Hey readers,
Good things so lately for the most part.
--Last Saturday, I went to see the orphans of St. Benedict's play steel pan as the opening group for a music fest. Hopefully how good they were will help shake some of the stigma that the orphans experience, since all of them have some sort of physical or mental ailment. Although I was approached by some weird guy; he didn't seem drunk but I couldn't understand anything he was saying to me and he wouldn't leave me alone. Our HIV/AIDS trainer was around and took notice and together we got the guy to go away. Funny thing was that our trainer, a local, couldn't understand the guy either. On the way back, I was a bit lucky to catch a late bus and we crammed in the most people I've experienced yet....maybe 22 when it is registered to carry perhaps 16. With the rain and really heavy van, it was a long slow ride home--no worries though, this is the Vincy way. ^_^
--So with all the tropical storms in the area, St Vincent has been getting plenty of rain and a humidity that makes everything sweaty. What should I expect...its the Caribbean. : ) I just hope that our other volunteers are doing ok on the other islands. Last I heard, St Kitts is under hurricane warning from Hurricane Omar.
--There is currently a teacher strike across the entire island as they attempt to resolve with the government terms and conditions of a reclassification system, which affects their pay scales. Although I won't get into the nitty gritty, I'll say that it is causing quite a disturbance on the ground. I hope it gets resolved quickly. I am not taking any particular stance on this issue, but I do see how it is affecting the communities. Even though I can't stand how the current scholastic system is performing--both on the part of the schools and the students--it is certainly better to have something functional. Societies are strange. The amount of attention provided during times of strife depends on who or what is causing that strife. The teachers have been protesting their issues now for a few weeks rather loudly and now on strike since Monday going forward--although they have been arguing with government about this for months. If the strike would have come from a different sector of society, perhaps internal government workers or even the police, I'm sure that the response times to sit down for discussion/negotiation would have occured much faster. Again, I am not taking any sides--especially since I don't know all the details--but I personally think that teachers, good teachers, are the foundation for building a better future and deserve the respect and treatment equal to the services they provide.
--Tuesday I began to teach an older gentlemen from a nearby village how to use the computer. He is interested in learning how to use email, since he is currently relying on others to send messages for him to buy a boat from overseas somewhere. Before Tuesday, he had never touched a computer before and although he admitted it was overwhelming, he was very excited to be learning about it. Teaching bare basics, like how to move a mouse and even how to touch a keyboard key properly are things that are easily taken for granted. I was glad to be able to help him and see his responses. Sure, we didn't get much farther than a couple sentences and using MS Paint to connect a few dots for mouse skills--but it was a great start. He didn't mind at all being my guinea pig, since I've never started helping someone from ground zero up and the experience was good for me as well since I will be doing regular classes for people of all ages that have never touched computers. Fortunately, this gentlemen was able to read/write well, so my concerns for later will be for those I will train that can't read/write. Gotta walk before we run.
--A fun little experience. I was at the computer at my host family's house the other day and I noticed a funny looking dark spot bouncing on the floor. I thought it was some strange bug and was pondering if I should squish it or not. A closer look showed that it was actually a really small frog; the entire frog could fit onto the fingernail of my index finger. So small! I have no clue how it got in as the doors and windows were closed, but I captured it and let it go on a plant leaf outside. I'm actually glad to hear the frogs at night. After spending some time in the research labs at Southern Illinois Unv with Dr. Lips, I learned of the Chytridiomycosis bacterium that is causing the deaths of amphibians across the Americas. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chytridiomycosis
--More SVG Animal Planet....we have bats that enjoy roosting in the spaces between the metal sheets of my host family's roof. They are really loud in the evening and when they suffle about. I don't really mind, but it is driving my host parents crazy. Last night, they were taking the broom and whacking the ceiling as they tried to drive them out. I really doubted it worked, since their previous attempts have all failed. I'm not sure if they really cause any damage to the home, perhaps buildup of guano will eat away at the metals over time. Otherwise, I enjoy bats and think they are great for insect control.
--Last night's U.S. presidential debate was a disappointment in my opinion for Obama. Sure, the polls and pundits are saying that he did better overall and that this now makes him 3 for 3. I couldn't ask for better on that part. And yes, he did maintain a cool and collected air about him for the entire thing. I was split on his discussions. Some portions really resonated with me, such as education, while others left me wanting more details. Either way, I really thought that Obama was a bit flat, to echo the words of the analysts. Where is the great speaker and motivator that carried him through the primaries? I am glad to see that he is settling in rather comfortably into the presidential 'look', but I think his tone has lost a bit of its fire. As much as I can't stand Sarah Palin, she seems to have picked up where he left off in terms of energy and enthusiasm during her speeches.
--Which tosses me to my last thought. My village has expressed an interest in reviving the drama group they used to have. I will need to spend time research what that actually entailed, but this is something that several have really wanted help with. I don't know a thing about how to work with or run a drama group--but if it is one thing I know how to do.....is find and bring people and skills together. I might also try to revive the drama group and umbrella other efforts with it as well, such as the steel pan and public speaking efforts--try and put them all into a greater organization and reduce the individualized structure and resources required for each group within a smaller village. So don't be surprised if I shout out a few emails asking for your thoughts and opinions as I seek guidance down the road. ^_^
Stay happy and well.
ciao tutti
~Your local wannabe jedi
~Shawn
No comments:
Post a Comment