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.

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!

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=15604815

Grand 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

Christmas Day: christmas morning i woke up to the sound of carolers walking down our street singing hark the herold angle sing. what a lovely way to wake up on christmas morning! i went to church with nurse and shavan and i got to read the morning prayer for the faithful (it's a catholic thing). the church was packed, over 130 people were there and i was so nervous but i did fine. after church we came home and i helped nurse make the christmas dinner. we spent all afternoon getting ready and then sat down together to enjoy the fruits of our labor. we had ham, lamb chops, real salad, potato salad, corn on the cob, home made macaroni and cheese, and christmas cake that i helped bake a few days before christmas. i was completely stuffed and ended the day with a good long sleep!

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. ;)

Jonkonnu

The other night I was getting dinner in Ochi when I heard some interesting music playing. I looked down the street and saw a little band playing music on drums and pipes. There were people dressed in crazy costumes too. Devils, a green monster, a guy dressed like a pregnant lady, a zombie creature... They were dancing all around the street and the stores of Ochi and chasing people around. I had no idea what all this was about but it was crazy fun. The Pregnant Lady even came up and danced on me. Later I asked Nurse what all that was about and she said its a tradition called Jonkonnu. This is what I found on Wikipedia about it:

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Jonkonnu in Jamaica

Jonkonnu, or Jonkanoo (John Canoe) is parade that links music, dance, symbols and mime. It is a Jamaican traditional dance form of African descent. Typically Jamaican’s would parade in the streets and enact mime-style plays. This folk form has gone through many stages of development until today when it is rarely performed on the island.

The Jonkonnu festival is secular in nature and used to be performed at Christmas. It was the festive opportunity afforded to the slaves by the planter class, Christmas was one of the few times that slaves were relieved of their duties.

The Characters : Core participants; Pitchy patchy, The cowhead, The horsehead, The devil,

Other participants The King, The Queen, The police, Belly woman

The characters parade through the streets in very elaborate costumes; they are attired costumed with head dresses, masks, pitchforks (devil), batons (police), fans (set girls) and any other paraphernalia that is necessary to complete the character.

There basic jonkonnu steps that are done and each character has a signature movement. E.g

Pitchy Patchy – turns, cartwheels, large movements in circular patterns.

Belly woman - moves belly in time with the music

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It was awesome to experience this cultural tradition first hand and reminds me how lucky I am to be living and learning about a different country/culture from my own.

Birthday Hike

For my birthday this year I decided to hike to the top of Blue Mountain, Jamaica's highest peak, standing 7,402 ft above sea level. It is about a seven mile hike to the peak and a 3,000 ft change in elevation. Several of my PC friends and I headed out in the early morning to the trail head. On our hike we passed by senic views of coffee plantations, misty rainbows, mossy trees, and wild flowers. Although it was misty/rainy for most of the hike (meaning all we could see was clouds at the peak) it was still a great adventure, and we were all excited to get a breath of cool and fresh mountain air. Side note: Thanks to everyone who wished me a happy birthday, I miss you all!!

Rally Jamaica 2k8

My pcv friend Alicia's boss Johnny has a nephew that happens to be a famous race car driver in Jamaica, Doug "Hollywood" Gore. Johnny invited Alicia, me and our friend Steph to watch Doug compete in Rally Jamaica 2k8 which is this big racing competition hosted in Jamaica each year. It is a three day event with several different "stages" (race tracks) located in various locations including an orange tree grove outside of Bog Walk where there was a big water jump that the cars drive through.

The water jump!

We got to watch all the races (and a few crashes too!) up close and personal and also got to meet some of the drivers. One of the drivers is 72 years old! I got a pic with him and gave him my bottled water to use when his car was over heating, pretty cool huh? LOL! Anyways, the races were crazy, with lots crazy sharp turns with cars skidding around corners and flying over hills in the road.

Me with Morley, the 72 year old race car driver!

Me and Steph with Doug "Hollywood" Gore. "Team MoBay!"

The Rally finished in New Kingston where we got to go to the top of the PanCaribbean building to watch the end races through the main streets of the city. It was an amazing view. Thanks to Johnny for caring us around all weekend and Alicia for being a fabulous hostest.

The view from the PanCaribbean Building of the race track in New Kingston