Saturday, September 12, 2009
Soon come
Sorry I have not posted anything in a while. As you can see from my pervious posts I lost some of my positivity.
Everything is going very well now. School is back in session AND I was able to raise the money necessary to improve the schools water system.
I also bough a very nice used bicycle.
My list of things to do takes up an entire page but I will try to make time to continue posting.
Miss everyone back at home and Big Ups to Alex for getting back in school and becoming a father. Congratulations.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Some pictures that I have recently taken.
This is the abandoned train station that I live next to
Kids collecting apples for me
I take a lot of shortcuts in my neighborhood. Today when I was walking through the bush I came across the guy, and he did not want to get out of my way. I eventually pulled a leafy branch off a tree thinking it would want to eat the branch but I ended up just scaring it out of my way.
Neighborhood kid killed a bird with his slingshot. Everyone was so impressed I just had to take a picture of it. I was a little sickened but at the same time I have
to admit I was somewhat impressed.
I should have made these last two pictures bigger.... Anyway, they are pictures of the Montego Bay Bus Park. Unless it's Sunday, it's always packed. Seeing a white person there is very peculiar so the people that work there have quickly gotten to know me.
Picture of me and some of the kids at summer school doing the Usain Bolt pose.
Monday, August 10, 2009
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.
---
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…
Friday, August 7, 2009
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!!!!
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!!!!
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
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.
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.
Saturday, July 25, 2009
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.
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.
Monday, July 20, 2009
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