Update Part 2

Sunday- The day was simply- we hung out at the pool all day, went down the water slide, drank many smoothies, and just got use to the resort! oOo Yea.. how could I forgeted… we chatted, we giggled, we hugged! Also, two Peace Corps who serve in St. Lucia, dropped by to say hello, drink some Diet Coke, eat some popcorn, and give us the ‘Local’ view of the area!



Monday- Another simply day at the hotel with an extra special visitor, another Peace Corps Volunteer from St. Lucia who is part of my group! She came out at hung out with me and the family at the hotel! We did have a little walking field trip to Sandy Beach. A wheel was damaged on the stroller and a conversation went something like this:
- Andrew pushing Austin across the street on a busy road on a Curve
- Michelle says/yells “TRANSPORT!”
- Andrew still in the middle of the road yells “What the Hell is a Transport” as he pulls Austin back to the grass!
But needless to say we all made it to the Beached, watched Kite Surfing, did some body surfing and just enjoyed the salt water. Naturally Austin loved it and was EXTREMELY brave in the water, a little too brave!



Tuesday- Life is about the Journey not the destination, was the motto for the day. After the ladies treated themselves to Pedicures and Massages. We decided some of the group wanted to see the sunset. We went to a local village to watch the sunset. St. Lucia is currently in a drought, so water is very limited. We took on the local buses from the side of the road and were off to the village. We were dropped off by a restaurant that was not serving food because of the water issue. We made our way over to the playing field/water. After I checked with some boys that said they could take of somewhere for Chicken and Bakes, that person did not have any either. Long story short, we did not see the sunset but my family got an understand of my daily life! How could I forget… Sammy and I danced our lives away… I have never felt so carefree in my life!

Wednesday- Call in the babysitter… the youngsters are going on a FIELD Trip! Jennifer, Andrew, Sammy, and Myself all get in a bus and take it to a near by village called Grace to go for a 30 Minute Hike to a BREATHTAKING waterfall in a VERY cold fresh water! It was good for my family to see the ‘natural’ side of the ideal, pick some fresh guava, grapefruit, and see vegetable gardens. My favorite moment happened on this day! I am pretty sure it is this day! Mom went up stairs to stay with Austin well he was sleeping and the restaurant had ice cream that day! Mom wanted ice cream all week, so I ran up to ask what flavor she wanted, then finished my meal and brought her some ice cream! We curled up in bed together and ate our ice cream! It was just like old times! I may not remember the day it happened but I will NEVER forget the moment and the way it made me feel! (Dad don’t worry, we did not spill and we were on Mom’s Side!)

Update!

I have been really bad since I got back from visiting my family last week but when I got to Dominica, I was in full swing! I was trying to get things back together and my schedule redeveloped! I was excited to be welcomed on Monday by ten new and amazing volunteers who will be joining the seven other volunteers on our journey! They all seem very grounded, enjoying the moments, and taking life with stride. I look forward to getting to know them better, working on projects with them, and having some ‘free-up’ time with them. In addition to that, Peace Corps Awareness Day is March 1st, so ALL of the volunteers are getting some items together for that. We are going to display the projects we are working on now, past volunteers, games for the students, information for the adults, and trivia games for all! I am excited for the day but do not personally feel prepared for it. As I get back into the swing of things I will become more relaxed. I am grateful to be busy because it helps with the transition of being with my family to not being with my family!

Talking about the Family, I will break down the week in St. Lucia, the best I can remember!

Saturday- I arrived much earlier then the family! I hung out at the resort for a while then I had a GREAT idea (that did not turn out very great!) I made my family a sign and was going to meet them at the airport… as I arrived at the airport I was only met by many individuals telling me that the flight was delayed. No worries, I went back to the hotel. The family got to the hotel about 2 hours later and as I was walking back to my room to get ready to go back to the airport I was only GREETED by a very wet Austin and my Wonderful Dad! Then I met with my Mother and My sister who were in the lobby waiting for me! To my surprise, I see my Aunt and Uncle, then a young lady who looked very similar to my Cousin, Sammy, oOo.. Wait it WAS HER! That sassy girl surprised me and I was SOO EXICTED!!

Frozen Toes!

[I wrote this on a piece of paper about a week ago and now I am putting it on the blog]

I am currently sitting int he Antigua Airport. My toes feel like they did when I use to wear flip flops in a dusty of snow. I am no where near snow rather the freezing airport. The whole airport is drinking coffee. I am waiting for my flight to Barbados which means I am one step closer to seeing the family! (By the time this is posted I have already seen the family! :) )

As I was walking around the new shop at the airport I saw an US Weekly Magazine and one with the Mom who had a bunch of babies and is on welfare! It was about how she lost all of her baby weight! I cannot reminder the last time I have seen a "Trashy" magazine (More then likely about 6 months when Beth Sent me one!) I have to admit I was temped to buy one- then I looked at the price- $7US which is $21EC! Then I thought what I could buy for $21EC and put the Magazine down ASAP!

There is more to this then just telling you about the price. when I first came to Dominica I would convert everything to US dollars but now it is the other way around. I guess I am integrated/well adjusted/Dominica! Moments like the above are fun because I can see the change in me, the adjustments I have made, How Dominica is more then a place I stay but it is the life I live, the place I love to live (most days!)

Side Bar- There is a 'Baby face' gentleman with grey hair that was just smiling at his lap top. I am hoping he was reading an amazing e-mail from a nearest and dearest of his. I could not help but stare at him! :)

A Simply Hug!

On Tuesday, my normal school day, I was doing my thing then it was break time. As I was hanging out in 'My Classroom' (also the Kitchen)there was a little Grade K girl standing in the doorway. As I said Good Morning, she responded then moved closer to me. I asked her what she was eating, as she showed me her glittery greasy little fingers. She continued to look at me then came even closer. She then wrapped her little arms that barely fit around my waist, buried her head into my rbibs and then moved on with out saying a word. As she was wrapped around me, I simply whispered, "I needed a hug too!"

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More Carnival Parade Pictures!

-The MONSTER TRUCK fully decorated!-


-I sneaked this picture of a man with his deadlocks that were amaze placed on his bag!-


-Another Traditional Carnival Wear!-

Carnival Parade in the North!

-That Is Myself and the Other PCV just waiting for the Parade to Start!-

There is an opening Parade for Carnival in the North just like their was one in the Capital. Another Peace Corps and Myself rode up there in the Monster Energy Drink Van, which I loved to call the 'Monster Truck' and enjoyed the Parade a long with the amazing view. The village is right off the water and has breath taking scenes!


-These are Kubuli Girl (A Beer Made on the Island)! They are wearing Traditional Carnival Costumes!-



-These are SPEAKERS- They are on Truck and will go down the street with a Band Playing on it! Usually the Band members will be on the very top! As You can see the average size man is standing next to the speakers so you are able to get an ideal of how high the speakers are-

Family Time!!

Today Makes the Day I will not have internet for 11 Days! I will be in Barbados then heading over to St. Lucia to see the FAMILY!! YaY!! Secretly I am really excited about it! As much as I love the internet, some days I just don’t want to deal with it! But I know you all enjoy blogs, so I have schedule some to go on throughout the time I gone so you will still get a little piece of Dominica! Most are pictures, some stories but ALL are filled with LOVE!!

Volleyball!

The other day was my first official practice with the National Team. The date for the National Team has been set for sometime in the beginning of July, whenever that may be! We must start practicing, we must start training!

As I was playing with my new teammates, I could help but smile, smile at all of the memories of the past volleyball seasons. The days of Marshmallow Knee Pads, Long Sleeve Jerseys, Pretzels and Gatorade, Come backs you could only have during Side-Out Scoring, taking out tables, vans rides across the States, and endless inside jokes! Those are the moments I lived for while playing and I can see more memories developing with the groups of women I am playing with!

One of my Middles and Power Hitter has so much personality and passion it is contagious. She sassy and confident but will pick you up if you are done. She is a fighter and competitive as she shouted “We DON’T Lose!”

It will be an interesting Volleyball Season and we learn how each other play, find the flow, and get use to each other. We will learn each other voices, how each other plays, and what to do when one gets vex! It will take time but it will be an amazing journey!

To all that believed in me, supported me, and pushed me to be a better volleyball player, I say Thank You! I have found one of my passions and it makes me feel alive!

Pride and Peace

As most of you know, I do a reading program once a month with Grade 5 Students and Pre-K students and today was special, it had a unique vibe to it.

I walked up to the Pre-School with my 9 Grade 5 students and what awaited us was priceless. It was the Pre-K students in their groups of three sitting quickly ready to read. As I organized my Grade 5 students even more Pre-K students came to listen to the stories. At the end their was 9 Groups of 3 Students all listening and reading! Once I got all the students organized the reading began and I took an amount to look and take in the moment that was happening. Their was a sense of accomplishment, a sense of peace I felt while I over looked the readers.

Every time it amazes me to see how confident the Grade 5 students have become. They ask question, they interact, and they read with excitement in their voices. They have grown as students, they are role models for their younger reader, and they have matured. Naturally, I claim all students as mine and these students are no expectations. The program started as something I ‘had’ to do for the Peace Corps but now it is an program students look forward to, they ask me if they are reading when I meet them on the street, and they get vexed with me when I do not pick them to read! I am proud of my Grade 5 students and the leadership they demonstrate, if they only knew how proud I am of them! How amazing they truly are!