The best beer I ever bought -

I was walking alone on the main just two days ago (first time since being pushed) and like usual I was saying hello to everyone. My heart broke when I stopped in to say hello to an elderly person in the community- her shop was empty of all goods and I noticed that she had been sleeping on the floor with her chickens. So after chatting with the lady for a good while I noticed that she did have a lot of empty beer bottles so I decided to order a beer. She told me it would cost $130 JD (about $1.30) but I insisted on paying her $150. I gave her a large bill for her to break and she came back with the change and a big smile but no beer. I asked her where the beer was and she kindly informed me that she didn’t have any but was very grateful that I bought her a beer for later : ) I just laughed and went on my way.

Recently I have had my most trying points yet in the Peace Corps. Luckily, Peace Corps Volunteer Nexta came to my site today and she was able to really cheer me up. Just seeing my site through a new perspective revigurated me. Also, tonight’s club meeting went very well. I brought my radio and iPod so we started off the meeting with Michael Jackson’s “Beat It”. We are moving the club in a new direction and we had a visit from the well respected community Councilor.

“Don’t worry, about a thing, cause every little thing gonna be alright.”
I think Bob Marley might have been right.

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I wrote this post last night. Today I found out that my community thinks I was tied up, beaten, and left in the jungle. In reality I was just pushed and then ran off into the jungle to get away.

ALSO, in a nearby town a man's head was found in a plastic bag. Crazy times…

Dont start nothinn wont be nothin

Read the previous post first.

The past two days have been mentally exhausting. I think my nerves are just starting to get back to normal. Now, I am just frustrated.

All the volunteers love how "I was pushed". Even though they find my adventure hiding in the jungle funny, they understand why it was frightening. Even I think it’s kind of funny.

I don’t think I did anything wrong that would provoke an attack. I could improve the way I travel but not drastically. I live in the “deep country” so there isn’t much I can do. I can walk; hitch a ride; or wait over an hour for someone I know to pick me up. But if I wait too long I could be stuck at night and forced to pay an expensive fare for a private cab. Living in the deep country presents more transportation issues than most of the other volunteers experience.

Luckily, Nexta is coming to my site to help me teach summer school for a week. There's nothing like work to get you back in the swing of things.

I still love the Peace Corps so if start your applications now, it’s amazing. Well, the pay isn’t but the life style is. Livin Big!


My new lap top comes soon!!!!

Crazy Times

Attacked


I don’t have a lot of time on the libraries computer….

Basically, I was walking home at dusk and I was hit from behind. I hit the ground hard scratching my palms but was able to bounce back up and instinctively jump into the “bush”/jungle and start running. Running in the bush is SLOW!!!!! and you get torn up by all the thorns. I didn’t see anything, but could tell that the person who jumped me was wearing shoes (a lot of people in my community are farmers and wear big plastic boots). This is important because originally I thought the person who jumped me was a man who that day invited me to come back to his land later and look for giant boa constrictors. WHAT?! But that guy had the big plastic boots on. That’s all I know, shoes, oh and that he was big. The pain in my neck proves that much….

So back to the story, I sat in the bush for a very long time; so long it’s embarrassing. I thought I heard something out there with me so I just sat…. Eventually I started walking and came across some goats and decided to sit with them thinking the giant snakes would be less likely to eat me with the tasty goats around. But after a while sitting I thought the owner of the goats might come across me and kill me thinking I was an intruder (there where no trespassing signs with a depiction of someone being shot). Plus with all the spiders and bugs crawling on me I was just fed up. Eventually, all the adrenalin turned to anger (forgot to mention I dropped my bag with my camera and ipod because it was slowing me down and would be the likely target for the vandal). So I came up with this ludicrous idea that I would run to Studs house (not even a ¼ of a mile away) grab his machete and beg him to come back with me to rescue my belongings. When I arrived I started telling him what happen but that anger melted away and I broke down.

Today I went back with Stud and after 10 minutes of searching I found my bag! Stud then brought me into the police station. Only when I was reporting the incident did I realize how stupid it sounded on paper….
Man pushed... Injury- small scratches... Description- person wearing shoes...

Gavin’s Adventures in the Peace Corps. Lovin’ it!

By the way, my communinity might have a bad apple but it’s still way cool. Plus I am the only Peace Corps volunteer in the Parish/County of St. James now because the only other couldn’t handle it. Got to keep my St. James pride.

On a side note, summer school is starting up again: ) and I am writing a big grant for a new water system at the school. I have up to 3K USD to write for.

School was going great….

For the past three weeks I was teaching summer school at the All Age School and I loved it! But because of a long chain of events school has been canceled for the entire week : (

So every morning this week I would wake up at my usual 7:30, eat breakfast and walk down to the school. A few kids show up every morning expecting summer school. So for about an hour I sit on the steps of the school and we work on Language skills. I teach them proper English and they in turn teach me Patwa. After reading The Ugly American (highly recommended for people entering or thinking about Peace Corps) I approach my service in a different way. I am putting a lot more emphasis on integrating into my community and not with other Peace Corps volunteers.

Spoke to a lot of people back home, Lauren D. Dan K. my mom, my dad, my brother, Darren E, and tried to call a few others. It was great to hear from all of you. Miss you and come visit soon!

I am writing grants today. Working on starting a Farmers Co-op, and getting my hands on some teaching materials. Have to run!


ADDITION:
Grant-

I want travel to the surrounding schools to install “Self Closing Bubblers” - water fountains and discus germ transition. Currently, almost all the students in Jamaica use their germ ridden hands as cups. Even I do it occasionally. Plus, many schools have water shortage issues (quickly burn through their water storage tanks and go days without water). Water fountians would increase the schools health standards and conserve water. I have many grandiose ideas, but I think this simple improvement would bring the greatest impact from the smallest cost.

Pictures from Facebook

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"Big Up"...."Computer Down"

Wowzers, it’s been hard for me to find access to the internet.

I received a box of educational material in the mail from my mom and the material and the little experience I have picked up has vastly improved my teaching ability. I am really enjoying teaching my own class.

Community Crime update-

In terms of the national security code crime color thingamajig, I would call it code level Red. No recent shootings but more are likely.

Went Salsa dancing in Kingston with a few volunteers. Heaps of fun!

Highlights of the week-

Getting into a taxi and the driver pulling over at a mechanic shop to get something fixed then driving to his home to “change into fresh clothing”, 10 minutes later someone comes out and tells me that the driver will be out soon after he is finished with his bath.

Dear President Obama:

Just in case you are curious, I have personally tested every single mosquito in Jamaica and I am pleased to report Malaria is not present.

Gavin Finnegan

P.S. Please send anti-itch cream.

Insight-

“Peace Corps , the hardest job you will ever love.”

False, mowing my neighbor’s lawn for $10 was much worse.

Ha

On a serious note

Big up yourself!

Gavin

Bust!

Last night I found out that because previous Peace Corps Volunteers did not take advantage of the entire grant money allocated to their group, my group (80) is now allowed to apply for their grant money. This assistance is usually reserved only for veteran Peace Corps Volunteers so I was thrilled and got right to work. I wanted to write a grant to retrofit our school water system so that the school could conserve water while supplying water to the students on a consistent basis (hand washing, flushing toilets and drinkable water). The second grant I wanted to write, if approved, would have funded the completition of the delapitated bus stop; turning it not only into a functioning bus stop but also into a community notice board and a sign notifying drivers that they are entering Stonehenge. Sounds kinda lame but a notice board would actually be a handy way of notifying people of community events.

BUT!!!!!!! My computer broke today. The screen will not turn on and it gives me a nasty beeb and turns itself off. So now I have 30 minutes of computer access at the public library. After I get kicked out of here I will walk over to a computer shop and see if it’s only my power cable that is malfunctioning. My computer is under warranty but I am going to have to ship it back to America on my own dime and then have it shipped back to Jamaica. I better not get a customs tax on top of that : (

I have been granted money for a bicycle. And I believe there is a public library within ridding distance of my house so the lack of a computer might not be that difficult to get around. No worries.

Every day is a great adventure!
Thanks to everyone that supported me. Wouldn’t be here without you.

Check out rule 11. Don't worry, everyone's an expert

Going to Summer School

Week in brief-

Listening to the advice of my supervisor and community members who were egging me on, I hit on my first and only random girl in Mo-Bay- she was dressed conservatively, gorgeous and very not interested in me. ha

The school year ended; now I get to teach all the grades during summer school. I really am enjoying working at the school!

I went on a school field trip to the beach where the kids harassed a slow street child because they thought he thiefed a teacher’s phone; turns out the teacher had temporarily misplaced it. There's a lesson here for the kids.

I got an international calling plan, so I can call back to the states for cheap this month. Shoot me an email if you would like me to call.

Went to the yearly international exporters meeting.

Looked and still looking to get my hands on some educational materials for summer school. Would like to use things like Magic School Bus and Bill Nye the Science Guy. Shoot me any ideas you have on what would be a good lesson plan for the kids.

Talked with some NGO’s out of Mo-bay (RADA office).

Got called whitty about 5 times.

Hung out with Rasta Stud and his son- they have had their power cut and are feeling down in the dumps abut it. Makes you appreciate what you take for granted.