So my new favorite card game is called Kalooki. I am definitely hooked! I was introduced to the game by my fellow uwi teammates. After a long day of volleyball is great to sit back with friends and play a good game of cards. And its also a good way to pass time at tournaments in between games. This game is pretty intense tho, really cut-throat, no mercy, every man for himself kind of game. I'm told it's a form of Contract Rummy but I have no idea since I've never played rummy before. This website explains all the rules, which you will see are not too too complicated but the game itself is a real mind exercise for sure. So check it out and try it one night instead of watching tv. Promise you'll love it.
Monday, March 23, 2009
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Kiwanis Club of The Garden Parish
The other night I had the honor of being the guest speaker for the Kiwanis Club of The Garden Parish. I was invited to come and speak about the Peace Corps program and what I've been doing in Jamaica over the past nine months that I have been here. For those of you who don't know, Kiwanis is a global organization that works to improve the lives of children world wide. Before my speach I sat and listened to members discuss upcoming community events to volunteer at for this upcoming month and chat about exciting things happening within their club, including work at a nearby mental health institution. It was insping to be amoungst a group of such motivated and caring women.
When it was my time to speak I took the first part of my presentation to talk about a general overview of what Peace Corps was, its history, its goals, and types of things volunteers are doing world wide. But the fun started when I began talking specifically about my time here in Jamaica. Everyone was so intereseted in how I have been adjusting to the culture, that I can speak patios and use public transportation, and that we as pcvs are willing to give so much time to help others in foreign places. They also had questions about water quality in their parish which I was happy to address and help clear-up some misconceptions.
It was a very refreshing and inspiring night, reminding me of the reasons I decided to be a pcv. And it was motivational to see that these women are making a difference in their community! With an active community group, so much change is possible. It reminds me of quote from President Barack Obama:
"Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek. "
Friday, February 20, 2009
Hee-Haw
Last weekend I traveled to Negril to volunteer at the annual Donkey Race organized by the Negril Rotary Club. Funds generated from the event went to support early childhood education in the community so I was more than excited to give my time to help out with the event.
I ended up helping at the face painting booth with a rasta guy: just me, him and fifty pikni crowded around the tent. Face painting was a free event so there was just a huge line of kids, one after the other. I painted tiger faces, flowers, butterflies, lots and lots of Spidermen and other super heroes, and even a few American flags. It was funny to have little kids ask me to paint American flags, I was like, “Are you sure you don’t want a Jamaican flag?” … “No miss, I want the one with stars.”
At the beginning of the day the donkeys were dressed up in silly costumes and paraded around the track. I didn’t catch any pictures of it cause I already had my hands full with face painting but it was pretty cute to see donkeys in wigs and lamp shades for hats. After the parade the real fun started. The donkeys would race in groups of three and people could place bets on the winner.
In addition to the donkey races and face painting for the kids, there was a bar for the big kids, plenty of food vendors, carnival games the kids could play to win prizes, a ferris wheel, and a giant Disney Princess bounce-a-bout that I really wanted to jump in but never got the chance. Hehe.
So after a long day of face painting and watching donkeys I took a dip in the ocean, got a few drinks at the bar with other PCVs at the donkey race and then headed back to the beach to see a beautiful Negril sunset. A great ending to a long but extremely fun day.
PC Projects: A Quick Update
I have some updates on the projects I’ve been working on down here in Jamaica:
For my farmers’ group irrigation project, we have selected the pump and dealer we want to purchase from and are in the process of completing the order. Hopefully the pump will be in Jamaica by March.
Some more good news: I showed my supervisor at the Regional Health Authority the database I have been working on for the health department I volunteer at and she really liked it. She requested that I expand the database so it could be used throughout the region. She said that once it’s developed we could hold training sessions so that others in the region will be able to use the database and know how it functions. I am super excited about the challenge even though there will be a few things I will have to teach myself in order to make this dream a reality.
I’ve picked up a new project that I’m super excited to work on. I am teaming up with community based organization to help them with site development for an eco tourism establishment that they are trying to create. The site is located in a very sensitive area at the head waters of a major river in Jamaica so they have to pay special attention to the waste water that will be generated at the site. Additionally they need help in deciding on what water source they will use and the design of the distribution system. Here's a few pics of the site:
So these are a few things I have been up to the past few months and projects that will continue to work on during my time here in a Jamaica. I have one more project that I would like to share with you, but I think it’s best to send it via email, so check those inboxes when you get a chance.
uwi volleyball
For all of you that didn’t know, since around October I have been playing with an indoor volleyball club team here in Jamaica. The club is sponsored by University of West Indies, Mona campus. I met some of the girls at the beach volleyball tournament a volunteered in the fall and they invited me to come out and play on their team. We have two women’s teams and two men’s teams. I am on the UWI A team. Don’t want to brag too much but we happen to be the best team on the island, officially. Last month we won the season championship for the eighth year in a row. The final game was sooooo much fun, there was a big loud crowd and I played the best I’ve played since I’ve been here in Jamaica. It’s great to play competitive volleyball again and to be part of a team. I’m making new friends and having a blast. Sometimes I wished I lived closer to Kingston so I could train with them more regularly, but I have to take what I can get and enjoy the times I do get to play.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
A productive morning
This morning has been very productive: I woke up, went for a run, saw the sun rise along the way, nearly died at the end of the run because I haven't ran in over two weeks... then i got home, tried to climb the grill on the back of my house to get on the roof of my house (my favorite place in the mornings) only to cut my finger... doctored it up then noticed my tomato plant was over growing the pot I first planted it in so I then recruited Shavan to help me dig a hole for it in the yard and transfer it into the ground. On my way back into the house I noticed this pretty little girl sitting on our porch:
Pretty scary huh? I have also talked to my dad on the phone, cleaned my room, and did a load of laundry. Aaaand wrote this new blog entry which I have failed to do for over a month now. I'm gonna have to big up myself for all waking up early and getting stuff done today! I have lots to update you all on so stay tuned this week for some good blog posts!
Friday, January 2, 2009
Goodbye 2008
so the past few weeks have gone by in whirl and i have failed to share them with you. :( but fear not this is a quick recap of my holidays in jamaica! yay!
Gina came to visit: Gina and i were camp councilers together at camp perkins all the way back in 2004. we haven't seen each other since that lovely summer but we've stayed in touch via facebook and emails from time to time. well it just so happened that she had some vacation time and some extra cash so she decided to come visit jamaica and excape from winter in the states. she stayed with me for a few days and i took her all around my area, dunns river, scotchies, turtle beach, flavors... all places you too can explore with me if you ever want to visit, i love playing tour guide! gina, it was fabulous to have you here, good luck with the big move and grad school!!
Laura Facey: while gina was still here we had the pleasure of seeing an art exhibit being held by the famous Laura Facey, who is the artist of the statue Redemption Song at Emancipation Park in Kingston. we got to meet her and view her studio and see all her gorgeous new art work. it was so inspiring and quite an honor to meet her! i posted an album on facebook, i hope you can view it here: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2185416&l=00164&id=15604815Grand Market: christmas eve here in jamaica is kind of like new years eve in the states. everyone gets together for big parties and celebrations. so to experience some real christmas eve fun me and a few pcvs in the area went to grand market, which is this huge street party that's held every year on christmas eve. grand market begins with everyone shopping and buying the things they need for christmas. vendors line the streets, selling pretty much anything you'd want to buy and cooking heaps of jerk chicken to eat. in addition to street vendors, djs come and set up huuuge sound systems along the streets. when i walked in front of a massive wall of speakers i could feel the music pumping straight through me! as the night moves along the streets get more and more crowded til you can't hardly move. there are people eeeverywhere dancing and moving to the music from the sound systems. my friends and i stayed late into the night but when we left the party seemed like it was still going strong. here's some pics to show you the experience:
the beginning of night
one of the MANY giant sound systems
Nurse making christmas cake
Some of the ingredients that go into christmas cake, including rose water, browning, and white rum!
The manger scene at church
My church
Me and Desmond, one of the alter boys at church
The sorrel (a jamaican christmas drink) was too sweet for Nurse!
McInerneys come to Jamaica: lucky me to have mooore visitors here in jamaica! my uncle bill, aunt linda, liz and ashley came down to escape the cold chi-town winter. they let me join them for the weekend at their resort where i was completely spoiled with endless food, drinks and HOT water!! lol! the resort had a ginourmous pool and a water park so we spent lots of time in the sun and water. my tan is looking much better now ;) while i was there we went on a tour of the Great House at Rose Hall which is the site where the White Witch once lived. people say its still haunted by her ghost! we drank a witch's brew in the dungeon of the house and got to see all the rooms where she once murdered each of her three husbands before she too was murdered by one of her slaves. scary stuff, but the house was gorgeous. here is an album i made on facebook of all the pics of the house and some of the resort that we stayed at: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2188902&l=06746&id=15604815 the album also includes pics from the grand gala show we saw at the resort. they had a steel drum band playing and lots of performers including dancers, extreme limbo, a fire eating/breathing lady, and lots more crazy acts. i had a fantabulous time with the mcinerneys, thank you for sharing your vacation with me and spoiling me over the weekend, i already miss you!
New Years Eve: honestly i didn't do much for new years eve, i wasn't in the mood to go out and celebrate. so me and two other pcvs got together, splurged a little at the super market on food and drinks, and stayed in for the new year. we watched silly movies and talked and laughed all night. it was nice to just chill and enjoy the company to welcome the new year.
and so we say goodbye to 08 and hello to 09. i can't believe it but tomorrow i will have officially been here in jamaica for 6 months already! time really does fly. can't wait to see what the year has in store for me. i'm wishing you all the best for a great start to the new year and good luck at keeping those new years resolutions. ;)
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