Sunday, September 29, 2013

Day # 246 Cuban style???

Friday

Today Is the first official day that I have two work sights. I was so exited to be heading over to white cane. Its such a refreshing place to me. I had three of the younger people working with me. We worked on painting some rocks with different designs. I had a new gentleman to start teaching to, so that was good but he needed a lot of extra help. It was a productive day though we got all of the rocks painted, so next week we can start working on bottles agin. From their the day got crazy, I ran home to gather my stuff for the night, ran down to catch a bus, went to see my dog Penut, I think he's doing grate he even has a little girlfriend. Then from their I went to my new latin dance class. Its going ok its a hole different style, with new people who don't like the other dance group so its starting to get frustrating with the new group, pulse having to learn a new style. Its going to be interesting how it turns out. From their I went to the resort and dance with the other group, I had a lot of fun with them. After that it was dinner and bed.      

Thursday, September 26, 2013

Day #245 Starting off with a bang!!!!!!!

Thursday 9/26/13

On my ways to school when we were turning onto the school that the street is on, I herd a band and the school bus shook. I looked or the driver side window and saw a motorcycle police officer sliding on the ground and his bike run into a wall. I have no idea who's fault it was but thank goodness the officer was not going that fast. He popped up from the ground and walked over to his bike, some local citizens helped him pick up his bike. Everyone was a bit shocked. I asked if everyone on the bus was ok, ask the diver and the officer and headed down to the school to get the teachers so we could get the kids off of the buss, some of them are to small to walk alone. As I was walking up the principle and one other teacher where walking over, word travels fast in Grenada. Any ways we got all of the kids off the bus and into the school safely. School began like a normal day but some of the kids where a bit shaken up. I had the older kids today level 6,7,8 about 26 kids and then one of the teachers has bronchitis so I had her class as well. Thank good ness we had three new older faces to help us. we have some men who have to work at schools and are in Grenada for six months so they will be here a few days a week. We made toilet paper role monsters. I had the kids paint the rolls and hen add faces and hair. They loved it they asked if they could do more. So now that kids are brining in stuff, its going really fast. I think when the teacher gets better I will use the paint samples that I got and we will make mobiles and flowers. After work I made some thing to eat and headed to me line dance group for some much needed practice, and then off to bed.        

Day # 244 rainbow handprints

Wednesday

well today I had the terrible twos as I call them. I have both the level 2 classrooms all with kids that eat everything or don't listen and get in trouble. Last session they where missing a teacher, so I was so exited when I saw that they had both  teachers this session. So I had all of the help I needed to work with the kids. It turned out to be one of the funfest days that I have had with the terrible twos in a long time, so I don't think I can call them the terrible twos now. Any ways we worked on making hand prints. I had one student at a time mix the paint. The teachers where though it was so much fun that they decided to make rainbow hand prints. I need to stop forgetting the camera and take some pictures for you all to see. We ended combining the two classes for art and then combining them again for sports. It worked out better for all of us that way we have three teachers helping rather than one teacher with all of the kids. It was a fun day. When I got home I took a nap and then I went to a new dance group that just started with some of my friends. we worked on Cuban salsa and casino dancing. The teacher is getting married and she wants us to dance at her wedding. That's exiting. It was not to late of a night but when I got home I had a late night snack and went to bed.





This is all teachers, and level 2 students work 


Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Day # 243 Meat trays

Tuesday

I must say that this semester is going better than I thought it was going to. I sent out a letter before school ended asking family's for help getting supplies. I didn't know if people had received my letter and if they did if I would be receiving contributions. Well I was exited to be handed bags of meat trays, egg cartons and a bag of sea glass. It does make crafts so much more exiting for the kids. Any ways I had level five today and we painted meat trays and then the kids cut out magazine pictures and glued them on. I was really exited that the teacher liked the project so much that she had the kids stand all together and take a group photo with them. Oh man does that send my heart sailing, its a feeling of accomplishment. Some of the teachers are hard to work with because they are so blunt, or ask so much from me. But its a good challenge and I think I am staring to fit in better in my school.   

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Day # 242 A new semester

Monday

It was my first day back to school after I had been sick and at the HIV conference. I will tell you that it was a bit stressful going back into the school. I don't think that I have fully integrated into my school as far as it goes with staff and to have missed so much time in the beginning added to my stress. But when I got into the school other than being told that I was not in work appropriate clothing ( I was might add) I was shown where I can place all of the supplies that I collect and have been given for this session. I think that I got lucky because I got a hole box of paint and some brushes. My next surprise was that the class that I was working with in the afternoon level four had collected a bunch of toilet paper roles. I know what your thinking why is she exited about that. well last session before school let out I sent home a letter asking family's to save that stuff for me and I didn't think that it was going to happen. Any ways so them having that little bit of extra stuff made it possible for me to do something a little more hands on other than just painting. We made toilet paper roll squids. They painted them and cut them and added faces. I loved how exited the teacher got, she even wanted to make her own. It feels so good when that happens. Its hard to be in a place where they expect you to get all of the supplies and be creative. On top of that being in a different cloture with stranger and kids running all about. It was a good day I found, I got to take the buss home and meet some of the new kids family's. When I got home I made a pot of split pee sup and started to work on my bagels. Ok so thy are rather simple its like making bread with one extra step. They turned out good except for they are not as golden as  would have liked them to be. My sup turned out grate though. Then it was off to bed.       

Day # 241 Hes still here

Sunday

Nothing much happened but in the evening I got a call that my friend that was supposed to be leaving for nine months on a cruse ship was still in town and wanted to come by. Apparently it takes a lot of running around to get a visa to leave Grenada or any Caribbean island and go to the states. You have to fly to Barbados to even submit an application, not knowing if you are going to get accepted or not. After you get accepted you have to wait for the past port to be shipped to all of the other islands or at least the main ones, I don't know what they are but I know that St. Lucia is one of them. any ways you need to get approval. Something went wrong with the shipping of his past port so that's why he was in town still.  So I had him over and it turned out to be nice because I got to met his girlfriend. She is very nice and I think that we might be spending some time together when he is away, at least I hope so. I like meeting new people and although the island is small their is a lot of people on it so it never gets boring. It can get exiting, strange, creepy or over the top thought depending on who you happen to bump into that day. We all talked and hung out for hours but then I had to get to bed because I have work in the morning.  

Monday, September 23, 2013

Day # 240 underwatter galery

Saturday

this morning I was so tiered from going out the night before even thought I called it an early night. I got all my stuff ready and headed back to the resort and down to the dive shop. Only two of the people where their and we had a group of eight going out. Because I don't dive I had to wait for about an hour and a half on the beach so the group could do the first dive. They were going to do a ship wreck that we have. Is and interesting ship I guess when it sank it ended up flat on the bottom so you can go inside is and its still stable. Any ways When they got back we all got on the boat and headed north up the island. I put my fins, and goggles on and hoped in the water, we had four snorkelers. We had a guided tour. The sculptors are placed at the bottom about 20ft down but you can still see them quite well from the top of the water. They where about ten different areas that had sculptors. They had a man at a desk, mermaid, masks, and a group of people laying down that they called the nude beach, some say that it represents all of the people that have passed away. It was a bit of a morbid place to see. All of the sculptors are made of cement and steal. I didn't know this but I guess they replace them once in a while because the salt water rubs them down so much. It was a fun day I didn't get to sun burned, but I did. I sat in the shade, brought an umbrella, put sunscreen on and even put some on my butt just to be safe and I still managed to get a little more sun than I wanted. After the dive we all went out to a local spot and had pizza Some people went back to the beach but I went home I was tiered. When I got home I didn't do  a lot, I ate dinner and one of the other Peace Corps who lives on a sub island still considered Grenada was staying the night so we hung out and talked for a bit, that was nice.

Here is a link if you want to see some of what we saw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uovkq1J3svY  

Sunday, September 22, 2013

Day # 239 Goodbye St. Vincent

Friday 9/20/13

This morning there was no training but I got up early to say goodbye to all of the people from St.Vincent a few of them got to take a few extra days of leave and go around Grenada but almost all of them left. I also got to eat my last buffet breakfast for a while and that was good. I went home from the resort and decided to take a nap before I got ready to go dancing. It felt to good to get back to my dancing after being sick for so long. I didn't stay out late because I have to get up early Saturday.      

Day # 138 Rock Cave Bar

Thursday 9/19/13

It was the last day of training for gender based violence and HIV so we decided to take the people from St. Vincent out. Most of us had never been to the Cave Bar but some of us had. So we got are bus all organized so we had a ride to and from and went to get ready. When we got to the fort we walked down this creepy walk way down to a man made cave. It didn't look like a normal cave it was kind of like a cement and they added lights. But their was underground passages and you could walk up on top of the fort and see the water. It was very beautiful and they had a live band. It was fun, it was a late night though, and when we got back the people from St. Vincent got in the pool. I went to bed.  

Friday, September 20, 2013

Day # 137 Let the conference begin

Wednesday 9/18/13

This morning started off at 6am. I went down to the breakfast buffet and had an omelet made for me with ham, onions, cheese and peppers. I also had a bunch of fresh fruits and juice. It was a very nice started to the day. Are conference is about gender based violence and HIV. We had a lot o discussions about he different types that we have, and what they look like in the US compared to the Caribbean. Its sad but down here because the community is so small and their is not as much knowledge or laws a lot of gender based violence goes un punished  or unspoken. A big part of the training was to help us see sins of abuse, know how to talk to people about it to young people, and provide a safe place for people to go if if needed. when we where done we had a few hours before dinner so I decided to go and take a nap, I was up way to late. After my nap I headed up to dinner. We had a buffet style dinner every breakfast lunch and dinner and then we got to sit in a dinning room to are selfs. It was nice we got to be with different people every meal and learn about what they where doing on their islands. It was also nice to have AC most of the time.  

Day # 236 Check in

Tuesday

Its time for another week of training, so I went to my hotel witch I might add was amazing and checked in. All of the Peace Corps volunteers from St. Vincent came in for the conference. It was nice seeing the people from my group, catching up and meeting some of the old volunteers as well EC 83-85 was in Grenada. My roommate is one from my group EC85. Lots of people where my the pool or just hanging out before we had cocktails and snacks before dinner. It was amazing rum punch or punch to pick from out of the free drinks, and then the food. Oh my god so much food. They had, chips with mango salsa, minnie pizzas, coconut turnovers, and fried plantains. We all played pool for like an hour before dinner. Dinner was huge as well, sup, pasta, bread rolls, chicken, fish, salad, and chocolate cake. I was so full. I went to the room and mingled with my roommate before bed at 11.            

Day # 235 Fist doctors visit in a 3rd world country

Monday

Nothing major happened just to start off this blog. You all know that I have been sick, well my cold is just about gone but my cough is still hanging around so they decided that I should make an appointment  and just make sure everything was ok. It was interesting my appointment took less than two hours and I got a chest X-ray and blood work taken. The doctor was experienced I don't know where he studied but I would say either at SGU (St. Georges University West Indies) or in the states. My blood work was supper fast. The one woman I think was cuban and african and it was a bit hard to understand here, her first language I think was Spanish. Any ways they had the computers, blood taking area all in one. The chest w-ray was supper fast to and they emailed the picture right to the doctors office. He said that my lounges are perfect and he showed me all of the major arteries in my lounges. It was interesting. My blood work came back fine as well. He said I just had a nasal drip and thats why I was still having a cough. I got some more antibiotics and I was on my way. I then stopped at the Peace Corps office to fill out my time request off sheet. I wanted to make sure that I did it right and that it got in as soon as it could. The country director is in Grenada and she is one of the maine people that needs to sign it. So I should know by next week if my time off got approved. I know it will because i am not taking time off from the school and I have not taken time off yet.                  

Day # 234 Chicks on a bus

Sunday

So today I started off the day with some cleaning and hand washing before I decided to have a friend over for dinner who is leaving. So I got ready and headed down to catch a bus and when I sat down I looked over and their was a woman with a box of like 15 baby chicks. Such cute babies. Only in other countries will you see animals on a bus such as crab balls hanging out the windows,  buckets of freshly caught fish, and baby chickens. Any ways it was a nice bus rid I just wanted to reach into the ladies box and pick one up. When I got home I started to make a Brown down ( everything chicken, dumplings, potatoes and and veggies are in a thick rich brown sauce). One of my friends got his US visa because he got a job working on a cruse ship for nine months. Working on the ships is something that a lot of people do as a way to get employment and a visa. Its extremely hard work 7 straight days of working 10hr shifts, no thank you for me but I am glad it helps people get their visas so if they want to go to school or something in the states is faster to get in.  

Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Day # 233 Nothing fits any more

Saturday

 Finally starting to feel like a normal, I still have a dry cough but my head is feeling better. So I spent most of the day working on potty training with Soca and hand washing my cloths. I dont know if you all know this but I hand wash all of my cloths. If you don't doit just right your close will not be clean, smell worse and get dirty faster, due to the soap. So I had to find just the right way to wash the cloths. Well any ways that took me most of the day because I wash out os a small bucket in the shower. At fist I thought that I was stretching my cloths out with hand washing and thats why nothing was fitting but the I realized it was because I have lost so much waight and toned my body. I went from 215lbs down to 173lbs. Its an amazing feeling to have lost to much waight but sad that I feel so frumpy in my cloths. I had a good day washing and cleaning around the house with my little soon to be mini me.      

Day # 232 Chicken Neck Waters

Friday

Today is running around day, I went to the grocery store and got some yogurt I was exited because I could make little parfait with me new found granola. Any ways I also went to a cook out at a friends house. We had chicken neck waters. I am growing on some of the strange parts of the chicken. I however do not like cow heal, pig tail or pig tongue. Some people here eat possum, or sea turtle I have not tried any of that. It was a good night, I didn't go dancing because we didn't have ride to and from. So it was a good night.  

Sunday, September 15, 2013

Day #231 missing class

Thursday

 It always sucks when I miss dance class because I am already behind due to the fact that I came into a class that had been going for years and they build on what they already know. I cant wait until next week to  get back on track. It was a slow day, but I did play with the puppy a lot and when I slept she curled up next to me. Its nice to have a little buddy who follows me around where ever I go, except that  I have a small set of stairs in the house and when I go up them she wants to come to but she is not big enough to climb up them by her self so she wines until I pick her up. but its been fun to help her work on things.  Did i mention that she loves to sleep on shoes, any kind of shoes that she cn find she curls up in a little ball and sleeps on them. Its so funny.

Day #230 sleepy

Wednesday

Another sick day to add to the collection, I'm feeling much better but still have a bad cough and feel really sleepy. I made the best of my day though. I called the doctor and talked to her about my cough. She just said to check back with her if it does not go away soon. I also went into town for a few minuets to grab some stuff from the store. After that I made dinner and went into bed to watch some movies. It was nice to get all of that sleep.  

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Day # 229 Raisin Bread

Tuesday,

Despite the fact that I am still sick, I am feeling a little bit better today. I am still not at work because as I discovered trying to walk to the store my lungs where not ready for that. To much congestion and heat does not help with that. Any ways I left the house for the first time in about three days, the fresh air was nice but climbing up hills, sweating out all of the hydration that I worked so hard to build up and the heat is not so good for me yet. I did however get everything that I needed for raisin bread. It amazes me here in Grenada everything has a higher price but the US dollar is worth 3x as much as the EC. SO any ways I was at the store the other day and I was like ooooooo I should get a loaf of raisin bread. Holly cow, I looked at the price and it was $25EC ummmmm no way was I paying that much. So I decided to re test my baking skills and make my own. I think I spent $10EC on all of my stuff. I made three huge, fluffy nice loafs of bread, the house smelled grate and I was exited that I followed the instructions and made some home made raisin bread that will last me like two weeks, I can share it and eat it. That was a grate feeling. Any ways then it was off to bed :)      

Day #228 It just keeps coming

Its Monday,

 I am still sick. I thought that I was getting better but I have some of the worst coughs, so much goop coming from my nose and running down my throat. People here sad that being sick here was worse than the the US and they where right. As the day went on I was feeling better, but I did spend most of the day in bed agin just relaxing, sleeping and working on my hw for the Peace Corps and  finished that so that was exiting. I accomplished one thing that day and that was good for me.

Monday, September 9, 2013

Day # 227 sunday

Sunday

nothing exiting happened today, I took a long nap. I am trying desperately to kick this cold or what ever it is but its hanging on. I didn't do anything all day but rest and try to stay hydrated. A friend of mine came over and made me pumpkin sup with chicken, dumplings and potatoes. It was a bit spice to help open up my air ways. Love that up.  

Day# 226 Good buy at the beach

Saturday

I am still sick not as bad as I was the other days of the weeks but it seams to be hanging in me. It was a sleepy morning but I got up and get ready to go to the beach to say good buy to one of the girls. It was hard for me to leave the house I was tiered and coughing up a storm but I needed to go. I brought my umbrella and lathered up on sunscreen. Thank goodness when I got to the beach we where sitting in the sun. Eventually I decided to get in the water and cool off. It felt nice. After the beach we went to one of the local pizza places, I have never eaten their but it was good. I had some left overs, that was awesome I love left overs. When I got home I basically went strait to bed.      

Friday, September 6, 2013

Day # 225 dengue fever

Friday 9/6/13

The last five days have sucked I have been sleeping in bed and barley functioning. I called the Peace corps doctor after I started to feel better and then get worse. She told me that due to rainy season it was probably Dengue Fever and that their not much they can do other than recommend I drink lots of water and give me some extra cough medicine for my throat. It s awesome thought that I have amazing health coverage from the Peace Corps. Well back to sleeping and resting. Here is a link to find out more about Dengue Fever if your interested.

http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/dengue-fever-reference

Thursday, September 5, 2013

Day # 224 Regional safety and security check

Thursdays

The regional safety and security officer for the Peace corps is going around talking to the local people, police and coming to see are homes t do inspections and see of their are any changes that can be made to better protect us in are own homes. I will have you know that they said mine was a model of what they would want to see. GO ME. That makes me feel so good. We talked about some things that we could mention to the landlord to make the surroundings after nothing much. It was nice to see some of the old staff from St. Lucia as well. Any ways after they came and did the inspection I went to lay back down because I am still sick, not feeling much better than yesterday, and it sucks but I am hopping to be all better by tomorrow and for the second week of school. Although it sounds like I wont be their much that week either. More details on that coming up in later blogs.    

Day # 223 sick day 2

Wednesday

I don't know why but I feel like you have to get worse before you can get better. I feel horrible. Today I didn't do anything I laid in bed and tried to stay hydrated. My head is killing me and I cant breath threw my nose. Wow I hate being sick.  Lots of hot tea and hot showers    

Day # 222 Sick day 1

Tuesday

Yes folks I got my first cold since I have been in Grenada. Its nothing to bad just a head cold. But it does suck that its the first week of school and I am taking sick leave. It was a good day in bed with tissue up my nose and sleeping all day. Man that sucks but what can ya do.  

Day # 221 Back to school

Monday9/2/13

I think the day was productive, I worked with level 1 on painting a cardboard box, we are going to make a play house out of it. Its nice because they will decorate it and then we will put in the curtains. When that was done I moved over to level 3 and I helped them make some big shapes out f paper. This week is mainly getting re adjusted. When the day was over I headed home and tarted to feel funny so I laid down for a rest.

Monday, September 2, 2013

Day #220 host mothers for lunch

Sunday

After I got up I started to get ready to go to my host mothers for lunch. Steph is going out of town for a while so we decided that we should go and spend the evening with her. We brought two guests with us so it was fun for are host mother to meet some new people. We told her in advance that they would be coming of corse. Oh boy did she cook us a meal, it was huge and delicious. It was nice to spend time with everyone. Then we all walked back to the apartment. Steph came down with some stuff for me that she couldn't save or it would go bad and brought some cat stuff. All be watching that cat while she is gone. Its awesome it sleeps in her place and comes to eat at mine, its a perfect argument. It was a grate quiet night    

Day # 219 Pool party at the Charge's house

Saturday

The Charge of Grenada decided that he wanted to have us over for a pool party. He made food for us and had drinks as well. We spent the hole day talking to him and herring about what he does. He is such a nice man. When that was over I went home and got ready for the latin party later that evening. I made deviled eggs agin at the request of the locals. That little get together was fun we danced and hung out. When That one was over I heeded to another party celebration. The Fancy Mass band that I played with won the competition and so they threw a huge get together for everyone who played. Free food and drinks. People danced, played pool, talked and ate loots of food. It was a late night but so worth it. I was soooo pooped after that I went straight to bed when got home.    

Day # 218 Stencils

Friday

It was an amazing day at White Cane, I showed some of the people how to make stencils. Its such a small concept that I didn't even think about it but for people with visual impairments thats one less step that they have to work on. So I made some for the borders of the bottles and some for decoration. I made a leaf, palm tree, nut meg and flower. Then I showed them how to do some simple texturing. It was so much fun. When I was done their I went by the store to grab some of my new favorite oat cereal. Its so much cheeper than normal flakes and it has fruit in it. I can make its into oatmeal, or even eat it plane, its sooo yummy and they have three different flavors. Anyways Grenada is so small so I run into people all of the time. I ran into my friends mom in town and decided to sit and chat with them while they waited for more family to come, it was fun. When I got home I took a cat nap and then ran down to see some of my other friends selling Labi (Conch) waters. Its a grate was to get culturally integrated, food. People here love food just like any where ells. It was fun sitting and talking to here and watching people pass on the road. Not to late of a night.        

Day # 217 2end grade assessment training

Thursday 2013

A few years ago we had a volunteer in Grenada who started the special education dest/office. It was a crucial part of how change has accrued in the schooling of children with disabilities. Any ways he came back to Grenada as a response volunteer. He and the ministry of education have put together an amazing assessment for all level two students covering several topics in school. I cant go into to much detail yet on what all the assessment involves because we don't want any teachers to change they way they are teaching to alter the results of the test. But today was all about how to give the test so all of us do it the right way and consistently. This data is going to show what needs to be improved on throughout all of the schools in Grenada. It was a long day of training but worth it. The assessments going to take about 2 weeks 75schools I believe. its going to be a challenge. When I got home it was dinner time, then time to paint and head to bed.