Day # 68 Hashing

3/30/13 Hashing

Today was a good day I got to sleep in and then worked some more on my room, washed some cloths, wrote my blog posts, and then organized my music. I have been listening to songs and counting the beat to see if I can salsa to it because I don’t have any salsa music yet, I am hopping to get some from the salsa teacher and my friends. When I was done with that I got ready to go hashing. I decided that I was going to try out my camelback with my small backpack, but I also had all of the essentials, hat, sunscreen and snacks. Hashing is hiking through all different tureens and in all different spots around Grenada. Keep in mind that this was my first hash. So we where running a little late so we where in a hurry when we first got their. I had gone with two other PCV and their host mother.  So when the hash starts you begin by running. I am running down this hill trying to keep up with my group and I lost them in the crowed of maybe 100+ people, it was nuts. Anyways so then we had to hike up the side of a dirt hill. After that we walked on a dirt path threw trees. Once we got going it began to get more challenging mostly up hill. We walked threw a rock query it was all loose gravel and climbing up and down the side of rocks. After that the real fun started, we walked threw a muddy almost dry lakebed, it was deep and are feet kept getting stuck in the mud. My shoes the only sneakers I have brought where covered in black mud, so I took my shoes off and continued walking, I was covered in mud from head to toe after that part. We proceeded to the mangroves and slippery rocks along side the side the ocean that part took a long time because so many people had dogs, and it was climbing around, over and threw rocks up and down. That was hard because I didn’t have any shoes on and the side of the hill was hard to climb around. SO I decided to put my shoes back on, after I washed off my shoes and feet in the ocean. We all walked threw the woods some more before we hit worse mud than before, deeper, thicker, wetter. So peoples feet where getting more stuck than before so people where taking off their shoes, we had been walking, hiking climbing for about and hour and a half at this point. I was still walking alone but following the group, and the shredded paper trail that you follow to find the correct path to follow. We had one last stretch threw the trees and back up a pithed road back to the starting point. It was a crazy walk but it was fun to have accomplished. After you finish the walk you take a dip in the ocean if it’s available to you depending on the hashing location of the Saturday. They also have a dj, food and drinks. I found my group and we talked and danced. One thing I had forgotten about was being de virginized by the group. We read are oath and all gathered, and then people sprayed beer all over us. It was a fun night. So when I was all done I came home and took a nice long shower get all of the crusted on mud, sea water, beer, sweat and dirty cloths off of me. I think I will go hashing again and I will be more prepared, but it was a good ass kicker I felt I was in the amazing race or warrior tours but it was cheaper. When I got back into town I had a friend ask me if I wanted to go out so we walked along the careenage, looked at the boats and talked I got home late and tiered that’s why this post is late as well. I am sorry for the late posts, I have not missed a day yet I just sometimes have to post them the following day.          

Day # 67 Packing up for the 3rd time

3/29/13

Today is a free day thank goodness, training is officially over! I have a brake until April 8th and then I start work. I am exited to start working and getting together a schedule for myself. Any ways back to today. I am packing up my stuff for the third time, yes seriously the third time not even including how many times I did it in the US. its so much better now that I don't have to worry about how many pounds it is. I am almost done I took a brake to do some more salsa, I love to dance and I have missed it so much, dancing is a big part of the culture, along with music. One of the guys from the dance class wanted someone to dance, practice with outside of class so I have been dancing with him. Its so perfect because I can learn and he can practice. I feel like I am making some good friends so far, and I cant wait for volley boll, drumming and hiking. Yes I know that sounds like a lot but those of you who know me well know that I like to stay busy, plus I will have a lot of free time I will be working Monday-Friday from 9am-2:30pm. Also if I have all of these hobbies I will be getting to know my community better. So anyways I danced for 3 hours and now back to packing and relaxing.          

Day # 66 The welcome water fall

3/28/13

The day started early, a small group of us met up at the Peace Corps office so that we could get a ride to the Special ED dance and crafts camp. One of the volunteers started it last year. It was the last day of the camp so we got to see the final performances. It was so amazing cultural African dances, and contemporary dance. The performances were awesome organized and all the kids had costumes. They looked like they where having a grate time. I am hopping that this summer I can get involved with it. From there we went to Grand Anse and walked around a little bit. We had to meet the rest of the group at 2pm. When we got to the waterfall I knew that the day was about to got so much more relaxed. The rocks where smooth like a slide and there was a pool at the bottom that we could all swim in, it was fresh water. It was so much fun hiking, swimming and eating. All of the other volunteers brought us food as congratulation. So much food, chips, home made banana bread with the local chocolate in it, home made nutmeg bread, sandwiches and bagels. They also have a tradition of a peace cake, which they make especially for the new volunteers. It was a nice welcome party, we got to know some of them more and see them say goodbye to the volunteers who where leaving in the morning. It was amazing to see what strong friendships had been formed over time. Thinking that I will probably have that tight nit group of friends here as a support system, family and when leave, if I leave for the rest of my life. So we left the waterfall about 6pm, I took the buss with another volunteer and I headed to Salsa class.  The teacher had to cancel class so some of us went down the street to a local place that we can dance at. I got lucky that other people wanted to stay and dance. I can let that I already love this group of people, so nice, helpful and welcoming. There are people of all ages but a lot around my age. One of the guys stayed with me and we worked the basic steps and what we learned in class last week. We danced for a really long time; it was so helpful just going over and over the basics. I need to work on override the swing steps in my brain, I don’t want to forget them but I need to just work on salsa right now. Salas is so much fun, there is a big salsa seen down here. Its also  grate way to make friends with the local  people, pulse give me some hobbies outside of work.   

Day # 65 Becoming an official volunteer

3/27/13

Thursday was an amazing day! It felt so good that all of my hard work in the application proses, and training had finally paid off and that I had earned the tittle of Peace Corps Volunteer. It was one of those moments that was so emotional. We had about 75 people their including trainers, host family’s, and counterparts. We start the ceremony off by singing the Grenada national anthem. All of the people singing was so powerfully beautiful, and then we sang the American national anthem, some of the people knew the words and sang along with us it was a grate was to start are cultural exchange. We then had are APCD (Associate Peace Corps Director) introduce us and all of the people that we had their to make are official change from trainee to volunteer. The country director of the Eastern Caribbean made a speech about how much she knows that we will be of service to are host country Grenada, that each one of us has a unique talents and things that we can share community. We then played the video that we put together of all of us new EC 85, the people loved it. It shows how active that we are already in learning about the local heritage. We even had a picture or are APCD zip lining with us in St. Lucia, which was one of the first times that we had met him. We then had the administration of oath & presentation of certificates by the Charge d’ affaires U.S. embassy. It was nice that we could also identify are home stay families because they have been an important part of are integration proses into Grenada; we passed out certificates to them.  To complete the ceremony some of the current volunteers preformed, one of them sang a song an played the guitar, then we had the local drumming group that contains five of are Peace Corps woman. It was a grate way to finish off, because the drums took us from hipped up emotional place into a calm trance. Then it was time for a lot of pictures and food. There must always be food at an event but it works out because we are always so hungry after the end of are activities. It was a grate welcoming ceremony but the night was not over. We all walked to my soon to be apartment complex to unwind. I got to see my apartment for the first time; it’s so cute and perfect for my fist place all to myself. Anyways when I went up stairs there was drinks, cupcakes, bananas, cookies and melted local chocolate for dipping. We danced, talked and said some of goodbyes. Six of are current volunteers are heading back to the US. It was an amazing night.     

Day #64 Bucket Bath

Today was a short day when I got to training we just went over are national anthems, finished piecing together are video clips and went over when we can move into are houses. I am so exited I get to move in one day earlier thank I thought I was going to, I will me in my new place at 9am on the 1st. This last three weeks has flown by and now that I am so exited for my own apartment its starting to g slow.  Tomorrow is the big day I officially become a Peace Corps volunteer. So we had to go over to the Red Cross where we will be having are ceremony. So we organized the chairs, tables and the stage. I was lucky and I got a ride back to my host families house its been so hot lately and I have to walk all over the place. So when I got home I took a nap, with the fan going. I was sad because the water was off so I could not cool off. I was hoping that the would come back on but it didn't so when my host mother got home she told me that I would have to take a bucket bath, I was not exited about the idea but it turned out to be nice, and I realized how much water we wast when we take a normal shower. Any ways I just hung out with my host mother for a bit before she went to bed, I was exited that my host brother came home early he entertains me when he is home, we listen to music and talk. But now its time for bed so I will talk to you all tomorrow and let you know how the big even went, it starts at 4pm her so like 12pm in the U.S.            

Day # 63

Nothing really exiting happened today. I went to training and we talked about policies and procedures of the Peace Corps. That includes, being on boats, sleepovers, time off, people coming to visit, medical, and much more. We also went and got are pictures for are ID’s taken. I went to lunch at my host mother’s restaurant. She feeds me really well. I had chicken, rice, salad, and potatoes. For are swearing in ceremony we as a group have to come up with soothing to do so we decided to take a bunch of pictures on are island tour and create a slide show with all of are pictures and all of us talking about ourselves. So we worked on that and also we practiced the Grenada national anthem. We will be singing.

Hail Grenada, land of ours

We pledge ourselves to thee


Heads, hearts and hands in unity


To reach our destiny

Ever conscious of God

Being proud of our heritage


May we with faith and courage


Aspire, build, advance


As one people, one family


God bless our nation.     

When I got home I spent some time with my host family. It was nice now we are getting to know one another so we can joke around, and talk freely.

Day #62 Lazy Sundays

I was up late last night talking to my host brother, so this morning I got to sleep in until 9:30 it was so nice. Last night I got cold when i was sleeping it was a nice feeling I miss being cold, it so  hot here because we are in the middle of a dry season. It is so strange to me that a tropical island has a dry season when most of the island is rain forest. But any ways i have been playing on the computer and talking to people on Skype. I also washed some more cloths. My host family here has a washing machine, but I will have to start hand washing at my apartment when I move in. Today for lunch my host mother is making spaghetti so I am exited to eat that. After dinner I decided to clean up their dog that they have so I gave it a little trim and a bath, he all soft and cleanish now. After that I had forgotten that we had a birthday party to attend so we went to that. It was fun they had food, every where you go here has food. I just nibbled here and their. It was fun to get out of the house for a bit and I go to see one of the teachers that works at the school I am going to be working at so we talked for a bit. Any ways I'm in for the night. All talk to you all tomorrow. Night night          

Day # 61 Peace Corps going away party

Wooohooo its saturday, this morning I slept in and then did some laundry. I got to spend some more time with my host brother while he did some stuff around the house. After that I got ready to head down to the Beach. One of the groups before us I believe it is EC83 is leaving, thats like 5 of them. Its sad but service has to end eventually. They brought so much food, it was crazy. We had sup, hummus, chicken, rice, nuts, cookies, brownies, sandwiches, and drinks. It was a fun day in the sun/shade. Although I had a big hat on, sunscreen and sat in the shade most of the day I still got a sun burn. The ocean is strong on the Atlantic side, waves and riptides. Don't wory we had training on all of that. Any ways I was out swimming and I got flipped over by a wave, fun but a bit scary. I really don't like swimming in the ocean due to the fact that you cant see whats under you, also it tastes bad. Any ways it was nice to get to talk to all of the volunteers outside of a work environment. I am sad that some of them are leaving next week, I didn't get to know all of them very well yet, but I guess thats life and we all have Face book. When I got home I had a chicken roti waiting for me, and fresh squeezed juice. Im pooped after a long day in the sun and salty water.          

Day # 60 Island tour

I got a bit rained on when I was walking to the Peace Corps office this morning, it felt nice. We all meet at the office so that we could all go on the island tour. It was a long but grate day we went to many historical sights, a nutmeg processing plant, chocolate factory, beach for lunch, rum distillery, all the way up the west coast and down the east cost. I had a grate day. When I came home I took a nap before  dinner.  

Day #59 Salsa

I think today was the last day of training it is exiting; Wednesday I become an official volunteer of the United States Peace Corps! Today was basically debriefing from are shadowing with the other volunteers. We also had a few of the local HIV/AIDS organizations come and explain what they do for Grenada.  We had Red Cross, ministry of education, Abstinence council, Gay lesbian support, and sex workers advocacy. They each talked about what they do in the community and how their programs work. It was very interesting to see what the different approaches where from all sides. Any ways and then after that we had are individual meetings with are boss from St. Lucia and Grenada. From there I went to eat lunch at my host mothers restaurant, I had chicken, pasta and rice. It was a good filling lunch before I went shopping for the rest of my birthday cloths. I found 2 dresses and 2 tops that I can dress up and down. I also found a store that carry’s some Mac products such as a laptop charger; they also have a computer specialist who can fix my computer and order parts soooooo exited to find that. After that I hoped in a supper packed buss back into St. Gorges before I went salsa class. It was so amazing to meet some new people most of them where my age and it was an even number of girls and boys. I had so much fun it was a class from 7-9 and after they took me out to a local dance spot for a bit. I feel like i made a connection to people and might have the beginnings to a new group. Boy was that a good work out, I cant wait to go back and work on my salsa. Its late so all have more fun stuff for you tomorrow. So glad I got out of the house and moving around!!!!