Pot Hounds

A street dog, stray or what Grenadian's call a pot hound.

Animals are not considered pets here in Grenada, most of the animals are FOOD!!! Anything you can think of small and big.  I think animals here are considered pests not pets or a part of the family like they are in the US and I think that its sad. No one here understands the concept of spaying and neutering their dogs or cats. One man I know told me that he has 20 cats and the drops (gives birth) every month. Well what does that say to you, I asked him? He did not have an answer. Another belief here is that if they get a boy dog or cat it won't have babes. Well to my knowledge you need a boy and a girl to make babes. Although the mail dogs and cats do not carry them inside and give birth to them they help make reproduction possible. I have seen two dogs get hit by cars, no one stopped or even slowed down, emaciation, dehydration and wounded animals is what you see a lot of here. 

Anyways the man next door to me abandoned this beautiful gold dog with huge tall ears. I had watched her how threw 2 litters of puppies none survived or where given away to early. Some of here babies died because she could not feed herself let alone produce enough breast milk for the babes. 

He left and I started to feed her, she had two litters before I finally brought the 3rd litter inside because she had them in a bush. Lots of people think that I am crazy. But in all honesty I can't handle watching animals die from abuse. So my goal is to get all of the puppies to good home, I think i found good homes for all 7 already with some of the students at the South St. George University. and then get the mother who I call BabyGirl fixed. 

Some of my local friends want the BOYS!! I asked them "what are you going to do with it?" Response "ohhhh um tie it up outside"!! I think to myself give it to SGU for a pet a part of the family or an un fixed chained dog, hummmmm SGU no questions asked. They are two sweet, clean and healthy to become beaten hungry and mean.

    I had three boys, Cookie, Chew, Bear

four girls, Cinnamon, Daisy, Juva, SweetP

It was so interesting to watch them grow up deaf and blind to barking and sliding around. Once they get to be about 4 weeks they are messy and a handful let me tell you, but I love them all and they will be missed.  

Lets talk about getting sick

As a Peace Corps volunteer we have unlimited sick days, if you are off the job more than three months than you are medically released from the Peace corps.

When I was in the stats any little thing that wen around I cough it, after concerts I would get stress colds you name it I got it. I will say I am thankful I never broke or twisted any bones.

Even when I went to Africa I got food poisoning and thew up in a doctors house and new car.

Now that I am eating better, more raw things and way way less processed foods I feel like I have a higher build up for most things that come around in Grenada. Also because I work at a school around kids with drippy noses, ring worm, and sneezing every direction  you would think that I would catch everything they have. I dont!!

When I first got here they gave us this big water filter, did I use it?? No I did not i wanted to get used to the water one time. I had a runs and an upset stomach for a day and I was fine. One girl drank the water at her school and had worms coming out of her nose. That did not happen to me I drink the water at my school, home and most other places if other people are drinking it.

However I  get  dengue fever that was not fun but not to bad, sore eyes head ache, fever and other cold like symptoms. As we know I survived.

Next is chikungunya virus, I was so lucky I did not get it to bad. I had a rash, fever, sore toes, back, and shoulder. I was walking around and still playing w puppies. On a side note if you didn't know I have seven puppies and one street dog living on my veranda. I have had then 4 weeks now.

Any ways some people get the chick-g so bad that they cant walk or move their fingers. I am taking one daily vitamin and one extra vitamin C hopping that I dont catch the relapse as they say happens a month latter.

I know that people in the US are scared of the  ebola virus but you cant not live your life. I wont stop living mine due to fear of getting sick.

Got to live your life to the fullest


here is the Chick-g info

http://www.cdc.gov/chikungunya/   

New volunteers

The new volunteers have been here since August, and I find that we have all meshed well together. Before they got here I was set on not wanting to have much to do with the new volunteers because I wanted to work on my work and myself. But to my surprise I get along better with the new group better than the group I came with. I don't know why. But any ways I have found new joy in spending time with them on the weekends if they come to town.

Its amazing to me that I have lived here a year and a half and yet I still have not tried a lot of things around me. The new b's have already shown me some new restaurants, tricks to get American Netflix (yes I had the Spanish version) and new incite to their schools.

We had one person leave already from their group, so I think we have lost two from the EC 86 group one in Grenada and one in Dominica. It takes so long to get into the Peace Corps I think its sad when they have to leave early. I am just thankful that I am happy here, and nothing makes me want to go home right now.

I look forward to the rest of my months here in Grenada with my new friends, boyfriend, school teachers and kids, and White Cane friends!      

September - October semester

School has been going well I changed my approach to my classes and the teachers. I decided to tell all of the teachers that I am not going to come up with all of the arts and crafts projects but I am still going to help them when they come up with ideas. It has an as expected result a lot of the upper level classes have not asked me to do anything, that's normal they have had their own arts and crafts classes for the longest time and have not included me at all. But it has given the other teachers who need and want help more of my time. I have started working on a weather chart, big alphabet caterpillar, under the sea classroom, and glass bottle painting.

Level 1 is working on redoing their weather chart, and making a big felt caterpillar with all of the upper and  lowercase letters on it. We are going to use pipe cleaners and big googly eyes to make the head. The classroom are working on making the rooms brighter and more educational for the kids to look at.

I am so exited that the level 2 classroom is transforming into an under the sea them. Last we we took scrap book paper that my grandmother sent, as well as gold and sliver Christmas ribbon, big googly yes and we made big jelly fish that hang from the ceiling and spin when the wind blows. They look grate sparkling and spinning.

In level four decided that they wanted to paint bottles so we had a grate two classes prepping and painting the bottles. I tried something new as well that was fun. In that class we have a bunch of creative kids but they like to copy one another so i decided to separate everyone so that they had no pressure from anyone ells and it worked grate, so I will continue to do that. Some of the kids glued on tissue paper and others painted.

In upcoming lessons we will be working on Halloween, thanksgiving and edible crafts. I am hoping to have the kids decorate cookies, cupcakes and more to make spooky treats.

This semesters is much more laid back and thats nice because I can start a class and finish a project the next day.  

     
 

7 more months

wow I can't believe I have 7 more months of my two year three month tour in the Peace Corps Grenada. It has been an amazing trip and I have learned a lot about the hidden secrets in the world and about myself.

I guess its still surreal that when I open my door in the morning I am not in the US but surrounded by water, boats and amazing people. At the same time I started to notice that things where changing and service was coming to an end at a rather amazing speed. I know that 7 months seams like a lot to you but here in my wonderland, my vacation as my mother would say, is flying by. Soon I will have to make the decision!!! Will I stay longer or will I pack up and leave my fairy tail???

So many amazing people I have met along the way, Peace Corps Volunteers on my island, staff, local people, such an amazing opportunity I have had here. I have made some grate friends and they have helped me threw the beginning of my service and with grate teachings will get me threw the end. Now they have all left and new volunteers have just arrived. I am their come to person, their security blanket,   and when I leave they will become the go to person. Its really an amazing feeling sad, happy, and grateful that I am to have had those people when I first got here!!!

Thank you to my family for supporting me in my goals and dreams I would never have made it here without you, and to my good friends who are still theirs making jokes with me from across the sea, and thank you Grenada for welcoming me with open arms and leading me threw this time in my life.

Love you all!!!  

Back to school September 2014

Yesterday was the first day back to school. To make a new and healthy challenge for myself this year I decided to try and walk to my school. Now I am only at my school three days a week so lets hope I can stick to this. It takes me about an hour and a half to walk to work. I don't know how many miles it is but I would say at least two many more. I tried it for the first time Monday September 1, 2014 and it felt really good I have to say it was nice and cool out, and I got to say hi to a lot of different people, plus I saved $2.50!!! I know right thats a lot of money???? Just kidding any ways so that was good and my school has a shower so when I get their I can take a quick shower and get dressed for work. I didn't know that I was allowed to use the shower so I smelled kind of sweaty all day but now I know better and can be more prepared for next time.

Over break some of the students where mixed up more to better suite their abilities so I have my normal classes like I did last year they just have some different kids. My Level one class is still the lowest functioning kids in the school. They are the hardest to get motivated, follow instructions and keep on task. We now have two level ones we have one A and one B. Level one B has the lowest functioning kids with down syndrome and level one A has mostly kids with Autism. Then I have level four they are low functioning as well but a little bit easer to keep on task and follow instructions all though they need a lot of one on one and supervision. All of my classes worked on the cut out fish and turtles that my Grandma Betty sent me. I was so exited to get those cut outs let me tell you. It takes me so much time to cut out things for each one of my classes so that was a fun first day activity. Some of my kids used crayons, and level 4 used paint. They had a good time with them and now they have some new art to hang up in the classroom.

Tuesday is my White Cane / Gncd (Grenada National Council of the Disabled)

When I got their all of group was cleaning some donated bottles. I was so happy that they are starting to understand what needs to be done and they do it without my supervision. Makes me proud!!!! Any ways and then they went to town on scoring the bottles and after lunch I took one of my kids to get some more candles and we could get to cutting. Man one candle here is $3.50 thats insane for a little thing. I wish oh how I wish we had a $0.99 store here. Nay ways that was a lot of fun. OHHH and to add the shelf at White Cane is getting bare, people are buying bottles I am so exited. I can't wait to be 100% committed to White Cane and GNCD if my extenuation gets approved. I won't know anything about that until after April 2015.

Be back soon
Love ya All          

Camp Glow 2014

Tie Dyeing

  

This will have been my second year being a concealer at camp GLOW! This year was way better than last year although I am still not a camp person! This year we had real beds and the councilors slept in their own rooms away from the campers! So I got much much more sleep so I was in a much better mood every day! The campers we're still watched every night by the staff that we had assigned to them! 

Each day we had something different things for the girls to do! It was planed out for a mixture of fun and education. We had an HIV/AIDS day, a condemn race, a fashion show on how to dress and not dress for interviews, body image, yoga, hiking, beach day, tie dieing and so much more. The girls loved it!

Condem Race 

This year I got a lot closer to my campers, and learned their stories. Its very hard sometimes to here how their personal life is outside of camp. Some of them are starved, left alone, abused, raped and the list goes on. Its interesting because when they first come to camp they want to run back home to what they are used to. When the realize that they are in a safe place, healthy space, making friends, and realizing that we are their for them they grow so attached to us and the people around them. 

Last year we had I think five men counselors and that shows that girls that not every man is going to harass them. It also shows them what a healthy friendship between a man and a woman is like. This year we only had two men at camp but the girls loved them just the same. 

Yoga

I think one of my favorite moments was when we had a bonfire on the beach and made smores, laying in the sand watching for shooting stars and listening to the girls laugh and talk. 

It was a good year, and i think it will be interesting watching the last years campers who were selected to become JR. counselors. its a grate opportunity for them to grow as young leaders and provide support for campers next year.  

Cake decorating 

Marti Expeditions Murals

Marti Expeditions is a group from Trinidad that goes around to different countries and does community service. One of the other Peace Corps Volunteers found out that Marti Expeditions was going to be doing some murals at the special ED schools in Grenada and passed along their information. I was to exited to leave my mark on Grenada finally in a visual way. So I got together with the group of teens for dinner so that I could meet everyone and we could start working on are design for the murals. We came up with two really cool ideas one was a market seen that were going to turn into Ispy with local objects for example A for Apple. The second idea was a map of the hole Caribbean and each country was going to have soothing that represented it such as the national colors, fruits, animals.

When it was time to paint at the first special ed school in Victoria the principle explained to us that the kids at that school are not that advanced and they would prefer something more usable for the teachers lessons. This made perfect sense and I felt bad because I work at a special ed school and my kids would probably not have benefited from are first ideas but I though that the kids at the Victoria special ed school were more advanced. Any ways on short notice we changed the wall into sections of usable things for the teachers to use. One of the sections was days of the week with a symbols for the first letter so they could make the connection, for example Wednesday wave! We also had a numbers section with the word, and a symbol for the amount so the number 5 FIVE ***** so they could have something to reference to. One of the other sections was a clock and symbols all around it shapes, and such, the last wall was a rain forest with a monkey hanging from bamboo and hidden animals! It was a grate day and the kids got to work with some of the boys from the Father Moligun home. The same boys that I did camp Tufton with. They also got to see some of Grenada's carnival people who passed so that was fun.

I was not involved with everything that Marti expedition did but they did amazing things, they cleaned up one of the beaches, did some sight seeing and also worked at some of the schools I think. I was at camp GLOW.

The last thing that I did with Marti expeditions was paint another mural inside of the Child Protective services, we went with a rainforest that covered the hole wall and animals were hidden threw out the hole thing. It made the hole room so much brighter and friendlier as well. I had a grate time with all of the kids and the staff I am so happy that I got to be apart of Marti Expeditions trip to Grenada and I am so happy that I could provide support, paint brushes, stencils and friendship.

   

Camp Tufton 2014

     

 


camp tufton

Camp tufton is an all boys camp for the boys at the Father Moligun home in Victoria. Some of the people from my group went to the camp last year as camp councilor! I had herd some good things and some bad things about the camp and I was nervous to do the camp!

On the first day of camp we went on a hike, not just any hike a terrible long four hours up a 90 degree angel with rain falling making mud so your feel barely griped the ground! On the way aback down another 3 hours I spent slipping and sliding on my butt. I was having a terrible time, and I was non use to the boys at all!

On the second day it was a seven mile hike up the back roads of Victoria to Gwave. It was better because the roads where concrete and it was nice and cool out, the hole time we hiked the boys picked the wild fruits mangos, wax apples and skin ups, they had a grate time and at the end of the day we took them to a hidden pond to thy could swim and jump off if rocks.

On the third day I did not go on the hike because it was going to be like the first day so I found myself at home stenciling out the camp t shirts . At the end of the day I had completed eleven of the shirts!!

The last day we took the boys to bath way beach and had a camp out! We had so much food! We made the  local dish oil down and had sandwiches! In the evening we built a fire and made s'mores before bed! It was a long right it rained and the tent got soaked on the inside and I did not have berry much to stay warm! But I did get some sleep. The next day we took the boys to the beach and played soccer, some if the boys flew kites and others decorated their camp shirts with fabric markers! It was a good day before clean up and then heading home!

Year two changes

I think in the beginning of my service I wrote a blog about how the busses work here and how they decorate the inside and out. I also was told at the beginning of my service that I would eventually like and dislike certain busses and know the right ones to take. It has taken me more than a year to understand the meaning of what past peace corps told me about the busses. For example some of the busses drive crazier than others, some are cleaner, you also learn the behaviours of the conductors. Now that I have been here a while the busses and conductors are starting to recognize me, some have started to offer phone numbers. I have learned over time how to handle people much better now. So any ways I realize the that knowing certain busses makes your life and transport a bit easer while you are on island. Making friends is nice to but you have to make sure is on a professional basis and nothing more!!!!!!


I will tell you a short story. When I first got to Grenada I would go up to another village about and hour away and I always took the same bus. The conductor asked if we could exchange phone numbers. I did not see any harm in that, I thought it might be a good idea, if I got stuck in that village I could call him. Well to my surprise I started getting phone calls all the time every day. I finally had to send him a message and tell him (I gave you my phone number on a professional basis, and that is it!!! You can not call me all the time) I never herd from him again. Its sad to me that you can not make friends or talk to the opposite sex without them assuming that you are interested in them. It took me a long time to be able to read signs and be conferrable talking to men without escalating the situation. I always tried to make a friend out of the situation.


Something ells that has changed is in my work site. It is way different to start a job in Grenada than it is in the U.S. People don't want to here about what you can do, they don't want to get to know you. They want to see what you can do, observe you. My job site I think is different thought because I hit a wall of resistance as soon as I walked into the school I even have a nick name (Pail Face) I hate it. Any ways I was very passive for the first year that I was at the school hopping that things would change and people would become more open but to my surprise people became sallow and unwilling to work with me, compromise or even help me get recyclables from home. Not every teacher is like that, their is a few that I can handle but others I don't want anything to do with. My school is to small for the problems I see happening.


Any ways as an activity I had the level 2 and 2a outside drawing on the sidewalk in their sports cloths. A teacher the main one who gossips, starts most of the problems, and no one really likes started telling my kids to get off of the ground. I looked at her and said that's the activity and its chalk, it comes off of the cloths with a damp rag. She walked away rolling her eyes. I know professional and  mature of her right well it gets better. The level 2 teacher asked what she said and as I started to tell her the other teacher came stomping in "I don't have any problem with the project but your destroying their cloths". I told her once again that come off and this is the second time in three weeks that she has interrupted my class and I do not appreciate it. I got a suck of teeth, rolling eyes and she didn't even get to finish what I was saying before her back was turned.


It was hard and a very fats decision to stand up to her. Last time I did it she told the principle because she can not communicate with adults. I think it is sad that she is working with students with disability's and yet she herself can not handle people around her without creating problems. She is a horrible influence for the children. Their is so much more I could say about her and things she has done but the moral of this blog is CHANGE. I stood up to her and I was proud of myself. Yes she wont say good morning to me but that's nothing, as long as she knows she can not treat me with disrespect!!!! 

My hobby for the Peace corps

I have been wanting to write this blog for a while now but just didn't have the time. I would recommend to anyone that is coming into the Peace Corps to have a hobby in mind before they hit their location of service.

I decided that I wanted to improve my health and joining the Peace Corps was not only an excuse to help people using what I was trained to do but a reason to start a new chapter in life and make a life change!

I have successfully lost 55lbs and I think I am 3 dress sizes. People ask what I did? Well I did a few simple things and added to them as time passed.

1-  watching what I eat, reduce not take away things that are not good for me  such as, carbs (pasta, potato's, white rice, sugar, and soda). These are the main things that  food nutritionists and dieters talk about. But I DID NOT just follow everything that people say to do and cut it out I did RESEARCH on WHY!!!! That has been the best thing for me to find the answer and the reasoning behind the answer.

2- Starts a food log. I have kept track of everything that comes in and out, when I slept, when I work out ,how I am feeling (over slept, tiered, mad, thirsty) and so on. I also marked underneath in red if it was something bad that I was eating and blue if it was good. Eventually I became a where of what was going in and all of the lines for the most part became blue!!! So I stopped underlining. I did not take away everything that I love  just used moderation. Hell yes I still have fried chicken and French fries and every now and then I have a Coke. BUT I do notice how I feel after I consume what ever it is.

example (might be to much info for some ) I only got 6hr of sleep and I had chicken and chips, before I went to bed. The next morning I was so constipated and sleepy and cranky. You really can get in touch with your body and understand why you feel certain ways. its kind of incredible if you ask me.

I also write down recipes, and what the nutrition's say that make cense and have evidence behind them. Good proteins, good carbs, good sugars, snacks, workouts that are good. Anything you can add to your log. I decorated mine, added calendars, challenges, what the muscle's look like, what my plate should look like, I added quotes and reflections as well. Make it fun make it something you want t fill out every day.

3- Switched to whole wheat and cut out one meal of crabs a day. They make everything in whole wheat its just hard to get a hold of down here. I cant find brown rice to save my life. I also have been making recipes healthier switching out white flower with whole wheat and honey instead of sugar. it makes for a fun evening of cooking.

4- What you cook, you know what's going into your body. Their is not that many places to eat out in  Grenada but we do have KFC, Subway and the chicken and chips truck. Mostly everything you eat that's considered a junk is fried, or a carb! You cant escape it some times. So I started cooking more and changing things like I mentioned in number 3. It makes me feel better that I know what I am eating. I also started besides more whole what eating more fruits and veggies, low fat yogurt, counting calories, sugar, sodium and asking questions when I go out. Do you have a calorie pamphlet? Most places will say no!! Is their a website I can go to? Again most places will say no but I ask any ways. 

5- Walk everywhere and pick harder ruts to walk. If its longer has a hill and stairs then I will walk that way. I don't take the bus everywhere I WALK!!! That has made all of the difference in the world. Also working out.. You can YouTube HITT work out and get a million and one results. You need Cardio, Circuit Tanning, HITT , and Waits to tone. Also Netflix has some work out videos that you can follow. People cant say they don't have time anymore to get in shape because the HITT workouts are 10min in some cases.

6- I have hit my Plato and needed an extra boost. I joined the gym. Some days I got for 3hrs at a time. Spinning class, dance fit, waits, step aerobics, yoga,!!!!! You name it we have it. Its fun and I am making some new friends. I know some people are saying three hours no way. Well YES WAY!!!!! I do two one our classes and then work in the gym on waits with a personal trainer friend that I have. Its been amazing and I can already see the differences in my body.

I can tell that it has become a life change because my  wardrobe is mostly work out cloths and I would rather look good for the gym than work at this point.. Every one has noticed a change in me. I am happier, I have more self confidence I feel good about myself and it has been a long time since I have felt that way about myself. I just have some tummy left to lose and about 20lb more.

So point being if you have a hobby that you think you want to start be ready and bring what you need because most things will be expensive and hard to find. I hope I didn't bore people to much but also of people wanted to know the secret well their it is. This is what I chose to help me change myself for the better get rid of stress and feel heather!!!!!  

White Cane Sign Feild Trip

I don't know if I have mentioned that I got asked to paint two signs one for White Cane on the Carnage and one for the new booth that is in town by the mall. Any ways I wanted to include my painters, so we went on a field trip as I called it into town, with the measuring tape and some paper. I had the boys look at different signs around then and explained to them what a logo was. I used common signs such as the grocery store, and the buss sign. Soon the boys where showing shapes, colors, symbols and having a grate time. So one of the boys was measuring the booth when he came up with a brilliant idea of making a folding standing sign. That was a grate idea because all of the booths are owned by the government and you can not change the color or add anything to the outside so a standing sign was perfect. The boys had a grate time.

When we got back I had the boys and the one girl brainstorm what they would like to see placed on on the sign. I had a crazy amount of ideas from nutmegs to penguins. When we had are list i started scotching and having them decided where the placement of everything would go, it looked grate and the head worker basket weever who has been their 30 plus years loved it as well so that made us all feel grate. So now we are weighting for the go a head and the bored to come in so I can start screeching and have the boys sand a do the background coat for me. It was a much needed change for the afternoon.

little things like that make up the peace corps experience. You definitely will have ups and downs and today was an UP for sure!!!!!!

Introducing Bottle cutting to White Cane

This week was a good week.

Monday in level one I cut out supper big paper ties and I outlined different design such as poke dots, zigzags and lines. I took each student one at a time and I had them use the puff paint to make the design stand out more. Then the paint dries it stays pronounced and you can feel where the paint is, I thought this would be grate because the kids in level one are the low functioning students. They really need more one on one help but there is not enough teachers to make this possible. Any ways they can use the ties we made for their fathers day cards.

In Level Five we worked on popsicle stick fish. Each student got six sticks and they had to paint them. When they where dry we had to assemble them so they would look like a fish, and add a goggle eye. They turned out cute.

After lunch is Level Four, and they had started a project all ready so we continued to work on that. They had gotten a nutmeg bag and cut up pieces of cloth so that they could make a doormat. Their class was only three students because the others went to a sports event. It really does amaze me how important sports are here. I also makes me sad because most of the students are to low functioning to even attend the Special Olympics that they are trying to get into place, so in my opinion they are loosing valuable education in the classroom when they are constantly being pulled away from school. It was a realizing class I can say that at least.

Tuesday

I was a bit nervous to bring the bottle cutter to White Cane because I have not gotten a hang of it yet myself, but I decided that it was time to introduce that to them. It turned out to be a fun breath of fresh air and a science class all in one. They had a grate time. Each of my students got a bottle of their own to score and cut. I first went over how the cutter worked and all of the different pieces. Then each one went threw and scored their bottles. It was a bot challenging for one of them because he only uses one hand, but for a first try he did grate. Then I lit the candle and they started one at a time heating up their scored bottles. It was so much fun to watch how exited they got when the bottle broke. It was like a new addiction to them. When it was time to go they could not wait for the next day to come so we could continue are lesson.

Wednesday

I started with Level Two I was testing them to see if they could follow along with a color by numbers sheet. It went better than I thought it would some of the smallest kids in the class where understanding what to do. I was disappointed that numbers where so small though on the sheets that made it hard for them as well.

Level Two A, we hung are big apple tree that we painted all together a few weeks ago and then I measured all of the kids on the trunk. This is a billion and one thing that we can use the tree for (Science, Math, Colors) and more. I want to get it laminated so that we can stick things onto it but its like six feet tall so it will be expensive. Any ways I also had the kids color their owls and birdhouses for the tree. It was fun. I am hopping that some day I can paint it on the wall and them maybe do an under the water seen that was requested by the teacher.

I also was exited to see that some of the upper level classes seven and eight where working on the project that we started last week. We where making newspaper rolls to put together for a picture frame. That was exiting to me because that shows that they were interested in what I was doing with them.

Wednesday is my half day so at lunch I headed down to White Cane and I wanted to test their skills with the bottle cutter that was so much fun to watch them try and remember what I had thought them the day before, and they did good so I think that means we can keep going with it.

Thursday I worked with level four on father’s day cards again, but they had different ones than the other classes they made little t-shirts and then cut color ties out of paint swatches. They loved it and when they where done I used a letter stencil to write Happy Father's Day inside that took a lot of time because I had them each one at a time identify each letter and then they traced it. It went well.

Level six, seven, and eight are working on rolling their news paper around the pencil to make tubs, and we will line them up to frame a picture frame. It was a good week all in all.

My blog is back

It's back blog!!!
I herd from little bird that a lot more people read my blog that than I thought so have been brain storming from last month and this month that are the highlights that will be going into this blog. I do apologize for missing last month I got busy and lazy I will admit. So here is a little re wind and add on of April enjoy!!!!!

So let's start with April. We finished sports with a bang competition with the teachers as always not so good for the kids but they had a good time. My school had a dj and cooked roti for lunch! I also attended another sports day in Woban that was fun. They we're much more organized has Lars of food to chose from I had a hot dog that was yummy. I got to see a lot of my friends kids doing their sports running and jumping that was fun. Also this month I started trying to reach out to new people and make some new connections so I ended up going with a group of people every other Sunday to the beach. One of my friends we will call him ken he has a van that's reminds me of me and my moms old golf, that's the kind of car that we had in Berkley CA! You had to do a billion different things at once. Any ways his can is the same it's fun though we call it the manic school buss boy is that thing durable. Any ways everyone brings something and we swim eat and hang out. Some of them gamble and that's funny because they are all related so they win each others money, not much bit it's funny to watch. We went to a beach that had a rope swing so the girls pushed me on it and the boys played soccer it was nice. Not to much other exiting stuff happened I have been painting my bottles like crazy trying to get cough up. I had a few orders from peace corps that needed to be finished before May and I sold some ones at the stores I'm know so I need to replace those. I am doing well.

Mid service traning

It has been a year since we all lived and had turning in St. Lucia. This last week May 13-18th was a grate re visit back to see all of are trainers, the island, and the people that we first started this adventure together with. Let me tell you that the trainings in the beginning of service where dull and very general, now that a year has passed and we have dug deeper into are sites and jobs we have all become new people and have stories to tell. This training was more based on up coming events, accomplishments and working as a group. We stayed at the hotel called Palm Haven near Rodny Bay. Training was Tuesday- Friday, we also had are mid service training check ups, I got blood work done, an eye check and my physical. I had also been sick for three weeks with a cough so they cheeked that but they did not fin anything so that was good.


I think that people had more time to catch up at dinner and lunch rather than during training, we got to eat some really good food at the restaurant and hotel. Breakfast and lunch were provided and then for dinner was all went out as a group. The first night we went to Sushi!!! Oh how I miss all the food choices in the states but I've grown in my healthy choices of food. Any ways Sushi was sooo good. The second night we had Indian food, and the third night I went out and I got Italian food. One other interesting thing about where we where staying is that the marina was close by and they had one of the original boats from Pirates Of The Caribbean. They turned it into a bar and I got to go on and take pictures of the boat. It was so much fun.


One of the trainers had a catamaran (boat) I got to drive it from the house where it was parked out to see it was so much fun and I did not crash into any other boats. When we where on the water the sun was going down and we saw the green line. I thought it was fake from the Pirates Of The Caribbean movie but its a real thing. Its a little flash right as the sun goes down.


Thursday night  a big group of us walked to the Director of the Caribbean Peace Crops house she cooked dinner, we had lasagne, garlic bread and salad. For desert I had a cup cake and a small piece of brownie. It was a very good night the ones who could sing played their guitars and sang songs. The rest of us talked and mingled with the staff.


Friday night was a review of grants to raise funds for the up coming camps, and a step over a line into the last year of are service. It was a good day and then we went out to Grossy Lett street fet to dance the night away.


Saturday was the big day for me I got up and got ready to go and meet my host mother who had come to pick me up. She and my host brother Arron did not even recognize me because I had lost so much weight. When I got to the farm they had added a security gate, painted the walls and added some new woman to the staff. I was so exited that they had a woman supervisor now. I was the first woman to my knowledge to work on the farm other than my host fathers wife. I was so exited to be back, except my favourite good friend that I made on the farm was on break. to my surprise he came down from the north of the island just to see me, he barley recognized me either, that was funny. We got to catch up latter after lunch. I had a grate time talking to my host father and sisters.


Sunday I got to sleep in and then I got ready for church. I knew that it would make my host mother happy so I decided to go. It was fun getting all dressed up with the girls. Sunday was good I ate lunch when I came home and then went to help Kervin on the farm. Then I went to go see some other friends and say good buy. I met the other peace corps volunteers at the air port. My host brother started to cry, he is very close with me when I am around. It was a fast flight home and I was happy to be back in Grenada.    

Possum

Something that is coming up is hunting season. You might be wondering what we have to hunt on this small island, well let me tell you what people eat here. Possum is what they call a Manicu here. Guns are not used and also are rare to see on the island outside of the police, so they use pellet guns to stun them basically so they will fall from the trees or where ever they are hiding. Then to eat it you have to burn the hair off, their is a bit more to that but all leave it out. I have not yet eaten it but I know my day is coming very soon, all let you know how that goes. Also they like to eat iguana. They do have seasons for that as well. I have not eaten that either. Something I will never eat is turtle because they are endangered and I don't want to contribute to that. One of the local boys said that he catches regular small lizards fry's them and eats it with catchup. Strange to me but I guess thats like chocolate covered ants. I tried cow huff and that was strange I did not like that at all. I think thats about all the strange food for here, unless you count eating almost every part of the pig and chicken. I also saw them catch a squid and they will eat that too. I learned a lot about what people eat onside of what the of what the americans would have in their food group.

Grate things I have noticed In March

So finally I think that we are in the last days of sports!!!! I got crispy like a tomato at the official sports day taking photos of my kids. Normally I can't live with out sun screen here but I switched purses and for got to add a sun screen whoops !!!!! But it was fun meeting families and watching my little guys run  around in their categories. The kids had a grate time but like always the teachers had their issues. I tell you my school just can't keep it together with anything, organization, honesty, getting along and soooooo much more but lets keep this a happy post. We had sports Thursday and Friday all of the houses got together and had a little celebration for their fun and winnings.

White cane has been interesting now that I know how to word things better I am seeing new results in the painters. Some of them need to be competitive and some just need a bit more praise. One of my painters who has Down syndrome at first could not stay in the lines and did not understand how to use the right amount of paint has come sooo far. He just needed a little more praise. Also now he is staying in the lines. But most exiting I was watching him pain the other day and I saw him stop look at the paint brush and turn it to another direction so it better fit the space he was trying to paint. I was impressed and so exited to see him understanding size of brush and amount of paint makes a difference on the area that you are going to be painting. I have been introducing different sizes and shaped brushes to them and the seam to be learning how to use them really well.

Observation in town

Grenada I feel has somewhat of an idea about people with disabilities, but lots of people are still confused by it. Some people don't understand the difference between cognitive and physical disability, and I am sure they still believe in myths. Any ways the other night I was going to catch a bus. Before I go on let me explain busses here for those of you who do not know about them. Are busses are vans that have a driver and a conductor. The conductor collects money, keeps track of if the buss is full, setting to fit the most people he can, and watching for police because they do have designated stops for the busses but her we have so manny busses they compete with each other so they will pick you up almost any where. If they get caught by the police it is a fine for each person they picked up. Also people are very picky about the busses they take, some people will stand on the buss stops for 30min until the right buss comes along for them. They pick by driver, safety, smell, speed anything. Any ways I was going to catch a bus and the buss stopped at a fake stop so we had to hurry to get on the buss. When the conductor got off the bus I realized that he had either Cerebral Palsy or Muscular dystrophy. I would say a mild form but it did impact his speech and strength. I was so exited to see him conducting because its hard for people with disabilities to get jobs let alone not be discriminated against. He seamed to be happy and doing a grate job. Although I did see some people not want to get on the buss because he had a disability, I found this heart breaking. Money is valuable everywhere but I am in a 3rd world country and people struggle so I was impressed that the diver didn't mind loosing a few bucks to employ someone with a disability. It was a good bus ride and it hit my heart in the right spot and reminds me of why I am here and that I want to continue to help in any way I possibly can support people with debilities and educate the people.        

Sports

sports in the school system in Grenada. Instead of having a PE class every day or once a week they have a big spotting event once a year. They stop all educational classes for the most part in March and re start in mid April. They divide the students into different houses and work on a variety of things, marches, sports, costumes and little events. So while they are working on sports I am not teaching I am helping make costumes and planning for when sports is over. Generally all of the special ed schools would get together and compete but the funding for all of the kids to come from all over the island is not available so just the school alone will be competing with the different houses with in my school. Its an interesting time for me because we do not have that in the states and I find it strange to stop schooling for a hole month but that's the culture, Last week was a good week, at White Cane we have cleaned out the shelves of white bottles so now we need to clean and under coat all of the new bottles that we have collected. I did not go to DH this week I was at the Limes putting together some crowns for one of the houses.

I am so exited to say that I started working out on my own and I got a workout ball so I can add some new things to my work out.We also have a lot of hills and stairs in Grenada so I started running stairs and walking up and down hills. I have lost 50lbs since I have been here so I need to work on my toning now. Its exiting when you can finally see the differences in your hard work. Its payed off so much that I have to rubber band the sides of my pants because if I wear a belt it scrunches the fabric in the font and looks bad.

My weekend was good I threw a BBQ / pot luck with local people and Peace Corps and I got a good turn out. That was on the beach. Its nice I have all of these new friends

Hikking in th rain

March 10th-16th




It has been another long week of sports at my school so I do not have anything to report that's new. I think that sports is almost over so I will hopefully be getting back on track soon, that will be nice I am going a bit crazy. I decided that I am going to design a tanning or I would say more awareness of people with disabilities so that I can educate the local people and teachers more about what causes disability's and how they can help. I also want to present it to the incoming Peace corps volunteers when they come in. I have been wanting to work on this power point for a long time and now I found the time. When it is all done I will post my outline for you all to read. Any ways that's what I have been working on at school when I am not involved in the sports.


Dorothy Hopkins was grate last week, me and the other volunteer decided to work on a case by case basis for each resident and brake down the steps of the crafts. We worked on goals for them as well. It was interesting to watch them go from not really having instruction to having a step by step brake down that they needed to follow. Some of the residents liked it better than others. They still had fun but are trying to provide them with some new skills. I also stayed for the conscious discipline training, that was fun. We worked on how much of the language is verbal, body language and sound. Body language is first, then sound and then words. That was amazing to me that people do not pick up on the words first. Any ways that was a grate session and I am hoping to get my school into the tanning program as well.


White Cane is going grate I am seeing a big improvement in the people that I work with, I am hoping that we get some people to buy bottles soon so we can keep improving and getting more supplies. I with that I will be in a new building soon and will have my own little space to help and teach them to paint. I am soooo exited.


This weekend I went out and danced and then Sunday I went hiking in the rain to a water fall. It was a lot of fun and it fly nice because I was nice and cool. Then we went to a small cave that was on the coast. Spectacular view of the ocean and when we got their we found a small little cave with bats and cool rocks. It was a much needed fun adventure.       

The big 25

So since I have last posted, by the way I am sorry that I have nor been posting more things have been picking up. Well the big turning 25 happened in February 27th, I do not feel much different and I now am starting to understand why older people do not care about their birthdays, once you hit 21 their is not much more to be exited about in birthdays other than family dinners and hanging out. This was my second year away from my family and I can say that I missed them very much. My mom did treat me to dinner though at one of my favourite places to eat Doggy Dock. I also got to get a big slice of chocolate cake that I love. So it was not bad.


We also had Peace Corps months and if you saw in my last post I put up the link. It turned out to be fun and very interesting. I was glad that some of are new Peace Corps volunteers who will be coming in got to see us and ask questions.


Work has been going good, the School back to working on sports and that is taking a lot of time away from crafts. It is all threw March and April. I am so happy that I have other places to be helpful because I would be going crazy if I had nothing to do. Their had been some more talk about making the stepping stones for the garden so I am exited maybe when all of sports is over we can get a start on a big project.


Dorothy Hopkins is going grate, I love going their. Last week we worked on toilet paper bunnies. They loved them. I found that they love to paint, I have tried to get them away from that but they love it so much and I don't want to take away their fun time in arts and craft. This is the one class that is not as structured and they have so much free will to see what they cane come up with on their own. Its amazing how happy it makes them when I come. Steph said that they ask for me when I am not their and  cant wait for me to come back. That makes me feel so good. I am going to try and get a bulletin board put up so we can display the work that they do and also decorate the board once a month around the holidays and events.


White cane is moving along we are painting like no ones business, I am working with four of them again and they are doing grate. we started coco plants and flowers. I am so happy that they are progressing in their work. I still have to help a lot but its going good and the bottles I think are getting cleaner. I am hopping that the ceramics grant can get going soon so I know what to plan for next.


Things are going grate here I love it here and I think that I have finally integrated into my school and community. Their is much more to come in this adventure I know it.


Eastern Caribbean group number 84 is getting ready to leave so we went on an all day boat ride up the coast and stopped to snorkel along the way and eat lunch. I will be sad to see them go because they are the ones that I got to when I need something but they have to go and pass on all of what they taught me so I can help the new ones coming in. Thank goodness some of the old ones extended so I am lucky. I am blessed to have this life and all of the people in it family and friends far and near. I am discovering more about myself every day and growing into my own skin thanks to the life lessons from family and talking to new and old friends.

correct youtube link

Correct link here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSheNrAA7ds

Peace corps week webinar ( join us)

Dear friends of Peace Corps, 

Have you ever wondered what life is like as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Eastern Caribbean? Do you want to learn more about Grenadian culture, international volunteerism, and fostering the spirit of world peace and friendship? Well you are in luck!....

This year to celebrate Peace Corps Week the Peace Corps Eastern Caribbean Volunteers in Grenada have set up a Google Hangout on Air for Thu, Feb 27, 8:00 PM - 10:00 PM Atlantic Time (NOTE: 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM Eastern Time). I invite you to join us in a 1-2 hour webinar where we will explain our work, life as a volunteer, Grenadian culture, and answer your questions. You can view the Hangout live by clicking our link for YouTube or watching on G+.

Peace Corps Week commemorates President Kennedy’s establishment of the agency on March 1, 1961, and offers us an occasion to both celebrate the ways that Peace Corps makes a difference at home and abroad and to renew our commitment to service.  This year, Peace Corps Week takes place from February 23-March 1. In this webinar we aim to fulfill the Third Goal of Peace Corps, which President Kennedy stated is to strengthen Americans' understanding about the world and its peoples.

Although you can watch on YouTube without one, in order to ask questions you must have a G+ account, so set one up ahead of time if you think you might wish to do so. To post a question on YouTube simply type your questions in the comments box (where it says “share your thoughts”). You can also ask questions during the broadcast via the Q&A app by accessing the G+ event page, or clicking "Be part of the conversation, click to join live Q&A on Google+ Hangouts" directly in the YouTube video window. You may ask questions at any time during the presentation and we will answer them when the Q&A portion arrives. Questions may address volunteer work and life, the process of joining Peace Corps, Grenada and its culture, etc.

I urge you to be in the audience for this unique opportunity to share our experiences and passions. Please contact maxharleman@gmail.com if you have any technical questions concerning this event.

Regards,

Taxes

Peace corps tax info

The 2013 Peace Corps Tax Guide can be found at www.peacecorps.gov/docs.

All Tax Forms, checks and W-2s go directly to the IRS, not Peace Corps.

Valentines 2014

After independence things got back to normal for the most part. The kids finished their valentines cards. I had a grate time planning for each of the classes because all of the teachers compete so much that I had to find a different card for each class. Even after I had talked to each teachers approval they still liked other teachers cards better. I had one class that cracks me up they wanted to make three or four of the other teachers valentines cards because they liked them so much too. It makes me feel good when the teachers want to do the crafts that I have planed for the kids so now for some of the classes I make an extra so that the teachers can do one as well. I think one of the highlights from my week was on Tuesday my White Cane day one of the people told me that when I come in the atmosphere changes in a good way. He is blind might I add. He told me that he does not really like to talk to some of the other people that come in but when I am their he wants to talk and here me, and when he cant here me asks how I am doing. I is such a sweet heart. It makes me feel good that I ma making some kind off difference here. I know that I am but herring it is another thing. Valentines day was good I spent it in bed watching movies. Their was a latin dance party Saturday but I did not go because I did not have a ride, but I had a grate weekend. Sunday I went to the beach with some friends and tried to get rid of the funny farmer john tan I had from independence. after we went to Ricks café and we split a pizza and got ice cream after. It was a fun day. Monday for crafts we did toilet paper roll flowers that the kids loved and the teacher wanted to make one so she could hang it in her house. Tuesday at White Cane we worked more on a coco bottle, star fish bottle and a sun set. Wednesday we made tie die tissue paper flowers with pipe cleaners. Thursday nothing because I found out that they have sports for the rest of February and the beginning of March. this is not my favourite time of the year right now because I don't get to do much arts and crafts at the school so thank goodness for DH.

Grenada Independence week 2014

Sunday I went to a boat race on Gran Ance Beach with some friends and we had a grate time. People come from all over the island to race boats, set up booths, eat food, drink and listen to music and they run into old friends. I had a grate time I got BBQ pork, garlic brad, and potato salad for lunch. I even got to meet some cool people from over seas that I talked to for a long time. I loved seeing the boats race.

Tuesday I went to White Cane and we worked on finishing some bottles that had the Grenada map and Grenada flag on them. We got four done, that was grate because they where going to be selling some bottles at the Made in Grenada convention Friday for independence day. I spent a long time woking with him to get everything nice and cleaned up. From White Cane I ran home and got changed to meet my dance teacher to go up to Gren Vill so I could work out with her. For a long time I was going up their where her brother teaches at the gym but I stopped because its such a long bus ride, I need to get back in the habit of it because its one of the best work outs I've ever gotten. When I work out their I am drenched by the first ten miners and in to morning I can feel every muscle in my body that I used. It was a grate workout.

Wednesday my school had what they call a tea fair. People come to the school and pay $10 to get a plate of local food and tea. Some of my favorites are Coco, lemon grass, and bay leaf. Its a good fundraiser for the school and the kids get to come with their families. I had to leave and go to White Cane to do the final last finishing touches on the bottles.  

Thursday the kids at the school had sports so I did not teach but I got to see the kids play, and meet some of the other teachers from the Gren Vill Special ed school who came down to do sports as well that was interesting. Then latter that night I went to the count down for Grenada's 40th independence. Every one was exited, they built a stage in town and they called in local dancers, singers and people to make speeches. At midnight they set off fire works people had a grate time hanging out with friends, eating and dancing the night away.

Friday was independence day so we went to the national stadium. Inside was the Made in Grenada convention their was local rum, cloths, art and more. it was amazing to see al of the local law enforcement and military marching and saluting the flag as it went up and down. We also had local dance groups, singers and more come to perform. It was a good day except I got sun burned and now have a funny tan line.

Saturday I went to Hog Island with the hole group that was fun we hiked for like an hour and then we hung out at the beach munched on junk food and talked until night. We took a small boat back and headed home.

Week FOUR - 3rd Semester at the Limes and First Dorothy Hopkins art class of the new turn

This weak at the limes has been interesting, level one finished painting their rocks the Grenada colors and ow I just need to paint some stars and a nutmeg to finish it. Level four didn't get to finish their V-day cards because some people came to play sports with the kids. Level three wanted to work on project that had not been prepared and they were out playing sports so it didn't matter any ways. On Thursday we had a staff training at the school on stress management and latin dancing. So one of the people that helped get latin dancing started in Grenada came to talk about his health and different foods that where really bad. After we talked about how to make are bodies healthy by putting better things into it we danced the Rumba for about an hour. That was really fun and it was nice to see all of the teachers forget about politics for a minute and dance together, smile and learn something new.

Friday at Dorothy Hopkins we had foam fun day. I got some foam squares from home in different colors and some stickers that where also foam. We made door hangers and picture frames, but best of all they had a grate time doing what ever they wanted. I love that about Dorothy Hopkins, I give them an idea and if they like it they use it or they go off and create something new. They painted when they where done. I also introduced some lap desks to the two lovely lades in wheal chairs so that they could bring the art work don't to their level, they loved them. When I get some sharpies they are going to decorate them. The highlight of my day was when we borrowed one of the lap desks and put it on a little girl who has Cerebral Palsy she normally pint with there feet, but because we succored it to her so it would not move she could draw and paint all by herself she loved it. It was a grate feeling. I also heard that someone is going to do pro bruno plastic surgery on her burn scars, she will be accompanied to the states and home by her favorite person. So amazing what kindness can do!!!!!    

When I was done at Dorothy Hopkins I went into town with Steph and we got hot bagels and soft serve ice cream before we went to a Reach Grenada meeting. Reach grenada does things on working away from corporal punishment and having camps for abused boys and girls in the community. It was an amazing meeting and I learned about a new place that help youth here in Grenada. I hope to get some of the teachers in my school involved it some of the programs that Reach Grenada has to offer.