Culture Spin

Hey everyone!
Hope things are rocking well back home and around the world. ^_^
Today will be a strange post. I like strange. It's a good mix up from the regularity.

First--I sleep on a bed right now. Full size I think; rather nice too and the frame puts the mattress up to my waist. For those that know me, I like to sleep close to the floor and used to have my mattress on the floor without the frame or boxspring. Sleeping up a bit higher and with more bounce simply feels a bit off....if you gather what I'm saying. It is a really nice setup my host family has provided, but I think I'm going back floor bound when I move out in a week.

Second--a shout out to one of the volunteers, Noah, who has suggested read a book called Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. Apparently, for those who know philosophy books then you will most likely know the title. He found it at the little library the volunteers keep that our office and gave it to me. I'm about 80 pages (of 380ish?) in and really enjoying it. You don't have to be into philosophy or know anything about it and no, it isn't about Zen or actual motorcycle maintenance either. I totally thought of Greg back home when I got to chapter 3 because the main character is trying to argue a point to his friends about why ghosts don't exist in reality and compares it to gravity. He started to say that gravity doesn't exist.....well, it really wacky and good. Give it a shot if you get the time.

Third--I have a strange confession and fear to admit. I think I am slowly losing my voice over the years and wonder if it will completely go away. My voice used to be quite loud and I could do all sorts of noises, voices, and sound effects. Gradually, it has become weaker and weaker. I can't really project it at all to an audience. I was in a quiet training class here and the instructor at the other end of the tables couldn't even hear me. Actually, I am often asked to repeat things not because I don't speak slowly or clearly but because I am not loud enough. My throat gets sore from time to time, but doesn't worsen my speech when it is like that. I never really gave it any thought back home but now that I am more conscious of the loudness of my environment--depending where I am here--it has been problematic.

Lastly--have you ever been in a position where you thought you are solidly affiliated with a particular social label and then wondered just how accurate that labeling might be? Ok, maybe I didn't make sense.... I'd say that I'm certainly on the left wing of most values making me quite liberal. However, when I see how some of the locals talk, dress, act, etc.......my brain keeps screaming stop it, put something else on, don't say that, etc. The very things that race through my mind are what would normally have been seen as conservative value statements. It seems quite strange to catch myself thinking about where on fence I sit. I know I am still a green, eco-dork liberal--but I still wonder about where I am and how that actually fits. Don't get me wrong, the people here are wonderful, simply a different culture.

Back to more normal stuff--
So what's up with the McCain campaign lately? If the people at his rallies keep getting worked up like they do; I wouldn't be surprised if there were riots and other public disturbances soon.

I performed a professional assessment of the NGO I am working with here in Spring Village. It was part of my final training projects and I haven't gotten my feedback yet. I plan to review it with the organization later-but they are not going to like what I have to say. At least it gives us starting ground for things to work on. I will certainly have my hands full.....

Went to an agricultural and agro-business expo yesterday. It has been raining quite a bit so the fields that had the booths was super wet/muddy. I got totally dirty, but it was lots of fun. I met several interesting organizations and made a few contacts. There is a vested interest here to bring in biogas production from the masses of bananas that end of rotting because they didn't meet export quality standards. Lots of different products were showcased from farmer co-ops on the other islands (Grenada, St Lucia, and Dominica). Got to taste a few awesome treats too. ^_^ good times.

oh....gotta go. the laptop battery has hit near crit power and I don't want to lose this. >.<
stay safe and happy
ciao tutti
~your local wannabe jedi
~Shawn