Day 10 - What will you miss when you leave Dominica?

Day Nine- Has anything made this journey easier for you?

SKYPE!!! Skype has made all the difference for me here! I was really nervous to leave my family considering how close we are, but with skype I can talk to them anytime I want and its like I never left home!

MY AMAZING FRIENDS!!! I am so happy that I have remaind close with my friends back home even though I am so far away, and I am so thankful for all the new friends I have made here! Everyday brings a new adventure that wouldn't be nearly as fun without them!

MY WORK!!! I love what I do here, and I love being a Peace Corps Volunteer! It really doesn't get much better then this!

Enjoying my Time!

I spent the afternoon helping my friend KT with a design project and giving her tips on Illustrator! Here is what we came up! Pretty neat huh!?!

Day Eight- Does your spouse like it here?

Oh, he loves it!

Day Seven- What is the best meal you've had on the island?

The Iguana Café is by far and away the best food on the island! It might not look like much from the outside (ok it looks like a shack form the outside – ok it is shack inside as well) but the food is so amazing! It is owned and run by a Rasta couple, the menu is based off of what was caught that morning in the ocean you can see from the restaurant, she does all the cooking in a tiny kitchen right in front of you, he makes fresh juice and together they make culinary magic! Seafood Pasta… yes please!

Day Six- Tell about an "Only in Dominica.." moment.

I guess I should explain what an “Only in Dominica” moment is. These moments are times when you honestly have no idea what is going on the only thing you can do to keep from crying or going insane is to write it off as a “only in Dominica” moment. I feel like I have one of these moments daily… but they surprise me less and less as time go on here. When I first came I remember all of the PCVs would share our crazy moments with each other and laugh about it during training. Most times the stories would revolve around crazy bus rides with 10 more people crammed into a bus then there ever should be, or a event that we thought was one thing but turned out it was completely different as the night went on, or completely misunderstanding someone cause you couldn’t understand what they were saying. Now, I just kinda expect the unexpected and enjoy my “Only in Dominica” moments! Here are some goodies:

-       When you have been on a bus for an hour on your way home and you are so close but you stop to let someone off, no big deal, but then 10 feet, and no joke 10 feet down the road, you stop again to let someone else off, and this happens at least 2 more times… Only in Dominica!

-       When you are having stew with friends and you ask “hey what is this” and they respond “oh it’s a apricot” and after you take a bite they add “or it might be the pigs skin” and turns out it is the pigs skin (and the inch of fat under it)… Only in Dominica!

-       When you are teaching a class of 20 high schoolers and you cant understand a word they are staying but you know they are making fun of you, and your confusing only makes it all the more funny to them… Only in Dominica!

-       When you are on bus ride home after carnival and your bus is full of women dressed in crazy carnival wear and you stop for BBQ, and you are last one served and almost having an anxiety attack thinking the bus is going to leave you – cause who would notice right. But you make it back and just before the bus pulls out one woman in the front yells “WHERE IS THE WHITE GIRL!?!” and you answer, “I here, just eating my BBQ” and somehow you are all now best friends for the rest of the ride. Only in Dominica!

-       And finally… When you realize that the “Only in Dominica” moments have become “normal” life and what use to be “normal” days are now the weird ones… Only in Dominica!

Oh and sorry for the crazy run on sentences… it just adds to the craziness that accompanied each of these moments! 

I give you a "Only in Dominica" pothole marker! 

Day Five, What don't you miss about home?

I don’t miss it being too cold for ice cream

I don’t miss the rat race and an obsession with possessions

I don’t miss traffic and stoplights… or stop signs for that matter

I don’t’ miss the old crappy fruit and veggies at the grocery store

I don’t miss feeling rushed

I don’t miss shopping or the feeling I need something new every few days

I don’t miss having a typical 9-5 desk job

And

I don’t miss having to scrape my car windows off in the morning

Day Four- What has been your favorite trip?

Ahhh… I really don’t think I could even begin to narrow all the amazing trips I have had down to one, so instead I give you my top ten (even though there are like 100 more amazing adventures):

-       Hiking boiling lake for the first time was amazing but even better the second time with my parents!

-       When my sister Kristen was here we took a trip to Screws Hot Springs with the Nuns and that was an awesome day!

-       This really wasn’t a “trip” but watching the final Stanley Cup game with Jenn and Kyle was such a great time. I was so happy to see them and just to spend time hanging out!

-       Another great trip was exploring the south of the island with my grandparents! We saw a ton of “tourist” attractions!

-       I absolutely loved the snorkeling trip down to Scotts Head and Champaign with Clare, Charlie, KT, and friends!

-       Hiking Segment 2 of the Waitukubuli Trail with Michelle and getting lost several times was an adventure I won’t ever forget!

-       Hanging out at the beach with Rashawana, Rudy, Marcus, and Stacy waiting for a turtle to show was a lot of fun, then completely amazing when one did show up and we got to see her lay her eggs!

-       I always have a good time when I visit Grand Fond… enough said!

-       Again not really a trip, but all the wine, pasta and chats nights I had with Alicia for sure make the top ten!

-       Ah, I don’t even know anymore… there are just too many and I a feel like I am leaving so much out!

Final thought: Dominica + Trip/Adventures = Awesome!

Day Three- How does the weather affect you?

This questions has so many variables to it… it all depends on when you ask me. For example right now I am sitting pantless in my living room with the fan directly on me and feel just fine about the heat. However, earlier today when I was in business casual walking around Portsmouth in the sun I wasn’t too happy about it. I freeze in the AC at the coffee shop but wake up in a hot sweat in the middle of the night. I have somehow managed to fit jeans into my wardrobe at least once a week but still cant justify a hoodie. And I take warm showers, cause the cold ones are too cold and the hot ones... well they are too hot! But there is one thing I can say for sure; I do miss the snow… although I don’t think I will be too happy when we finally meet again.

Day Two- What has been better than you expected?

I realty tried not to have many expectations coming into this adventure, just because I really didn’t know what I was getting myself into. But I have to say I love it here, and my I love my life here, it has turned out better then I expected. That probably sounds like I didn’t think I would be happy here to start but that isn’t true. I knew it would be an adventure and that I would love being a Peace Corps Volunteer, but I really didn’t know how much I would fall in love with Dominica and the life I have made for myself here.

I feel like I have found parts of myself that were missing. I have learned to be completely independent, how to love myself, and how to be happy even when I am alone. I have found work that I am proud to be a part of, made life long friends, learned the true meaning of family, and really made a life for myself here. I love the island and all the adventures that come along with it; I love the people, the fruits and veggies, the beach, and my little house that has become my home.

  

Dominica has truly sucked me into the island lifestyle and it has turned out better than I could ever have expected. 

Day One-What do you miss most about home?

What do I miss the most from home…

When people ask me this I always tell them Chipotle! I mean how can you not miss their amazing burritos! 

And while I do really miss Chipotle I think I just tell people that cause what I really miss is kinda hard to explain… honestly I miss being comfortable. I know that sounds really weird but I would give almost anything right now for a SSS (Squishy, Soft, Sofa)!!! I want a huge armchair that you sink into and I want a fluffy bed with a down comforter on it! I want my butt to finally be happy when I sit down! Told you it was weird… so I guess Ill just stick with my Chipotle from now on!

Oh and sorry to my family at home reading this, I promise I miss you too but that would just be too cheesy!

10 Days in Dominica

My friend KT had an idea for a blog challenge, and I loved it! So I decided to take the challenge along with her and several others. Here are the questions I'll answer over the first 10 days in October. Wish me luck!