When we arrived for training, Peace Corps personnel designed participatory activities so we would get to know our fellow PCVs from Group 79. They told us that we would be one family while we were in Jamaica and that we would be each other's support systems.

This morning this fact hit close to our hearts. Rose's beloved daughter and soul mate Annie was killed last night in New York. She was crossing the street with a friend and they both were struck down by a speeding driver. We have come to know and love Rose as we've gone through Peace Corps training together. We feel as though we know Annie as we've listened to countless stories of her adventures in life told by her Mom. When we received the call this morning from Anne, our security officer we had a chance to speak with Rose at the airport before we flew home. Annie had served as a Peace Corps volunteer after college. We were going to spend the day with Rose at an art museum.

Rose is one strong, lively committed woman as the other PCV's know. We grieve as she goes through this devastating life event. We hope to post an address where we can reach her to extend our support and love. Rose's words to us were:" I hope you're still in Jamaica when I come back."

I might add that kudos go to the Peace Corps Jamaica office staff, especially Anne for immediately supporting Rose and making flight arrangements so quickly. It's no small irony that Anne lives nearby Rose's site.

Tearfully,

Kare

Greetings to all on this sunny Jamaican day!

As you all know, the US is experiencing a rather scary financial meltdown – the likes of which has not been seen in decades. This has had an effect on many people around the world and many in a very severe way. For example, the inflation rate in Jamaica is 26% this year – up from 17% last year. This is in a setting where there is little in the way of a social safety net. In addition, this will negatively affect remittances to Jamaica and of course tourism - both major sources of income to the island.

Well, this has had an effect on Karen and me as well. The original plan was to put ourselves in a situation where we could tolerate a recession back home by having no debt and reasonably protected money in our retirement accounts. What we did not count on was a financial tsunami. With major financial institutions like Lehman Brothers, Bear Sterns, Wachovia, and AIG all going belly up, we have to consider the fact that our own investments may not be as secure as we had thought.

We had hoped to do a positive, helpful and enriching activity as a form of ‘give back’ for the great good fortune we have had over the course of our lives. We did not particularly plan to work when we returned as it is extremely difficult to get hired when you have been out of the workforce for 2+ years and are over 50. If the market stayed anywhere near 13,500 and above, it would have been no problem. It is now 10,000 and change and no one seems to know where the end is. Nearly everyone says that the financial disaster may roll on for years to come. This puts our retirement in play – an untenable situation. We have therefore decided that we need to leave our service in the Peace Corps and return Stateside to re-enter the work world while we still can. I’ve been offered some consulting work and Karen is returning to work on the Birth Center in a regular position with benefits. Our professional certifications and continuing education credits would have expired if we waited longer.

It is a very sad decision for us to make. We did not make the decision to serve two years lightly and we do not make the decision to leave lightly either. We have made good friends on the island: Jamaicans and other PCV’s. Parting with them and their energy, intelligence, good hearts and warm spirits is difficult beyond measure.

There is no small irony in that both of our work worlds here on the island had just started to ramp up. The Mayor offered me space in his office complex. My draft plan to ‘fix’ Hellshire Beach was completed and submitted for first reading and my Ministry of Health Safety contact had literally called RIGHT after we made the decision to leave to ask me to teach 5 safety classes for him over the next few months. Karen’s had a number of speaking engagements at teacher conferences. Teaching materials shipped from her friends from the Birth Center to support her efforts just arrived yesterday.

We are hoping to be allowed to stay until the end of the month. This will allow us to complete some aspects of our project in a way that they might be picked up by someone else within the country. I have a class to teach October 28th on hazard recognition and risk management to about 30 safety/health inspectors and I’d like to be able to do this. Karen has some training she would also like to complete as well.

We have had great experiences here in Jamaica and we do not regret making the decision to serve. As most of you reading this that are PCV’s well know, it is part of the landscape that frustrations come with the turf. Please understand that this is NOT why we are leaving. The experience here has taught us all over again the lessons of our youth. It is better to give than to receive, material things have limited value in the great scheme of things, and that one’s own spouse is your best friend in trying times. We have also convinced ourselves that we are able to surrender the comforts of home for the uncertainties of this kind of experience. This aspect will be perhaps best appreciated by those that are older as it is easy to shrink our world over time until we are completely locked into a cocoon. Doors and windows have now been installed into our cocoon to allow us to experience a much wider world. I have even managed to lose nearly 20 pounds [Peace Corps – Matt Towne’s fat farm?] and return notably healthier in body and spirit than when I left. I will certainly appreciate warm showers and temperate weather in a way I never did before.

So farewell to our fellow volunteers. We will miss you and wonder daily how you are faring over the next few years. When your time comes, may your landing stateside be a safe and soft one. We would greatly delight in seeing your smiling faces at our door in NH as a planned event OR totally on a whim of passing by. You will be offered food, drink, music and a warm bed for as long as you would like it. My email is matttowne@metrocast.net [note the three t’s in the middle]and our home number is 603-332-3953.

Signing off from Peace Corps / Jamaica Group 79,

Matt & Karen Towne

Hello all!

We were warned by current Peace Corps Volunteers that the 'mail' would dry up once we were gone 3-6 months. Well, sad to say, it appears to be the case as we haven't heard from some of our friends for months. Certainly is an interesting dynamic and illustrates the 'out of sight - out of mind' concept. It certainly makes me mindful of those who have written regularly long notes to keep us in touch and most particularly of my own actions when my oldest brother was in the Vietnam War and how little I wrote to him then. And this is peacetime. Life is indeed a circle. For those who have written but have had my email bounce, you are also welcome to try seacoastmatt@gmail.com.

We spent the weekend at Falmouth on the northern and more western shore of Jamaica. As most of the shoreline is tourist oriented, this shoreline was clean - even pristine as compared to our more normal environs. The place we stayed was the fishermans inn a somewhat more budget friendly place than most resorts or hotels on the shore. Our friends Gary and Margaret set it up and we simply tagged along. I think that literally we were the only 4 people at the place but then it is off season here in Jamaica. VERY pleasant except for very loud music next door Saturday night...do the musicians follow us? Great to laugh with friends.

We had the opportunity to visit Rose Hall - a restored sugar plantation. Very interesting on several levels not the least of which is that there are several golf courses nearby. [ok, I admit this is a shallow consideration]. We had the chance to tour and then grab a lunch at a nearby Ritz Carlton so we definitely took a departure of our usual thrift to have a good solid American lunch. We also toodled around Falmouth a bit and got a sense of the flavor of that town. Since it has stopped being a shipping port it has somewhat been degraded and this is most unfortunate in that there really are some buildings worth saving and ading to the charm of the place.

Later, we toured the bay in one of their post dinner boats for a nominal fee to see the luminesant waters of the bay. This was well worth it if for no other reason than being on the water. The luminessance was great to see and was a first for us. Funny to see glowing fish dart underneath our boat.

The ride over to the coast was truly hair raising and we count ourselves lucky to have survived. Some of this we caused by not making a better selection of a taxi. A good lesson was learned all over again. Red plates, red plates, red plates... look for red plates. These designate the officially sanctioned taxis. Back in Spanish Town we were dropped into a maalstrom of taxis all vying for our business. After pushing back 15 or so very aggressive drivers we found one that was literally 25% of what some others were charging. AND he was a Red Plate! See? We learned! Again no less. It is a little hard to imagine the chaos that is this kind of taxi stand. Drivers were tugging at our bags and trying hard to get us to get in even with a bit of a shove in that direction. Takes a certain rudeness if you will to SHOVE back when confronted with this type of 'sales'.

At any rate, all for now. Write!

Love to all and thanks to those who have chosen to stay in touch with us. It is deeply appreciated.

Matt

Hello all! First a call out to Salli and to hope her finger heals well...you still rate a 10 finger salute Salli!

We are again making a housing transition in our home arrangement. I suppose, as banal as it sounds, it isn't MUCH different in trying on jeans until you get one that fits your particular shape. The apartment we now have and will be surrendering was a step up in that it was our own place. The downside is that it was basically a concrete box and no way to get outside without standing in the street. In addition, the deal struck was not the deal held to by the landlady so we quickly were going to have to be using our own money to maintain our situation. We have found, due to the efforts of our former host mother who has remained a key person in our lives here, a second floor place with a large outside deck. A tad smaller in some ways but a LOT brighter and airy and it even has it's own water tank so we might have water more than 3 days a week. The 'current' place promised a water tank but it became clear that was not going to happen.

So within a few weeks we will move on again to a place nearby. This constant moving about is getting old to be sure and we truly hope this is our last move.

Project wise the work remains slow to start which we are constantly reminded by other more experienced PCV's is the NORM. A number of possibilities are hanging out there with any one of them being a FULL project or work load. Many ofthe PCV's [especially the older ones] have left because the work was NOT defined upon their arrival and at 55+, the two year committment is a greater percentage of the time one has remaining on this Earth. They were basically told to go make something happen which is what we are attempting to do as well. We have hopes though and will work hard to get something rolling. Kare has a beginning spate of work with the schools after waiting nearly 2 months to make a contact with her community partner. She has kept herself busy and I am impressed by her generally unflagging attitude in this. She has helped the clinic out with her long and deep clinical skills and is making a good transition into their clinic environment. I've made some good contacts and working relationships with some key players [Mayor, Jamaican Safety Director, the Chairman of the UDC, the board of the fishermans cooperative]. Now to get them all lined up and agreeing on what it is they want me to actually do is the challenge. For those who know me well, this is hugely taxing...hurry up and do nothing....or at least it feels like nothing at this point.

We are headed out to Falmouth to see more of the country this weekend and to visit with our former 'roomies' from training. The approximately 100 trip will take nearly 4 hours to accomplish but the scenery will be different and what the heck, it isn't like I need to hurry home to stack wood before the snow flies right?

Love to all and for those of you that write...thank you!

Love to all,

Matt

We taxied to Half Moon beach in a run down, red plate taxi. As the driver drove into the fishing village he expertly skirted large puddles and potholes. We climbed out and retrieved the gloves, trash bags and rakes dropped off by the Mayor. He’d been supportive of the cleanup efforts. A few volunteers from local businesses had come to help and some of the residents were busily raking the areas surrounding their respective, ramshackle restaurants. This tiny fishing village was Matt’s designated PC water and sanitation project.

Our mission today was not one of relaxation, we’d come to participate in the Coastal Conservancy’s Annual Global Beach Clean Up. Miles away in Duluth, Minnesota our daughter Sarah, an environmental educator was participating in a clean up along the shores of Lake Superior. The mutual activity made me feel closer to her, for we are kindred lovers of the natural world. I’ve always felt re-energized and at peace after spending a day immersed in nature.

The main beach area in front of the restaurants had been raked clean before our arrival. So we elected to tackle a rocky area that rimmed the shore. Matt and I glanced around and saw bottles, plastic bags, odd shoes and flip-flops, cans, cigarette boxes, bits of rope scattered wily- hilly amongst the rocks that lined the shore. Perhaps some of the debris had been washed ashore by violent waves during the last hurricane. I tried to convince myself of that fact, even though I’d witnessed firsthand the locals dropping whatever empty bottle or bag they were carrying along the sidewalks and grassy areas.

I’m not writing this to be self righteous. I’m writing to express my sadness at the local public’s conscious decision to litter. We were heartened when a man drove up in his large SUV, leaned out his window and stated: “Today is world coastal cleanup day, right?” “Yes, have you come to help us?” we asked. “Oh, no I’m here to motivate you,” he replied. “Well, we don’t need you to motivate us, we need your help.” “I’ve come to relax in the sun, it’s my day of rest”, was his insolent answer. Granted, he has every right to a day at the beach. It was his mocking attitude that angered us. An hour later, a young man walked over barefoot and said something unintelligle to us. He definitely looked rheumy eyed, but we decided a positive approach was in order. We asked him to repeat what he’d said. “Have you come to help us clean up?” He nodded, picked up three items then asked Matt for money. When we sternly declined his request, he stumbled back into the bar that he came from.

We knew then that the national littering fines touted on billboards and posters were largely a farce. No one enforced the law. Individuals would have to remind each other of the environmental impact and consequences. In our own neighborhood here we walked by smoking heaps of trash that people burned in front of their homes or on overgrown stretches of open land. Charred remains of items that wouldn’t burn were left behind. In spite of the fact, that the community already had regular, trash pick- ups once a week.

Matt and I had picked up 5 large [leaf bag size] bags of trash along a 50 foot stretch of rocks that bordered the Caribbean ocean. We decided to walk further up the beach where a group of local high school students were busily picking up litter. We were heartened by their youthful exuberance and how well organized the event was. Food and beverages were available beneath a tent. A scale was hung for weighing the trash and tally sheets were distributed to track the type of waste and quantities. The group was registered with the Ocean Conservancy global effort. We formally registered and joined their effort. A large heap of filled trash bags was visible proof of their combined efforts. The bags awaited later pickup by the city’s trash collectors.

It was a spectacular day by the ocean, the aquamarine waters glistened, the waves rolled in. We watched in amazement as magnificent birds with wings outstretched, dive bombed the water in search of fish. My attention was drawn to a lush, succulent creeping vine that covered the upper portion of the beach. Assorted bits of trash were interwoven amongst the vibrant pink, morning glory-like flowers. I tackled a small section, tediously pushing aside leaves to pick out bits and pieces of cast off objects. It made for slow picking, as the vines clung to the tossed items reluctant to release their hostages.

My aching back forced me to stop, long before my spirit was ready. I knew one day of clean up would only make a tiny dent in the heap of debris cast about. Yet, I was heartened to see the youth taking part in the clean up. I hoped that they would become stewards of their country’s beauty, in spite of its limited financial resources. It all starts with one person carrying out their trash to a designated trash bin or carrying out what they carried in. I’m betting on this country’s youth and their commitment to change.

Love to all,

Kare

First and foremost, thanks to those folks who have been sending us mail. You know who you are and to hear about "home" is a wonderful thing and gives us something to talk about and feel connected with while we try to make something happen here in Jamaica.

Our trip to Great Huts turned out REALLY well. Up and over the Blue Mountains [home of the famous Blue Mountain Coffee] on this road that took snake turns constantly up and down the sides of the hill. It is hard to describe looking out your side window, and seeing the valley floor. A very funky place indeed but with views that are not to be equalled. We will upload some photos but at the moment I am using a computer in the Deputy Mayors office [he is out for the day] while I wait for a 10 AM meeting to begin (it is 11:37) and thus don't have them with me. The 'rooms' (there were 3 in our alloted space) was an open air sort of place with a tin roof and bamboo walls with 10 foot wide 'windows' that looked down upon crashing surf, the beach and the famous aquamarine waters. The site looked due east so the sun in the morning was intense and the moon at night was full of romantic promise. Also, there was an outside cool tub that was adjacent to the room and it all was very private with nothing around us but the sea, cliff and forest. Good thing to as the bathroom was full outside with bamboo surrounding the privy. We had to remember to cover the paper as we got 4 flash thunderstorms that would make it a soggy mess.

It was treat to see the Jamaica we knew as the verdant forest, lack of steel bars over windows and generally clean streets. It was grounding as it was NOT what we see in Kingston or Cumberland/Portmore where we are living. We went swimming in the surf, laid on these chaise lounges in the shade overlooking the ocean listing to music and watching the surfers below. Ate jerk lobster [way expensive] and drank Red Stripe as we watched the herons, hawks and egrets soar from BELOW us to eye level. Not so bad to be sure! It was a tad noisy at night with a party across the bay but that did not detract from a good time overall. Rose and Carol [fellow PCV's] joined us on late Saturday for the evening and next day as well. We travelled back to Kingston with them. It was great to see and laugh with them again. We also met several really interesting people during breakfast and had extended conversations with them about what they do. One couple ran a rafting outfit in Colorado and were taking their first days off sans kids since they were born. They had travelled extensively in India, Costa Rica and all over South America. Next year they plan to buy a sailboat and circumnavigate the world for 3 years with their children. Another young woman, a returned Peace Corp Volunteer, is getting her masters in Jamaica on international development and is based in Kingston. She had many stories to tell about her Peace Corps time in Lithuania. As you might imagine, all energizing and upbeat. It is apparent to us, again, that by getting out of the usual path, it forces into the path of others who have a different perspective on life liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

So, as I sit here ready to sign off for the moment, I again miss all of you but hope to return one day with interesting stories of our own to tell.

and PLEASE, elect OBAMA! I checked to be sure our ballots are on the way and they ARE!

Love, Matt

Hello all! We have received a number of emails from folks concerned with our well being. Aside from having to bail our back area out in pouring rain and portage water, we are fine. The little contradictions like having flooding in our apartment but yet not having running water do not escape us. But the hurricanes have missed us in the main although the rain has really affected some of our fellow travelers in the Peace Corps. Our thoughts are with them.

Went to the Powell Center last Saturday just to swim in clean waters and chill. Well worth the J$100 it took to get there. A slight reprieve if you will.

We are headed to a really neat place this next weekend we are using to reward ourselves for getting through the training. If you like, you can google it at Great Huts at Boston Beach. We are staying at the grape hut.

Meetings tomorrow with some key stakeholders for our respective projects.

More lata!

Matt

We have now officially moved into our new abode. It is a two bedroom concrete bunker that has a small kitchen and a dining/living room arrangement. It has ‘nuff nuff’ space for the two of us to conduct our life here in Jamaica. We moved in Saturday after spending an additional two days in Kingston holed up at the Mayfair Hotel to wait out the then tropical storm Gustav. When we arrived, we did have electricity but now after 6 days, have no water yet. We get dribbles now and again but in the main we are sponge bathing and buying drinking water – expensive when you can find it. Then you have to lug it back. Even under these conditions, it is still better than many of our cohorts elsewhere on the island who are essentially stranded as the road to their section of the island has been occluded by landslides, or worse has become a landslide as the road slid off into the valley below. Karen has done a spectacular job in dressing up our humble abode using the most basic of materials. Amazing what can be done with old bed sheets, construction paper and a few sentimental items brought from our home in NH.

Money now will be the ongoing issue for us for the next two years. While we do have funds of our own to draw upon, it wasn’t part of the deal to use our money to be able to stay in the Peace Corps. We are approaching retirement and using those funds would be a bad decision. Consider this, we are now existing, the two of us, on the equivalent of $1,000 USD TOTAL per month. This includes our rent, our food, our transportation and anything we chose to buy or do. The only thing not included in this amount is our medical care which is free to us. And lest you think that the prices are cheaper here, they are not. Gas is ~$5 USD/gallon. Milk is $3 USD / gallon. Groceries for the week for us will be approximately $150 USD…and that does not include routine stuff not labeled as groceries such as cell phone minutes, beer, wine, advil, Kleenex, paper, etc. We did install cable and will install internet in our home and pay for it out of our own funds just to preserve our own sanity and stay connected to home and America. Transport is fairly cheap here if you use the public transport system or the ‘route taxis’ that are virtually everywhere. A ride all the way into Kingston is about 80 cents US. You must have patience though as there is no published bus route and no way to tell when the next one is due to arrive. To be in hurry in Jamaica is to be constantly frustrated. It is good to be ‘launched’ however. We can now judge what it will be like in reality and not under the artificial constraints imposed by the Peace Corps.

Going forward, the major determinant of us staying will be whether or not we are being effectively utilized. Both of my projects are moving albeit with a pace that equates to crawling backward up Mount Washington during an ice storm in rubber galoshes. I have started the process of letting my agencies know that the clock is ticking and that the two years will go quickly. One of the projects, training safety inspectors in preparation for the passage of their new law, is hopefully going to get approval soon. This is an enormous project requiring preparation and coordination of at least 4 different agencies that have a stake in the outcome. The term ‘soon come – no worries’ means anything from a week to a year and there is really no way to know which when it is said. Hence the ‘type A’ gets expressed by following up in 5 days and again 2 days after that and ongoing to keep it on the radar.

More hurricanes appear to be on the way and we are filling up buckets just to be more prepared than we were the last time due to our move in the middle of the infrastructure shutdown. We have kerosene lanterns that I need to get filled for the inevitable power outage that accompanies nearly any little blip in the weather here. It does make me laugh when I see the US news and the ‘angst’ expressed [which 3 months ago applied to me as well] when the power is out for more than an hour or so. Now we are happy when we have electricity and water at all at the end of a standard sort of thunderstorm.

All for now dear readers and friends. We hope all is well with you and yours. Thanks for reading our posts and many thanks to those who send letters.

Love, Matt

Hello everyone from Kare--

It's been quite frustrating trying to find enough time to blog. We been seen sitting outside of varied establishments with the laptop on our laps (hence the name laptop) We are sequestered in a hotel since we were forced to come back right after the swearing in ceremony. Gustav was steaming towards us and was supposed drop 25 inches of rain while he visited.

The road situation here is affected by normal rainfall, let alone torrential rains like we had overnight. As it is, most roads have huge potholes in them normally. So getting around in the more rural community is a challenge: landslides are common in the hills as well as fallen limbs and flooding. We have no idea how much damage Gustav wreaked since the TV isn't working. We didn't lose electricity or water at the hotel, but apparently our neighborhood did. Rooftops are adorned with 600 gallon capacity black plastic barrels that are used as a reserve when storms hit. The public water supply is affected and sometimes they suggest boiling drinking water for days after.

I was unexpectedly emotional while they played the US national anthem at the swearing in. The Jamaican anthem was played first. It was amazing standing with 48 other Americans whom you've spent the past 8 weeks with knowing that we will be lending our skills to Jamaicans for the next two years. Sustainability is the key word in development work. Let the community decide what their needs are and help them devise programs that will improve their situations.

Unfinished but more to come with this entry.

Kare

Back again-- Matt and I were approached by a guy staying at the hotel who was looking for food. The small restaurant of sorts was closed. I made him a peanut butter sandwich from our personal stash and we had a great discussion about Jamaican culture. He's a jounalist from Beijing who was here trying to uncover the secret behind Usain Bolt's incredible speed as a runner. He had already interviewed his Dad and people in his town. He gave us his personal business card and said to look him up if we're ever in Beijing. Yet another serendipitous encounter. Hoping to head home to our neighborhood today and our new apt. Love to you all, Kare

Greetings from windy Jamaica! We have passed the final exams, the medical exams and have endured two months of the Peace Corps labyrinth. Today we present ourselves to the US Embassy to swear into the Peace Corps for two years. Training is over and we are officially Peace Corps Volunteers. Now the real work begins...

In addition to all this, we are going to swear in while Hurricane Gustav nicks Jamaica on its way to the Gulf of Mexico. Ah you have to love the timing. In addition, one year ago, at the LAST Peace Corp swearing in, hurricane Dean hit and forced the ceremony to be shortened. So two years in a row, two hurricanes. Hmmmm...

We are committed to the course of action we have taken and remain excited about the huge challenges facing us. My second project is training safety inspectors to help Jamaica prepare for their first ever Occupational Safety and Health Act to be passed in December. This project will require making a syllabus, a course curriculum and training others to do the training after I leave. I hope to be able to work with the MIND institute - a Jamaican certification organization that is held in high regard here locally. Kare heads into the schools on Monday to start working with her young charges. She will also be developing a breast feeding initiative at her home clinic in Greater Portmore.

On another note, we had a free afternoon the other day and another PCV and I took the opportunity to play one of the local courses. I was lousy but it felt great to hold a club again. Btw, in Jamaica, you have to hire a caddy so that was a first for us as well.

HUGE thanks to those who have sent letters and have supported us by keeping us in touch with home. A special call out to our children and to family for maintaining connections via phone and email so often.

Love, Matt

Hello all! We've heard from some folks who had posted comments to our blog and we never got them. I have no clue as to what happened to their comments but for those out there that had this problem, please feel free to use our email addresses instead. The point is that we really want your comments and news from home - be it political, personal, local news or simply unverified gossip [we're not fussy at this point]. My email is matttowne@metrocast.net [note the three t's in the middle of the addy] and Karens is kltowne@gmail.com.

Today was our last last last language class. They tried really hard to give us the essentials of the language. This part of the PC training was well done and creative. This doesn't mean that I actually KNOW the language but certainly I know more than I did. Fortunately, MOST Jamaicans speak fluent English and this is particularly true in the more formal professional areas of Jamaican culture. I will miss coming into Kingston and having at least weekly contact with some of the other Peace Corps trainees.

Next week, should we pass our final exam [which is oral in front of a panel of 4], we will be sworn in as full fledged Peace Corps Volunteers. AND the restrictions are largely lifted on our travels and what we do on our time off. That means we are mroe at liberty to tour the island and have the occasional get away weekend on a beach somewhere.

We are both feeling energized by the impending freedom and the fact that we have real assignments with real work to do. We are most definitely not guarenteed success in getting the tasks accomplished but at least the race is on. Two years and counting...

All for now dear friends. Take care.

Love, Matt

Today we were assigned to evaluate a SPA project in a small town north of Kingston.  A "SPA" project is one which has had funds applied to it at the request of a PCV.  These funds come from many sources but generally are administered by the Peace Corps.  These have been used in a very targetted manner that allows sometimes amazing results.Anyway, our mission today started with a standard bus ride to Kingston and then taking anotherlarge bus to the town where a garden [also a tourist stop] is being upgraded.  The scenary once one gets away from the city is amazing - truly truly amazing and lovely.  Steep valleys with rushing streams, bamboo, palm trees of every sort, dramatic clouds and flowers bursting everywhere.  Wonderful sights.  The ride on the road in the bus rivals anything we saw in Italy but it was very much worth the ride and the views.  We met other PCT's there as well as 2 PCV who showed us the project.  This rural area is most definitely one I will visit again - hopefully soon.Had a great visit and made our way back to Kingston.  The bus 'schedule' is one where the bus waits at the beginning of the route until the bus is full. THEN it leaves.  That wait, depending on where it is headed may take several hours. Therefore, one only used the term schedule when visiting these areas in only the loosest possible context.  Fortunatey we caught a route taxi and were back in no time.We are very glad we made the decision to come.  Life is good!Best to all and look forward to your letters!Love, Matt and Karen

Greetings all. Based on a few comments from folks, I'd thought I would briefly address our daily life here and how 'tough' it is. First of all, it is vastly different from our previously comfortable life. That is and was expected. We didn't quite expect the need to be constantly mindful of not being a target of theft but in this, we are adapting to the realities. We have found ourselves being readily accepted into the community we live in. The neighbors have been very helpful and protective in ways that I suspect we are not even aware of. When we get our own place, a hurdle we did not expect and had to deal with, it will be much better. We are both needing our own space. NOT because the former situation was bad but it is a function of having lived on our own for 34 years and having a housemother is a bit much. Not her issue - ours.

This is a developing country... hence the need for Peace Corps. If there weren't issues, we would not be here. We have found graciousness and inclusion here in our neighborhood on a regular basis and expect to see that continue and expand. Last night we attended a birthday party for one of the neighbors and got to know maybe 30 more people in at least an initial way. And we had a good time. Keep in mind we have been here only 7 weeks not and are not even formally inducted yet.

So all good even if different.

Project wise, I have meetings with the urban planner today, the Mayor and the President of the Urban Development Corp on Wed. Saturday we are back in Kingston for our final tests and induction. Busy!

Will write more later.

Love to all!

Matt Towne

The initial premise of joining the Peace Corps was laden with expectations, goals, needs, wants and a plethora of unresolved questions. Now that we have been here on the island of Jamaica for 6 weeks, a few items have shifted into focus while others continue to elude clarity and probably will for some time.One perspective is that Jamaica functions in maintaining a democracy and a stable platform to conduct day to day business such as collecting taxes, conducting international affairs and the general health care system.On another level however, Jamaica is a deeply troubled country. Unemployment is high, the huge percentage of absentee fathers, the dubious distinction of having the second highest murder rate in the world and the fact that the most common subject of discussion is the high rate of theft are indicators of the issues facing this beautifully blessed island nation. Peace Corps efforts, while noble and useful on many levels, are clearly inadequate to the challenges presented. Negative role definitions of the male, the lack of employment opportunity, and the decaying infrastructure that is periodically pounded by hurricane winds are well beyond the reach of our efforts.So what are the initial take aways from this experience?One is that we still need to be mindful of our own matters. Depending upon the Peace Corps is not a complete approach. They in fact will tell you that while they do some research into your specific situation, it is, in the end up to you to make your own judgment. Several of our peers have been assigned to host family situations that were not only inadequate but dangerous to the newly arrived Trainees. Supervisors have made strong sexual overtures to the younger female volunteers and the trainees were summarily removed. So it is true what the established PCV’s tell us…watch out for yourself. We are heavily warned against the sexual nature of SOME of the Jamaican men and their unwillingness to take ‘no’ for an answer and their view that all women are fair game to them. In this, the PCO has done I believe all that they can to warn us.This country also has huge resources flowing into the country by way of the World Bank, the USAID, the Peace Corps, and Caribbean Aid. However, many items get lost in the perplexing maze of bureaucracy that bedevils even the simplest of interactions. For example, to add minutes to my cell phone requires the following actions at a supermarket. I make the request at the check out counter where she rings up the sale on behalf of Digicel. But, not done yet. I take the slip she gives me to another counter to a woman who enters the code into another machine. This gets cleared by someone somewhere and the magic machine spits out another code. I take this code and enter the number into my actual cell phone and hit enter. This code goes somewhere to be approved and comes back that I know have the additional minutes to my cell phone plan. I asked if I could simply enter my credit card and have it automatically tagged whenever the amount fell below a predetermined level. Oh, no…this is not possible. So 5 people must now touch this transaction every time I want minutes. Now imagine, in the context of my project, trying to get consensus on re-building a reef on an emergency basis to prevent an environmental disaster!I am impressed by the resilience of my fellow volunteers. Never mind the twice daily water shut offs in a country where the temperature is routinely over 90 with high humidity. Never mind the 10 hour days spent listening sitting on steel chairs. Never mind the change in situations and how difficult it can be to get the simplest things accomplished.  I mean, how many reading thishave hand washed their clothes recently? And the fact that we have been made very mindful of our security risk as newbies. What impresses me is that they accept all that with a roll of the eyes, a pointed barb or two and a bit of black humor and STILL want to do all that they can to resolve some of the deep seated issues facing Jamaica.I also want to tip my hat to the older volunteers in a special way. This is not because I am one at 55 but rather because I understand the special challenges they face. Some of these older volunteers have left academic settings and are now high in the hills of Jamaica with the closest market an hour walk away. Others are single women of greater than 60 years of age while others are single men leaving professional lives. They do not have water routinely and often lose electricity. They must conserve or fill buckets when it is available. This is a tough situation for any of us but for the older volunteer with an aching back or less than youthful vigor; it has a special hurdle to it.Another reflection is the fact that Jamaica has the highest density of churches per capita of any nation on the planet. Religions of every stripe and persuasion exist here. Nearly every 5 block area has its own version of religion. I am attempting to consider the role that religion plays in this complex country.Yet another reflection is that both my wife and I are very glad to be here. It is stressful for us on many levels but we have also grown closer as we see each other function and grow in ways we could not have predicted. We have found ourselves being more gentle with each other perhaps knowing that we are very dependent upon each other for watching out of each other in so many ways. I personally have been amazed at Karen’s strength in situations that, in the past, did not seem to be her forte’. I can only hope she sees the same in me. She has remarked at how mellow and unruffled I am at the 5,000 aggravations every day.The Jamaican people we have met have in the main been hugely helpful. From little old ladies showing us to our bus stops, to our ‘gruff’ supervisor taking it upon herself to find us lodging in our neighborhood that was way more suitable, to our host ‘mother’ extending herself in every way imaginable, to our newly met neighbor offering us a ride into Kingston as we waited for the bus and THEN getting us a connecting taxi in Kingston to our destination – which, take my word for it, is no small feat. In the end, I do have faith in the Jamaican people and thus by extension, in our place in helping them arrive at a better place for their country. Our comrades also have similar stories to share.So, in summary, I now have a much more complete picture of what it means to be a developing country. By way of perspective, Jamaica is 46 years old this year. When the USA was 46 years old, it was 1822. We had just fought two senseless wars [the war of 1812 and the Spanish American War]. Corruption was rife throughout our government and poverty was commonplace. So perhaps a bit of tolerance and perspective is called for. Comparing Jamaica to any first world country is simply not fair and does everyone a disservice. The issues are large and seemingly intractable. The only way to deal with them is to keep on keeping on. And that, my fine friends, is what we intend to do.  The picture below is a shot of my project at Hellshire Beach.  All told, it is a great assignment.  My other project has just started taking shape and involves working with the Ministry of Health in shaping their safety program.  More on this in the next blog.Love to all,Matt

We have lodging! We have finally secured lodging for the end of August and are pretty happy with the way it has worked out. We will have our own space and it is secure and even has a washing machine! No more hand washing!

We are able to accept any care packages [since we will have a place to put them] if anyone has old books that you think we might enjoy. Send them to Peace Corps Office, C/o Matt and Karen Towne PCV, 8 Worthington Ave, Kingston 5 Jamaica, west Indies.

We are right now at Shortwood College for further training this week. It is the first time we've seen many of our colleagues since we all split up a few weeks ago. Many have harrowing stories and have already been re-assigned because of local circumstances forced the decision for safety reasons. So far though, we've only lost one PC trainee although attrition from last year is increasing.

Went to a Emancipation Celebration the other night with our hostess that was excellant and full of youthful energy and vitality. We also met the Mayor who is keenly interested in my Hellshire project. He called us outside to buy us a beer and to discuss meeting. We meet with him a week from Wednesday and then have dinner at his place. A lot of homework to do on my part before that meeting takes place.

Will write soon again - perhaps even today but battery is running low. Ask questions and I will try to answer them. Thanks to all who have written!

Love, Matt

Greetings all!

Spent the day yesterday at Hellshire Beach - one of my projects. In the course of the day, we had a coop board meeting to allow them to express what their priorities are and what they see being done about them. The language was an impediment initially especially with one man who was, shall I say, guarded. He used the languag to create distance and keep the 'new comer' out of the loop. By the end of the meeting he was conversing in perfect english and even asked if I could teach him to use the computer at some point. I'll tack that onto the list or sub it out but I will try to make it happen at some level. The salt and sand of the beach could be a bit of a problem for my laptop no?

The President of the coop and the entourage took me around and met most of the business owners and we all had a few words of greeting in the process of setting the stage for more in depth interactions as I start to develop the community profile. There is SO much work to do and much of it is urgent to the point of "Jesus, lets get GOING!!!". I know I am expressing my Americanism here but really, with only 2 feet of sand elevation separating the only access road from the eastern approach of most hurricanes, you get a sense that they will need their fishing boats for more than just fishing pretty soon. The reef was badly damaged during the last hurricanes and now the wave force is being applied directly to the beach. They have lost ~ 30 feet of beach in two months. There is a lot more to this story but I need to get all the information. Already I hear at least 5 different sides to each story I am told.

At any rate, it is entertaining and we WILL make progress so watch this space!

Love, to all,

Matt

Great weekend here on many fronts. The Saturday was consumed in traveling a bit north of Spanish Town to Serenity Park for a 'warden meeting' which is a Peace Corps version of a staff meeting to exchange news and support. It takes all day to go any distance of even 20 or 25 miles. It is just simply slow and inefficient from the perspective of each traveller but efficient [albeit not really safe] when viewed from a fuel economy point of view. The 'route taxis' taverse a set route picking up travelers whereever they can pulling off the side of the road anywhere to allow them in. These are vans that in theory carry 9 people. In reality, they will pack 12 to 15 in these vans swerving all over the road avoiding potholes, cyclists, other vans, trucks and the occasional goat or dog. I simply have to trust my luck - which will make those of you who know me smile a tad I am sure.

Sunday, we took off for Hellshire Beach and simply enjoyed the water, the beer and other PCV's company - no small thing I am finding from the emotional support aspect. The water was rough but warm at about 85 degrees or better.

The international phone plan is outstanding here and calling back to the states is cheap so staying in touch with our children has been pretty easy. Already looking forward to Christmas. Our international number is 876-382-0082. Send a text message as it is cheap to the point of being free.

One of the fascinating things about this adventure is that we have heard from some folks we didn't really expect to [thank you!!!!!] and others that we expected to hear from, not at all. One of the many puzzlements of life I suppose. As I don't know what has been happening [except for the tornado], I do feel more out of the loop than we ever did on our cross country trip...and this is certainly colored somewhat by the length of service ahead of us.

All for now off to meet with some college professors on an environmental project!

Love to all,

Matt & Karen

Greetings all!

We are now with our host family - a lovely woman who is also a college professor at a local community college. She has extended every courtesy possible and it has helped.

I must confess that some aspects have been a bit troubling to deal with. The heat of course is ever present and we expected it. Perhaps not quite to this degree nor constancy but we did expect hot...we did not quite get the point of HOT. Somewhat more troublesome is the constant drumbeat of crime and theft by nearly everyone we come in contact with and who have our best interest at heart...and many people do watch for us. Everyhouse has double doors with burglar bars and all windows are treated in the same manner. That has taken some getting used to - even to the point of hiding our cell phones when we travel.

Now that all that is said, we have enjoyed the people and the various modes of travel that we are figuring out. Today, on the bus, we had asked the conductor to inform us of our stop at Nago Head but before he could, an older woman took us by the hand and showed us where to get off and catch our connection. We studied our material yesterday in the local library and three young women were coaching Karen on her Patwa. It was fun watching these three young students work with her and one of them actually went outside to watch with us while we waited for our taxi.

Transportation takes many forms here. The standard buses that most folks know are the 'chi chi' buses. Along the same routes are route taxis that just drive back and forth along the same route. When they stop to pick you up whereever you are walking, there is likely to be several [as in many] others sharing the ride with you. You best be comfortable sitting 5 or 6 in a back seat if you want a ride. There are also red taxis that are official taxis much like we have back in the states but occasionally lack a bumper, a light or other useful item that was originally made with the vehicle.

We are finding projects to start on soon though. So far Karen has taught a class to young teachers on safe food preparation and has a list of 80 schools to start working with. I have a project at Hellshire Beach to put in sanitary water and septic for the community there that is just one step above destitute as poor fishermen. Big hearts, no money. In addition, the Ministry of Health in Kingston wants me to be working with them 2 days a week on their new safety program. Finally, our host wants us to help her start an environmental team and take on a local community as a project when school starts up. So this will be good to be productive.

We would really like more letters or notes than we have gotten...please write!

All for now.

Love, Matt

Greetings all,

It is hard to believe that it has only been two weeks. The range of emotions, sights, people and training in the past 14 days has literally and figuratively spaned the oceans. From our departure from people and places that we love and cherish to a spartan atmosphere of mosquito nets, hand washing of laundry, walking to town for basic necessities [up hill both ways], studying for tests that we must score 100% and endless conversations about the program, Jamaica and our own lives is quite the span.

We are glad we made the decision and are looking forward to our time on site. This is not to say however that it the process has been error free. Some of the logistics the PC manages have been somewhat less than smooth or well thought out. For example, everyone is eager to know where they will be staying and especially for the married couples [ok me in particular] whether or not we will have our own space. The Peace Corps changed their program so that most will be living with their host families for two years and not in their own space as had been the case in prior years. For us, married 34 years and living together for 36, being a 'guest' for two years feels not right. However, I was reassured that they took that into consideration when making the assignments. Now 5 days prior to our departure they tell us that they have not yet made up their mind yet on where we are to be assigned. Maaslows heirarchy would seem to say that the most basic needs must be taken care of first and to have 52 people asking this question with no answer seems a bit disorganized.

Be that as it may, it is all about rolling with the punches and I think we are doing that amazingly well. We study, we laugh, we have a few beers, we walk to town and watch the antics of the 25 year olds as they act like puppies in a china shop in the evenings. And this adventure is doing one of the things that what we set out to do - to see each other in a new way. It is wonderful to see Karen from across the room energetically engaging on some topic or other with a group of people.

Our flatmates, Gary and Maraget have been a blessing. Good humored, easy, low maintenance and intelligent, we could not have found a better situation in this regard.

Under the catagory of odd quirks, we came back from the soical outing yesterday to find that several people had been locked out of their rooms by the maids who used the previously unused deadbolts on their doors...to which no one had a key. Refreshed my skills at picking a lock...

Others include: We are sharing the campus with a VERY evangelistic church group who are full of the fire and brimstone. Well into the evening you can hear the sermons from every corner as the ministers compete for the prize of describing the worst possible outcome for humanity. Combine this with the fact that their dorm is 50 feet from these rowdy, sometime 'casually' dressed and VERY hopeful and optimistic young Americans, it makes for a bit of a head twist how we all came from the same 'Lucy' in Africa so many years ago.

Kare has hers to add so I will end mine here for now. Please write. We need to stay connected.

Love to all,

Matt

Last night we were invited out to eat with a group of PCV's who are headed home and have just completed their first year of their assignment. Matt and I had walked to town in the afternoon to restock our lunch supplies and beverage supplies. We lugged the groceries home, a definate upper body workout. After dining in a Japanese restaurant that was almost resort-like, we headed home on a bus. It's absolute pandemonium: the conductor literally hangs out of the bus shouting where the bus is headed. We climbed on and hand to stand holding on to the railing as the bus was full. It's a wild and wooly ride with lots of honking and swerving to avoid cars, motorbikes,etc. It was like being on a ride at DisneyWorld.

The housekeeper at the dorms is a sweet, lively woman who actually lived in New York for five years. She helped us with out language homework one night. A bit of a stretch for her as she hardly speaks Patwa anymore. Well be headed to supper soon: usually chicken, fish, rice and peas, coleslaw, bread. Consuming at least 3-4 water bottlefulls on a daily basis. I feel like a wilted petunia by the end of the day. Had classes and work groups on development work . Lively discussions and our groups have to present a summary at the end.

Love, Karen

Well, it certainly has been intellectually stimulating so far. Class after class until 6 pm at night. Finally had a day off yesterday so we could do our first hand laundry in set tubs on the grounds of the college. It was quite entertaining seeing a row of PCV's dunking their clothes in a soapy sink then rinsing in another sink. We hung our laundry on the lines provided and groaned when a rain shower passed by, re-wetting our sopping clothes! The cold showers are actually quite refreshing. The water is turned off at 8 pm at night until the morning due to water rationing. We have a huge barrelful of water to use in between times.

Matt and I are sharing a suite with another couple, just like old college days. We have lots in common and I hope we will become fast friends for years to come. They are a delightful couple who love to joke around, yet are interesting conversationalists. Our breakfasts have consisted of fish, callalou ( a spinach type veggie), plaintains, eggs and toast. We haven't had dessert with any of the meals, so we are bound to slim down a bit, even though we've been sitting in classes. Matt and I got up early today to walk on a track nearby. Lots of Jamaicans out power walking with us.

The presenters have been fabulously entertaining and informative. We were shown very graphic pictures in our sexually transmitted diseases lecture/HIV/Aids lecture. The younger members of the group were a bit stunned at best. We had a speaker on emotional wellness and he did an amazing ice breaking activity that really got people thinking about diversity and commonalities. It was extremely emotional for many of the group. We are truly becoming a supportive community with lots of opportunity to converse.

We got our phones the first day, except that mine doesn't take internation calls, although Matt's does. We'll send along the number to our friends once we get it straightened out. Looks like we'll have lots of phone support from Peace Corps staff via phone which is reassuring.

Started our language classes today in earnest and we are all a bit befuddled with the rules and there is even a Patwa Alfabet( that's how it is spelled). A group of the younger volunteers challenged me to a Scrabble game last night and while I held my own, I didn't win. I'm determined to uphold the Folkschool women's honor in the next game.

I feel incredibly alive, accepted and challenged. It was the right decision to embark on this journey, even though it means time away from friends and family.

All for now,

Kare

Greetings all!

Well, the heat it is upon us... along with mosquitos and endless training. We are currently training at a teachers college and in the main it is working out well. Given the amount of material they are attempting to cover the days are long. The others in the class are fascinating people who have lived and travelled all over the world. Many of these folks make me feel like a lifelong homebody.

The conditions are somewhat sparten to be sure but everyone is approaching the challenges with equanimity and good humor. The general state of sleep deprivation has been the most difficult part for Karen and I personally but we hope, with the newly furnished mosquito net to be on better fighting terms with the mosquitos. We did have a presentation by notable dignitaries such as the US Ambassador to Jamaica. Also, a Jamaican band with about 20 singers and dancers presented some entertainment as well. I frankly would have appreciated it more tonight but it was not to be. The singers were fantastic but my endurance was less than it might have been after a 4:30 AM start to the morning.

The major issue that they seem to be spending a fair bit of time on is the Jamaican crime rate. They have the second highest murder rate in the world. However, it is, with one exception, all gang vs. gang type of violence and if we are smart to stay out of areas they tell us in advance, we stand very little likelihood of running into foul play. Good thing to as, try as she does, it is hard to run with Karen's short little legs....

We venture forth from the campus tomorrow to explain the bus system and various odds and ends about Kingston. With good fortune, several of us hope to find a bar to have a beer at. So far, the campus is 'dry'. We are here until July 17th and then we go to our site - whereever that is. The Peace Corps has the whole pay thing down quite well with money deposited directly into an account they set up for us. Setting up allowance, housing, food and all medical care are covered.

We will send pictures to the blog but the Peace Corps has asked us not to post pictures of our house when that blessed event occurs. However, pictures of our travels are all fair game.

Miss you all greatly already and look forward to the time we can invite you down!

Love, Matt & (Karen)

Today we finished our "staging training" which covers the more elementary aspects of our soon to be assignment in Jamaica. The training covered, in the main, aspects of cultural sensitivity and our interaction with the Jamaican culture. Crime, ever present on the island, is something we knew and know we needed to contend with. MOST of the crime is Islander on Islander violence and theft but we still need to know how to make ourselves as small a target as is possible with our white skin and whitey ways.

Our fellow travelers are a truly diverse group hailing from all over the United States. Most of the group, as expected, is younger but there is also a significant contingent of older [like us] group as well. The reasons they are taking this challenge on is very much like the reasons we are. Wanting to do some good for the world while at the same time having an 'excellant adventure'. There are 7 married couples in the group of 52 souls. The list of educational accomplishments and the travelogues of these young folks is very impressive. Out of the group only one had never been out of the USA. Many had studied abroad and others had performed other service arrangements elsewhere on the globe. Their stories are extensive and totally without any sort of self agrandizement flavor to them at all. Karen and I have enjoyed their company - all of them - immensely.

We head to the island at 6 AM tomorrow. The beaurocratic nature of the Peace Corps dictates that we be on our way to the airport 5 hours ahead of our actual flight time. Such is the nature of group travel I suppose. They have been very organized and linear in their information to us and while some is a bit over emphasized, it has nevertheless been complete.

So this is our last mainland note until we write from Jamaica. Our thanks to Ben for his help in getting us out of the house on time. The separation from home went as smoothly as we could hope although I am still a bit choked up about my final walk with the dog on our land. He is in good hands with Devin and Rich though with Ben as an assist.

Love to all,

Matt

Tuesday afternoon I wandered up to our cozy gazebo for a nap, knowing that my days at home were numbered. ( four more days to be exact) It was an idyllic, sunny summer afternoon. I dozed off and on. The sound of a torrential downpour caused me to surface. Matt returned from running errands and ran up to join me. A loud crack of thunder directly behind us caused us to jump and Matt commented: "Wow, that was a little too close for comfort. " We debated about making a run for the house when seconds later a lightening bolt struck the metal railing on our deck, 12 feet away from where we were seated in the enclosed, screened gazebo. The wooden post covers were instantly pulverized and splintered pieces lay scattered all over the yard. A jagged piece of wood was impaled in the gazebo door, narrowly missing the screened area. One of the metal railings was blown on its side by the impact and another one was twisted off its wooden supports.

It was definitely an oh, my god moment. My first thought was, did this really happen? Yup, the shards of wood were concrete proof. We later discovered that our phones, my computer, our router, and our garage door motor were fried too. We'd been spared what could have been a life changing moment for sure. As in, we could have been dead! It certainly begged the question: was this a sign, and what does it mean? Matt and I both subscribe to the live life to the fullest philosophy. So a little scare like this is not about to deter us from moving on with our plans. If anything, we are more committed than ever to get out there and take risks. When lightening strikes.............

Kare

K

"How can you leave your house for two years?", people ask incredulously, when they learn that I'm about to depart for Jamaica? I slowly smile and explain that I've been fortunate to reside in my current home for the past 27 years. I"m simply choosing to veer off in a new direction temporarily. I want to sample a simpler life with minimal possessions. I want to give back to people who have been less fortunate. I know that I have an obligation and the desire to compose my own life. I am driven to pursue a sense of purpose, as well as new channels for personal growth.

When my daughter moved to Oregon after college, she expressed feelings of homesickness in her new environs. I e-mailed her a passage that I'd read in an issue of Oprah's magazine. Oprah had shared a new, personal insight concerning her concept of home: she had suddenly realized that feeling at home was not about the house, but rather about her sense of being within its confines. So, in essence, your sense of home stems from wherever you are at the moment.

My own perceptions about my home are mirrored in a quote by Mark Twain." Our house had a heart, and a soul, and eyes to see with; and approvals, and solicitude's, and deep sympathies: it was of us, and we were in its confidence, and lived in its grace and in the peace of its own benediction..... We could not enter it unmoved."

My house has gently morphed into a graceful extension of myself and my family over the years. It's changed size, dimensions and personality during the various financial seasons of my life. Since I'm a person with an innate need for creative self-expression, I'd sooner go without food than pass up a nifty old piece of furniture, an art print, the opportunity to stencil a wall. I once lived in my new house for months with gray, unpainted sheet rock walls. I couldn't quite bring myself to starve my 15 month old daughter. Let's see, buy food or buy paint. You guessed it, food won that ethical dilemma.

More importantly, it was within the confines of my cozy, post and beam house that I learned how to be a wife and mother, to fine tune my priorities, to reset my values and to tackle new skills and projects. It has witnessed my personal triumphs and losses. My home has held me and nurtured me during times of ever fluctuating emotions: from intense anger, disappointment, and sadness to supreme moments of elation, joy and happiness.

Will I miss my home while I'm away for two years? Yup, I definitely will. The heart and the soul of a home is about the people who reside there and who enter it. I'm taking along my sense of self, so wherever I reside will feel like home, to some extent. As soon as time allows, I'll open the front door of my new abode with a warm smile and welcome in the new people in my life. Then, and only then will it feel like home. I'll make new memories. I'll learn how to be a Peace Corps volunteer. I'll develop new skills and acclimate to a different culture with its own set of values and customs. Yes, I'm certain that household memories from my past will hitchhike along and help to sustain me in my new home and country. And besides I know that friends and family will be there in spirit. That's all I need.

Posted by Kare at 3:17 Links to this post