Ok I know that I've posted plenty of stuff on beaches and fun times, but I wanted to get the idea out that the 'beach corps' isn't our usual thing. Things are starting to pick up....lots of meetings and little stuff to do. ^_^
Yesterday I went to the Spring Village Primary School, were I did a bit of teacher/classroom shadowning, and talked to the principal and teachers about starting a tutoring program after school. I got over a page of names...a few of them represented almost an entire grade level! All of them needed assistance with literacy, numeracy, or both. The tenative plans will be to run tutoring times Monday and Wednesday 4-5 and 5-6 for the primary kids and Tuesday and Thurdsay 5-6 and 6-7 for the secondary school kids. I have to be very careful with this, because the students really need the extra time and help. However--my major assignment here is not to be a tutor, but to help organizations develop and assist in skills training for all age groups. I will be quickly tying down most of my evenings--which are needed to attend organization meetings and hold workshops. I'll be able to do a limited number of those during the day--but many adults work then.
After talking with the teachers, I went to a nearby town of Chateau--where I helped another volunteer assmble some audio equipment for the primary school there and fixed the principals computer (bad RAM). More computer work came, when I walked to the next village and helped yet another principal's computer because it was running super slow. Hey--what do you expect when you're trying to run bulky WinXP with a host of programs on a 733MHz with 128RAM? That took me all the way till 4pm--grabbed a quick bite at home and came down to the Sping Village Community Center (my main worksite). At 4:30, I sat in on the intro session for an activity sponsored by the National Adult Education Unit (the do skills training around the island). This time around, they were getting ready to start a cake bakig and decorating course--morning and evening classes, 3 days a week for 6 weeks in the community center kitchen. Later on, I worked with the finance sub-committee for the Cumberland Valley Tourism and Environment Group (CVTEG for short. wow, that's a mouthful! Spring Village is in the middle of the Cumberland Valley). We did all sorts of pre-planning and financial guesses for the upcoming tourism renovations for our local beach during the upcoming year. We were there till after 9-930...made long day.
Today, I've been cleaning out a room in the community center that will be for the CBOs and workshops. Scrubbing and mopping away--actually I'm writing this now as I wait for the floors to dry. ^_^ Afterwards, I'll be moving things around in there and trying to make it presentable. It was a dirty storage area beforehand. There isn't any electricity service in that area of the building, although it is already fulled wired with lights and outlets. So I have to meet with the community center committee on Monday at 7pm to discuss getting service in there and maintaining general supplies for the building. I had to pay my own small amount of $ to get wasp spray (EC$7) because of the nests all over the place in the various parts of the center and use my own bleach from home to wash the floors. Mur. >.< Tonight, I'll be tore between my host orgnanization--SUDO--meeting tonight (7?)at the center which will be discussing the upcoming Christmas festivities and the 6:30 meeting at the center with the research and documentation sub-committee for CVTEG.
The fun keeps on coming! I haven't even started any of my own projects yet. ^_^
Need to stay flexible....that's my new mantra.
If anyone wants to suggest good software to create and manage events in a calendar format, let me know. I know that you can do it with MS Outlook--but I dont' like how it looks in the monthly format. We need to create a community calendar and the idea is to be able to print them out and post. We might just end up using the electronic version to track and manage activities and make the posted one by hand.
Floors should be dry now.
Stay safe and well,
ciao tutti
~your local wannabe jedi
~Shawn
30 October 2008
28 October 2008
Happy Independence Day SVG!
Hey readers!
It's been a crazy week, that's for sure. Plenty of things going on—both here and at home.
--CONGRATS!
Not sure if I should be doing this, but I want to shout out the Congrats to a particular couple of homies back home that popped the question and said yes. Who? Find out yourself. Haha, that’s my way of trying to cover myself incase they didn’t want it announced. Oh well, cat’s out of the bag. ^_^
--SHOES!
So, anybody who knows me should know that I am not the world’s biggest connoisseur on shoes. In fact, they would also know that I am certainly not a fan of ‘open’ shoes. I like ‘em able to complete cover with grip—like sneakers. Well, I have 2 new types of shoes that go on both ends of the footwear spectrum. A few weeks ago, I got what everybody else would call galoshes; here they are called water boots. They are almost up to my knees and green; got them from the banana association, so I know they are good stuff. It took a bit of saving from my training money (EC$35), but it makes working in the fields here SOOOO much better and more enjoyable. Cleaning muddy sneakers sucks. >.< During training, I would work sometimes with my hostdad in the ‘backyard’ farm and nobody really saw me in them. Lol…there were some crazy looks from the locals when they saw me walking down the main street in my water boots and ‘bush’ clothes. It was a good thing that they get to see me in such a way that I can say—I am one of you. Well, I’m not yet but after 2 years I’ll probably be a bit closer. Hopefully if I budget right, I’ll be able to afford heavy rubber gloves (EC$20) and a cutlass with a sharpening file (EC$20-10). The cutlass is pretty much a machete with a blade partway down the back edge and a pointy tip. I love my water boots and they are great! I was supposed to go up to the mountain farms to work with the banana farmers this morning, but I never got picked up. : ( Talked to them again and I should get another chance soon.
The other pair of shoes will be more of a shock to the friends and family…but where what I called a necessary evil purchase. I got a pair of flip-flops. I hate them, but they are surely useful. I hate the floppy on the foot slap sound and how they kick back mud, sand, and other small bits. I don’t like how the foot is uncovered and how easily I’ve already stubbed and cut up my toes, not to mention how easily filthy my feet get. Mur. However, they are great to quickly slip on if it starts to rain and I have clothes on the line—found out rained on clothes get smelly when they dry. They are also very good for the beach, as I was getting very tired of having sandy sneakers. So I reserve them for certain occasions and still love my sneakers 100-fold.
--Happy Independence SVG!
Monday was the actual 29th Independence Day of St. Vincent & the Grenadines although the event was celebrated across the weekend. People here proudly displayed their colors of yellow, green, and blue. Patriotism is shown on different levels, much like our displays back home. Soca music, the Caribbean flavor, was played more than usual on the radios. I saw a few people making ‘bamboo cannons’ and heard a few go off, but didn’t see any when they actually fired. That is the local sort of firework, which involves putting oil into a piece of bamboo. I didn’t really see any fireworks like we’d know them from home. Something to note from what I’ve learned so far…and sometimes I wonder if this is a reflection in the general attitudes of the younger Vincentians when it comes to national pride. Whereas the people of the U.S.A. had fought a war over their independence, the people of SVG peaceful negotiated and earned independence from Britain—transitioning from a colonial state to a member of its commonwealth.
--Mustique!
As part of the Independence Day celebrations, a few of the US and Canadian volunteers got on a ferry for a special holiday celebration trip to the Grenadine island of Mustique. Some may know this place to be vacation home to the rich and famous. I’m told that Mic Jagger and Shania Twain, as well as several celebs, have massive homes there. No, I didn’t get to go on any little tours and I didn’t see anybody famous. In fact, in terms of the people around—it seemed rather drab. Granted, the locals were great and they reassured us that the tourist season is just starting and the fact that it is a private island does limit who comes and goes. Visually, the island is stunning. It is the first of my Grenadine experiences and the overall look of the place could have gone on any stereotypical brochure for the tropical Caribbean. White sandy beaches, rolling blue waves, and lush greenery were abundant. I was surprised, but I saw lots of cacti not far from the beachfront. Apparently they grow in this climate nicely. The sand was so fine that it stuck to everything and plenty of it came back home in the crevasse of my trunks. I still get nervous when I swim out in the open waters, but I went out a decent distance with a couple others. I can swim, but I need to become a stronger swimmer and practice more. Of course, I ended up with fairly mean sunburn between the shoulder blades—but I’m building a rather solid tan already from being outside so much. We didn’t have much time on the island, so nearly all of it was spent at a place called Macaroni beach—I have no clue why it is called so, but took lots of pics—and another place, the famous Basil’s Bar & Restaurant. I didn’t have any drinks or eats at Basil’s—it was out of my budget, but the look and layout was cool. Every year they have a large blues festival, maybe I’ll get to go someday.
The other half of the trip was the ride itself. The ferry ride over was absolutely nuts! There was food, drink, and music pounding the whole way. I’ll go on record to say that the whole day I only had 3 beers and one shot (out of a passion-fruit rind), so I wasn’t a wild drunk. People were dancing and having a great time. I thought the ride over was fairly wild, but the return trip blew us away. That evening, all the new volunteers got broken in Vincy-style. Ok, now I’ve said that people here dance…..but for the most part there is only one style of dancing. It is called ‘winding’ almost identical to the ‘grinding’ seen in clubs back home, only that some winding makes most grinding look rated-PG. Now most of the volunteers don’t crazy when we wind and are certainly on the innocent & fun-loving side of the things, keeping it rated-PG. Yes, I was winding a bit—but honestly, I’d prefer a more ‘regular’ kind of dancing that is more interactive with the dance partner and doesn’t feel like I’m trying dry hump someone. Sadly, it is expected as a guy to be involved with this sort of thing and helps gain respect and even prestige among the male peers. Nearly all of the men in our little group had plenty of winding experiences. Sometimes we helped rescue our female companion volunteers—who were quite often sought out by the local men. Yeah, the girls winded a bit too…but I think most of them shared my desire for good dancing fun that didn’t feel so explicit. Unfortunately, if you want to dance and hit the dance floor…better stay with one partner and keep to yourselves. Otherwise, it’s considered fair game on the dance floor. Sure, people get plenty turned down—both men and women—but the offers from both sides will keep coming.
We got back into town much later than we expected and were super lucky to catch vans home. They don’t usually run on Sundays and I think part of our luck was due to people moving about for the holiday. After I got home, I couldn’t really sleep and went out to socialize a bit with my community members. There was a Jamaican artist—Ginjah?—headlining a show down at my local beachfront, so I checked it out. Well, turns out that I didn’t get in since I didn’t want to spend the EC$25, that I didn’t have anyways, on a ticket and I’m glad I didn’t. Found out, as I’ve heard is a bit common for shows like these, the artists tend to start really late—I got there after 11 and he hadn’t taken the stage yet. They also don’t use live bands typically and sing along with cd music. Now I’m not sure, but that is almost karaoke-like and I certainly wouldn’t want to pay for that kind of performance. I’ve heard some people love the shows and others, like me, would want more out of it. Either way, they tend to draw big crowds and most have a really good time. Only stayed about an hour, no drinking or dancing, and it got me some positive face time with some people in the area.
--Getting Involved
I think I’m finally getting a bit more ‘in’ with my community. Sure, I’m still in what many might call our ‘honeymoon’ faze, but I am feeling a bit more settled. I haven’t gotten out into our community as much as I’d like, but I am recognizing faces more often and remembering the names to them. People, not just the kids anymore, call out my name when I pass or when I say hello to them. The van driver will sometimes drop me off next to my home instead of just at the bus stop. I think part of this has been due to a good location of my new apartment and the fact that many people walk by it.
Unfortunately for some reasons still unknown to me, my landlady has decided that she does not wish to rent out the apartment further and my boss is searching for a new home in the village for me. There are a whole host of ups and downs to this—but I’ll remain positive and hope that my new place, wherever it may be, will be suitable and as good of a location as this one….although there are rather few places to rent in a smaller village.
Probably next week, I’ll be starting tutoring sessions. I had talks with the local primary school principal and will meet with primary school teachers in the morning. I’ll most likely be tutoring 4 days a week, 2 hours each day—each broken into 1 hour blocks. Monday/Wednesday will be for the primary levels and Tuesday/Thursday will be for secondary levels. Hopefully, I will identify people within the village who will assist in tutoring sessions so that we may reach more students. I’ll also be working more with the Ministry of Youth to revive the old 4-H club in village and hopefully create a big brother/sister type mentoring project. This will take quite a bit of time before that becomes a reality, but is something for the future. I hope to take more of a backseat role in these so I’ll have time to focus on my community organization development, but these things are sorely needed here as well.
Already, I am digging in with my primary group—SUDO—and building ties with another group, who will be responsible for managing/maintaining tourism project for the nearby Cumberland beach. I’m also peeking into an activity session organized by the government backed Adult Education Unit. As of tomorrow, they will be hosting cake baking and decorating training for enrolled participants. This program will hope to provide the technical skills that could aid a start-up business should the participants so desire. I’ve gotten the keys to the community center and will soon be working on cleaning up a large storage room and transforming it into a ‘community organization center’ room. Here CBOs, as they are known, will be able to come and gather—hold meetings and workshops as well as have space to keep documents and other project materials. It will also become my unofficial office I suppose. Good times. The next real trick will be to work on the community calendar project…to help everybody learn what’s going on where and when and so some spaces are double used. The community center is decently-sized, but within the past week has claimed to host 3 different meetings around the same time on the same day. Fortunately, these won’t need the same rooms, but none of them know about the other meetings….this could be problematic and this is exactly the sort of reason why we need this calendar up and running.
Wow…this is lots to read huh? I suppose the rest will have to wait until later. Unfortunately, the dsl internet seems to go up and down lots here and I pre-typed this Tuesday evening around 7-8pm. The internet was down at the time of this posting and hopefully won’t take too long for me to come back to the community center where I use the internet and post this.
I cast my absentee vote into the mail…..do the right thing and go vote by Nov. 4th. It matters less to me who you vote for, but more importantly that you go and cast your vote.
Stay safe and well everyone.
Ciao tutti
~your local wannabe jedi
~Shawn
It's been a crazy week, that's for sure. Plenty of things going on—both here and at home.
--CONGRATS!
Not sure if I should be doing this, but I want to shout out the Congrats to a particular couple of homies back home that popped the question and said yes. Who? Find out yourself. Haha, that’s my way of trying to cover myself incase they didn’t want it announced. Oh well, cat’s out of the bag. ^_^
--SHOES!
So, anybody who knows me should know that I am not the world’s biggest connoisseur on shoes. In fact, they would also know that I am certainly not a fan of ‘open’ shoes. I like ‘em able to complete cover with grip—like sneakers. Well, I have 2 new types of shoes that go on both ends of the footwear spectrum. A few weeks ago, I got what everybody else would call galoshes; here they are called water boots. They are almost up to my knees and green; got them from the banana association, so I know they are good stuff. It took a bit of saving from my training money (EC$35), but it makes working in the fields here SOOOO much better and more enjoyable. Cleaning muddy sneakers sucks. >.< During training, I would work sometimes with my hostdad in the ‘backyard’ farm and nobody really saw me in them. Lol…there were some crazy looks from the locals when they saw me walking down the main street in my water boots and ‘bush’ clothes. It was a good thing that they get to see me in such a way that I can say—I am one of you. Well, I’m not yet but after 2 years I’ll probably be a bit closer. Hopefully if I budget right, I’ll be able to afford heavy rubber gloves (EC$20) and a cutlass with a sharpening file (EC$20-10). The cutlass is pretty much a machete with a blade partway down the back edge and a pointy tip. I love my water boots and they are great! I was supposed to go up to the mountain farms to work with the banana farmers this morning, but I never got picked up. : ( Talked to them again and I should get another chance soon.
The other pair of shoes will be more of a shock to the friends and family…but where what I called a necessary evil purchase. I got a pair of flip-flops. I hate them, but they are surely useful. I hate the floppy on the foot slap sound and how they kick back mud, sand, and other small bits. I don’t like how the foot is uncovered and how easily I’ve already stubbed and cut up my toes, not to mention how easily filthy my feet get. Mur. However, they are great to quickly slip on if it starts to rain and I have clothes on the line—found out rained on clothes get smelly when they dry. They are also very good for the beach, as I was getting very tired of having sandy sneakers. So I reserve them for certain occasions and still love my sneakers 100-fold.
--Happy Independence SVG!
Monday was the actual 29th Independence Day of St. Vincent & the Grenadines although the event was celebrated across the weekend. People here proudly displayed their colors of yellow, green, and blue. Patriotism is shown on different levels, much like our displays back home. Soca music, the Caribbean flavor, was played more than usual on the radios. I saw a few people making ‘bamboo cannons’ and heard a few go off, but didn’t see any when they actually fired. That is the local sort of firework, which involves putting oil into a piece of bamboo. I didn’t really see any fireworks like we’d know them from home. Something to note from what I’ve learned so far…and sometimes I wonder if this is a reflection in the general attitudes of the younger Vincentians when it comes to national pride. Whereas the people of the U.S.A. had fought a war over their independence, the people of SVG peaceful negotiated and earned independence from Britain—transitioning from a colonial state to a member of its commonwealth.
--Mustique!
As part of the Independence Day celebrations, a few of the US and Canadian volunteers got on a ferry for a special holiday celebration trip to the Grenadine island of Mustique. Some may know this place to be vacation home to the rich and famous. I’m told that Mic Jagger and Shania Twain, as well as several celebs, have massive homes there. No, I didn’t get to go on any little tours and I didn’t see anybody famous. In fact, in terms of the people around—it seemed rather drab. Granted, the locals were great and they reassured us that the tourist season is just starting and the fact that it is a private island does limit who comes and goes. Visually, the island is stunning. It is the first of my Grenadine experiences and the overall look of the place could have gone on any stereotypical brochure for the tropical Caribbean. White sandy beaches, rolling blue waves, and lush greenery were abundant. I was surprised, but I saw lots of cacti not far from the beachfront. Apparently they grow in this climate nicely. The sand was so fine that it stuck to everything and plenty of it came back home in the crevasse of my trunks. I still get nervous when I swim out in the open waters, but I went out a decent distance with a couple others. I can swim, but I need to become a stronger swimmer and practice more. Of course, I ended up with fairly mean sunburn between the shoulder blades—but I’m building a rather solid tan already from being outside so much. We didn’t have much time on the island, so nearly all of it was spent at a place called Macaroni beach—I have no clue why it is called so, but took lots of pics—and another place, the famous Basil’s Bar & Restaurant. I didn’t have any drinks or eats at Basil’s—it was out of my budget, but the look and layout was cool. Every year they have a large blues festival, maybe I’ll get to go someday.
The other half of the trip was the ride itself. The ferry ride over was absolutely nuts! There was food, drink, and music pounding the whole way. I’ll go on record to say that the whole day I only had 3 beers and one shot (out of a passion-fruit rind), so I wasn’t a wild drunk. People were dancing and having a great time. I thought the ride over was fairly wild, but the return trip blew us away. That evening, all the new volunteers got broken in Vincy-style. Ok, now I’ve said that people here dance…..but for the most part there is only one style of dancing. It is called ‘winding’ almost identical to the ‘grinding’ seen in clubs back home, only that some winding makes most grinding look rated-PG. Now most of the volunteers don’t crazy when we wind and are certainly on the innocent & fun-loving side of the things, keeping it rated-PG. Yes, I was winding a bit—but honestly, I’d prefer a more ‘regular’ kind of dancing that is more interactive with the dance partner and doesn’t feel like I’m trying dry hump someone. Sadly, it is expected as a guy to be involved with this sort of thing and helps gain respect and even prestige among the male peers. Nearly all of the men in our little group had plenty of winding experiences. Sometimes we helped rescue our female companion volunteers—who were quite often sought out by the local men. Yeah, the girls winded a bit too…but I think most of them shared my desire for good dancing fun that didn’t feel so explicit. Unfortunately, if you want to dance and hit the dance floor…better stay with one partner and keep to yourselves. Otherwise, it’s considered fair game on the dance floor. Sure, people get plenty turned down—both men and women—but the offers from both sides will keep coming.
We got back into town much later than we expected and were super lucky to catch vans home. They don’t usually run on Sundays and I think part of our luck was due to people moving about for the holiday. After I got home, I couldn’t really sleep and went out to socialize a bit with my community members. There was a Jamaican artist—Ginjah?—headlining a show down at my local beachfront, so I checked it out. Well, turns out that I didn’t get in since I didn’t want to spend the EC$25, that I didn’t have anyways, on a ticket and I’m glad I didn’t. Found out, as I’ve heard is a bit common for shows like these, the artists tend to start really late—I got there after 11 and he hadn’t taken the stage yet. They also don’t use live bands typically and sing along with cd music. Now I’m not sure, but that is almost karaoke-like and I certainly wouldn’t want to pay for that kind of performance. I’ve heard some people love the shows and others, like me, would want more out of it. Either way, they tend to draw big crowds and most have a really good time. Only stayed about an hour, no drinking or dancing, and it got me some positive face time with some people in the area.
--Getting Involved
I think I’m finally getting a bit more ‘in’ with my community. Sure, I’m still in what many might call our ‘honeymoon’ faze, but I am feeling a bit more settled. I haven’t gotten out into our community as much as I’d like, but I am recognizing faces more often and remembering the names to them. People, not just the kids anymore, call out my name when I pass or when I say hello to them. The van driver will sometimes drop me off next to my home instead of just at the bus stop. I think part of this has been due to a good location of my new apartment and the fact that many people walk by it.
Unfortunately for some reasons still unknown to me, my landlady has decided that she does not wish to rent out the apartment further and my boss is searching for a new home in the village for me. There are a whole host of ups and downs to this—but I’ll remain positive and hope that my new place, wherever it may be, will be suitable and as good of a location as this one….although there are rather few places to rent in a smaller village.
Probably next week, I’ll be starting tutoring sessions. I had talks with the local primary school principal and will meet with primary school teachers in the morning. I’ll most likely be tutoring 4 days a week, 2 hours each day—each broken into 1 hour blocks. Monday/Wednesday will be for the primary levels and Tuesday/Thursday will be for secondary levels. Hopefully, I will identify people within the village who will assist in tutoring sessions so that we may reach more students. I’ll also be working more with the Ministry of Youth to revive the old 4-H club in village and hopefully create a big brother/sister type mentoring project. This will take quite a bit of time before that becomes a reality, but is something for the future. I hope to take more of a backseat role in these so I’ll have time to focus on my community organization development, but these things are sorely needed here as well.
Already, I am digging in with my primary group—SUDO—and building ties with another group, who will be responsible for managing/maintaining tourism project for the nearby Cumberland beach. I’m also peeking into an activity session organized by the government backed Adult Education Unit. As of tomorrow, they will be hosting cake baking and decorating training for enrolled participants. This program will hope to provide the technical skills that could aid a start-up business should the participants so desire. I’ve gotten the keys to the community center and will soon be working on cleaning up a large storage room and transforming it into a ‘community organization center’ room. Here CBOs, as they are known, will be able to come and gather—hold meetings and workshops as well as have space to keep documents and other project materials. It will also become my unofficial office I suppose. Good times. The next real trick will be to work on the community calendar project…to help everybody learn what’s going on where and when and so some spaces are double used. The community center is decently-sized, but within the past week has claimed to host 3 different meetings around the same time on the same day. Fortunately, these won’t need the same rooms, but none of them know about the other meetings….this could be problematic and this is exactly the sort of reason why we need this calendar up and running.
Wow…this is lots to read huh? I suppose the rest will have to wait until later. Unfortunately, the dsl internet seems to go up and down lots here and I pre-typed this Tuesday evening around 7-8pm. The internet was down at the time of this posting and hopefully won’t take too long for me to come back to the community center where I use the internet and post this.
I cast my absentee vote into the mail…..do the right thing and go vote by Nov. 4th. It matters less to me who you vote for, but more importantly that you go and cast your vote.
Stay safe and well everyone.
Ciao tutti
~your local wannabe jedi
~Shawn
22 October 2008
Ready.....Steady.....GO!!!
And it's official! I am now a fully-fledged volunteer, with all the right and duties and ups and downs that come with the role. ^_^ On Monday, the 20th, we had a good-sized ceremony at a government center with several officials and people of note. It was conducted by our boss on SVG, Mr. Cool, and our country director, Margo (out of St Lucia). One of our group was nominated to give a speech it was awesome. Normally I would have taken a ton of photos, but I was sitting in a 'special section' for us....so one of the other volunteers took some good ones. The local media crews filmed the whole thing and they told me I could get a digital copy later....just have to follow up on that.
--Here's a pic of EC78, our crew. Kudos to us, nobody quit! Actually, nobody quit from any of the EC78 crew--including those that went to St Kitts & Nevis or St Lucia. Our staff is so pleased--they say that usually 10% of volunteers drop before training ends.
So becoming a regular volunteer also means that I'm now on my own. Saturday and Sunday I moved into my own apartment in the village. It's a cute little place--kitchen, bathroom, main room and 2 bedrooms--yeah I can have guests. There are a few issues that I won't discuss here....but I will say that a previous volunteer (a couple years ago) made a real hard time for the landlady which is causing grief for the Peace Corps now. I'm in a spot that is conviently located for the places I'll be working and the locals can pass by regularly. Because lots of kids pass by there and they know my name--I get shouted out regularly. I'm still getting used to them calling out my name and when I answer, they don't. I guess they just like to same my name. ^_^
Tomorrow I am going to town to try and negotiate getting my cable internet installed. The dsl here (Cable and Wireless) is down regularly--even though the locals say it is better than the cable internet provider (Karib Cable). What sucks is the massive deposit they require for 'non-locals', even though we are here by request and will be here for 2 years. Sure we get that deposit back (or should), but coming up with the cash right away is not cool or easy. I suppose complaing doesn't help. I mean, I was expecting dial-up and for the cutthroat price of around 10% of my monthly allowance I will get a whopping 1.1 (supposedly) Mbps 'high-speed' service. It really makes me appreciate my job with Comcast back home...
For those that keep tabs on the weather--Hurricane Omar had done a quick sweep and passed over the north end of the island chain, hitting St Kitts & Nevis. Gladly, all of the volunteers and I'd hope the locals are all ok and safe. The waves caused from the hurricane came all the way down here in force. It destroyed lots of fishing boats and jetties on our northern coasts. Even Kingstown, on the southern end, of St Vincent had high waves. The pic below was taken near one of the bus terminals. Previously, there were wooden stalls that lined the row and the waves destroyed them all and washed them down the street. The wave in the pic is probably 10 feet or so high over the cement wall--probably 16 feet or so altogether as it hit the land.
Today, I attended another meeting of the Cumberland Valley Environmental Group--an organization here in the village. They meet to discuss a project that will be going on with the nearby beach. The government had requested tourism facilities be erected around SVG to help cope with the collapse of the banana trades here. After several years, this project should soon be ready to break ground and finish before the end of 2009. Although the government requested it and the European Union is helping fund it and will operate with a non-government team here, the local community will be responsibile for it after it is complete. Unfortunately, I'm learning that the community really isn't on board with this project and feel very closed out of the process. The project team is looking to me to help bring aspects of this group together and train them; whereas the local group will need my help to try and find advocates to bring them into the project process. This one will end up becoming some delicate balancing acts and seems to be one of my first activities....
I'll also be starting my 2nd pupil for computer training. The group's secretary does very well with records and seems to do a good job. She doesn't know how to use a computer--so I'll be showing her how to maximize her secretarial duties. Hopefully my payback will be learning/meeting more people here in the village. I haven't met too many adults yet and this will be a good inroads.
I think the NGO Developer role that I've been assigned to will be a good fit for me and will become a double positive. On one side, I'll be helping the people of Spring Village with skills training and organizational development and on the other side, I'll be gaining massive amounts of practical experience that will assist me in graduate school and hopefully politics & policy.
Before I kick-off here, I thought I'd toss up one last photo....
After our 'graduation', the other volunteers who have already been here a year invited us for a swim & chill on the beach at a place called Beachcombers (total tourist area and not our normal place to go). I decided it was time for another tasty round of coconut water and for only EC$2 ($1.50 away from tourist areas) it was still cheaper and better than a soda. There are 2 common kinds of coconuts--the kind you usually drink they call here a waternut. It was a bit strange to me at first, but it's growing on me. I guess this shot is a bit of a caribbean classic.
The SVG independence day is coming up on the 27th. On Sunday the 26th, I hope to be going on a trip to the island of Mustique--land of the rich and famous--on a special independence boat ride. Still have to figure out how I'm getting to town and back for that--since the buses don't usually run on Sundays...more to come later.
Stay safe and happy
ciao tutti
~your local wannabe jedi
~Shawn
--Here's a pic of EC78, our crew. Kudos to us, nobody quit! Actually, nobody quit from any of the EC78 crew--including those that went to St Kitts & Nevis or St Lucia. Our staff is so pleased--they say that usually 10% of volunteers drop before training ends.
So becoming a regular volunteer also means that I'm now on my own. Saturday and Sunday I moved into my own apartment in the village. It's a cute little place--kitchen, bathroom, main room and 2 bedrooms--yeah I can have guests. There are a few issues that I won't discuss here....but I will say that a previous volunteer (a couple years ago) made a real hard time for the landlady which is causing grief for the Peace Corps now. I'm in a spot that is conviently located for the places I'll be working and the locals can pass by regularly. Because lots of kids pass by there and they know my name--I get shouted out regularly. I'm still getting used to them calling out my name and when I answer, they don't. I guess they just like to same my name. ^_^
Tomorrow I am going to town to try and negotiate getting my cable internet installed. The dsl here (Cable and Wireless) is down regularly--even though the locals say it is better than the cable internet provider (Karib Cable). What sucks is the massive deposit they require for 'non-locals', even though we are here by request and will be here for 2 years. Sure we get that deposit back (or should), but coming up with the cash right away is not cool or easy. I suppose complaing doesn't help. I mean, I was expecting dial-up and for the cutthroat price of around 10% of my monthly allowance I will get a whopping 1.1 (supposedly) Mbps 'high-speed' service. It really makes me appreciate my job with Comcast back home...
For those that keep tabs on the weather--Hurricane Omar had done a quick sweep and passed over the north end of the island chain, hitting St Kitts & Nevis. Gladly, all of the volunteers and I'd hope the locals are all ok and safe. The waves caused from the hurricane came all the way down here in force. It destroyed lots of fishing boats and jetties on our northern coasts. Even Kingstown, on the southern end, of St Vincent had high waves. The pic below was taken near one of the bus terminals. Previously, there were wooden stalls that lined the row and the waves destroyed them all and washed them down the street. The wave in the pic is probably 10 feet or so high over the cement wall--probably 16 feet or so altogether as it hit the land.
Today, I attended another meeting of the Cumberland Valley Environmental Group--an organization here in the village. They meet to discuss a project that will be going on with the nearby beach. The government had requested tourism facilities be erected around SVG to help cope with the collapse of the banana trades here. After several years, this project should soon be ready to break ground and finish before the end of 2009. Although the government requested it and the European Union is helping fund it and will operate with a non-government team here, the local community will be responsibile for it after it is complete. Unfortunately, I'm learning that the community really isn't on board with this project and feel very closed out of the process. The project team is looking to me to help bring aspects of this group together and train them; whereas the local group will need my help to try and find advocates to bring them into the project process. This one will end up becoming some delicate balancing acts and seems to be one of my first activities....
I'll also be starting my 2nd pupil for computer training. The group's secretary does very well with records and seems to do a good job. She doesn't know how to use a computer--so I'll be showing her how to maximize her secretarial duties. Hopefully my payback will be learning/meeting more people here in the village. I haven't met too many adults yet and this will be a good inroads.
I think the NGO Developer role that I've been assigned to will be a good fit for me and will become a double positive. On one side, I'll be helping the people of Spring Village with skills training and organizational development and on the other side, I'll be gaining massive amounts of practical experience that will assist me in graduate school and hopefully politics & policy.
Before I kick-off here, I thought I'd toss up one last photo....
After our 'graduation', the other volunteers who have already been here a year invited us for a swim & chill on the beach at a place called Beachcombers (total tourist area and not our normal place to go). I decided it was time for another tasty round of coconut water and for only EC$2 ($1.50 away from tourist areas) it was still cheaper and better than a soda. There are 2 common kinds of coconuts--the kind you usually drink they call here a waternut. It was a bit strange to me at first, but it's growing on me. I guess this shot is a bit of a caribbean classic.
The SVG independence day is coming up on the 27th. On Sunday the 26th, I hope to be going on a trip to the island of Mustique--land of the rich and famous--on a special independence boat ride. Still have to figure out how I'm getting to town and back for that--since the buses don't usually run on Sundays...more to come later.
Stay safe and happy
ciao tutti
~your local wannabe jedi
~Shawn
16 October 2008
Frogs and Bats oh my
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
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
10 October 2008
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
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
04 October 2008
Good stuff--Star Wars and Peanut Butter and Obama ^_^
Hey readers,
For those that know me--they know I am a total Star Wars geek. I must admit, that I am much more spoiled here than I ever thought I would be in the Peace Corps. While I don't know if I will be able to afford tv services, my host family has 'basic cable' which includes not only CNN, but Cartoon Network as well. Last night was the start of the new Star Wars Clone Wars cartoon. Not too bad. I don't particularly like the new kid feel--I'd rather have some new films for episodes 7,8, and 9 done in cartoon format. Yet, I understand that the cartoons will nurture a whole new generation of Star Wars geeks (yeah! ^_^) and if I had to judge the new show on the basis of a kids cartoon--it was rather decent. No complaints overall.
The other night I made dinner for everyone here at the home stay (becoming a normal thing). Paige--my host niece? The 10 yr old--has expressed interest in helping in the kitchen, so I've made her my little apprentice....no not padawan, lol. We experimented and I came up with a 'homemade' peanut sauce that was really yummy when tossed with pasta and soy chicken and onions. If you feel like trying it-go with peanut butter, soy sauce, vinegar (we used white vinegar), garlic and ginger (we used fresh grated and sauteed it a bit), and water to thin it out. Combine and stir---delicious! ^_^
Got my 1st piece of snail mail today....a letter from Amy. It was awesome receiving something tangible, despite the ease and use of email. It only took 2 weeks to arrive. That's better than the 3 weeks we were told to expect. Thanks Amy! ^_^
Today my host dad and I got into it about vegetarian diets. It was more funny that anything else. I think he enjoyed giving me what people back home would know as 'Brownie logic'--almost an arguement for arguement's sake. No worries, he was smiling almost the whole time. Being a part-time farmer with livestock, he eats them from time to time. But what I found funny about it--he doesn't kill them himself. Both he and my host mom need someone to do the job and butcher it up a bit. I suppose that's what happens when you raise some animal and get attached. Lessons of live I suppose.
ggrrr......why is it that Governor Palin make me so grumpy? If compentency was measured like a few tank--she's running on fumes. It is all to obvious that she was chosen to try and claim executive experience (um...what about her all too real corruption issues only a few months in the gov. chair already). Oh yeah....she's a woman. All too many women are swinging her direction for the empowerment it supposedly brings. I am all for equal rights and seeing a woman in the oval office one day--but she is definetly not the one to do it. If anyone thought it was rough under President Bush--just let her open her mouth just a bit longer than her cue cards primed her for and you will see just how scary a future with her leadership could become.
B-Rock the Vote!
keeping it local. ^_^ stay well.
ciao tutti
~your local wannabe jedi
~Shawn
For those that know me--they know I am a total Star Wars geek. I must admit, that I am much more spoiled here than I ever thought I would be in the Peace Corps. While I don't know if I will be able to afford tv services, my host family has 'basic cable' which includes not only CNN, but Cartoon Network as well. Last night was the start of the new Star Wars Clone Wars cartoon. Not too bad. I don't particularly like the new kid feel--I'd rather have some new films for episodes 7,8, and 9 done in cartoon format. Yet, I understand that the cartoons will nurture a whole new generation of Star Wars geeks (yeah! ^_^) and if I had to judge the new show on the basis of a kids cartoon--it was rather decent. No complaints overall.
The other night I made dinner for everyone here at the home stay (becoming a normal thing). Paige--my host niece? The 10 yr old--has expressed interest in helping in the kitchen, so I've made her my little apprentice....no not padawan, lol. We experimented and I came up with a 'homemade' peanut sauce that was really yummy when tossed with pasta and soy chicken and onions. If you feel like trying it-go with peanut butter, soy sauce, vinegar (we used white vinegar), garlic and ginger (we used fresh grated and sauteed it a bit), and water to thin it out. Combine and stir---delicious! ^_^
Got my 1st piece of snail mail today....a letter from Amy. It was awesome receiving something tangible, despite the ease and use of email. It only took 2 weeks to arrive. That's better than the 3 weeks we were told to expect. Thanks Amy! ^_^
Today my host dad and I got into it about vegetarian diets. It was more funny that anything else. I think he enjoyed giving me what people back home would know as 'Brownie logic'--almost an arguement for arguement's sake. No worries, he was smiling almost the whole time. Being a part-time farmer with livestock, he eats them from time to time. But what I found funny about it--he doesn't kill them himself. Both he and my host mom need someone to do the job and butcher it up a bit. I suppose that's what happens when you raise some animal and get attached. Lessons of live I suppose.
ggrrr......why is it that Governor Palin make me so grumpy? If compentency was measured like a few tank--she's running on fumes. It is all to obvious that she was chosen to try and claim executive experience (um...what about her all too real corruption issues only a few months in the gov. chair already). Oh yeah....she's a woman. All too many women are swinging her direction for the empowerment it supposedly brings. I am all for equal rights and seeing a woman in the oval office one day--but she is definetly not the one to do it. If anyone thought it was rough under President Bush--just let her open her mouth just a bit longer than her cue cards primed her for and you will see just how scary a future with her leadership could become.
B-Rock the Vote!
keeping it local. ^_^ stay well.
ciao tutti
~your local wannabe jedi
~Shawn
02 October 2008
My village and it's debate day!
Hey all,
I got a visit from my country director today--she is based out of St Lucia (an island to the North). It was a nice visit, talked for a bit at my homestay, and we shared some thoughts on all sorts of good things. I did ask about the level of what I can post online--word or pic--and have gotten the official ok on most things within reason. So for those of you that want to know where I am on the map....click on my lil map of St Vincent and look for the little place called Spring Village. ^_^ I don't look that far from the main town of Kingstown, perhaps 8 miles in a straight line. However, given the way the roads curve and the type of road conditions and traffic flow--it is acutually a 45-60 min ride depending on the driver. So here I am! ^_^
So I know that I said I've been spoiled here by having CNN. I supposed I didn't realize how spoiled until I wanted to watch tonight's VP debate. What happened? The island cable company went down in many parts of the island including my own. With night transportation being nil....it didn't appear to be a good night for me. Yeah, unlike the cable company I recently worked for--I highly doubt the repair teams will be working 24/7 to fix the problems. I don't think the area services are such that it would be warranted as necessary anyway. >.<
At least I was able to get my laptop online via dsl and kinda stream it from cnn.com/live. I tried a few other sites as well, but this was the best feed I could get. Even this one was REALLY choppy. Video wasn't really there, but at least most of the audio when smoothly. So I am content to at least hear it. Not that these debates would be changing my vote, but I've been looking forward to see how these personalities would clash, listen to the debating styles, and see just how many of the questions they would answer straightforward.
So no matter what your opinion is--GO OUT AND VOTE!
Don't take your rights for granted and use your civic power.
But for now, it is past my bedtime. ^_^
stay safe and well.
ciao tutti
~your wannabe jedi
~Shawn
I got a visit from my country director today--she is based out of St Lucia (an island to the North). It was a nice visit, talked for a bit at my homestay, and we shared some thoughts on all sorts of good things. I did ask about the level of what I can post online--word or pic--and have gotten the official ok on most things within reason. So for those of you that want to know where I am on the map....click on my lil map of St Vincent and look for the little place called Spring Village. ^_^ I don't look that far from the main town of Kingstown, perhaps 8 miles in a straight line. However, given the way the roads curve and the type of road conditions and traffic flow--it is acutually a 45-60 min ride depending on the driver. So here I am! ^_^
So I know that I said I've been spoiled here by having CNN. I supposed I didn't realize how spoiled until I wanted to watch tonight's VP debate. What happened? The island cable company went down in many parts of the island including my own. With night transportation being nil....it didn't appear to be a good night for me. Yeah, unlike the cable company I recently worked for--I highly doubt the repair teams will be working 24/7 to fix the problems. I don't think the area services are such that it would be warranted as necessary anyway. >.<
At least I was able to get my laptop online via dsl and kinda stream it from cnn.com/live. I tried a few other sites as well, but this was the best feed I could get. Even this one was REALLY choppy. Video wasn't really there, but at least most of the audio when smoothly. So I am content to at least hear it. Not that these debates would be changing my vote, but I've been looking forward to see how these personalities would clash, listen to the debating styles, and see just how many of the questions they would answer straightforward.
So no matter what your opinion is--GO OUT AND VOTE!
Don't take your rights for granted and use your civic power.
But for now, it is past my bedtime. ^_^
stay safe and well.
ciao tutti
~your wannabe jedi
~Shawn
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