Next chapter

I was officially done as a Peace Corps volunteer on Friday, and it has yet to really hit me. My emotions are very unpredictable now. Some times I am so lost in thought trying to figure out what needs to be packed, given away, turned off, thrown out, wrapped up, returned, cleaned, and lastly thinking of those I still need a hug and farewell from. Most of them came tonight at church, from my extended family at Salem Gospel hall, and I swear they nearly had me cracked... but I held it together and only allowed a tear or two to escape. I plan to save it all for the plane and my 6 hour lay over in Puerto Rico. The poor people who will be witness to the waterworks!! Oh well.

It's been a journey to say the least. I loved it and hated it and all the emotions in between. It didn't turn out like I expected, but then again I don't really remember anymore what I was expecting. All I know is that at this point I wouldn't have traded this experience for anything else. I have no regrets.

Winding Down

I finally got a good avocado!! My first avocado of the season, and no other one will taste as good as this one until next year.... oops! Or shall I say, the next time I am down here. Seriously, my day cannot go wrong after starting it off with delicious buttered toast and avocado, and of course a nice cup of coffee. I'm still in a mild coma state after that delicious breakfast and am now just stalling at doing laundry and showering before I head up to the library. No worries though, no rush. I run on my own schedule these days!

I am down to 4 weeks, and this week marks the start of my "wind down" process. Nearly 2 weeks ago a program complete with dancing, singing, poetry, and a skit (which included me as the nurse) marked the end of Eagle Boys for the summer. Unlike in the states, where I fondly remember still going to Girl Scouts and 4-H during the summer, things here shut down when school is out. I have protested, mainly to my neighbors and local friends, that this is the time when these extracurricular programs are most needed. Kids get so bored during the summer regardless of the ministries best efforts to offer camps for everyone that only take place in July. Come August there is just nothing left for them to do. This has now become one of my many plans-for-change accruing in my head in case of a future, and more permanent return. Of course, I am not seeing that happening anytime soon.

Last week we had the summer camp for the Sea Turtle Monitoring Network. I thought it went well despite some hiccups with last minute changes. I've worked with other camps here and I believe this one was by far the most organized, well communicated, and well executed camp I've seen. You know it went well when even the campers are commenting on how they wish camp was every day of the year! Oh geez. That's nice and all, but I seriously was in bed by 8 or 9 each night afterwards. I am standing by previous statements about the cure for insomnia... CHILDREN!!! I have never slept more soundly than when I have spent a full day with kids. Those who feel the need for pills... come to me and I will show you my "alternative therapy" for sleepless nights!

Ahhh, so now, like I said, I have 4 weeks left. I just need to wrap up some things at the library and at SCHS, and then spend a day doing some tourist shopping (still have yet to get a flag) and I am all set. Homeward bound and I can't wait!

First Farewells and Last Adventures,

My mom has been on me about sending an update, she says people need to know what is going on these last few months that I'm out here. So, here I sit now, letting you in on some of my lasts out here in the Caribbean.

My first farewells began in St. Lucia the first week of June. I was going to my Close of Service for my entire Eastern Caribbean group 76. It was great seeing those faces that were strangers to me only 2 years ago, and to see the changes in character and physical appearance that living on our islands created. Some had beards, others had long hair, and most of us were pretty tan. We no longer radiated this naive enthusiasm of changing the world that seemed to be our demeanor as trainees (more or less our American mindset), but instead there was this impassive, c'est la vie mood that seemed to characterize all of us. I actually noticed this back at MST last year, but now it seems like this attitude has become a part of each of our moral fiber. We'd become weathered to the realities of community work!

Anyhow, I had a great time in St. Lucia. It was a perfect place to end it, back where it all started. We had come full circle, started out with 72 and by COS we counted 56 of us. We ate well, slept uncomfortably in air-conditioned rooms, enjoyed hot water and full pressured showers, took pleasure in a break from the sea and swam in pools instead, watched movies in an actual cineplex, and drank some very filling, yet very delicious beer at a real brewery! I guess for the few of us who hadn't made it back to the states in the last 2 years, it was a taste of what is to come... a preview. It didn't last long though. After just catching up with everyone I felt like we were already saying goodbye and giving well wishes for our journeys ahead. After a week in Lucia I found myself back in SK.




Since my return I have spent the last 3 weeks or so checking things off my list. We had our farewell party on a catamaran day sail for our group and other PCVs and friends. There was the hike to D'os Dane pond, an exhilarating and tiring 8 hour trek that ended with barbecued chicken and beer at Aaron's house in Cayon. Days later we said goodbye to 3 of our PCVs, Liz, Matt, and Lauren. They left for home on the 1st. Then, this last weekend, myself and some others enjoyed our 4th of July with some Australia vs West Indies cricket action at Warner Park. West Indies came close, and lost by a disappointing 2 runs. We still celebrated American-style, with some fireworks out at Frigate Bay. As I watched I thought of all the places I had celebrated the 4th of July before.... Missouri, California, Guam, and now here in the Caribbean, where will I be next year?

Crafty Science Fun

For Nature Club last week we decided to make volcanoes. These were all done in an hour so they weren't as elaborate as they could've been, but the kids loved it anyways. They cheered as each of the 5 volcanoes were erupted... this week, I think we'll discuss oceans and tides and create an ocean in a bottle!! Another great activity that will use up my collection of plastic soda bottles!

New photo album posted of the kids from Eagle Boys and Nature Club, and some pics of our fun beach day last Saturday!! Click the "My Photos" link on the right side of this site...

The Cure for Insomniacs

St. Peter's Eagle Boys youth group; Nevis field trip and turtle night walk




I can't quite put a finger on what exactly caused the complete wipe out of consciousness on the beach come Friday morning at 1 am, but I knew it had something to do with the summation of 2 days of young boys and all that entails. Never before have I been so thoroughly exhausted, mentally and physically. I mean sure, there have been those times where my body has had enough, but that was always after some strenuous physical exertion, like running a marathon or swimming the St. Kitts-Nevis channel. I just couldn't quite understand what it was with those boys that created the same zombie-like state, minus the leg ache, after my 26 mile run in the rain in Napa. Could it have been the cramped, sweaty bus ride around Nevis the day before? Or the constant state of alertness once they all scrambled out of the bus and scattered? Or maybe the moment I saw the crab carcasses next to their shattered shells near the rock wall and many more live ones in the hands of their juvenile captors (oh yes, I saw red at that point!)? Maybe it was all the beach walking come Thursday night and having to constantly reassure and entertain the boys that we would see a leatherback turtle. Heck, maybe I myself got tired just by watching them have turtle nest digging competitions and refereeing on who had dug the best hole. Or maybe it was not just one singular event that wiped me out, maybe it was just a culmination of the full island Nevis tour on Wednesday and the turtle walk the next day but all I know is that by the time those boys left the beach late Thursday night, I did one more walk along the beach to look for nesting leatherbacks and once we stopped to break I was out cold on the sand. By the time I got home at 4:30 am it was all I could do to shower and drag my useless self to bed.

St. Kitts-Nevis Channel Swim

Swim route in magenta; my actual swim in yellow

I woke up around 5:45 am and already felt woozy with anxiety for this swim. The water has not been that pretty lately, and if it weren't enough that locals were telling me I would drown, they also decided that if the water didn't get me then the sharks surely would. It's not a common thing to swim the 2.5 mile stretch between St. Kitts and Nevis! So my nerves leading up to this day were on edge of course.

We made it to Cockleshell beach around 7 am and didn't get on the boat carrying us to Nevis until nearly 8:30 or so. That boat ride was such a terrible idea. Doesn't make one who is already nervous feel any better going over the exact route that she is about to swim. The boat bounced in the waves and it seemed like it took forever to get to Nevis. I kept watching for the rocks that would denote the half way point, and once we passed I gasped at how far away Cockleshell looked at only halfway!!

Once we made it upon Nevis you could already see how bad the swell had been earlier in the week. Smelly sea grass was in piles along the normally calm and serene beach. I walked past all this and made my way to the register tent. I picked up my bright green swim cap marked with the number 60, had my leg branded with the same number, and made damn sure I got my blue bracelet that would give me access to my 20% off Margarita at the finish. I was set.

So we finally took off from Oualie beach some time after 9 am. I allowed the more "elite" swimmers to get set and ahead. I was doing this thing with a snorkel and fins. My hat goes off to those who did it without any props (good job Becky and Royston). Once I had my fins on and made my way past the murky muck of sea grass I was off. I kept the Brocks (fellow volunteers and snorkelers) within my sight until half way between the rocks and the point off of Oualie beach. The part where I ended up losing them was when the water started to clear up and I could see the bottom. I guess I was getting a little distracted with watching the sea floor and the little fishes that when I finally popped my head up I realized I couldn't find my buddies. There were still some swimmers in the vicinity, so I decided to keep going.

Through half the swim I was in my own little fantasy world, all set with a soundtrack as well! I was mesmerized by the way sunlight cascaded through the water in luminous streams and found the swaying sea fans nearly hypnotizing as I kicked on past. At one point I even caught a glimpse of a sea turtle rocking back and forth in the current. All of this to the song "A Long December". I don't know why this one, but it became the theme song of my swim:

And its been a long December and theres reason to believe maybe this year will be better than the last. I cant remember all the times I tried to tell my myself to hold on to these moments as they pass... Its been so long since Ive seen the ocean...I guess I should

It was fun up until I realized that I somehow was too far to the right of our swim route and the waves were getting higher AND I did not have a single swimmer or kayaker near me!! It did occur in my mind that I could drown or get eaten by a shark and no one would know until they realized I never made it ashore. I contemplated waiting a while till I was sure the kayak I could see in the distance to the west could see me. Then I realized my predicament wasn't so bad because then, in between the troughs of the waves, I could catch glimpses of swimmers further off course than I was!! It was no use sitting and waiting for someone to catch up with me, we were just all too spread out. So for what seemed like the next hour or so I just kept battling the current and waves until I could make it to the point that protected Cockleshell beach from the cross current. Once I made it into that protective cove I was home free. I could see there were about 30 to 40 swimmers/snorekelers already on shore. In total there were 68 who set out, and except for a few, everyone made it in. All the PCVs did it in less than 2 hours, and after comparing stories it sounded like most people had veered off course at some point, some more so than others!! And for our accomplishment we got medals, but not just any medals... we got the "Nevis Olympic Triathlon - 2006" medals!! That was the icing on the cake!!! I might embellish a bit to my grandkids about how I competed in the 2006 Triathlon on Nevis... ha ha.

Nevis Nice

I had a sweet little vacation over on Nevis this last weekend. I had been a pathetic little volunteer that could boast no quality beach time for nearly 5 months. My tan was only localized to my arms and face, those parts of my body which are bombarded by the sun daily... even when just walking from here to there. So, I finally redeemed myself with some much needed r&r at Oualie beach on Saturday.

On Sunday it was up and at em at 8 am to get checked in for volunteering at the triathlon held on Nevis. My main reason for going over there. I wasn't competing, thank goodness, but was there to cheer on fellow SK volunteer Becky as she competed in her very first sprint triathlon. Nevis volunteer Kate and I worked at the elite event handing out water in the morning, then spent the afternoon cheering on Becky and taking pictures. By the end of the day I felt as if I were the one who competed!! My legs were so sore!! I must be getting old.

Some sights from the week

Above left: View from Brimstone Hill of the Dutch islands, Saba and St. Eustacius

Above right: The national bird of St. Kitts, the Brown Pelican











Above left: "Sheep in the graveyard, run run run!" The local hang out for the livestock

Above right: My stellar meal of braised turkey wing, salad, and boiled plantain. Made it all myself!!

















Above left: Springfield Cemetery church

Above right: Liz waits with me in the bus shelter for the rain to quit.

"Jack of all trades, master of none, though ofttimes better than master of one."

It's been an interesting last couple of weeks. I have been pretty busy with a handful of projects and other things, and now the Leatherback nesting season has begun. We haven't started on nightly beach monitoring yet, I think it might be another week or two away, which is just enough time for me to wrap up my work with Brimstone Hill.

The Brimstone Hill flora and fauna project I have been involved with started last September, and since it really is just Kate (works at B. Hill office) and myself, I can understand why it has taken this long! Our display of the various plants and animals you will encounter while at the Hill, can be found up at the Fort George Citadel museum. We've decorated shelves with specimens of plants and animals, and along the wall have cut out portrayals of the different birds, mammals, and reptiles. For more information on the flora and fauna of the Hill you need to look no further than the folder we created with photographs and details on the different species. It's been a long process to put it all together, but in the end has been a great educational experience for me. I have a pretty good grasp on a lot of the local vegetation and wildlife... maybe we could even say I have become one of the island experts on the natural environment? Ha ha, or at least the expert within my Peace Corps community!!

For the last month I have also been involved with the Nature Club at Maurice Hillier. We've been going over the different types of vertebrate animals, and I have been emphasizing the various island representatives of each class. For reptiles my friend Dr. Stewart from Ross University brought over some Red-Footed Tortoises that once used to inhabit the island (though they are originally from S. America). I've also brought in a toad and a bat for them. I wasn't sure how to bring a bird, but next we will go over fish, so I'll have to figure out what I can bring in for that!

Let's see... I've also been going up to the community center in my village a few times a week. Usually to give some extra helping hands with the Eagle Boys youth group, but also to help clean up and organize our neglected and forgotten library! My friend Liz has been trekking over from Cayon to come and help me on Tuesdays getting it all set up. We are hoping to get it opened up by the end of May or into the beginning of June. Definitely before we leave though!!

With any of my spare time during the week I help out at the St. Christopher Heritage Society Museum. They are setting up a new exhibit and I go in to help glue, cut, hang, and just entertain when I have some free time. They are hoping to have it finished by the 16th.

That pretty much sums up my "work" so far. Tonight will be a practice run for turtles. We are going to test out some new equipment for the beach and stay out only till about 1 am or so, and not the usual 5 am!! I'm not sure if I will be ready for that when it comes though!!

Concerts, Weddings, and Carnival... Oh My!!

So here I sit baking some cookies and killing time before I head out for my first run in almost a week (I've been fighting off the sickness that has been going around). I realize it has been a while since I wrote on here and I can easily say that there is not much to report, but you all know that can't be the case! Christmas, New Years, and more importantly CARNIVAL has passed since last I blogged anything... and another wedding as well!

Christmas came first but as you all know Christmas isn't just one day, and it's the same here. There were concerts to attend and amazing dance recitals to see (though thanks to a broken toe I managed to skip a wonderful dance performance). My friend Deirdre had told me that, in her opinion, Christmas didn't start until the Anglican church in Basseterre held their annual concert. She was right! I attended that Monday the week before Christmas and had a smile on my face through all the choral, instrumental and solo performances. But no Caribbean concert would be complete without some sort of a steel pan melody, and I've never before been such a fan of "Carol of the Bells" until I heard it through the beats of the pan.

Christmas began that night for me after the concert, and the next day I withdrew money which I had saved nearly all year to buy the supplies I needed for my first Christmas cookie baking experience. Well, it wasn't really my first. I had made them at home all the time with my mother, or more correctly, I decorated them all the time! So this time I was master baker and decorator. I saved the money because I knew I had a lot to make and ingredients on this island can be pricey! There were no cookie cutters I could find so I borrowed some from a fellow volunteer.

That Friday before Christmas, and 2 days before our program at church, I stayed up baking nearly 130 or so cookies. The next day I had Avi, my host cousin, come and help in the decorating. It only took about 4 hours, but at the end every cookie was decorated and individually wrapped and ready for the program the following night. Needless to say they were a hit, and now I have a job of making them again for next year. I'll just have to be sure to put them in the mail in time to make it for the holidays.

Christmas day was just as last year. I was up early and ready for church services at 6 a.m. At one point I guess the disgust I felt for being up so early was on my face, and Johanna looked back at me from her spot in the front of the church and made a laugh, which then prompted others to look my way. I had to laugh too. I looked terrible! Baggy eyes and all curled up because there was actually a cool breeze blowing. I was so tired and cold. I looked like I was in pain and they understood. Everyone here knows I am not a morning person. Anyhow, I made it through and went home for a mid morning nap before I baked my scrumptious Chocolate Chunk Banana Bread Pudding for our dinner later on. I spent the day with the Chapmans and their extended family again. We then spent the remainder of the day helping Johanna put things together for her wedding on the 29th.

I was excited for this wedding because Johanna is the one host sister I knew best since she was living at home when I was there. I had a chance to get to know her fiance (now husband) as well, and even met his extended family during the whole World Cup Cricket frenzy. So I was excited to know that I would recognize most people at this ceremony. Hanna had Rushi and I as guest book attendants like we were at Carlene's wedding last year.

The ceremony and reception went quick, so quick that all I really remember is how stellar that bacon-wrapped chicken was. In reality the whole thing took nearly 5 hours and my feet felt it. I wore my heels that haven't been used since I left the states. I now remember why I love sandals so much.

During all of these festivities I was also helping to decorate and prepare for our Carnival troupe. It was the same troupe as last year, the Small Island Voice Clean-Up Troupe. Our theme was "From Trash to Treasure". We wanted to emphasize the "no littering" campaign and also show crafty uses for once discarded trash and what not. We had lots of fun decorations going into the parade on January 1st, but by the end of the day, and 4 hours of marching/jamming later, things were falling apart.... including me!! I was so tired come the evening of the 1st that all I could dream about was slipping into my bed and pulling the covers over my head and shrinking from the world for at least a week or so!! Well, it ended up being nearly 2 weeks!!

Yep. Things have slowed down and I am trying to get started into the projects again and figuring out what I can accomplish for my last 8 months here. Though I haven't done much because I have suffered from insomnia which then led to this flu thing going around. I have basically been a walking zombie all month. Nothing that a few days of rest and self confinement can't cure. I have been home a few days now doing nothing much but sleeping and eating and I am starting to feel up for social activities now. I am sure as soon as I get on my first bus in days I will get some comments about where I have been. It's nice to know that if you are not seen for a few days they start to wonder!

Anyhow, that's it in a nutshell. I would have offered to show pictures of all of this, but thanks to my lapse in attentiveness, I accidentally erased all the photos in my camera leading up to the Grand Parade at Carnival. I yelled and cursed at myself for about 5 minutes then quickly got over it. There were some great pics in there, but oh well. I managed to not erase the ones I took of the parade afterwards, so you can check those out in my albums. Enjoy!

Happy New Year!