Adjusting

This past week we had a bit of a blow up at one of the SOS meetings. Basically three of the board members didn't show up, three stormed out after getting into a heated argument, and the VP formally resigned. The board is dissolving in front of my eyes, and it doesn't look good. Let's just say it was a bad week work wise. Hopefully things will get better.

Yesterday I went to watch the Street Theater on Domestic Violence and HIV on Bank Street. It was actually extremely impressive with some pretty good acting, and I think the story had an impact. They played out a story about a girl who was prostituted by her own mother to bail her violent brother from jail, who pulled a gun out on his step father while he was beating up their mother... it was intense. I ran into Nadine from Alliance (http://www.aidsalliance.org/linkingorganisationdetails.aspx?id=27), who invited me to go to Nevis with her and a co-worker from Barbados the next day.

So the three of us head over to Nevis on the morning ferry and went to Nisbett Plantation. I felt like a complete tourist. This was the view from the hammock I chilled in while they swam, after which we got some lunch. Afterwards we went back to Charlestown where it rained for a little bit. Then we walked over to the Riviere House (thanks Julie Ann! I would move to Nevis just for this place), an adorable vintage coffee house/bar/restaurant. Nadine and her friend are super nice and it was really nice spending the day with them. I did not feel like a volunteer in a developing country today...

Until I got home and had to get groceries. I seriously haven't had time to get refrigerated groceries because every time I go into town for a meeting I don't head home till later in the evening by which time the stores are closed. So I finally got to get some milk etc. on my way home from the ferry today. I REALLY miss 1) the grocery stores with an endless variety of products and a lack of flies over the produce 2) coffee shops to hang out at. Another thing I still have to get used to is how it's a cash economy here. Especially for us PCVs who only have savings accounts with no debit cards. Having to withdraw money and always have cash on you is still a little strange. But it really does help you realize where your money is going.

I went to pay my electricity bill the other day and got really scared. These two men got into a fight outside a bar/restaurant that was on the way, and started swearing and throwing glass bottles at each other. They were on opposite sides of the street so glass was flying everywhere. One of the men was on my side of the street and it started pretty much as soon as I started passing by, so I was almost caught in the middle. It was really really intense, and it was the first time I felt physically threatened since being here. But I walked away as fast as possible as soon as I could, and it was OK.

There were two things that I could/should have gone to this weekend. One is the Jah Cure concert last night, and the other is the Calypso contestant event at Sprat Net tonight. I wish it wasn't so inconvenient to get to places here. Especially on the bus at night.