June 30, 2006
This month has been somewhat of a really busy month. Schools have been finishing their final term for the year, and people are starting to "kick-off" Carnival (which officially takes place mid-August). Because schools have been finishing, many have been amidst exams and aptitude testing to decide whether or not students pass to a higher grade. I helped to prepare Paul for his grade 2 exams, trying to figure out ways to explain certain concepts using a tactile approach. He's great at math, so that is always something fun to teach!
I developed an exam for my grade 1 students at Kay-Dee's school. Since I teach them on Mondays, our principal thought I should be testing on material I have covered. It was basically a reading and math exam. They did very well.
On to other news...my empowering youth program, for which I wrote the successful grant proposal, happened. We visited both St. Rose Modern Secondary School and St. John Christian Secondary School. Each pair of facilitators took a different topic and we taught about HIV/AIDS, self-esteem, assertiveness, decision-making skills, and gender. The timing for the program was less than ideal--given school ending--but it was a situation beyond our control. Our checks did not arrive until mid-May, and the funding had to be used by August, so we had little choice. However, the students seemed to get a lot out of it. The weekly evaluations were positive and for many students, it seemed that these were issues that had never been discussed. Although there were some loose-ends from week-to-week, I feel confident that this program helped to make a difference in the mind-set of adolescents with whom we worked. In order to continue a similar project, I will have to seek funding from other NGO's in Grenada that deal with similar projects.
The Bel Air Home has been going well. As a reminder, it is the Grenadian orphanage where I have set up a group for adolescent girls. Since they have been swamped with various exams in schools, I've tried to keep it fun. I introduced the game "UNO" this past week and they loved it! (Thanks Mom for sending it...I've donated it to them.) It was great to see all 12 girls engaged in an activity together. Because some of the girls go to special-ed schools, sometimes the topics we talk about can be somewhat difficult. This was something they could all do, and it was a lot of fun! Next week, my friend Jess, a Vet student at the university here, is coming to do some team-building games with the girls. She used to work in experiential-learning and did a lot of ropes course/team-building activities there. I think it will be really good for the girls!
Last night was Fisherman's Birthday in Gouyave. Gouyave is a fishing village on the west coast (where Meg and I walked to one crazy day). Every June 29th, they have a big festival displaying various fish that are caught locally, crafts, food, and music. I went up with Bella and Edna, two women that live in my community. Since Bella grew up there, we stopped by to visit her brother and his family and ate some delicious "oil-down" (Grenada's national dish), and then visited her Mom. Her mom's house was totally flattened by Ivan, so now she lives in a wooden board home. She was very sweet and I was happy to meet Bella's family. On our way out, Bella's brother gave us a bag of ripe bananas. While walking back to the town, we stopped by her friend for some french cashews. They are a local fruit that resemble a red apple, but they're more spongy inside. They are sweet and have a big seed in the middle that looks like a walnut, but you eat them just like an apple. While we were in town, we walked around, danced a little, and basically 'limed'. It was raining off and on all day, so we were trying to stay dry. Meg (PCV) met us later in the afternoon. We had to get a bus back to town before it got to be too late, but first we stopped by the area in Gouyave where they do a weekly "Fish Friday" to get some fresh grilled snapper. Normally, the event happens on Friday, however, given the Fisherman's Birthday festival, they did it Thursday too! Basically, it's a few streets that are blocked off and people set up different stalls selling fish cooked in a variety of ways: fish waters (soup), fried fish, fish cakes, grilled fish, BBQ fish, and fish kebabs. Each stall uses different types of fish such as snapper, tuna, kingfish, lambie (conch), crabs, lobster, etc. The smells are great, and of course, there are sweets as well. It was a really fun day and I had a nice time with Bella and Edna--and later Meg! At night they were having some kind of concert, but since we were taking the bus back, we left about 7PM. Gouyave is also the town where the empowerment program took place, so we ran into a couple students and familiar faces. I definitely want to go back next year.
June 26, 2006
This past weekend my good friend, Mrs. Fergi's husband passed away. He had been sick and was taken to Trinidad for some testing. Apparently, his jaundice got to be so bad that it had spread to other organs and was beyond help. It was somewhat sudden, given the fact that he was supposed to have surgery in Trinidad and everyone thought he would be fine after. Mrs. Fergi owns a shop in my community and has been a great friend to many PCVs that have passed through. She was a host-mom a few years ago, but since Hurricane Ivan mashed up her home, she has been unable to house any new volunteers.
Tonight at her home, they had what is called "prayers". Family and friends came to pay their respects and there was a small Catholic prayer service. We were gathered in one of the salvaged bedrooms in a circle reading from various hymnals. I tried to learn the songs and take in the atmosphere as much as possible, because it was a new experience for me. Many of the songs we sung were very upbeat in a calypso sort of way. I was very impressed that during such a sad time, family and friends could keep such a positive attitude. Instead of mourning his death, they were celebrating his life. The prayers lasted a couple hours, and after people conversed with food and drinks. I could not stay too long since I had to get a bus home. However, it was an interesting night for me, although the circumstances were sad.
June 1, 2006
Today, a couple of the EC73s left. For some reason, watching others say goodbye to this Isle of Spice has made me realize how fortunate I am to have more time. I’ve silently observed the emotional goodbyes, wondering myself, what is it that makes Grenada so special?
For the volunteers that are leaving, maybe it was the bond of compassion and cooperation during the horrendous Hurricane Ivan; the fact that they had been on island for a mere week before they were forced to abandon their preconceived notions about Peace Corps and dive into a whole new set of waters. They integrated much faster, helping neighbors with possessions lost and houses destroyed. The volunteers and Grenadians became one.
However, there is much more to the bond than just Hurricane Ivan. For decades, Peace Corps Volunteers have inhabited Grenada. They too were able to form friendships and ties that would forever change their lives.
I remember when we learned of our final destination in St. Lucia. I would be going to Grenada. What did that even mean? Besides being placed on the southern-most Eastern Caribbean island, I could not picture what my life would be. However, it’s been almost ten months since I first set foot on Grenada. It’s been ten exciting and challenging months learning about a culture distinct and different from any that I’ve known. Some of the most basic lessons have been the most important for me. I’ve learned to expect rain when there should be sun, or sun when there should be rain--that our seasons are not as predictable as we would like to think. I’ve learned that one of the most genuine gestures may be a bag of mangoes or other fresh fruit left on your doorstep in the morning. I’ve learned the importance of a smile or greeting from a stranger when you need it most. I’ve learned to accept invitations to sit and talk when I’m so accustomed to racing from one place to the next. I’ve learned that children are the key to learning dialect, since they are eager to teach you phrases and words—even if they’re somewhat inappropriate! However, most of all, I’ve learned that all of these small moments and day to day experiences—some incredible and some not, make up life. And I’m still learning…everyday. After all, it’s been almost a year since the beginning of my Peace Corps experience, and I still cannot figure out where the time went!