It Come In Like Christmas: December

19-12-11

Bear with me.  This post is going to be super long. 

I’ve been back from the Early Service Conference in Ochi for two weeks now.  Sorry for the delay in posts but life has been cRazY, in a good way.  What is important to know is that I finished my report in time to have a fun-filled weekend before I left for ESC, a great week in Ochi, a lovely visits with the ‘rents, a marvelous centre launch, and . 

So, back to the beginning of the month: 

Friday, December 2:  Container Friday.  This is pretty explanatory.  Zoe and I jerked some chicken neck, and baked some pudding, and Scotchie played some sound.  It just felt good to have the report finished.

Saturday, December 3:  Girls night out at Fish Cove in Port Morant.  I felt really happy that the girls invited me out with them.  I put on a brand new outfit and even washed my hair.  It was an hour drive one way but the fish was delicious, and the apple vodka wasn’t so bad either.  The best part about this is that many other volunteers are complaining that they don’t have any friends in their communities.  I feel like I have a slew of friends, both girls and guys.  The Middle East Somerset football team is even letting me train with them in the early mornings and Play dem Cool, the cordless band, even let me play the grater during the Community Centre Launch.  J

me in my new hot outfit!

Sunday, December 4:  On this day, I attended an appreciation service for the pastor of the Church of God of Prophecy, who also happens to me my host brother’s mother-in-law.  Howevever, Phillip and I both snuck out early to go watch the football match at the high school.  We even dressed in matching outfits.  I wore my new bright green $300 J jeans.  Everyone calls them my Labourite pants because green if the color of the Jamaican Labour Party.  I have to be extra careful not to wear them much farther than Somerset right now because of the upcoming election.

 

Philip and me in our labourite pants

That night I went down to crossroad for Stacy’s drink up, a big party that involves partners and stuff.  I still don’t quite understand how people make money but I guess it’s not important.  In any case, I got two hours of sleep that night and headed for Ochi the next morning.

December 5-10:  Kim and I left out early to meet up with Kyle and his project partner, St. Thomas 4-H Parish Officer Dwain Moodie.  Dwain was late but we still managed to make it to the hotel within the 15 minute grace period. The next three days we worked with our project partners on project design and management.  We learned about proposal writing and began planning a project for our respective communities.  It was actually pretty helpful.  Kim and I had a few minor arguments but we were complimented on just how great of a relationship we have.  Somebody asked if we were roommates.  Haha.  And I must let you guys know that Kim is now three months pregnant so I’ll be an auntie in six months.  Yay! 

I spent the first three days talking only to people’s project partners.  I know this seems anti-social, and some volunteers have even told me that I am, however, I find that I enjoy the company of Jamaicans more than Americans at times, and what am I here for anyway?  Integration, cultural exchange, and in my opinion, making friends.  That is why when my dad and Nancy arrived on Tuesday night, it was three Jamaicans who traveled with me to meet up with them, Dwain, Dale (Mark’s partner on the water project in Bellevue, Portland), and Collette (Jenny’s partner from the forest management project in Kingsvale, Hanover).  We also enjoyed chicken neck during our lunchtime meals as a result of me asking the jerk man at the hotel if they had any neck.  Tourists don’t really here about the neck but it is the best part of the chicken in my opinion, and it’s so much spicier than the breast so people are truly missing out.  In any case, the hotel man jerked me neck the rest of the week and I felt pretty Jamaican. 

jamaicans

On Wednesday the partners left and I had an afternoon of withdraw.  However, that night some volunteers headed out to Margaritaville for what some may think was a good time.  I just came home pissed off.  First, it cost $1,000 J to get in.  And this was the local cost, which we only got after we argued that we were Peace Corps and did in fact live on the island.  The girl working the door said she needed something with an address.  I asked if a library card would work and she exclaimed that Jamaicans don’t use library cards, to which I pulled out my library card and proved that we actually do use library cards and that I live in a part of Jamaica she has never even heard of. 

Alright, so after we were in the club, and we had grabbed our re-fillable tourist mugs (that they forced us to give back upon exiting), they snapped our picture and then asked us if we wanted to pay $800 J for it.  I’ve always been amazed at people who actually do purchase these Polaroids.  What a waste of money! 

In any case, we danced.  I met some Jamaicans.  I watched some tourists.  I got hit on by Jamaican men, and really I just wished I could instead be at Andrea’s Nite Club in Mt. Lebanus, where people know me and I don’t have to explain myself anymore.   So it was an experience I can say I had. 

our free picture of ourselves

December 9-12:  ESC ended at lunchtime on Friday.  Dad and Nancy came and got me and we traveled through Portland, dropping off Brie and Mark, and heading over to Somerset.  I took them to the Lystra Primary School Concert and on Saturday I walked them all over Somerset, showing off the check dams, and meeting everyone along the way.  I think they feel much better knowing where I stay and that there are tons of people here that love me and take care of me.  It was refreshing to hear all the nice things people said about me, although I had to translate it all for dad, because he just can’t seem to catch the Patwa like he can the driving. 

We went to the coffee festival in Cedar Valley on Saturday before heading back to Portland for the night.  And on Sunday we traveled to WoFo, where I lived for hub training.  We visited with Auntie Peggy and the family, John and Wanda Eddy, and Robert, my LCF.  It was a lovely day.  They were so impressed by the views from up there in the mountains.  It was refreshing. 

Dad & Nancy

On Monday I headed home from Portland so that I could help with the Centre Launch festivities.  Dad dropped me at the bus park in Port Antonio, but not before we drove headfirst into a JLP parade.  See, Monday was nomination day for the upcoming election and when people go to the political office, a whole heap of people go with them.  It just so happened that I ran into Dale, remember Mark’s community member, so dad stopped in the middle of it all for me to get out and hug Dale.  Ann (PC Safety and Security Officer) suggested we stay close to home on nomination day so I felt guilty traveling but I had to get home.  I went through two more political parades on my way home, one of which I passed when I was in my bus with no less than 30 high school students.  And these buses are not big!  Sometimes people lap up twice.  Anyway, I reached home in the afternoon ad went straight to the ball ground to build shelves, clean, and decorate the centre. 

It was so good to have them here.  Not only do I have clothes that fit me now, smoked cheese, and books for the community centre, but I was able to show them the Jamaica that I love, the one that tourists don’t care to see.  I hope that they enjoyed themselves as much as I did and look forward to having many more visitors over the next two years. :-)

Tuesday, December 13:  Community Centre Launch!  It went wonderfully, a few minor glitches, but the most important part was that the Universal Access Fund people came.  They are a funding agency that provides technological resources for communities, and during their greetings they said that they were only awaiting our proposal and then they would get us some more computers, and internet access and quickly as they could.  I’m pretty excited about that so I finished the proposal the next day.   I was head usher for the day, greeting all the big wigs when they reached, including the PC Country Director and other staff.  Talk about being nervous.   They brought the new country director of Bonautu, a small island in the Pacific (I had to ask where it was). This is the second time that a PC big wig has come to Somerset so I’m feeling like Washington has their eye on me or something.  :-) 

the sex wallthe children's section

 December 14-16:  The rest of the week was just as busy.  I went to the project closing and evaluation ceremony for the Banana Support Programme, a sustainable livelihoods project funded by the EU and implemented by WROC.  Our drama group performed and of course I was in the play.  I did some errands in Morant Bay and I washed two weeks of dirty clothes on Friday.