Hello Everyone

The New Year is a month old and I have enjoyed almost everyday of it. Some days have been great, others challenging. Today was a good day. I stopped by a primary school in my community to talk to the girls. Today was Girls’ Day at the school. Only the girls came to school today, boys stayed home. It reminded me of “Take your daughter to work day” where girls got to go to work with their moms and the boys had to come to school.

The whole day was focused on empowering the girls. The principal brought in guest speakers to talk to the girls and I was one of them. Talked to the girls about the differences and similarities with girls in Jamaica and those in U.S. Encouraged them to stay in school and continue to pursue their goals. Had a question and answer segment with the girls where they could ask me anything. Mostly they wanted to know my favorite food, music, movie, etc….. It was a lot of fun.

Back to Normal

The Green Club will soon start the vegetable garden at the primary school and the children and I are really excited. Right now, we are working on clearing the ground of weeds and trash and building a secure fence to keep uninvited persons and animals from eating the vegetables. Last week, I took the children to a local farm so that the farmer could talk to us about growing a vegetable garden. I think the children really enjoyed the trip. We got to see the many acres of vegetables the farmer had growing on his land and we got to see his animals as well. I am planning on taking the children on more field trips this semester to educate them on the environment. A big trip that I am planning is to the Kingston Zoo. Money is a huge factor in anything that I plan so I am hoping to get local merchants and other sponsors to fund the trips.

Still working with the six graders to improve their reading skills. The GSAT is in March and how well the children score on the test will determine which high school they will attend in the fall. Those that score high marks get into the better high schools.

So many other projects I am working on. Have to take deep breaths and practice patience to see those projects through.

Gone Sporting

So it’s not all work. Had some time during the holidays to “go sporting” (having fun). Christmas was fun, spent it in Kingston with friends. New Year’s Eve was spent in Ocho Rios. There was plenty to do and see as the pictures tell. Even though I missed home, I did enjoy myself and tried my best not to be homesick.

Hope all is best with everyone.

Until later. Likkl muor.

Claudia

THE CONTENTS OF THE WEBSITE ARE  MY OWN OPINIONS AND DOES NOT REFLECT THAT OF THE PEACE CORPS OR THE U.S. GOVERNMENT

THE CONTENTS OF THE WEBSITE ARE  MY OWN OPINIONS AND DOES NOT REFLECT THAT OF THE PEACE CORPS OR THE U.S. GOVERNMENT

Happy Thanksgiving. I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving and a great day of shopping the day after. Thanksgiving is not celebrated here so I spent the day working with the children at the primary school. When I have time I will write more. Enjoy the pictures. Likl muor. 

Claudia

http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/teamclaudia/jamaica/1195722000/tpod.html

Okay, so here is my life in pictures.
My friends and collegaues.
The places and the faces that are now a part of me.
Hope you enjoy.


This link should take you directly to the pics.
http://www.travelpod.com/travelblogphotoalbums/teamclaudia/jamaica/1192544880/0/12/YES/tpod.html

Likl muor.

Claudia




THE CONTENTS OF THE WEBSITE ARE  MY OWN OPINIONS AND DOES NOT REFLECT THAT OF THE PEACE CORPS OR THE U.S. GOVERNMENT

Now What?

Survived Peace Corps training, Hurricane Dean and the elections and I’ve only been here three months. I’m now an official Peace Corps volunteer whereas before me and the other “volunteers” were considered Peace Corps trainees. It was a good feeling to know that I am done with training, and that I can solely concentrate on helping my community. But with the end of training came the sense of “oh my god, now what?” I did not feel completely prepared to take on the challenge of providing my community with the help that it needs. But I quickly got over that once I returned to my community. Hurricane Dean left plenty of work to be done, and I didn’t have time to second guess myself. The first couple of days back, I helped out at the local church to prepare meals and distribute them to people in need. I also did some need assessment surveys in my area. I had to find out who lost what and what they needed. During those couple of days I got to meet people in the community who I didn’t even know lived in the area. I also got to see parts of the community that I thought nobody lived in. Seeing the devastation up close and hearing the stories that people told was hard. The people in the community are resilient and they are moving on with their lives. The kids especially, I think, are handling things well. A community organization took the kids to Ocho Rios to remove them from their current situation and have some fun. I volunteered to chaperone the kids. For a lot of the kids it was their first time visiting Ocho Rios and mine too. It was a lot of fun. A little over 100 kids went that day and over 300 kids went during the three days. We went to Dolphin’s Cove the place where people can swim with the dolphins. The place is gorgeous. Then we went to a nice eating area where the kids had lunch and at the end of the day the kids all got little gifts. School started about two weeks after the hurricane hit and there are some kids whose school uniforms were either destroyed are lost in the flood. Fortunately, the kids in the community are being allowed to attend school without their uniforms. Organizations, churches and individuals are doing their part to help but things are moving slowly. Things are also moving slowly to help people rebuild from the hurricane. Some people hadn’t even rebuilt from Hurricane Ivan which happened in 2004.  So much more I can write about this…Keep you all posted.

“Green is back on the scene”

So after 18 years in power, the people of Jamaica have elected a new government. Portia Simpson-Miller’s People’s National Party (PNP) was defeated 33-27. Bruce Goldings’ Jamaica’s Labour Party (JLP) is in power, and my host mother couldn’t be happier. The JLPs color is green hence the new saying that my host mom likes “green is back on the scene.”  I noticed that in this election young people were the main supporters of JLP while older people supported PNP. On the day of the election, Sept. 3, I stayed home. The Peace Corps advised us to stay in our communities/homes. My community is predominately JLP so I saw from the front yard people dressed in green and cars with green flags waving from the car antennas. Shops and businesses closed early so that people can vote and for persons own safety. At night, my host mom, host sister and I were glued to the television as the tallies started coming in. It was so close. For a couple of minutes PNP was in the lead, and then JLP would be in the lead. When the final numbers came in and it showed that JLP won, I heard people in the community banging pots and ringing bells and shouts of joy was coming from outside. I felt so privileged to be here at a time when Jamaica is going through a momentous transition. Bruce Golding came on television and gave a speech on how Jamaicans should work together to build a better Jamaica and told his supporters that they shouldn’t be so boastful as not to upset the other side. Portia Simpson-Miller came on television and said that she will not concede since the votes were so close. A recount was started and during which her party actually lost more seats. So Bruce was sworn in and I guess all of Jamaica is waiting and watching to see if he will keep his promises.

“Do you know Sandy?”

I have started volunteering at the primary school in my community. I am doing several different programs there but my core role is serving as the sponsor of the environmental club. The principal said that an environmental club is needed at the school so now I and another teacher who is assisting me with the club is in charge of over 30 hyper children who are anxious to learn about the environment. The kids’ first assignment was to take trash that they see lying around and turn it into some sort of transportation either a car, truck or bus. I gave them a week to complete the assignment and I told them that the winner would be awarded a prize (that really sparked their interest). A week later I was pleasantly surprised with the creativity of the kids. A lot of them chose to use their juice boxes to form the shape of the car. The first place winner especially impressed me with her truck. I could tell that she put a lot of time into it. So she received the prize of a painting kit. The “Green Club” as it’s called now will put on a skit next week about the effects of burning trash. In Jamaica people either burn their trash, bury it or there is trash pickups in certain communities. In my community it is common for people to burn their trash. I thought to educate the kids on the hazards trash burning poses to the environment and to their health. I wrote the skit but I told the kids that they had to come up with a song and dance to go along with the skit. Last week, they performed for me their song and dance. It was so good. I am really impressed with the kids’ talents. They literally came up with the song on the spot. I had been pressuring them to come up with the song and dance because they only had under two weeks before they presented it to the entire school and I wanted them to have plenty of time to practice. So out of nowhere one of the kids starts singing something, another kid joins in and by the end of their lunch break we had the song and dance. I’m hoping to be able to record it and upload it for your viewing.

When I first arrived at the primary school the kids would ask me “Are you from foreign?” It’s a common question here that little kids ask anyone who has an accent. So I tell them “Yes, I’m from Texas.” Usually the next question is “Do you know Sandy?” Sandy is a character from the cartoon show SpongeBob Squarepants. She is from Texas. Whenever they ask me that I will smile and say “Yeah, I know Sandy.” Their eyes will get so big and they will say “Really, Miss.” And then I say “Yeah, Really.” They’ll oooohhhh and aaaahhhh and ask me all kinds of questions about Sandy and the other characters from the show. The kids at the primary school are 1^st-6^th graders. I think it’s cute how they believe that carton characters are real.

“Let me see you in camera”

I was at school and the guidance counselor says to me “Claudia, let me see you in camera.” I thought she meant let me take your picture. So I said to her that I don’t want my picture taken. The sectary laughs and tells me that isn’t what she wants. Turns out “let me see you in camera” is an old saying that not all Jamaicans use but it means let me see you in private. The guidance counselor wanted me to stop by her office so we could chat privately. I completely missed that. I’ve now adopted that saying. Everyday is something new. This past weekend my friend and I went to Dunn’s River which is a famous tourist spot in Ocho Rios where people come to climb the river. The river is like a huge waterfall. I was determined to climb all the way to the top. It took me and my friend about 45 minutes but we did it and I was so proud of myself. There were a couple of times that I wanted to turn back. The rocks are slippery and I kept on picturing myself slipping on a rock, hitting my head, falling all the way down and drowning at the bottom of the river. I could just see the headline Peace Corps volunteer killed at Dunn’s River. But I didn’t let that deter me from accomplishing my goal, and my friend was really good about motivating me to continue.

As soon as I can I will attach pictures of the swearing-in ceremony, (a ceremony that we had to welcome us as official Peace Corps volunteers) pics of me at Dunn’s River and of all my grand adventures in between. Hope all is well with everyone. Likl muor.

Claudia

THE CONTENTS OF THE WEBSITE ARE  MY OWN OPINIONS AND DOES NOT REFLECT THAT OF THE PEACE CORPS OR THE U.S. GOVERNMENT

THE CONTENTS OF THE WEBSITE ARE  MY OWN OPINIONS AND DOES NOT REFLECT THAT OF THE PEACE CORPS OR THE U.S. GOVERNMENT

Hello All

Where do I start? So much has happened since I last wrote. For the past two weeks I have been living at my site with my host family. My site is the town that I will be working and living in for the next two years. I was used to going to classes all day and being around other Peace Corps volunteers so when the day came for us to leave I was excited but also nervous and apprehensive. I knew that I would be alone at my site, living with a family and working in a community that I know nothing about. We were told that our supervisors would be the person to take us to our site. On that day I had my things packed (it was such a pain having to pack again). I was dressed professionally, sitting in a room with the other volunteers waiting for my supervisor to show up. So I was sitting there patiently, kind of scouting the room trying to see if I could spot him or her before him/her spotted me. To relieve some tension, I turn to my friend and start chatting with her. A couple of minutes into our conversation a man walks up to me and asks “Are you Claudia?” It’s my supervisor. My first thought “Oh, he looks nice.” So we chit-chat for a while. He tells me about himself, I tell him about myself and then he tells me about the agency, the town and what my role will be. After completing a workshop that the Peace Corps had planned for us that afternoon, me and my supervisor head out to my town. And that’s where the story begins……

Okay, this isn’t bad. I can do this

So we are driving, driving, still driving. And as we are driving the scenery is changing. Where they were a lot of people and buildings there is now sugar cane fields, animals and open space. I see the mountains and shanty towns built on them. I’m thinking to myself “is that where I will be?” We are talking the whole way there. I’m asking a bunch of questions, trying to get as much information as I can to prepare myself for what I about to see. So we finally pull up to this home in a rural community and my first thought is “okay this isn’t bad. I can do this.” I was actually expecting worse so I was pleasantly surprised. So I see a lady sitting on her porch and little children surrounding her. My supervisor says “Hello. Mrs.______________ I’m__________. I’m here with your Peace Corps volunteer.” After the formalities with my host mom, he helps me get my stuff into my room and then he leaves.

Introducing Mrs. Blossom and Vanessa

I live with a lady that I call Mrs. Blossom and her granddaughter Vanessa. Mrs. Blossom runs a daycare out of her home so there are always little toddlers running around the house in the mornings before I leave for work.

Mrs. Blossom is:

*Funny

*Kind

*Blunt (In Jamaican culture if you are fat they will call you fat or fatty, any attribute that you have will be used to identify you. They are not trying to be rude its just part of the culture.)

*Loves soap operas---her favorites are Passion, Young and the Restless and another one that I just now forgotten

*She loves country music (When I told her I was from Texas both her and Vanessa got really excited. Country music is really popular here. So is Kenny Rogers and Celine Dion.)

*Seven Day Adventist---If you are like me and don’t know what that is…Seven Day Adventists are Christians who believe the same core Christian beliefs except that they believe the Sabbath is on Saturday so therefore they attend church on Saturdays. I went to church with Mrs. Blossom and Vanessa and we attended morning services for three hours and then came back in the evening for more church—that service lasted a little over an hour. That’s not too bad another volunteer who is living with a Seven Day Adventist attended services for 9 straight hours. They also don’t eat shrimp, crabs, lobster basically any seafood is prohibited besides fish because they consider those types of seafood unclean. They follow the Bible closely. If the Bible says don’t do it or eat it they will not.

Vanessa is:

*11-yrs-old

*Funny

*Very sweet

*Kind

*Generous

*Protective of me--- the first night I was there I had to go to the grocery store and Vanessa said that she would walk with me. I was new so I didn’t feel comfortable walking to the store at night. I asked Vanessa if it was safe she says “don’t worry, I know karate. I’ll protect you.” I absolutely adore her. I wish I can bring her back to US with me. Also whenever I go somewhere for the first time by myself, she will call me to make sure I made it there safely. She gives me advice on where I can and should not go. And what I should do if any of the men approach me. She is very street smart as well as book smart.

Popo is:

The cat that lives with us. She was pregnant during the time that I was there. She had her kittens—3 kittens.

My living conditions are:

*I have my own room inside the house

*There is no hot water--- Taking a cold shower in the mornings was such a pain but now I’m getting used to it. I found out that I am actually fortunate to have cold water. Some PC vol. have no water in their homes. I’m not drinking the water here. I’m drinking bottled water which is getting to be expensive. I eventually will have to drink the water from the sink. My host family drinks the water from the sink. It’s safe but my host mom says that since I am not used to it I should wean myself into drinking it. Some vol. are drinking rain water—they boil it first.

*No air conditioning—a/c is a luxury here in Jamaica. Majority of the people and businesses don’t have a/c and in some places it is cool enough where a/c is not needed. My place is hot and I would love to have a/c but I am managing with a fan.

You are welcomed here

The program director told us before we left for our sites that if we get there and our site is not what we expected then don’t get discouraged but make that site your own. I took that advice to heart. I didn’t know what to expect but I was going to put in the time and effort to make the best of whatever situation I was placed in. My community has been very welcoming. For the past two weeks I have been going to different (with my host family or my supervisor) introducing myself and letting them know what I am doing in their town. Jamaica has what they call “parishes” it is equivalent to our “states.” Each Parish has its own capital. I live and work in St. Catherine which is the most populated parish in Jamaica. People from my community and the people at work have been so nice to me. The PC emphasizes integration and I definitely feel that I am integrating into my community. There is so much more I can tell you about my experiences in my community, and at my job but that will soon come.

“Not changing no course”

The above statement is the popular catch phrase for Jamaica’s current Prime Minister Portia Simpson-Miller. It means that she and her supporters like the way Jamaica is being run and they will continue to follow that course. She represents Jamaica’s “People’s National Party” (PNP) and her opponent is Bruce Golding who represents “Jamaica’s Labour Party” (JLP). The colors for the PNP is orange and red. Although Portia is a part of PNP she has her own color which is yellow. The JLP color is green. Whenever I visit or drive through certain towns I see flags baring the colors of the parties hanging from business or lampposts. Also I see the words JLP or PNP written on the walls of the buildings in those communities. The election will be held Aug. 24 and the atmosphere here is varied. Some of the Jamaicans that I talk to believe that the elections won’t be violent and that if there is a transfer of power it will go smoothly. Others feel that the elections may turn violent and especially if there is a change of power. The PNP have been in power for 18 years. The majority of the people that have expressed their opinions to me want a new change of government. But there is a lot of skepticism as to whether or not the JLP will do a better job than the PNP. From the polls I have seen  in the newspaper, the JLP have a good chance of winning but then again I was told not to believe the polls. I personally feel safe, I am in a safe location. Don’t worry about me. The Peace Corps has a plan to evacuate us from the island if violence does start. We are all waiting to see what will happen.

I hope that you are all doing well. Likl muor (I’ll talk to you later)

Claudia

THE CONTENTS OF THE WEBSITE ARE  MY OWN OPINIONS AND DOES NOT REFLECT THAT OF THE PEACE CORPS OR THE U.S. GOVERNMENT