The Beach

Hello all! Well it has been a busy week, commuting to the capital everyday for training. Then coming home and hanging out with my host family and meeting new people in the community. It makes for very long full days, but good days for sure. For the rest of training we dont have to go to the capital everyday anymore, we get to stay in our villages for half the week, so that will be very nice.

This morning I got up at 5:30 to go to market with my host mom. It was an experience to say the least. I mostly followed my host mom around and just took everything in. Its a little more crazy than the grocery store back home. I think it might take some time before I learn what and where to buy, and how much things should cost, but I have lots of time to learn. After the market I went to a youth center meeting, it was a meeting of all the youth group leaders in the north. I will be working with the leader of the group during training so it was good to meet him and start to get involved.

Today is Rashawnas birthday so a few of us got together and went to the beach, which just so happens to be in my village. (Dominica doesnt have very many beaches that you can swim in). It was so fun! The water was amazing, very warm but not to warm that you couldnt get in and escape from the hot hot sun. It was a great way to spend the afternoon. The locals here use the seawater as a cure all for everything. I think it worked on my bug bits; they itch a lot less now. I feel so blessed to be living here where I can just walk over to the beach anytime I want.

So many new adventures everyday!

Start of Training

Well where to start, so much has happened sense my last post. Well I guess I will start by saying I am safe in Dominica living with my host family. Getting here was a very interesting adventure to be sure. First we left St. Lucia and flew to Barbados then to Dominica. Dont ask me why Barbados was where we had our layover considering we went past Dominica on the way  but what do I know right. All I know is I can add it to my list of places I have been, even if it was just for 3 hours right. And second, Im just going to say the little planes that we took here were not as bad as I thought they would be, however they did nothing to help with my irrational fear of planes. Enough said on that one

Once we got to the airport we were welcomed by the current volunteers on the island and our host families. Wayne, my host dad was there to get me. Wayne happens to be a taxi/bus driver so on the hour drive to the house he stopped to show me some cool sites. I dont know if most people know this but Pirates of the Caribbean 2 and 3 were filmed here. So I got to see where they shot the scene were Johnny Depp is running down the beach from the tribe (that is the main photo of the post). The scene where they are sword fighting on the giant wheel, they made this special path through the jungle so it would roll right. And the river where they go to find the witch Calypso. (Other photos are in the training album). So all that was pretty cool to see.

My host family is great. There is Wayne  the dad. Marylinn  the mom, Marcus  16 year old boy, Salina  10 year old girl, and Whitney  6 year old girl. They also have a 22-year-old daughter but she just left in December to go to school in Russia, I met her on Skype the other day. Its crazy she doesnt get to come back for 5 years, after hearing that, 2 years doesnt sound as long. But I think having her going through the same thing really helps my family understand me, and the girls are excited to have another big sister too. Mostly we play games and hangout. They like to show me around the town and get icey pops. Theses amazing popsicle like things their neighbor sells, I always get coconut, and I think they might be my favorite thing here so far.  Tonight they took me to KFC as a special treat; it was really fun and a very nice gesture.

Everyone here is so nice! Everyone says hi to their neighbors and stops to chat. They yell hello out the window as they drive by friends, and everyone seems to know everyone else! Matthew, our neighbor, got me a mango from the tree across the street yesterday when he found out I hadnt had one yet. He just climbed up there and got one for me. And today we I got off the bus he was walking by and had a coconut for me! Like I said they are all so friendly.  

We started training in the capital yesterday, which is about an hour commute for me. The buses here are crazy here!!! On Monday I really wasnt sure where to get off the bus when I got to my town  so I just asked the driver if he knew Waynes house, and sure enough he dropped me off right in front of the house. Like I said, everyone knows everyone! Today I found the right stop on my own so I was very proud of myself.

Anyways that is probably long enough for now, like I said so much to tell. Talk to you later!

Love the Mosquito nets, when you us them right!

So last night I slept with my hand against my mosquito net, turns out - really bad idea. Thats right people 23 bits on one hand, impressive I know. Poor choice on my part, I guess the bugs here are just really really hungry!

Last Days in St Lucia

So yesterday we got to leave the classroom for a while and go into town to do a scavenger hunt. Nothing to crazy just finding things like the post office, the library, and learning how the bus system works here. It was a great experience!

On the bus from the Peace Corps office we met a really nice local, Lisa, who looked over our entire list and walked us from place to place. And along the way she told us more about Dominica and the islands in general. With her help the scavenger hunt took us way less time then it would have just on our own, so we decided to make the ice cream shop, (that was on our list) our last stop and buy her some ice cream. We ended up hanging out with her there for an hour before we went back to the center where we are staying. She gave us so much great information, but I think the funniest thing she said was when she asked why we were in St. Lucia, and we told her Peace Corps, her response was  Why would you do that? Did they test you before to find out if you crazy. I guess she though we were a little crazy for leaving for two years. (And I think we all secretly wonder the same thing from time to time).

Another other funny thing that happened while in town, Sam, a girl from our group, needed to stop in a local hardware store to find an adapter. Turns out they dont use the Caribbean adapter, they us the British one (so thanks Daddy for getting the kit that had different kinds in it) ☺ Anyway, so Sam went up to the counter to pay and asked how much it was in Eastern Caribbean dollars, and the lady answered 15 EC. Then Sam asked, how much in American dollars (cause she had more of that at the time), and they lady said 15 as well, and that they dont change the price between the different kinds of money.  We all thought this was a little funny because $15 American is almost three times the amount it would be in EC. I just wonder how many people they get to pay the extra? I know there were two cruise ships in port while we were there and I know most of those people dont carry EC money. In fact I watched an American family pay $5 for an ice cream that we paid $5 EC for. But they totally cut us in line and didnt say a thing so maybe that was their karma or something. Wonder if mine is gonna get me for not telling them?

We also stopped at local craft market, and that was really cool to see the things they make here. I didnt get anything because my baggage was right on weight coming here so if I add anything to it I will most likely have to pay to get it to Dominica. The Peace Corps has already given us a three-inch binder full of documents that I going to have to carry on. So much to read!!!!! And here I am blogging instead, ha!

Well I think that is plenty to read for now. So peace out for now, see you when I have internet again!

The Caribbean Beach is my New Best Friend

So Im not really sure Im going to be good at the whole blogging thing so many things have happened sense the 13th and I have no idea how to get them into a few paragraph blog entry.

First I now am living in the Eastern Caribbean! Woot Woot!!! After we left Miami we flew to St Lucia were we have been in training for the past few days. Basically we all sit in classes all day together learning about the Peace Corps, how to stay safe, and about the Caribbean in general.  It makes for really long days, but the info is great. We all have meals together, which are amazing! The food here is great! Lots of veggies, fruits and fish, I love it! Then we all hang out at night, playing catch phrase, watching the Olympics, and dont tell Brooklynn but we do go swimming! Amazing!!!!!

On Saturday I fly to Dominica to go live with my host family for seven weeks of training before getting sworn into the Peace Corps. And just today I learned where I will be living and the winning city is Portsmouth!!! The second largest city in Dominica.

I will be working with the Portsmouth Town Council! Their mission is to maintain a clean and safe environment for the health and well-being of all resident and visitors to the municipality.

So of my activities include:
-Capacity Building
-Serve as an advisor to the council
-Assist with management
-Developing strategic plans
-Assist with Fundraising activities
-And help teach computer skills

Habitat has really trained me well for this so I am so excited to start work there.

This has all been so much these past few days, its almost overwhelming. But the beach, the people, the support if my family, and the amazing experience are getting by far out weighing the craziness of this whole Peace Corps thing.

Ill try and write again before I leave St. Lucia because I dont know if I will have Internet during my seven-week training.

For now I will leave you with a photo of the beach!

And So It Begins

Well, where to start I sitting in the hotel in Miami right now trying to wrap my head around the idea that I fly to St. Lucia tomorrow to start Peace Corps training. Its weird to think that this is my last night in the states for 27 months, but also really exciting too. I was really nervous when I arrived here yesterday and had a bit of a rough night, but after staging today I am more excited than nervous.

Today I meet 25 other volunteers going to the Eastern Caribbean, nine of which are going to Dominica with me. It was great to hang out and to hear everybodys thoughts on what we are about to do, and to learn that we are all feeling about the same way. I think its going to be a great group to spend the next two years with in the Caribbean.

Well its 11:30 here in Miami and I have to be up at 3:30 to get on my flight for St. Lucia, who knows when I will have internet again, but I will write when I do.

Peace out USA and see you in 2012!

Oh and the photo is the group of us who went to dinner together tonight, followed by a last minute trip to Walmart! (got to get in that last shopping trip)

Disclaimer

This is a personal web blog. The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of the Peace Corps.