VAC

Most of you know that I've wanted to run for the position of Volunteer Advisory Committee (VAC) representative on SKN ever since Geoff first told me about it. Well I am lucky enough to now tell you that I was elected as the new VAC representative last week at IST. The main office for our PC region (the Eastern Caribbean) is in St. Lucia, which is where I will be going in two weeks for my first VAC meeting. The six island nations that comprise the PC Eastern Caribbean post are St. Kitts-Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Dominica, Grenada and Antigua & Barbuda and each island has a VAC representative. For the next year I will meet my fellow VAC representatives along with out PC staff to discuss volunteer issues, concerns, suggestions, requests, etc. between all of the islands and with our Country Director. The goal is to improve communication between the two sides.

For those of you who haven't had the pleasure of hearing me talk your ear off about the VAC position, here is a little something for you to better understand what I will be doing:

The Volunteer Advisory Council is a formal representative channel for facilitating communication between Peace Corps Volunteers and the Peace Corps staff. The VAC is comprised of Volunteers serving as representatives for Volunteers from the island nations making up the Eastern Caribbean post, plus the Country Director (CD), and any other invited staff. One elected Volunteer represents each island nation in the post. The VAC meets on a quarterly basis with Peace Corps Eastern Caribbean senior staff, or as the budget allows.

The VAC is a representative body to:
1. Serve as the official liaison between Peace Corps Eastern Caribbean Volunteers and Peace Corps Eastern Caribbean staff members
2. Hold regular island-nation forums to hear and document Volunteer concerns, comments, and ideas—normally held during regularly scheduled Volunteer meetings called by staff in consultation with Volunteers
3. Initiate action assuring that the collective concerns of Volunteers are addressed and resolved fairly and promptly
4. Provide an environment of peer support

Duties and responsibilities of the VAC representatives:
1. The VAC representatives have first responsibility to their primary projects and VAC responsibilities should be a secondary project commitment
2. Represent Volunteer concerns to the Associate PC Director (APCD) and other staff when appropriate. In some cases, refer Volunteers directly to staff.
3. Survey Volunteer opinions and concerns as requested by the CD, PTO (Program and Training Officer), APCD, or other Peace Corps staff members. Be aware of general Volunteer community concerns and issues and act accordingly. In health and safety matters, notify appropriate individuals.
4. As requested, assist visiting Peace Corps staff members or consultants through organized visits and represent the Volunteer community during island meetings
5. As requested, gather information from the Volunteer community to provide programming and training recommendations to the APCD
6. Orient the incoming VAC representative prior to completion of term

Rushing Slowly in SK sweet

This is a concept on the island that I think I've adjusted to (at least as well as I'm going to be able to): rushing slowly. Last week we had our IST (In Service Training) and we addressed diplomacy and working relationships, and we each invited our counterparts. Now it's no secret that I've had my fair share of frustrations with some of the organizations I work with, to the point where I feel like giving up sometimes. So when Mavis told me that my counterparts had amazing things to say about me and the difference I've made, I was beyond pleasantly surprised. One of the things that stuck out during IST was about how the Peace Corps has longer term goals over a 5 year period. So even if we can't see a project completed within our two years here, doesn't mean that we haven't contributed to the larger picture.

If anybody remembers, during my earlier months here I had mentioned how I missed physical contact. I wasn't at the point of being close enough to anyone to hug them. I can now say that I have developed such close friendships on the island that I have my fair share of hugs now =) With all the EC78ers getting ready to leave soon, it's really hit me how I've already been here for ten months. But it also made me realize that in only a year, it will be me getting ready to leave. And it's going to be incredibly hard. I know I shouldn't right now, but I can't help think about how much I'm going to miss St. Kitts and my life here. I think we are part of a generation that loves choices but simultaneously hates choosing. I miss my friends and family, but when I leave I'm going to miss my friends and new family here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DK1DFRWuko8

This song makes me smile about being here, frustrations and all. This weekend was the St. Kitts Music Festival (which I didn't really get any pictures of unfortunately). I only went to 2 out of 3 nights, but I still had a great time and loved the experience. What was hillarious is when it started raining. At the smallest drop practically everyone ran for cover, which just completely captures how Kittitians react and don't go to work when it rains. I think the ultimate experience for me was standing and singing along despite the decently heavy rain. Because it's geared for tourists, this was one of the few events that actually starts on time. But the smaller bands were up first so most Kittitians didn't show up until a couple of hours later anyway.

I met a fellow diabetic and pump user on the island a couple of weeks ago. I was really excited when he recognized that I was wearing a pump because no one here knows what it is. I instinctively recruited him for the DASKN and we've been hanging out since. John Carlo was invited on a sailing trip over to Nevis the other day that he let me tag along on. We went to a millwork factory and had a nice lunch over there. It was a really nice day and I met a lot of nice people.

Poinciana Theatre

"You're coming with me" said the tall, dark and handsome boy as he looked at me with his chocolate brown eyes and attempted to literally sweep me off my feet from my seat by the pool where I was reading my book. Alright, so really and truly he came to my waist and he was the adorable 3 year old named Ambrose that happened to be swimming in the pool at Natacha's house. But it was the CUTEST thing ever when I asked him if I could take a break from playing with him and he looked at me like I had just asked him the silliest question ever. And when I did manage to get back to my book, he came and tried to pick me up. However, he did disappoint me when he left me to fend off the bees for myself =( My hero didn't deliver. 

When we first came to the island, I think we were all insanely naive and excited about the difference we thought we were going to make. The same hopeful exuberance that is characteristic of most Peace Corps Volunteers, in the beginning. And then, slowly but surely, we all hit our slumps in our own time and at different points in our service. We got frustrated. We lost hope. We gave up to some extent. Now I can't speak for everyone else, but I got to the point where I built up that hope again. It's like relationships. You get hurt, you promise yourself you won't let it happen again and you won't get close to anyone, you try to protect yourself. But inevitably, something happens that makes you break your promise to yourself.

Maybe I'm being naive and hopeful again. Maybe I'll crash and burn again. But then again, maybe I won't. And I can definitely say that I'm learning. I don't take EVERYTHING personally. I've given in to the fact that I can't and won't succeed at everything. I can let go of projects without feeling like I'm giving a part of myself up. I accept things the way they are and have stopped trying to change the world. I've don't try to make absolutely everyone happy. And along the way, I still make progress and changes.

The DASKN has come quite a long way since I first started attending their meetings. I don't want to jinx any of our projects and programs so I will only discuss them as things progress. But one thing I am really excited about is the theatre production we will be putting on in collaboration with the Poinciana Theatre Production Company. They are the only group of its kind on the island, and they typically focus on social commentary; crime, sexual abuse, domestic violence. So I approached Mr. Tatem, the founder and head of the group, about putting on a performance for our week of activities.

We had a meeting with a couple of the group's members, and if we are able to get even half the crowd to have a similar reaction to their's when we told them what message we wanted to get across to the public, I will feel like I made the biggest difference. I walked away feeling as though I could leave the island right there and then and know that I did SOMETHING. One of the girls jaw dropped as we told her about some of the possible complications and how they only occur IF you don't take care of yourself, and not simply because of the fact that you have diabetes. She realized that her grandmother had suffered from all those complications and the fact that it hadn't been inevitable was a reality check for her. They were all motivated to get tested themselves after our meeting.

Hopefully we'll be having the play at the ECCB (Eastern Carribbean Central Bank) auditorium. It has a capacity of about 400 people and the Poinciana Theatre Productions are always sold out =) Wish us luck! I'll keep you updated. Oh, and it's going to be a comedy that will have a professional video that I will hopefully be able to get copies of  =)

You'd think that after being here for quite a while (I can't believe it's already been almost 10 months!) that you would know everyone on an island this small. But lately I've been meeting a lot of new people. At a gathering with a lot of people with different background (locals, expats, people from nearby islands-especially Trinidad) I was asked multiple times "What's your story?" And I realized that I've become that girl. I leap into how I'm originally from one place, born in another, lived in multiple countries and cities, and now I'm here. And I absolutely love having a 'story'. But then they ask me how I got into the Peace Corps. And honestly, I don't even know anymore. I always start with how I fell in love with international affairs back in high school with Model United Nations and wanted to work with human rights ever since. And as true as that is, I can't remember a time where I didn't want to join the Peace Corps anymore.

"Happiness is when, what you say, what you think, and what you do are in harmony." -Ghandi.