Peace Corps Journals

2012-01-16 17:42:00

I know it's been awhile since I last posted. So much has happened I do not know if I could remember it all!

First and foremost, happy new year to all and I hope that it's going well for you thus far. I am almost done with my FIRST YEAR of Peace Corps service. This time last year, I was packing my stuff and getting ready to leave my family and friends for two years. And now, I feel very at home in my community here in St. Lucia. I am still dancing (we just had our first practice of the year yesterday) and aside from that, I started teaching public speaking for grade 5 students and am co-facilitating a life skills program at the secondary school.

The books that I ordered through the International Alliance for Child Literacy (theiacl.org) have arrived on island and the construction of the library will begin this month! I am very excited about these projects and am feeling very accomplished in my Peace Corps service.

On a more personal level, I experienced some professional and personal rough patches towards the end of the year that forced me to get perspective on who I am and what I am doing here in St. Lucia. I have never spent so much time self-analyzing and asking myself really difficult questions but the time spent was well worth it. I am my biggest supporter. Not my mom. Not my dad. But ME. And with this in mind, I am building the habit of doing things that I am proud of regardless of whether or not I am rewarded by others.

I have also identified some of my unique abilities and sought out ways to use those skills to develop my community. I have learned that 1)I am a great speaker and facilitator (thus the public speaking program) and 2) I inspire others (life skills program). I also re-assessed the programs I was involved previously at the school and asked myself "are my skills being used to improve the programs?" and for some of these, I decided "no". And so, I had to make a decision: I must free up my time from programs where I am not offering my skills to make MORE time for programs that actually use my skills in a meaningful way. It was not an easy decision because there are other people involved (namely, my counterparts at the school and the students). Of course, I do not want to risk looking "flaky" or "irresponsible" or "lazy" (all 3 horrible labels in my book) but I know that, in the long run, me leaving those programs is better for all involved.

When I came here last February, I was all too eager to get involved in EVERYTHING but as time went on, I've come to understand that some things are just not for me, regardless of how great they seem.

And the more that I honor myself by saying "no" to things and experiences that are not for me, the more confident I feel in the programs I do want to be a part of and the more time I am willing to spend on making these programs GREAT for all involved.

it's in the strangest of places you get shown the light...

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

2012-01-08 23:48:00

it's a new year. a new you. an entirely new chance to dive in, think deeper, work harder, grow faster, play longer. i know with every ounce of my soul that 2012 is going to be a year to remember. a year of firsts, of lasts, and everything in between. my first day back at work this year started off in a rather phenomenal way. we are currently in the process of re-directing our program and doing a huge recruitment drive at the same time. we have been having meeting after meeting to secure the arts as well as walk after walk to secure the participants. our focus at the cdp is performing arts but until now has only consisted of one 'performing arts' class twice a week. with a little cooperation and motivation we are now seeking to add dance and music and theater to the table. we have begun networking and building inside our own community and outside to the community at large in order to create a program that will not only touch the lives of the kids that we affect but hopefully the lives of all they come in contact with. and we are doing so at the grassroots level. in every sense of the word.
let me take a step back. on thursday we went on a recruitment drive to marchand. marchand is a community in st lucia that has a number of nooks and crannies. it resides in the castries basin and is home to a lot of kids sitting 'on the block' with nothing to do all day but smoke herb and contemplate the fact that there is nothing to do. we went as a posse. as the cdp posse. 7 deep rolling through the ghettos looking for kids to recruit into a program that may, if nothing else, give them something to do other that sit around wondering. while we wandered and were looked upon i began to wonder if this was really the best approach. as we went to each set of guys, and girls, on the block it became more and more apparent that our program which exists for youth ages 12-19 would not suffice their 20+ souls....yet in the midst of that realization came another. as they discussed with us their perils, the needs of these guys began to shine. they began to express their desire to read, to work, to lead...and their distress at the lack of opportunities to do so. the deeper we got into each concrete jungle the deeper my impression became of the other side of st lucia. the side that doesn't have a voice. the side that is discounted and turned away.
as we walked through an area known as jerusalem, with it's babbling creek and incredible personality, i realized how deprived we are of seeing the essence and truth of life. on the day to day we walk through the world having and wanting. yet if you stop, even for a second, you will see the balance and strength of humanity. around every corner in these ghettos was someone with an idea, with an inspiration, with more sense than most of those i hear on a daily basis. and they are 'locked away' in their ghetto, never leaving to be exposed to the 'greater world' but holding so much beauty and truth and space on their own it's no wonder they never leave. don't get me wrong....i also had my own realization of the other side of st lucia that is starved of resources and attention. but that starvation breeds creativity. it breeds ingenuity. it breeds survival in it's most primal and essential form.
and so i return to the cdp. here we have a group of kids who stretch out from these same environments and exude creativity. many of them academically challenged will dwarf the greatest masters in creativity. because it is their essence. it is the vein of their survival. and so this new term in our program will hopefully allow these kids to recognize their essence in it's purest form and speak their truth from a place in which it has never been supported so much as to flourish. it's disappointing that people always look at those with less as deprived because they cannot "have" when their not having allows them to be so connected to what is that they have nothing else to do but be. as is.
it is only at the end of what will soon be my first year here in st lucia and in the peace corps that i begin to truly see what i have always felt. you can strip away all the possessions and the truth of the individual will come out. the "ghettos" are the breeding ground for humanity. they are the place where the human spirit truly thrives and survives. these are the places where the artist is born.

Careful, the fat girl has a scrape on her leg…

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Saint Lucia Guate Holla Holla!

2012-01-08 22:32:41

“Somos como mar y como arena…” – Maná Happy Holidays! I [...]

11 months and 3 days

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Saint Lucia Sara's Adventures

2012-01-04 17:54:00

No that's not a countdown for how much longer I have in PC (thankfully I have longer than that...but not much), or until my birthday, in fact it's not a countdown at all. 11 months and 3 days is the time between when I came to St. Lucia the first time (January 28, 2011) and the time I came back to St. Lucia from vacation (December 31, 2011). I never knew how much difference that little amount of time could make.

When I was first coming to St. Lucia last January, to put it bluntly, I was scared out of my mind. What did I do? Did I really just sign up to live in another country for 2 years? Who are these other Peace Corps people? What is this place like? Will I make any friends? Where am I going to be working? What will my host family be like? Will they feed me fish for dinner every night (btw I HATE fish)? These fears and more were going through my head.

11 months and 3 days later, instead of looking out of the airplane in fear, I was excited! Excited to get back to my life, my friends, my school, and my boyfriend! (Yes mom, I love you and had a lot of fun at home.) Instead of looking out the window in wonder of what did I get myself into, I was picking out the places that I know! (BTW the Pitons look super cool from the sky!)

And now, while we're getting ready to welcome a new group of volunteers to St. Lucia, I'm excited to encourage them to make this thier home for two years! There are struggles, with what good thing in life is there not? But it is worth it! The people in my village have welcomed me back, so have the teachers and staff at the school. I'm looking forward to this school term, working with the kids, getting to know them better, and getting beat like crazy in football (soccer) with the new ball my sister gave me for Christmas!

On My Way

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

2011-12-31 01:35:39

… To becoming a giant cliche! Actually, I’m on my way to Seattle but sitting here in the airport and trying to will the hours by has convinced me that it would be a good idea to share this post … Continue reading →

Final Countdown.

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Magazine and Organization Site

2011-12-29 05:28:08

Flight to staging has been booked! I arrive in Miami on Jan. 25th, will participate in a 6 hour orientation to the Peace Corps on the 26th, and travel to St. Lucia on the 27th! Hard to believe that there … Continue reading →

The State of the Union

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Saint Lucia Adventures in the E.C.

2011-12-25 00:08:00

k, so the title is slightly glib, but as I look at the date from my last blog entry, it may be entirely appropriate to characterize the next several lines of prose as my own version of the “State of the Union.” Luckily for you, this address will largely stay away from politics, so Newt and crew will have to be discussed at later date—hopefully after a few pints from a local brewery has been consumed (non-alcoholic of course *wink*). Although, since you know my affinity for talking “shop,” I would be bereft without at least weighing in on a particular ignominious republican candidate currently griping the nation with Ferrell-ian esque rhetoric.

I present two videos below for your “enjoyment," and I would like you determine which one is more akin to a Saturday Night Live Skit.

Hazard a guess?

This could potentially be funny if it was satire, albeit incredibly offensive satire. Instead, it is one of the most distasteful political ads that I have ever seen, grossly misrepresentative of true Christianity and American humanism and comes from a candidate that at one time had a fundraising “war-chest” second to only Mitt Romney, the dubious front-runner. It is discouraging to see Mr. Perry given even a penny; much less millions of dollars to become the next leader of the free world.

However, if YouTube was ever an indicator—yes, I am using YouTube figures to prove a point and no it is not an academic source-- for the masses feeling on Mr. Perry’s message, over 600,000 "dislikes" to the video is rather illuminating: or in the ol’ boy Rick’s words, ooppsss.

I do apologize for making the type of ad hominem attack that annoys me more than anything when watching the cable news; however, I think in this case, it needs to be shouted from every corner of the country.

Thank you Ron Paul (although the rhetoric used in past Paul newsletters will never be able to be explained away) and, dare I say it, Newt Gingrich for providing an intelligent series of debates, that without, I would have been subject to hours of insufferable neo-conservative gibberish.

Now on to the good stuff!

June 23, the date of the last entry, makes me question whether it has been that long since I have dictated anything to my readers back home! A longer sabbatical then warranted, but I am back to blogging full force as I have determined I am doing everyone and myself an injustice for not detailing my experiences more often-- I guess the last bit is oddly self-serving. I do not necessarily have to put these experiences online. It is as if I am saying say hey, hey, look at this, I am doing awesome things and I get to be in tropical weather, with the clearest ocean water in the world-- outside of Hawaii-- only 20 minutes away. Oh, that does nothing to garner sympathy back home, does it?

Well, just consider this my emotional shield to the profound loneliness of a Christmas spent on a bar stool, weeping, with empty Piton bottles strewn around my soon-to-be prostrated body—or at least this is the sorry narrative that I threaten an increasingly concerned mother with! Mom, do not be worried, it will most likely be spent attending mid-night mass starting at 11 and ending with a round of enthusiastic, but drowsily warbled Christmas carols at 4 in the morning—I am always impressed with the vigor that is shown by my local friends when the night turns into the wee hours of the morning; to be followed by a quick turnaround the next day with a cookout on the beach. The only real question I have is, will it feel like Christmas when I have shorts on and I am swimming in warm saltwater. Of course, I will happily do my due diligence for everyone back home on this subject and will produce a long-winded report (would you expect anything less from me) that I am sure you will be thrilled to read. New Years should be a kick to as I am looking forward to a mid-night beach fete to welcome in 2012!

Rapidly approaching the one year mark of my service

January 27: Has it really been that long since I left the comforts of home and arrived in a place whose culture is utterly different than my own? It has simultaneously been the quickest and longest year of my life. I know an inherent contradiction, try and figure that one out; however, it holds true, and everything you read about the Peace Corps and it’s over stated selling point “it is the toughest job you’ll ever love” is equally accurate. It is awesome and difficult, provides untold amounts of energy and at the same time drains even you’re vitality that is in reserve; and, I love every second—well, except for the mold, ants and centipedes; I will win that war! Hmmm, possibly, maybe not, I am losing.

Great success: don't feel sorry for these buggers, they bite and it hurts, a lot....Photo credit goes to PCV Mr. Taylor in Grenada...

My service resides largely around:

The organization that I work with: I know this sounds like a big duh! However, the majority of volunteers find their service to be somewhat dualistic in nature, spending equal time in their community as well as with their organization. From this majority, a decent amount of the volunteers spend all their time in the community of their primary assignment. The target project that they are involved usually takes place at an elementary school within the civic limits and any subsequent secondary projects also involve that direct community.

I am a commuter. It is a unique situation, which the Peace Corps administration usually shies away from; however, they’re a few other volunteers who find themselves in a back of a bus, bracing their various appendages for a large part of their day. Commuting, I will say is not the most enjoyable experience and is, along with the nasty critters running around my house, one of the biggest cons in an otherwise exceptional experience. As my parents can now attest, a bus ride in St. Lucia is not a mundane experience. The 45 minutes –wait time is up to two hours and this is where it really becomes killer— spent on a bus that cares little for the windiness of a mountain road, instead viewing it as the straight shot of a German Autobahn, should be the training ground of which any professional race-car driver needs to master before they grace a racetrack in Indianapolis. I will forever ponder the paradox of a country that cares little for time—island time man—yet, views each “traffic jam”-- which usually involves 5 cars-- as a major nuisance and any car going the speed limit—there is none—as an annoyance that deserves the most enthusiastic symphony of choops (teeth-sucking).

Being a commuter, I spend little time in the community that my house resides in; to be honest, I do not consider it to be my community at all. It is hard to become a part of a community that one only sees after 7 p.m. at night during the week, and equally difficult when one spends the weekend making sure the creeping residue of a neglected house does not engulf ones already taxed respiratory system.

My community is my work, the organizations we partner with and the people we help; and, what a remarkable community it is. Over the past year, I have been made to feel a part of mission that is truly worthwhile; and, as a humanist and person that draws energy from such an intrinsic good, I love to go to work each day to see what it will bring.

Yes, my work is pretty cool

A few of my volunteer friends will describe my organizational work situation with some pangs of jealousy, as they compare that of their own. This is because my organization is stable, with a plethora of intelligent and hardworking persons who truly wish to affect some sort of change in their society. I have also found a niche in the organization, something that every volunteer at one time or another laments they do not have; at the start of the service—and unfortunately for some throughout the service--one does not know if anybody knows they are there, much less that they have a defined role. My role has come in the form of company marketing and media “wizard”—my own words, a more accurate description would be marketing “plodder”-- and I want to continually help give the organization a chance to articulate their message in all their effusive greatness.

There are a few diligent persons at the company that are equally spirited in this capacity, which makes each day one where a novel idea may come from a different source and could have an impact that was previously not visioned. Fresh ideas are what keep the fire going in my opinion! Also, per Peace Corps mission, I am not supposed to be going at it alone, so I am blessed to have persons that are motivated in their jobs—something that is not a given as a volunteer, unfortunately.

I have not blogged about my work activities for quite a while—and I have been involved in much more than that of PR; the debate club is one that come to mind-- but one can easily access it through the work materials that I have been sending home, and on the site I frequently update for the projects. I recently uploaded a magazine to this site that goes in to some depth on the organization I am partnering with and what their company platform of change is in St. Lucia.

NSDC Facebook Page

At the risk of recounting stories strictly for my own vanity, I will let the magazine speak for itself; you can also grab a copy from my mom, --which is of better quality than the one on the site; it is quite grainy--as she has the PDF of it!

The next few months are going to be eventful as a few exciting projects will be filling my schedule; thankfully, I dislike it be empty; it can be a bore otherwise. Keep an eye out for a new documentary—one of the projects-- that the National Skills Development Centre is working on, as I think it will eclipse the last documentary in inspiration. A few incredible interviews are contained in the hours of footage already shot, and I think it will be an enjoyable clip for everyone back home. I will keep you updated!

A picture says a thousand words…so here are a few!

My collection of images that I have shot is growing vast in number and St. Lucia offers some of the most breath-taking scenes in the world. This makes it easy for an amateur photographer trying to learn the intricacies of photography, and photo-journalism, as it masks some of the deficiencies otherwise found in the image. During the inevitable slow-down that occurs during “island-time” it has been nice to tinker with different skill-sets that I hope to master and photography has been one of the more prominent skills that I have started to study. I still have a long way to go and Photoshop continues to confound me, but slowly I think the pictures are starting to improve in quality.

A photo journey of my service to this point:

A Sunday Morning at Vigie Beach

Sand, sand everywhere...more then enough to go around

Rippling sand...Quiet Morning

Warm Caribbean Sea

Early morning sun, peaking through the palm trees

Pure bliss

A Vieux Excursion: The south has a completely different vibe. The island is only 27 miles long and yet there is a distinct difference in the style of living in the different regions of St. Lucia.

Silent observation...A parade passes in front of young boy and his mother

Soca, soca, soca! St. Lucia artist Mac 11 provides some beats to a happy crew in downtown Vieux Fort

An old man walks next to the gutter; the streets are to narrow to walk on with cars zipping by

A nice vantage point

Young Mecca, an up-coming artist, helps inspire St. Lucian citizens to change their lives; an NSDC skills Expo is the context of the performance.

Shani, an R & B artist from St. Lucia sings during a Saturday afternoon

Fun with Friends and Family

crossroads...

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

2011-12-21 17:06:00

as i was walking to work this morning i had a quiet humbling experience. and it made me question not only myself but humanity as a whole. i was approaching the intersection by the church, which itself is almost telling, and there was a serious traffic backup due to an elderly man getting out of his ride and crossing the street...rather shuffling across the street. traffic was backed up in three directions as he shuffled slowly to make his way around the car and across the street. i walked by slowly taking note of his steps, the shakiness of his body, and the patience of the people in the vehicles that were paused due to his plight. as i passed and thought to myself that i should turn around and assist him across the road, i watched an elderly man, much his own stature link arms and help him cross. as i walked with a newfound smile on my face i watched as everyone sat in their car...waiting. in a place where people are constantly honking at each other for the slightest vehicular pause it was amazing to see no one get anxious or upset. i watched a woman standing next to a van explaining what was going on...and the world paused. the world paused for this man in this moment.

so i started to question myself. why did i have the desire to help him and yet not step to duty? why did we all watch, younger and more apt to assist, while another elderly gentleman stepped to his aid? it fed into the conversation i had once i got to work regarding st lucia as a whole and the plight of the youth here. how my co-worker has seen the attitude of his people become laissez-faire and complacent and how this has spread to the youth. how there is not a push to help each other rise and push each other to grow exponentially. how there are no heroes for kids to look up to. how we won't even stop to help an elderly man cross the street.

so it brought to light the fact that this year is coming to an end. a year that came with great expectations and wound out with longing to do more. so for this next year i vow to do everything in my power to extend my hand and heart in effort to connect and touch those around me. to push with an attitude of perseverance and dedication in order to affect the youth around me in a way that they may too push further and harder than they ever thought they could. i vow to help these kids be bigger, brighter, and fuller human beings so that they may then begin to affect those around them. and more than anything i promise that the next time i see someone shuffling across the street i step to their aid. i will not hesitate for fear. i will not live in fear. i will lead in love. and i will leave my mark in 2012.

happy holidays all. remember how fortunate we are to be.
in love and light.

Time flies when you’re traveling around Guatemala

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Saint Lucia Guate Holla Holla!

2011-12-21 14:26:39

“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” -St. Augustine Well first of all, sorry for the neglect! It’s been way too long since I’ve written in my blog so [...]

December

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Saint Lucia Sara's Adventures

2011-12-09 15:35:00

So, I just wanted to let you all know that this month is going to be sparce for blog posts. It's crazy busy and then I'm going to the states for 2 weeks, which is going to be even crazier! So just an update as to what has been going on.
We got our books from Hands Across the Sea! The kids love them! (I'm going to try and post pictures soon!) I just finished processing the last book yesterday! The kids got excited each time I finished a shelf. The kids are loving using the library, we just have to get them used to the concept that they read them and bring them back :)
I've been working on the PC cookbook for the EC. This project will be finished next week!! Computer club finishes this week! The kids asked me if I was going to have it over "summer break." I told them that we would have it again next summer, but then quickly caught on they were referring to Chrismas break (these next 3 weeks)! I told them that I'm going to the states for a couple weeks and am cleaning the computers next week, so we can't. One of the boys told me that when my two weeks in the states were over, to not even think about staying, but get right back on the plane and come back!
Next year Global Volunteers is bringing some groups (about 5 I think) down here. So this next week I'm doing some work for them to find out about supplies.
I'm working on the next issue of the Serious Ting, and getting ready to come to the states! When I'm in the states, I'm going to my old middle school and talking to a class that I've been talking to with the WWS (world wise school) Program.'
It's a busy December, but I love it! I can't wait for the new volunteers to get here the end of January, but I know that signals that a current class of volunteers is leaving (and that I only have a little over a year left). Time flies! Next we have to start working on a visa for that boyfriend of mine....I want to keep him after PC (with a different title though) but that's a story for a later date :)

And then it hit.

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Saint Lucia Sara's Adventures

2011-11-24 21:53:00

I don't think there is any other holiday that my family celebrates (that I have been gone for so far) like Thanksgiving. I think today was the first real time that it hit me that I'm away and I'm missing stuff. I was moody all week and it didn't really hit me until today what it was. I know that everyone back home is celebrating and I don't get to be with them. When I was at college, I could drive home and supprise them; I can't do that now. In order to get home, I have to fly. I miss stealing food from my mom, and sitting behind the counter talking to her. I miss chilling with my dad when he is driving my mom crazy (and talking about hockey with him)!! I miss sitting on my little sister and annoying her. I miss listening to the wisdom of my older sister. I miss just being with my younger sister. And of course I miss playing with my nephews (and I can't miss playing with my nieces because I've never gotten to play with them) and seeing my brother-in-laws. It's the family that I got used to seeing and now can't see that I miss the most. It's just one of those days. Alls I can say is December 17th. That's the day I fly home for Christmas.

Now don't get me wrong. I love my family here. My PC family is amazing. My host family I lived with during training I still talk to and love. My boyfriend, that thinks I'm going crazy this week because I've been moody and not myself but helps me get through it, I love dearly. And my friends that I have made here, who check on me, see how I'm doing, and who I love hanging out with, I feel very fortunate to have found. I am thankful for my life here, and I would not have changed my decision to be a PCV for anything, sometimes I just wish I could be two places at once.

from one home to another...

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

2011-11-23 14:34:00

something magical has happened....well...not like leprechaun and unicorn magical...but magical nonetheless. this friday passed was my birthday. anyone who knows me knows this is a monumental earth changing event every year. because...let's face it...i'm kind of a big deal. so anyways...as this birthday approached i had high hopes of a huge party with a blend of lucian and american friends...something i wasn't sure i would pull off...and not sure anyone would even come to. i mean...this isn't my native land...soooo...i awoke friday morning with my standard i am awesome feeling but realized quickly it wouldn't be like a birthday back in the states where my phone is blowing up with birthday messages and good tidings. let's face it...first of all i have been through so many phones most people don't even know which number to use...and i don't know as many peeps here as back home. or so i thought. within moments of waking up my phone started going...with love and messages from my lucian family. wait...what?
all day i got texts and phone calls and emails from the people i am connected to here wishing me love and happiness. so i started to think...this is that magical moment i heard about...where you wake up one day and you realize...this is home. i am home. and so it was. as night came my group of friends from all around came over and ate and drank and joined me in what proved to be one of the most fun birthdays i have had to date. we even crashed a wedding...yes. really.

i say all of this not to remind you all of how awesome i am but to make this point....i am leaving today to go to north carolina. thanksgiving with some of my best friends and family. an annual event that is not to be missed. but as i pack my bag and get ready to go...there is a piece tugging at me to stay. a piece attached to this home and the people that make it so. i know when i land in the states i will feel a sense of calm and gratitude for the people i am soon about to hug and love and celebrate. but i also know that piece i am leaving here will be tugging at me and calling to come back home. what a beautiful thing to have two homes in completely different worlds. full of love and light and beauty.

thank you st lucia for making a spot for me.

Money!

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Saint Lucia Sara's Adventures

2011-11-20 19:35:00

This past week I went to St. Kitts for a couple of days. I realized that the value of money has really changed in my mind. While looking at souvenirs, which were priced in USD (US dollars), and having to pay (as I am currently paid) in EC (Eastern Caribbean), I realized how expensive things really are. Say you are walking down the street and see something for $5.00 USD, that same thing for me is $13.50, which might not be so bad; but take a look at a simple souvenir t-shirt for $20.00 USD. That would cost me $54.00! (Exchange $1.00 USD = $2.7 EC) While as an American traveling, that exchange rate is great! You’re like, “oh, my money is worth so much!” But as someone who lives, works and gets paid in EC, that conversion back is like, “oh no, that thing is so expensive there is no way I can afford that!” Take into mind that this is also on a PCV (peace corps volunteer) living allowance.

I’m not writing this to complain. I realized that when I was signing up for PC I was signing up to be a volunteer. I write this that you may remember and think of the local people when you are traveling. Be aware of the actual cost of things, and be aware of how much the USD is actually worth.

*Pictures coming soon...hopefully!

Say What!?!

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Saint Lucia Sara's Adventures

2011-11-12 23:27:00

It has been another busy week. I had disaster preparedness/first aide/cpr training on Tuesday of this week. It was an optional overview, and since my CPR training expired in August, and I'm nervous about hurricanes (we're almost through the season!!) I attended. It was a good training, and I'm glad I went!
I spent the night in Castries, and then attended IST II (In service training 2) from Wednesday until Yesterday. I learned more in some sessions than others, and made some great learning assessments about myself, how I learn, and different teaching styles.
On my way to IST I saw the first car pulled over by a police officer here. I was shocked. Over 10 months here and a car was finally pulled over!
I am now getting ready to go to St. Kitts for a couple of days. I am anxious to get back to my community being gone for so long. It was hard to go back for less than one day and then leave again. But the next time I have to spend the night out of my community after this trip is when I go to Ohio for Christmas! It doesn't feel like November. The trees are green, with leaves on them. It's warm (sometimes it feels cool! aka in the 70s with a breeze!) I love it though!

November 28, 2011

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Saint Lucia Sara's Adventures

2011-11-07 15:04:00

The election has been called! Yesterday the Prime Minister announced that the election is going to be held November 28, 2011 (it had to be before March 2012).
Being here through election season I have learned a lot about parlimentry government. I learned that Prime Ministers are not elected. I have learned there are not elections every year (something I took for granted. While I've voted around 7 times, a person my age here has voted once.).
I am most excited that the election has been called because that means I can wear red for Christmas!! The political colors here are red and yellow (there is a third party that is green, but the two major parties are red and yellow). I have not been wearing these two colors since around August/September to avoid being labled as part of one party or the other (Peace Corps is nonpolitical). I have some really cute shirts that are these colors, so I'm really excited to be able to get them back out after the elections (even though I'll probably still wait a week or so after the elections to wear them).
So while it's elections tomorrow in the US, we have elections here at the end of the month. Happy Voting!

P.S. While usually I am EST, since daylight savings time took effect, I am one hour ahead because we don't observe daylight savings.

Jounen Kweyol

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Saint Lucia Sara's Adventures

2011-11-02 23:14:00

Corn on the grill. It's not the same and as sweet as corn in the States, but it's good!

The stage here in ALR!

Some of the venders and the street. Later in the day, this street was so crowded that you could hardly walk down it!

A beautiful rainbow (there was actually a double rainbow) the other day!

Wow! Again, it is crazy here. We just celebrated Jounen Kweyol. ALR was a hosting community which means that people from all over the country came down. Jounen Kweyol is the celebration of the Creole culture. It was a lot of fun to see everything that happened! I have more pictures on my fb page.
I talked to someone that Friday who grew up in St. Lucia and always comes to visit during Jounen Kweyol. He asked me where I was from. I said Ohio. He said Cincinnati, Ohio. Turns out he grew up listening to a radio station from Cincinnati in St. Lucia!
It has also been one year since Hurricane Thomas hit St. Lucia. We've almost made it through another hurricane season (the end of November is the end of it). Watching the weather and learning the patterns has become a lot of fun for me!

ode to october

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

2011-11-02 00:43:00

dear october.
you were tough. you gave me way more than i could have ever bargained for and left me longing for november. not just because november is my birth month, not just because november sends me on a trip home, not just because november comes with the leonid meteor showers...but because you seemingly carried five years worth of life lessons in your thirty-one days. life lessons i haven't even begun to grasp or understand but ones that i know without a doubt will leave me a bigger, better, more loving, kinder human being. once i get on the other side of them. which i hope will be here...with you november. and the beginning of a new year for me.
a new year. new light. new life. new perspective.
welcome. and october...good riddance...please don't come hard like that next year or you aren't invited to 2012.
much love and blessings.

where are we going...

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

2011-10-26 01:22:00

it's been so long since i have written...anything. it's not for lack of things to write about...more for contentment, contempt, and all things in between. the struggle of daily life sometimes seems so full that i tend to forget that right down the street from me is a beautiful beach that will quickly put all things back into perspective. as it did today...
so i write. right.
the past few months have come with struggle. a new term began at the court diversion program and with it some difficulties that have still not smoothed themselves out. we have some of the same kids that have returned and some new that have arrived. it is definitely the case that 3 months away from the structure of the program undid some of what was done...but interestingly most of the returning kids seem to have bounced back or are working on bouncing back. i am seeing more hurt and pain and suffering in the kids this time around. i don't know if it's because i know them better, because i am leading my own classes, or because they truly are suffering more now than then. either way it's proving to be a bit more challenging and with that comes uncertainty of self and on most days a distinct wondering if i know what i am doing. so i guess i too have come a little undone from the summer.
the books are supposed to arrive this week and probably one of the most profound experiences i have had thus far is teaching a couple of boys how to read. it's tangible so i can chart progress and feel like i can see some of the good i am doing. so i am clearly really excited for some reading material to come in to make that adventure a little more interesting. the rest of the work that i am doing is intangible counseling work which never really seems to be taking much form and leaves me reminding myself daily that i may never see the fruits of that labor. but i try. and that's really all i can do. there are so many barriers in working with these kids and trying to get them to go deep into themselves. the largest of which is they do not live in a society that promotes free, constructive, critical thought so it's kind of like pulling a rabbit out of hat. it's frustrating and difficult but i keep trying.
i am constantly trying to come up with new ideas to bring discussion and critical thought into the classroom. recently i showed a video of sean corne, an amazing yoga teacher, giving a speech at occupy wall street. with kids who feel that fighting and violence are the only way to ever handle anything, i wanted to show them another option. and a huge one. it was so fascinating the variety of responses i got. the group of suspended school kids seemed to hold the least amount of ability to think or speak critically and were more interested in making fun of the asian woman in the audience or pointing out that there were black people there which made no sense to them. they couldn't grasp the concept of peaceful protesting and shared with me that it makes more sense to just attack or bomb people to deal with the issues that come up. when prompted why they felt this way they shared with me that all they know is violence...that's how people handle things in their world and that's all they have ever known. sad.
when i brought the video to the group of boys that are our kids...regulars who are committed to the program...it was an incredibly different discussion. they watched in awe of the size of new york city and the variety of people that were there. and then we had another discussion regarding how something like that would never happen here because all people do here is fight each other down. they will not join with their brother to lift him up because they are too concerned with lifting themselves up. they shared that the only way this would ever change is if people started to unite and work together to create jobs and change the country for the better. from the mouths of babes.
profoundly different conversations and experiences which impressed on me how deeply and quickly those kids have to grow up. they are forced to see the world through adult eyes from a young age. they are wise to the ways of the world and are so astutely observant of what is going on around them at all times. and no one listens. no one gives them a voice to speak out or speak up. so they fight. they struggle to find ways to be heard and seen by all those who are leaving them behind. and the truth is they are the future. and they have the ideas. but if they continue to be stifled it might be too late when someone is finally ready to listen.

NOT Kenya.

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

2011-10-14 07:19:43

This may come as a surprise to some of you, but I won’t be serving as a deaf education volunteer in Kenya, but will instead be serving on the Eastern Caribbean island of Saint Lucia, departing January 26th. And I … Continue reading →

Digging Trenches.

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

2011-10-21 18:56:02

For many, it seems, the Peace Corps is synonymous with building latrines, plowing fields, and harvesting crops… and only in the most underdeveloped, backwards countries on earth, obviously. However, that is not the case. Volunteers are currently serving in 76 … Continue reading →

Bullying

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

2011-10-18 21:47:00

As part of my work at the school, I am working alongside the Theatre Arts teacher to implement a program called "My School, My Community". This is a program designed to encourage students to engage with social issues in their community and school, for example: bullying, littering--and some others that the children have come up with. After they identify the issues, students must interview people in their community that are part of the problem as well as those that can help them fix those problems. At the end, students are going to create a radio drama to address those issues to facilitate behavior change among the listeners. It is a program that started in a high school in New York City and is being piloted in St. Lucia---the first country outside of NYC to implement the program. I am excited to be a part of the program, especially since we are focusing on the primary students who are still very impressionable at this point.
So, today, we discussed bullying---including a recent case of suicide that occurred this weekend in St. Lucia. The theatre arts teacher said this is the FIRST time she has heard of a suicide in this country, so, it's pretty big news. Supposedly, the student was being bullied pretty badly at school and, ultimately, took his own life. Many of the kids identified themselves as having been bullied in the past and also being the bully. It got really emotional when the theatre arts teacher asked: "how many of you would prefer to have a school without bullying?" and, to my surprise, some of the kids did not raise their hands. When she questioned those who didn't raise their hands, one student said that if they went to a school without bullying and fighting, they would start a fight. When asked why, some of the students said that it makes them feel good. The teacher and I looked at each other speechless. Then, she told a story of how when she was going to school, she discovered that the children who quarrelled the most had issues at home, so fighting was their way of making others feel bad so that they could feel better. The children were completely silent, seems as if they were thinking. Then, when the teacher discussed the suicide case, one girl said something under her breath. The teacher told the girl to say it "to him". And the girl stood up, turned to a particular boy in the room and said "when you used to bully me, I wanted to kill myself because I was having problems at home". I got choked up and had to take deep breaths. She wasn't even angry when she said it---she was just being honest and non-confrontational.
The teacher discussed how she would like to be in a school were children could be free to be who they are without being picked on. She then walked over to the only Rasta child in our program and said "I want [him] to feel free to wear his hair out instead of hiding it behind a hat" and took his hat off. (Children with dredlocks must cover their heads at school as a rule). His hair flowed out of his hat and the children gasped. Then, the teacher asked "would you prefer to wear your hair like this or with the hat on" and the child, who is very shy, said he would like to keep the hat off. It was a wonderful moment! And the children couldn't keep their hands off of his hair. The teacher finished with saying that, at school as in life, they should feel free to embrace who they are without fear of being ridiculed or bullied by others. The children were given an assignment to practice being themselves so that they can create a movement of acceptance among their peers. Wow---I am completely in awe of this day.

Overwhelmed and packing

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Saint Lucia Sara's Adventures

2011-10-17 15:18:00

I've been doing some reflecting this past week on what it was like to come to St. Lucia. Part of this is because I went down south and saw the airport I came into, part is because we're getting ready for our group coming in the end of January, and the other part is because I'm getting ready to take a trip back to the states in 2 months to see my family. If there was one word to describe what I felt that day it's overwhelmed. I had no clue what I was getting into, where I was going, and what the heck I was doing on this small island that I had never heard of until about 6 weeks before this! But I am oh so ever glad that I decided to come. I feel lucky to be on St. Lucia and in the village I'm in. The people are awesome and love PC! They look out for me and make sure I'm ok. I get to take my time and learn the language (I suck at languages, but I really want to learn kweyol so I'm learning phrase by phrase word by word as I need to use it or what to understand what someone else is saying to me).

When I was packing last year to come (which I did the day before I left) I had no clue what to bring, so I looked at blogs to get ideas as went according to the PC packing list as well. There are a lot of things that I wish I brought, some things that I wish I didn't bring, and some things that I'm super glad I brought! (PS this list also serves as my Christmas list for my sisters and parents as the things that I wish I brought I'm either going to be buying at Christmas or getting as presents!!)

I'm so glad I brought an accordian file folder! All those papers that you get a PST (pre-service training) add up. I was glad I brought it to keep things organized going back and forth! I love all the skorts I brought. I have to "dress up" aka buisness casual, every day for work. It's really hot, so the couple pairs of pants I brought usually say in my drawer (though all the guys wear dress pants and polos) and I wear skirts and skorts to try and keep cool. I'm also really glad I brought shirts that can be dressy or casual depending if I put them with shorts or a skirt. A really cool packing tip I read was to pack things in kitchen containers. This was really helpful because those containers are expensive. Before I left, my aunt gave me this "beach bag." I never thought I would use it; however, I use it everyday and it's almost worn out! I even had to sew the handles on to reinforce it. I use it for shopping, the beach, carrying my laptop around, carrying other things around, and going to pick fruit. I'm also super glad for a couple other presents I got. I love my kindle! I also love the baby powder that I was given! So helpful! Oh, and my computer was a necessity! I'm also really glad I brought a present for my host family. My host mom is amazing. I still go and see her whenever I can.

Things I wish I didn't bring: so many socks. I got some new black socks before I left home and haven't even opened the package. The PC packing list said we needed passport pics for local permits and stuff, yeah, that was a waste of my money. I also brought clothes that were a little too big for me. I've lost some more weight while being here, and so they're really too big for me.

So if I could have brought an extra suitcase I probably would have! So here's what I wish I had brought: A football or some type of sports equiptment (an in with the kids as well!), more daily clothes and shorts. I brought plunty of work clothes, but not enough for around in the community or at my home. My buisness suit. There have been at least two times when I would have worn it. Personal hygine products: body wash, shaving cream, ect. These thing are all really expensive. I did get some shaving cream on sale! More shoes and clothes! I can never have enough of these. At least once a week I wish I had another pair of sandles because mine have already worn out (I ordered some tevas and am picking them up at Christmas!).

So as I'm thinking about going back to Ohio for Christmas, I get kind of sad as well. While I miss my family and can't wait to see them, I would love to see a Lucian Christmas and I'm going to miss my island home for two weeks. Maybe next year my family will come and see me :)

2nd grade, football, computer club!

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Saint Lucia Sara's Adventures

2011-10-14 21:16:00

2nd grade, football and computer club. You might wonder what all three of these have in common. My crazy week!
Tuesdays I'm at the infant school school (for the school day, I have computer club at the primary school in the evening). I'm supposed to be doing a computer class for their kids, but since they're still working on getting their computers set up, I haven't been staying. This week both of their grade 2 teachers called in sick, so the principal asked if I would take over one of the classes (she later informed me it was an all boys class). I said sure, and thus started my day which reminded my why my father does not have all the answers to my life. (Dear Dad, I am not cut out to be a teacher no matter how much you think so.) Those boys were crazy and wouldn't listen to anything I said. We accomplished a couple things though! Some of the students now understand how to "borrow" when doing double didget subtraction, and they wrote some sentences about a picture I drew! All that from 9-2:30!!
Thursday we had a football match in the afternoon. The school is broken up into 4 houses that play sports and compete against each other. So we had two different games. I have never seen anyone so excited about football! The students were cheering, running around, and having a lot of fun! The village came out and watched. They were cheering for thier favorite team as well! It was more excitment than I ever saw at a football game before (and my sister made it to state finals!). The second game when to shoot outs. There was soooo much pressure put on these students. There were people lined up around the 18 (and kept coming closer and closer to the goal!). Next week is the finals! I can't wait!
Computer club is in it's fourth week! It's going great! The kids are really excited about it (they love playing games on the computers). I have about 50 kids that come to the club (the school has about 180 kids)! Needless to say it's crazy!! But I love it!!

When it rains, it rains

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Saint Lucia Guate Holla Holla!

2011-10-13 18:15:23

“More than this, I hate days like this…” So although rainy season should be finishing up at the end of this month, it sure is going out with a bang. I woke up to rain on Tuesday and it evened out a bit throughout the day, but it started up again at night and didn’t [...]

Thanksgiving in October

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Saint Lucia Sara's Adventures

2011-10-09 19:40:00

So last Monday was Thanksgiving. Since there were no traditions that I could find for Thanksgiving, the Boys and Girls Club aka The Superstars Club! decided to go to the beach! We had a great day with 19 kids taking part in our outing! It was fun, crazy, and I wouldn't have been able to survive without Louise and Luthur keeping track of the kids, making lunch, and keeping everything on track! They're the ones that really made this happen.

Life has been soo busy lately! But I love it! I'm hoping things get settled down this month with computer club and get into a rhythm so that way I can focus on the library. We're so excited to be getting the books for the library! (So if you haven't had a opportunity to give yet please do!)

I visited a new church this morning (the Penacostal church right in front of my house). I've been singing with them for a while now (their service starts before the one at the Catholic church that I've gone to) and really liked going there. There is also a Baptist church in the village that I would like to try out as well. I felt more at home in the Penacostal church than I've felt at the Catholic church (the people at the Catholic church have made me feel at home, it's the style of preaching, the songs, and just more all around what I'm used to). But life here in the Caribbean is going great! Keeping busier that I ever thought I would, but I wouldn't have it any other way. Time to go meet with the SuperStars Club! And life continues on...

Great Day

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

2011-10-05 23:10:00

Today was my point teacher's birthday. She is a wonderful human being and I wanted to do something really special for her. She is one of the most passionate teachers I have ever seen. She is the special education teacher at our school--she sings songs with the kids (songs she makes up right off the top of her head!), dances, has "heart-to-heart" talks with the children to encourage them to do better for their own sake, not for the teachers. She is so animated!
So, for her birthday, I decided to post "Happy Birthday" on her class door so that it would be the first thing she saw when she entered the school. I made the poster this morning before school and got there early to make sure she would not see me putting it up. After that, I went to every classroom in the entire school and asked teachers to bring their students to the assembly area outside so that we could sing "happy birthday" to her as a school. Of course, I wanted this to be a surprise, so I asked the teachers to not give anything away when she arrived. So at about 10 am, all of the teachers brought their students downstairs where they gathered together for a "last minute school assembly". My point teacher came out too, asking "what's going on?" I told her that the prinicipal called an assembly and she said "for what?" and I shrugged my shoulders (ordinarily I am very bad at lying but I did the best I could to conceal the surprise). Once everyone had gathered in the assembly area, the principal asked all of the students to be silent. He motioned for me to come over and I made a quick announcement saying "today is the birthday of a very special lady. And that special lady is [point teacher's name]." She was speaking with another teacher while eating an apple (haha). I continued "at the count of three, we are going to sing 'happy birthday'---one, two, three" and as soon as the song started, my point teacher's eyes opened so wide and she froze (I will never forget her expression). And all of the students and teachers in the school sang a beautiful rendition of 'happy birthday' and afterwards, many of the students gave her a hug ( I wasn't expecting that!) She was grinning from ear to ear. Later, she told me that she had expected to have a quiet birthday but that she was so grateful for what happened at the school. She said that throughout the day, many students found her to tell her 'happy birthday'--and she felt that this was not only a gift to her but allowed students to honor their teacher's birthday, something that is not commonly done. She graciously thanked me not only for getting everyone in the school involved in celebrating her birthday but giving the children the opportunity to appreciate the important educators in their life, increasing their empathy. I didn't realize that this was something so unusual, for a student to celebrate their teacher's birthday, but my point teacher informed me otherwise. Witnessing that event definitely made my day--I observed so much joy in the teachers, students and other staff members.

Party Allll Niiiigghht Looooong

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Saint Lucia Guate Holla Holla!

2011-09-13 19:46:45

“…we got two dollar soldiers and ten dollar words. If I didn’t own boots, I wouldn’t need feet. I come from the nation of heat” – Joe Pug, Nation of Heat Brace yourselves, this is kind of a long one… Rainy season is in full swing! I got caught in the pouring rain the other [...]

You did what!?!

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Saint Lucia Sara's Adventures

2011-09-12 23:09:00

So far in Peace Corps I've done several things I would have never imagined. Some crazy, some just crazy to me...enjoy!

1. Get my immunizations in the middle of the street...with everyone watching! The dr was in a rush, I said it was ok, so I got two shots (flu and my second hep A) in the middle of the street. Far cry from mom having to trick me into getting them in 7th grade!

2.Hich hike. I've always done it safely (with someone else) and usually taken rides from people I know. I've found it's really fun to ride in the back of a truck!

3.Helped get a magazine published. This one is still in progress. I got an email shortly after I swore in about the Serious Ting which is the Peace Corps Eastern Caribbean magazine, so I signed up to help however needed. So not only do I have a story in it, I helped edit some of the articles in the magazine, and I got bids, approved the copy, and am picking the magazines sometime this week!

4.Asked for directions and learned to speak up. I've never been one to ask questions. Ever. I hate asking for directions or showing that I don't know something (I think it's the Faison in me). Almost daily I have to ask where something is, ask for help, learn something new, or speak up and tell the bus to stop (yes mom, I've progessed from kindergarten when I missed my stop home and didn't tell anyone).

5. Learned to laugh at myself. I think this one is key. I always took myself too serious and never learned to laugh at mistakes I made. I always just got embarassed. While I still get embarassed, I've learned to laugh at mistakes and take them as learning experiences.

I know that there are more things that I've done that have been "crazy" and I will do many more while I'm here. I'm learning and growing every day. I love it!

The good and the bad

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Saint Lucia Sara's Adventures

2011-09-08 02:04:00

Being a PCV is not like what I thought it was going to be. There are more ups and downs, moral decisions, completely bored straight to completely craziness, more building children in ways that I didn't even imagine when I was signing up for PC. I'm beginning to realize that I cannot express all that happens to me in a blog. Peace Corps is one of those things you have to live to fully understand. Even each Peace Corps experience is different!

This week of school has been amazing, busy, crazy, and awesome! First of all I got to celebrate my 26th birthday in St. Lucia on Monday! I was so ready for 26. This week I have been working on the computer lab, getting ready for computer club, setting up more computers, getting the kids to sign up for the boys and girls club, as library assistants, and begging them for patience about the computer club :)

Two of the kids asked me for help with math, so right now we're working on addition flash cards after school. So many projects so little time! It has made this first week fly!!

The impact of peace corps!

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Saint Lucia Island Living

2011-08-30 18:16:00

As volunteers we all have slightly different reasons for joining the peace corps; a love of travel, a desire to travel for the first time, the need for a change of scenery, an uncertainty of what to do next, but one thing we all have in us is a desire to leave the world a better place than it was before us. This is the real reason we join to change the world, to wake up and say I made those kids lives better, I gave them hope, and an opportunity they didn't know was there.

For the two and a half years of service this is the reason we woke up, got dressed and fought like hell to see our projects succeed, to see our communities grow, and to see a child find hope in themselves. Along the way we became part of the culture we lived in. We starteed to act differently, picked up mannerisms, words, actions, and a way about us that said I am from here. We gained friends and in some cases a kind of family in our new culture as we began to shed our own. Our perspectives changed, we learned what it meant to not have, maybe even what it felt like to really be hungry. We learned the struggle of poverty, how hard it is to break the cycle and raise above it when you are fighting just to survive. We learned a kind of patience that almost makes us freaks of nature in this I want it now way of life. Of course while we were living this life, we weren't fully aware of what was happening, we were just living life trying to make it from one day to the next.

Then we came home, and it hit us how much we were this other culture, this other way of life, and how much we changed. Yea we maybe came back tanner and weighing a little less, speaking a strange broken english adding foreign words in randomly, and not really being able to articulate very well. But our core being changed too, the way we view the world and ourselves, want we want from life, the way we live, the way we dance and eat. We will forever be marked with this peace corps thing. In some ways its a curse, you know that whole ignorance is bliss. It is definitely easier to fit in, when you feel like you fit in. I doubt very many of us would change it for a second though because for most of us this change in ourselves, this ability to serve the world community was both the most difficult experience of our lives, but also the most rewarding and amazing two plus years of our lives. We have each other that get that, and few others that fully understand all that was our experience. We miss a land that was our home but never a birthplace in much of the same way an immigrant misses their birth place, longing to return but never knowing when that may happen. Back in the US we search for people like us feeling out of place with people that a mere 3 years ago we would have fit in with. When we go to a new US city we question whether the water from the pipe is drinkable, and wonder if there is hot water.

Hopefully though no matter how much we miss life in our other country, the people, the purpose, the way of life, the being a part of a community, not just a face in the crowd, we know that we were that difference in someones life and we accomplished soo much more than we ever thought we would. Maybe not in the ways we thought but maybe in a much more human sense instead of a project sense. I know for me, not a day goes by that I don't remember the children by the sea, and I hope that they grow up to be the amazing men and woman I know they can be.

Victories!

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Saint Lucia Sara's Adventures

2011-09-03 18:21:00

Thank you to everyone who gave to the project for the school library! We met the goal of $500, but Hands spent $1000.00 on books for my school, so if you didn't give and would still like to please do!

It's the little things that make everything worth it here. Last night I was hanging out with one of the PCVs from Castries that came down for the evening with some friends. When she was getting ready to leave we went and met the person she came with who was talking to some people from the village. Her friend introduced her to the guy, then the guy from my village looked at me and said that he didn't know my name but he knew that I was theirs. AKA I live here :) It was great!

Things are coming together for the 50th anniversary celebration and the other projects I've been working on these past couple of months. September is crazy because most of them are getting in full force or wrapping up this month. The magazine I've been working on is getting printed, the 50th celebration occurs, the project to come up with a project histroy on St. Lucia kicks off on Friday, VAC elections are Friday (which I'm running in against one of my friends), and those are just side projects that have nothign to do with my real job at the school! School starts, we're stating computer club, we're hoping to start a school newspaper, the library is going to get up and running again (which means new library assistants to interview and train), the library is going to get cleaned and we have Literacy day next week!!
But as for tomorrow, I'm going to the beach to celebrate my birthday, and I'm having two of my friends over on Monday for my birthday dinner (tacos!!).

I hope September is good to all of you as well!

HELP!!

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Saint Lucia Sara's Adventures

2011-09-02 00:40:00

Wow! The school year is here and I can't believe it! We start school on Monday (my birthday by the way). So in honor of my birthday, the kids I'm working with, and the new school year, I am asking you (yes you) if you to HELP!! I have been working hard here for next to nothing (it's called being a volunteer, in fact I was looking at camp jobs and there I would make almost as much in a week as I do in a whole month here). Because of my sacrifice, I am asking you to sacrifice as well. I have posted a couple of times about the library that I'm working on here at the school. Well, we need books!! Books are super expensive down here and a lot of the books we have are not age appropriate (trust me 4th grades don't care about Madeleine Albright).

If you just give the amount of your favorite book, that would help me so much in my work here! I now have a we pay page: https://www.wepay.com/donate/141730 It is easy to give and would help the kids here. I was listening to some of the teachers talk the other day and they were talking about a 4th grader who cannot read. If I can get books in that the kids are excited about, I can help them learn how to read those books and improve the reading levels of those kids that can read. Check out Hand's Across the Sea's website http://www.handsacrossthesea.net/ They're an awesome organization!

Please donate, and consider it my birthday present.

letting go.

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

2011-08-31 03:34:00

realizations of a wandered gypsy...there is always so much more to yourself than you ever thought you knew. i am beginning to see the effects and aspects this life is having on me. after numerous conversations with numerous people from numerous places i have realized that this experience is effectively shifting me to that place of quiet humility i had asked to connect to before i left home. it was in the space of a new year in a new place with a new awareness that i tapped into this quiet space of self that told me the upcoming years would be filled with love, and learning, and quiet humility. to be. quietly. humble. i questioned what that meant on numerous occasions but soon realized it wasn't a logical, pragmatic puzzle to solve but an essence to embody. and so here i am...month seven of life in another place and time with this quieting of the big I and this connecting to the little...and quiet space in between.

i am learning the art of self. the art of listening intently without judgment. the art of letting go of ideas of self. letting go of ideas of others. letting go of expectations and wants vs. needs. i am learning the art of softening myself in the corners and crevasses that had built themselves on the notion of their rough exteriors. i am learning the value in silence and quiet side smiles. i am learning the art of loving unconditionally every aspect of this earth because it was all created with purpose and reason. i am learning to truly walk from that space of certainty and asuredness as i see that the more i quiet my self the more connected i become to my essence...to the deep inner workings of my soul and my heart and everything they have to offer.

i have begun to see the value of my experience here in a completely different space and time than i had ever considered. i have learned to own what is mine emotionally, psychologically, and spiritually and to allow others to hold what is theirs. i am learning to see myself from a space of truth and honesty without the cloudiness of what society says i should be or how i should act. i thought i already lived from this space but stepping into a world that is not my own....taking up space that pushes on the ideas and boundaries of others i see the impact it has and drew back. drew in to that quietly humble space. and from that space i am seeing this emergence of self that is non dogmatic...non judgmental...all inclusive....and all love. and i am finding my root, my core self emerging from a new place of honesty and love and truth. with a declaration of softness and quiet.

humility.

Who would have thought?

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Saint Lucia Sara's Adventures

2011-08-29 17:45:00

During PST (pre-service training) we were given a lot of information. One thing we were given was a sheet that talked about the ups and downs of being a volunteer and the different stages. I thought, "I won't follow this, I'm the exception." I only bring this up because of something that has happened lately. One of the stages on that sheet was somthing that you thought you'd gotten over and wouldn't bother you really getting to you. These past couple of weeks, that has happened! It's something little that has just been able to get under my skin over and over. Who would have thought how valuable that little piece of information was in realizing that this is normal :)
Computer lessons are finished for the summer! It was great fun, but I'm glad to get started with the school year! This September is going to be CRAZY! It starts with school and my birthday (on the same day), continues with Luthur's birthday, getting the PC EC magazine printed, more meetings than I've been in ever, and the 50th celebration of the Peace Corps. It's going to be a lot of fun, but I'll be glad when it is over and life can return to normal, whatever that is!

"I am tired of violence"

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Saint Lucia shoup house

2011-08-21 22:27:00

"I've decided that I'm going to do battle for my philosophy. You ought to believe something in life, believe that thing so fervently that you will stand up with it till the end of your days. I can't make myself believe that God wants me to hate. I'm tired of violence. And I'm not going to let my oppressor dictate to me what method I must use. We have a power, power that can't be found in Molotov cocktails, but we do have a power. Power that cannot be found in bullets and guns, but we have a power. It is a power as old as the insights of Jesus of Nazareth and as modern as the techniques of Mahatma Gandhi."

Martin Luther King Jr, as quoted in The Devil Still Pirouettes Among Us by Fred Zackel.

Pass it on…

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Saint Lucia Guate Holla Holla!

2011-08-18 19:04:30

“My trouble is I analyze life instead of live it.” – Notes to Myself by Hugh Prather As I turn on my Glee Soundtrack playlist, I begin to write a completely different entry than the previous one. I got back this morning from a very successful Healthy Schools and Rincones de Salud (healthy corners) training [...]

Summer, Summer, where did you go?

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Saint Lucia Sara's Adventures

2011-08-18 18:03:00

The summer is coming to a close. While the weather is still the same, school is about to start...well, September 5th (on a side note-how dare my birthday not be a holiday in St. Lucia while it is one in the US? I mean really!?! And the first day of school as well lol!!) so it's coming. We have one week of computer lessons left (which went very well!! The kids showed up for them and learned a lot!), one week for teacher planning, and then SCHOOL!!
It's kind of nerve wracking starting a new school year.We're starting new projects, continuing old ones (like getting the library books in October from Hands Across the Sea http://www.handsacrossthesea.net/ please check them out and consider helping us if you haven't already), and changing some things up! We'll see how it goes!
I have a bunch of meetings coming up (I don't think I've ever been to this many meetings in my life!!) about our 50th celebration for PC and other projects.
I'm continuing my war on ants (not Aunts, because I love my Aunts), and I will win! So if you have any ideas on what I can do to kill them all please let me know!!
And...for those of you who think alls I do is go to the beach, I've been swimming once this entire summer! (And I live 1 1/2 blocks from the Caribbean.) Oh, well! I can always make that a goal for the winter :)

gentle glances.

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

2011-08-15 18:07:00

i wonder if the stranger on the street who offers up a smile has any idea how deeply they can change the course of a day. the simplicity of eye contact and a smile in a world of frowns and uncertainty is a gentle reminder that if you look around you...you will always see beauty...because it's always there. it's just a matter of which vision you are choosing to look through.

Short Term Missions

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Saint Lucia Sara's Adventures

2011-08-11 14:30:00

I've never really been a fan of short term mission trips. That's not saying they don't do any good. I've just never really liked the concept. (Now my older sister met her husband on a short term mission trip and for that I'm glad!) Maybe I have a little too much of my father in me. As he has always said, and this is paraphrased, why not just send the money over, use local people to do the building projects, and then reach the local people by giving them jobs and ministering to them while they are working and how you treat them instead of asking someone else to pay for your vacation. This concept has only been strengthened while I've been living in St. Lucia.
Now you could say, why Sara, you're living in St. Lucia and working on tax payers dollers, how can you even say this? We're paying for you to be there. Notice, I did not say long term missions. I said short term. I'm here long term. One of Peace Corps Policies is that they don't place a volunteer in a place that a local could be employed in. If I wasn't here, no one would be assigned and getting paid to be doing the work I am doing.
The longer I am here the more I think it is important to understand the culture you are in. If you do go on a missions trip and preaching, ask the missionary or a local to go through your sermon with you to make sure it is sensitive to the culture you are going into. That it is applicable to that culture. Learn as much as you can about the culture you're going into.
I live in one of the poorest villages in the country. I've seen people here jump at the chance to work (there has been a lot of construction going on the last few days and people have been working hard). So, examine the reasons you're going on this trip. Would the money be better spent hiring local people? What are you going to do? Is it taking a job away from a local? Running camps is a great thing because what I find most is that we need voluntary manpower for activities for the kids.
All in all, just make sure you're doing more good than harm, building the community (both the one you're going into and the community of believers), and not just a good feeling for yourself.
Feel free to disagree and leave comments as to why :)

ask and receive...

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

2011-08-08 00:13:00

tumultuous tides turned my soul around this week. this peace corps life/experience always has a new twist or turn that i hadn't expected and always leaves me humbled at the divine presence that is always surrounding me. we are powerful beyond belief and need to always remember how much power lies in our words and intentions for they truly do become manifest...sometimes in the strangest of ways. if you read my previous post...which was literally only a few days ago you will see that i had mentioned discomfort in my living situation and a longing to move further up north toward gros islet where i have found more comfort and community. oddly enough...if you ask...you shall receive. last week, the day that i actually posted that exact request, the universal order of things set up a blessing in disguise.

tuesday the entire country was shut down due to the effects of the tropical storm that had passed thru. i spent my day inside resting, writing, cooking, and enjoying a super extended weekend. as the nite progressed sheldon (that's my boyfriend who seems to be showing up more and more in these posts now...) and i decided to walk down to the store in my community to get something to snack on. i don't go out in my community because it's not the kind of welcoming place that you really want to be wandering around in but i figured with sheldon by my side it would be okay. so we went to the store, got some snacks, came home, ate, talked, and went to bed. around 3 a.m. i kept hearing a noise sounding like someone was throwing something at my house. while i should have paid attention to the noise, i wrote it off and went back to sleep. when i was getting ready to walk out the door the next morning for work i noticed that the front screen was ripped off. strange but since i have burglar bars on each window, i didn't really think much of it. until i tried to find my purse. which is when i realized that noise i heard the previous nite was someone breaking into my window and fishing out my purse. gone. taken. so i made all the necessary calls, filed a police report and expected i would never see that bag again. which really sucked because it was a brand new bag i had just bought with a matching wallet. super cute. as the day went on and i dealt with the police and the scene of the crime my phone started ringing with an unrecognized number. lo and behold someone had "found" my purse and wanted to return it to me. good samaritan...until nite fell and he was clear about the fact that he wanted a $1000.00 finders fee. for a $40. bag...no thanks. i'll pass. so with his obvious awareness of where i live and his want of extortion the peace corps acted swiftly and decided to move me immediately for safety reasons. by thursday i was packed and moved into a new house. up north. in marisule, gros islet. exactly what i had asked for. in a new house super close to the beach with coconut trees and kind people all around me, with beautiful views and a sense of peace and calm i hadn't felt since being here, i settled into my new surroundings with love and gratitude. and the next day, my bag was returned via the st lucia police who did an amazing job finding and catching the guy who created this whole mess. so while having my house broken into was distressing, mr. thief, you actually did me a favor. you moved me into a more welcoming community where i feel closer to god and light and love. you are saving me money. you have helped me remember that piece of me that was being stifled in ciceron by people like you. so thank you. i hope you find some peace of mind and reevaluate your lot in life. maybe you will find inspiration to do more, be more, live more fully. use my journal that you took to record your thoughts and ideas. and ask. because as you helped me see...when you put your wants out to the universe...she listens...and provides.

so as i sit in my new house with the crickets singing all around me, after watching a beautiful sunset from my front door i remember the power i hold in this world. and how much stronger it can be when i am tapped into the source that is always providing for me. so thank you for reopening my eyes and showing me all the tiny pieces that keep me living in love. all ways. blessed be.

First Hurricane threat

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

2011-08-03 19:07:00

At the end of last week, our Peace Corps Safety and Security Officer sent us a text warning us about a potential storm development over the weekend. It had been raining for most of the week---so much that I could not attend one of the camps that I had made arrangements to attend. On the weekend, I had agreed to do another camp in the south of the island. I stayed the night with another volunteer who lived close by the camp site. For the first day, the camp did not have many structured activities so I taught some of the girls how to make friendship bracelets. Later, we started braiding the string into my friend's hair so she had different colored braids---it was so cool! Then, one of the other volunteers and I played dodgeball with a group of girls. Around 5:30 in the evening we went back to my friend's house and settled in for the night. The next day, at about 6 am, I receive this text message from my Safety and Security Officer:
"STANDFAST MESSAGE: this message is for PCVs living on outer islands, flood or landslide prone areas and villages with unreliable transportation. At this stage the National Hurricane Centre's forecast is predicting that the tropical low that is approaching our islands has a 100% chance of developing into Hurricane Emily by tomorrow, and that hurricane warnings or watches will be issued tonight. At this stage they still do not know in which direction the weather system will go i.e. north or south of the island chain. I believe that it will become a hurricane shortly before making landfall on our islands and therefore I think that time is against us since tomorrow is a holiday. Since tomorrow is a holiday today SUNDAY may be the last working day for the ferries and buses. Please move now to the PCVs house that you chose or should have chosen, and inform your APCD (island Peace Corps director) WHERE YOU ARE GOING AND HOW YOU ARE GETTING THERE...."
After reading this message, I jumped out of bed, paced my friend's kitchen for a while wondering if I should wake her up and tell her what's going on. She woke up about 5 minutes later and we talked about what was happening. We had planned to go to camp that morning but after that message, we weren't sure if we should. After calling our Safety and Security Officer, she told us not only that we should NOT attend camp but to call the other volunteers who stayed overnight at the camp and tell them to GO TO THEIR HOMES. So, I went home to my village and washed some clothes before going to stay with a volunteer couple in the north of the island----a place I felt more secure in. My neighbor called me and told me about the impending storm and that I should fill all my water bottles. I washed my clothes because the water is usually the first thing to be shut off during the storm By the time I finished washing, the sky started to darken and I felt that time was running short for me to get myself out of the house. About an hour later, it started storming---thunder, lightning, trees blowing in the wind---and I started praying that the rain would stop at some point so that I could get a bus. At some point, the rain did stop a little and I was able to get out of my house. As I walked down the street, I ran into one of the neighborhood kids who told me the buses wouldn't be running out of the village because the storm was coming. I hitched a ride up the hill to the bus stop on the main highway and waited about 2 minutes and then a bus came. I was so glad!
I stayed two nights at the volunteers' home and then, Tuesday morning, at about 6 am, I received this text:
"ALL CLEAR: Tropical Storm Emily continues to move westward. Therefore all PCVs in...St Lucia can return to their normal routines..." So, I get up and get myself ready to return to my village. My volunteer friend is also getting ready to return to work and we decide to have a big breakfast. We are all eating breakfast and it is STORMING outside. We decide to wait until the rain passes before we leave. But then we receive this message:
"PCVs the PRIME MINISTER has given NEMO the go ahead to shut down the country. Please do not leave your home if you haven't already."
So we decide to rest another day. We read, napped and played games all day. And then, another volunteer came over and we all had a big Caribbean dinner: chicken, black beans and rice, and fried plaintains. For dessert, we had homemade banana bread. We listened to Calypso, Soca and some jazz. It was a great night. Today, I returned home. It was a really nice time---looking forward to the next one!

summertime...and the livin is...sloooooooow...

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00