Well I am getting worse and worse at this updating stuff, and I owe a number of you phone calls. Sorry for dropping the ball.. Jenn, Mr. Wong I will call you both soon, and Brumme, thanks so much for the email, but you suck at picking up your phone. Shall try again soon!
I am writing this on August 19th – just nine short days until swearing in! It is very odd to think I have been here for almost two months. The day after swearing in, I will be approximately 7.6923% done with my service. Approximately. Very strange how time flies. Anyways…
So since my last post, I went back to Kingston for a ‘processing week’, and have since returned to Falmouth and started pre-school year work. I am designing a guidance program with my counterpart, and we have put together rational and project proposals for a Parent Support Group and Parenting Club. Starting Thursday, I will be designing an At Risk Youth project, in which I will train peer educators on health, substance, and conflict issues, among others. The project should be pretty sweet – I will likely be able to hold meetings on the basketball court, and just sort of take it easy for a while and give the benefit of a first impression. So, my job isn’t really what I had expected it would be when I got here, but I am definitely eager to get more involved. Classes start on September 1st, and I can’t wait.
I was running the other morning and as I finished I noticed six kids running after me. I had seen them in my neighborhood before but had only said hello. For some reason, I guess they decided to introduce themselves this time, as seeing a rando white dude around the neighborhood for over a month now must be slightly confusing. Anyways, they wanted to go on a ‘journey’ as soon as I finished, so after a 4 mile run I immediately embarked on a 2 mile stroll around town. I learned that summers for these kids don’t really consist of much… lots of TV and just sitting around the yard. But it was chill. They now say hello to me every time I pass by, and today I brought them Guinep and cold water.
Recent discoveries:
1. I found a squash court at a ritzy hotel nearby that charges only $4 US to use the facilities (I am having my racket sent down!).
2. Being in Trelawny when Usain Bolt sets a WR in the Olympics 100m is awesome. Bolt’s win meant an impromptu parade in downtown Falmouth, with cars decked out in Jamaican flags with about 10 people per sedan went driving through town blaring horns and blasting music. Bolt is a Trelawny native, and people were pumped.
3. It costs about $300 US to get dive certified here. I still might do it, so if you want to dive in Jamaica…
So yeah. I have been enjoying the Caribbean sun and summer while it lasts. Many many beaches, and I find myself about as tan as I have ever been. Though I guess I didn’t really come here to sit on a beach, or I would be at home – so far Hawaii beaches get the nod. I am looking forward to getting to work, and hope it will be a decent situation. Also, I am looking into working with the Red Cross, so if the school isn’t what it seems to be, I might have a secondary project somewhere down the line.
I met an expat from San Fran in town today who lives in an old colonial home near the center of Falmouth who has a sweet setup including wireless internet I can use whenever I want. Pretty sweet. I am getting around and meeting people, and it is a good feeling. For the first time today, one of the taxi drivers I use knew exactly where to drop me off and we chatted Patwa the whole way there while eating Guinep. I love Guinep.
Anyways, I am about to go running again, sorry for the random assortment of thoughts, but yeah. Lots has gone on these past few weeks, and I am really starting to get a hang of things.
Love,
Me
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