IST

IST came and went already. If you haven't already realized, the PC is all about acronyms. IST- In Service Training was a two day session for our EC-80 group. The first day we basically assessed our development and progress over the time we have spent in our volunteer capacity. We talked about our successes and challenges and engaged in dialogue trying to help each other out. Before IST we had to submit our first trimester reports and because of the software and computer requirements I ended up helping a lot of the volunteers with theirs. The combination of that and our discussions made me feel like our group has been very involved in a wide range of projects all over the islands. But it also made me feel the most helpless. As we were talking about our challenges, we all helped each other out. But when we came to mine, it was the least constructive, to the point where one of the volunteers even suggested letting go before I got too frustrated (basically telling me it might be better to quit with that particular project).

The second day of IST was a grant writing workshop facilitated by one of our PST trainers, the Permanent Secretary in Public Sector Reform- Douglas Wattley (aka Dougie who I also work with at SKNDA). We were all allowed to bring our local counterparts which was a great opportunity to give them first hand training in grant writing and improving proposal writing skills to access funding from donor organizations. It included training in the formulation of vision statements, situational analyses, risk assessments, stakeholder analyses and budgeting. It was helpful, but honestly just a bit of repetition from PST for us volunteers and I do still wish I had a lot more training and experience in the area. Hopefully by the time I return I will have written enough grants and submit enough proposals to have that experience. 

 

After IST it was George's birthday and we all had a little pizza party at Anne's house. IST and the party after wards reminded me of PST and when we all first got here. It was really nice to have everyone together, but also really weird because it made me think about how we've been here for almost 6 months already. Sure there's still a lot of time left here, but it really is flying by pretty fast. Which also makes me think, how the heck am I going to make a difference if I haven't done anything so far? 

Yesterday was another hash, and this one was by far my favorite so far. I think it was a combination of how insanely gorgeous the setting was (I constantly wanted to just stop and enjoy the view) and the fact that it was an insanely steep trail which meant that everyone went at a slow and steady pace and I didn't feel rushed to catch up to everyone. After wards while everyone was liming, Terry introduced me to some guys from Cayon. At first they thought I was real integrated because I said some stuff in dialect and we were joking around as I described where I lived and they admit to not having been up in Spooners in a while. Then they asked me what people and places I knew in the neighborhood so I told them. They stroopsed and said I only knew 'dem big people' and 'I ain't walk wid de little people'. They mentioned the names of some hang outs that I didn't know... they said I needed to walk out of Spooners. I maintain that I'm not home enough to be fully integrated here because I'm always working in the city. Then add in the fact that I'm a single younger girl who can't lime at the same places they do comfortably and freely.

Basically, with IST and yesterday, I'm feeling a little less than integrated and useful here. I was having a conversation with Julie Ann the other day, and she said that it wasn't about whether or not we got anything done and made a change but for our personal satisfaction of having at least tried. But isn't the reason we're here to make a difference, which means a change to some degree? But the reality is that change comes when the environment is ready. I guess if you want the rainbow, you have to put up with the rain first.

Let the games continue

Elections are finally over. Labour (the party that was in power before) won. There were some riots, gun shots and what not. But things have finally settled down and work is starting to pick up.

I have become a member of the St. Kitts Sea Turtle Monitoring Network (SKSTMN). I have to take courses before starting night patrols in April with topics such as: Sea Turtle Biology and St. Kitts Species, Data Collection and Reporting, Regulations and Emergency Protocols, and Leatherback Ecotourism. Leatherback sea turtles are endangered, and their nesting season begins soon. The turtle project has official patrols and I will have a legal permit with an I.D. badge and everything after taking the courses and start patroling =) Scheduling is still in the works but I'll probably end up patrolling two nights a week during the season.

March 1st is the official Peace Corps Day. This is our 49th anniversary =) Which also means that next year is the big 50. In preparation for the bigger deal we want to make out of next year, we are having a trial run celebration event in Independence Square this year. And then another event in Nevis on the 26th. We have a committee made up of half EC-78ers and the other half EC-80ers shadowing them so that were prepared for next year. I am with working with Geoff on logistics and media. I have a lot of different ideas for both this year and next, but actual implementation is going to be an issue. As I've been learning slowly, getting things done here is always easier said than done.

My ghetto little fridge here has been a real nuisance. Whatever makes the door close and stick has a mind of its own and decides to work when and if it wants. Which means that I wake up to my fridge having been open all night. I thought I solved the problem by always taping it shut. But the tape decides to become unsticky when I least expect it. I change the tape every other day just to be safe, but I still woke up to an open fridge with ants crawling inside this morning =( I either need stronger tape, or something more permanent because it was not cute.

Grrrr

Cockle doodle doo my butt!
SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP YOU STUPID BIRDS
And I was JUST saying how much I like living in the country.

Elections & more

It's election time here on the island. We barely made it out of the Carnival season of un-productivity only to be launched into another one. Which might be good since you just get it all out the way together. But basically the new excuse to not work now is elections and political rallies until January 25th. Apparently the 26th is an 'official' holiday and we shouldn't expect anything to be open. The political campaigning has been going on since I've been here (and since the last group of volunteers got here too, so we can't wait for it to be over finally). But we don't know if things are going to change because of a possible change in political parties, so people don't really know how to go about things. And if they don't know, how am I expected to? Although I suppose that's part of why I'm here.

As I'm sure everyone knows, Haiti was hit with an insanely horrible earthquake. People that haven't thought about me for ages remember that I am in the Caribbean and have decided to check up on me now. I'm fine. We didn't even feel the quake over here thankfully. But I won't lie, being near so many natural disasters, ranging from volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and hurricanes is a little disconcerting sometimes. A local Rasta man predicts a tsunami here before 2012. He's predicted all the volcanic eruptions so far. But I think I'm going to choose to believe he's wrong.  

Some things that I've learnt are purely Kittitian:

• You say "Me Am/Me Arm!" when surprised 
• A van is called a bus 
• You say "Meaino" when you don't know something 
• All cereal is corn flakes 
• Instead of saying "I thought I saw you" you say "Ah tek a man fuh you" 
• You don't go anywhere or do anything if it's raining 
• You go to the bay, not the beach 
• You say "Alright alright" or "I cool I cool" when someone asks how you are 
• If someone honks at you, its a greeting not asking you to get out of the way
• A ghost is a 'jumbie'
• Instead of asking for a ride you "beg a lif" 
• 'Liming' is hanging out 
• You suck your teeth when you disapprove of something (aka- stroopsing)
  

How integrated do I want to become? The main thing they stressed in Peace Corps training was integration. It is an essential part of the Peace Corps experience; but it's equally tricky. I have set aside personal barriers and nuances in the effort to better integrate myself. I let sweaty smelly people press tightly against me on the buses and hold my breath while the drivers accelerate at breakneck speed. I don't stare at women openly breastfeeding. I hold back tears when I see mother's slap their children along the streets. I pretend it doesn't hurt my feelings when I'm told I've gotten fat because it's a compliment here. I walk slower and talk faster. But where do I draw the line? In the name of integration, should I allow men to disrespect me? Should I hate gay people? Discriminate against people with medical conditions? The Peace Corps talks so much about how we're supposed to be like the locals. But what part of me do I keep?  

Never go to bed angry

I think I’m developing a fear of dogs. Ever since being chased by those neighborhood dogs, I start walking faster whenever I see them. While on my walk through the neighborhood today there were wild cows in one direction, and some neighborhood dogs in the other. I actually chose to go towards the cows. In all seriousness, every night I go to sleep hearing the dogs barking ferociously at each other, and I swear sometimes it sounds like they are in horrible dog fights and one of them is dying.

For the first time in my life I am a lower class citizen. Sure, growing up we weren’t always as comfortable as we have been blessed to be in more recent times. But we never felt like we had less than anyone else. I never really felt like I couldn’t afford something. I've never felt true need. You come into the Peace Corps with the intention of learning how to live off of minimum wage, and how to modestly conduct yourself for the next two years, always thinking about what you DON’T have- anymore. When in reality, this isn’t just about learning how to live without things; it’s about realizing and appreciating how much we DO have. So I might have to deal with inefficient utility companies for the next two years, but I will go home to electronic billing from the comfort of my own home. But the people here will still be sitting and waiting at the electricity company until one of the clerks decides to have time for them.

A good friend of mine and his brother back home were recently in a really bad car accident. He is doing OK thankfully, but his brother is in pretty bad condition. We really have no idea what to expect on a daily basis. Absolutely anything could happen to anyone of us, not to be morbid or dramatic. And it just makes you think about how you should live your life to the fullest every day. Make sure all your loved ones know how you feel; never ever go to bed angry. It's just another example of how we don't appreciate what we have, and always look at what's missing. When instead, we should be thankful for all that we do have instead of waiting for when it's gone to realize what we had. Please pray for my friend and his brother.

New Years and other Carnival Fun

There were a bunch of different events part of carnival this year. I didn't go to everything, but here are some of the highlights of the major events:

Friday, December 18:  Carnival Grand Opening  
Saturday, December 26: J'ouvert 
Monday, December 28: National Carnival Queen Pageant
Tuesday, December 29: Calypso Monarch Finals
Thursday, December 31: Children's Carnival Parade   
Friday, January 01: Grand New Year's Parade 
Saturday, January 02: Carnival Last Lap 

This isn't all of the carnival events, but I did get to partake in more than my fair share of carnival activities. The National Carnival Queen Pageant was interesting. Having been to the Miss America Pageant that my roommate competed in (Kate Grinold- Miss DC of 2009, I'm still super proud of her!), it was really interesting to compare how different the two were. The crowd was so unresponsive, I would never be able to compete in anything similar over here. And they were just as harsh in their judgement as they are unresponsive. The slightest stammer and the entire audience burst into laughter.

There were five different components to the competition: 1) swimsuit 2) talent 3) costume (they had to wear a costume that represented Kittitian culture and history) 4) evening gown 5) interview. Thankfully the last component held the most value in points. The most entertaining part was when one of the contestants was asked about her platform regarding breast cancer and she said that people suffering from it "shouldn't worry about what the doctor's say, they are not going to die and should continue living their lives".

The Grand New Year's Parade was pretty fun. Per Geoff and Kim's suggestion, we decided to watch from Central Street instead of waiting for it to show up in the circus. Which ended up being a good thing cuz it was pretty darn lively from where we saw it. Whereas things started winding down by the time they got to the circus and the square.

The moko-jumbies dancing on 6-8 foot stilts!

The Bull originated from an incident which occurred on Belmont estate around 1917, surrounding an estate manager and his prize bull. The story goes that the bull fell ill, and it is the scene of its revival that is acted out in graphic detail causing humour and havoc as the bull runs wild among spectators.

For New Year's Eve itself, a group of us went to the 'strip'. The strip is basically a strip of beach on the southern peninsula with the Atlantic on one side and the Caribbean on the other. There's a bunch of beach bars and restaurants lining the strip and on weekends that is normally where all the locals hang out till crazy hours. New Year's isn't really celebrated here though, added to the fact that it was raining and only a Thursday and things were kind of dead. But our little group had enough fun making noise on our own =)

Last Lap was basically a culmination and repeat of all the stuff that has been going on throughout carnival, with all the same cultural performances and troupes and parading through town until really late until fights broke out. Anti gang units and police were all over town and streets were closed off.

And that was the end of Carnival =(

On Sunday, the Prime Minister held a New Year's Extravaganza/Concert. It basically ended up being a political rally (which we aren't supposed to be involved in) but by the time we realized it was too late. There were some awesome fireworks, some of the best I've ever seen actually. And some pretty good performances. I think Caribbean music is really starting to grow on me.

Tiff, Maggie and I at the concert. There were fireworks above us a minute before the picture. 

A good beginning to an even better year

Today was an awesome day. The sun being out makes the world smile. Even though everywhere I went smelled of poop. Even though there was a horrible car accident on the island main road and all the buses were diverted and I didn't know where to go. Even though I got the jerk of a bus driver who tried jipping me and made me walk all the way up the hill with my laptop and groceries in the dark. Even though it was my third day of sitting and waiting at the electricity company for hours and I still didnt get to pay my bill. Even then it was a wonderful day.

The sun was out. I had a fun interview on the radio. Did some unintentional networking at the coffee shop and made some great contacts for the Diabetes Association. Ran into some friends while trying to figure out the buses at the accident site. Talked to random people and made good conversation while waiting at the electricity company. Had some awesome johnny bakes. Walked a bunch and worked up a sweat. Got a lead on a location for the diabetes center. Made a new friend on the ride with the yucky bus driver. Felt productive. I felt like there is a reason I'm here =)