I've always had roommates or lived at home. And everyone knows how I hate doing things alone. But I actually really like it. And I don't really feel alone because I've been busy. I actually am still waiting for a day to just chill at home and not do anything.
I moved in on Saturday. I have dealt with a few roaches (killed a couple too, I'm learning), and there was a frog in my kitchen last night. I've bought some household items to set up (necessities like a FAN, can't live without one here). I've been around the neighborhood and have been getting to know more people. I'm starting to feel a lot more comfortable about Spooners than before. Everyone has told me that as a single girl living on her own, Cayon isn't the best place. Actually, most people have had very harsh reactions. But Spooners is tucked away uphill and it's so communal. Everyone seems to look out for you, and I've been really careful. If I've ever taken the bus at night I just pay that extra dollar for them to drop me at my door instead, and the bus driver's are really awesome. A couple of them take me up to my house without charging extra.
My neighbor, Brenda, is really sweet. She's already had a sample of my baking because I didn't have gas until this morning (that was THE hardest part). So I had to go over to her house to bake for the SOS bonfire last week. Which was a lot of fun. I invited Tiffany and Will to join, and Alisa and Kelsey came too so it was kind of nice to have my PC people there too. I really want Will to meet locals our age, and I don't think he's going to meet a lot working at Saddler's Primary so I hope he comes to more of our events. I'm not worried about Tiffany meeting people, she's already fitting right in here. And it's always a good thing to have more participation in my organization. Yes, I just called it 'mine'.
There's been a lot of different projects and meetings and ideas floating around along with socializing and integrating this past week, I don't think I'll be able to fill you in on everything. So I'll just leave off at I will post more pictures and hopefully everything from swearing in soon.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Light at the end of the tunnel
Even though I've been loving everything so far, I can't wait for training to be over and to be officially sworn in and to finally stop moving and be in my own place. To know I won't have to move again for a whole two years (longer than I've stayed put in one place for a while now).
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Almost
I guess this is weird, but the one thing I really miss is physical contact. I haven’t gotten a real hug in a long time and I really miss it. In my family, I am the one who likes her personal space the most. But maybe because the rest of my family is SO huggy kissy, I’ve gotten used to it. And I miss it. More than I crave certain foods, or cool weather; I miss putting my head in Erum’s lap as we watch a movie, cuddling with Mommy, and the big bear hug dances with Sophie.
Monday I went to the launch of the OECS’s EU treaty with Mavis and Margo (our country director) and two other volunteers. Everything here has a launch first: a big show of important people with speeches. The Prime Minister and the Governor General were both there. It was interesting.
Tuesday was busy:
1) Remedial reading with the boys at Cayon Primary. I had a surprise visit from Francil (our PC school trainer) and apparently he was very impressed with my lesson and went back and reported to Mavis and Margo and told everyone on Friday, which made me smile.
2) Meeting with the head of AVEC, the vocational school in Basseterre. He wants me to help with the basic IT training class as a teacher's assistant and substitute. Not sure if I'm going to have the time for that sort of commitment, but I'm sitting in on a class next week to see if I can help out (I'm learning to be non-committal, still working on how to say no)
3) Weekly Diabetes Association meeting
4) Weekly SOS board meeting which ended around 8.30-9.00 yet I didn't get home till after 10.30 pm
Wednesday was my interview with Mavis. She’s apparently very happy with how I’m doing. I was telling her how happy I am working with SOS because I really like all the people I’ve met so far and how they’re an awesome group. Then I went on about how great everyone at the diabetes association is too. So she was like I don’t think it’s the groups you’re working with, I think it’s you. That was really nice =)
Thursday I spent the day visiting schools on the island with Mr. Bailey. We visit 5 schools that received books from For Granted (my old boss) and see how they were being utilized. One classroom had the kids reading while the teacher graded and it was adorable how they poured over the pages, trying not to let a single word or picture escape. What I came away with at the end of the day is how amazing it is that the simplest of things in life make all the difference.
Friday we lost another one of our volunteers. Evelyn, our oldest volunteer in her 70’s, decided that she wanted to go back home. We are all proud of her for making it this far and following her dream instead of being one of those people that sits at home saying ‘I would love to do that’. The swearing in ceremony is going to be bittersweet without three of our original members. I told Julie-Ann I would cry if she left. They’ll have to pry us both away after all that we’ve been through to get here.
Went to our first hash Saturday. Hash House Harriers, drinkers with a running problem. It was a lot of fun. Eddie stuck with me the whole time, we weren’t the last but we weren’t the first either. I think he slowed down a lot for me. Afterwards the people who set the trail had to sit in an ice bucket, and guzzle down their beer in one go while we all chanted down down down… whatever you didn’t finish you had to pour on your head. Then they called on all us ‘virgin hashers’. Geoff made sure to grab my purse before pushing me in, which made me think oh crap. We were baptized. In beer. It was hilarious. They made us get on our knees, and say our name real loud and poured beer on our heads and made us down our drinks. I tried with water but couldn’t finish it. I held my breath to make sure I didn’t swallow any but this is the most contact I’ve ever had with beer. It stings your eyes! Patty claims its good for your hair. Tiff, Will, Eddie (Eddie from SOS not Tiff’s) went to a pub in Cayon to try and catch the Cal-USC game but they only play east coast games here =( not cute. We stank like beer the whole night.
Sunday I went to a kid’s 2nd birthday party. There were jumping castles (that I was SO tempted to jump into), a guy making animal balloons, some face painters (I had, you guessed it, a penguin painted on my arm!) a piñata, some local street performer type dancers and A LOT of food. Oh I also saw a bunch of monkeys today =( Granny showed me her daughter’s restaurant out in Frigate and then was showing me her house and some of her other friends places, and there were three monkeys just liming like they owned the place. For the fact that I’ve been here six weeks I’ve done pretty well. Only 5 monkeys so far. Yes I’m counting. Don’t judge.
Side note: sorry these posts have ended up being insanely long, but that's what happens when you don't have regular internet access to be able to post more regularly. 12 days to move in day!
Monday I went to the launch of the OECS’s EU treaty with Mavis and Margo (our country director) and two other volunteers. Everything here has a launch first: a big show of important people with speeches. The Prime Minister and the Governor General were both there. It was interesting.
Tuesday was busy:
1) Remedial reading with the boys at Cayon Primary. I had a surprise visit from Francil (our PC school trainer) and apparently he was very impressed with my lesson and went back and reported to Mavis and Margo and told everyone on Friday, which made me smile.
2) Meeting with the head of AVEC, the vocational school in Basseterre. He wants me to help with the basic IT training class as a teacher's assistant and substitute. Not sure if I'm going to have the time for that sort of commitment, but I'm sitting in on a class next week to see if I can help out (I'm learning to be non-committal, still working on how to say no)
3) Weekly Diabetes Association meeting
4) Weekly SOS board meeting which ended around 8.30-9.00 yet I didn't get home till after 10.30 pm
Wednesday was my interview with Mavis. She’s apparently very happy with how I’m doing. I was telling her how happy I am working with SOS because I really like all the people I’ve met so far and how they’re an awesome group. Then I went on about how great everyone at the diabetes association is too. So she was like I don’t think it’s the groups you’re working with, I think it’s you. That was really nice =)
Thursday I spent the day visiting schools on the island with Mr. Bailey. We visit 5 schools that received books from For Granted (my old boss) and see how they were being utilized. One classroom had the kids reading while the teacher graded and it was adorable how they poured over the pages, trying not to let a single word or picture escape. What I came away with at the end of the day is how amazing it is that the simplest of things in life make all the difference.
Friday we lost another one of our volunteers. Evelyn, our oldest volunteer in her 70’s, decided that she wanted to go back home. We are all proud of her for making it this far and following her dream instead of being one of those people that sits at home saying ‘I would love to do that’. The swearing in ceremony is going to be bittersweet without three of our original members. I told Julie-Ann I would cry if she left. They’ll have to pry us both away after all that we’ve been through to get here.
Went to our first hash Saturday. Hash House Harriers, drinkers with a running problem. It was a lot of fun. Eddie stuck with me the whole time, we weren’t the last but we weren’t the first either. I think he slowed down a lot for me. Afterwards the people who set the trail had to sit in an ice bucket, and guzzle down their beer in one go while we all chanted down down down… whatever you didn’t finish you had to pour on your head. Then they called on all us ‘virgin hashers’. Geoff made sure to grab my purse before pushing me in, which made me think oh crap. We were baptized. In beer. It was hilarious. They made us get on our knees, and say our name real loud and poured beer on our heads and made us down our drinks. I tried with water but couldn’t finish it. I held my breath to make sure I didn’t swallow any but this is the most contact I’ve ever had with beer. It stings your eyes! Patty claims its good for your hair. Tiff, Will, Eddie (Eddie from SOS not Tiff’s) went to a pub in Cayon to try and catch the Cal-USC game but they only play east coast games here =( not cute. We stank like beer the whole night.
Sunday I went to a kid’s 2nd birthday party. There were jumping castles (that I was SO tempted to jump into), a guy making animal balloons, some face painters (I had, you guessed it, a penguin painted on my arm!) a piñata, some local street performer type dancers and A LOT of food. Oh I also saw a bunch of monkeys today =( Granny showed me her daughter’s restaurant out in Frigate and then was showing me her house and some of her other friends places, and there were three monkeys just liming like they owned the place. For the fact that I’ve been here six weeks I’ve done pretty well. Only 5 monkeys so far. Yes I’m counting. Don’t judge.
Side note: sorry these posts have ended up being insanely long, but that's what happens when you don't have regular internet access to be able to post more regularly. 12 days to move in day!
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