To The Spring We Go...

I put on my "Hiking" Flip-Flops and My Northface "FannyPack" (THANK YOU JENNIFER) and we were to to the spring..




Saw some Larger then life leaves on the way....

Finally we Arrived at the Spring after about 3/4 of mile walk (up hill BOTH ways) to catch some fresh rain water from DEEP in the ground (that I can drink and not get a tummy ache)

First Time For Everything...

OK Everyone! (A Common Greeting in Dominica)

I never really know how to start off these blogs so I guess I will start them with a simply Greeting! Anyways... two first happened today, the first being attending the Market in the Roseau. Man oOo.. Man.. it sure was a lot of fun. There was over 50 different stands of individuals selling their goods. A lot of the stands had similar items because it is simply the veggies and fruits that are in season at the moment a long with Fruit. It was a very busy area with all of the individuals selling and buying. It also was calm because the vendors were not pressuring you to buy their items rather just standing there waiting for you to approach them. Mango are just becoming into to season and I am SOOO excited- they are yummy in Dominica because they are so FRESH and have a very sweet taste to them. I have found that Dominica has a lot of starchy foods and a bread truck. There are numerous different veggies (that all look the same) that taste similar to a potato. There is even a banana looking fruit that cooks and taste like a potato, they are called figs. The Market was an adventure and we ended the Market experience that started at 7:00AM with some ice cream from a local shop. Passion Fruit ice cream may be my new favorite.

Second first thing today was I said it was Chilling today. Yes, you read correctly it was chilling today once the sun went day. The day was very warm with the sunny shinning and the moment the sun went down, the wind picked up and it became chilling. See I live on top of the moment so it is about 5 degrees cooler then it would be in Roseau which is at the bottom of the Mountain. The ladies in the house were REALLY cold because they were not use to the chill at all.

There is currently limited running water in the house which means I am going to church in the morning without a shower... OoO Well..

Hope everyone enjoys their day!

Peace and Love

M

For The Ones With The Same Last Name As Me... Because it will make them laugh...

Hello Everyone!

If you are part of my family you will understand why this picture is funny- and if you aren't then just enjoy the picture. The picture was taking this morning outside of my homestand house! If you look closely there is a brown COW eating the grass!!

I hope it makes you smile. If you want to know the story behind why this random picture makes my family laugh- just ask and I might just tell you! :o).

Peace and Love

Pictures of MY Island..

A crazy looking tour bus I say at the Bay Front while all the tourist were getting off the island and I was journal

A view of some of the houses on the Mountain by the agency I am working at.

It is the Bay Front View- where the cruise ships come in and the rain cloud that is ALWAYS over the mountain villages.

The first view of the Ocean I saw on the Way to meet with my host family.

It is very unique because the individuals of Dominica take their island very personally but referring it as "Their Island." I found that remarkable to have so much proud in the place you live.

Island Life...

Well... where do I begin. While I am typing this my pictures are uploading so you all will be able to see what I am calling home for the next two year.

I made to Dominica safe and sound after two flights from St. Lucia. I arrived this Monday at about 6:00PM where I was greeted by my Host Mother and a BIG Hug!! My host mother and her two daughters are simply a delight and a blessing to have around. My host mother is very active in the community and knows almost everyone which will be very helpful when I start working on my different projects with the Youth of Dominica. I have my own bedroom and my private bath room. It is a very nice home. Every evening my host family so patiently lets me cook with her so I can learn how to cook the local food and the other day we went to her friends home to pick fresh grapefruits from her tree. Today on my way home from the gym (I will tell you more about that later)- there was a man selling Coconuts right out of the back of his truck, us girls all got one. First you drink the juice and then you give it back to him so he can cut it again and you can eat the inside. They are not brown and hairy like in the States but rather a yellow/green color on the outside but still white in the inside. My host mother kindly paid for a time membership so I go with her two daughters. It is a lot of fun- it is on the third floor of a building and is just a one room weight room where a lot of the same people come everyday.

Today I went to meet the individuals that I will be working with for the next two years. It is an agency that works with the youth of Dominica all across the island. There is only two women who work in the agency. I will be working on various activities such as World Youth Service Day, A Leadership conferences (where I will be speaking about active listening and empathy). There is a handful of other activities that I cannot think of at the moment- such as a walk for awareness and a Book Club.

I am truly enjoying myself. I live in the rain forest on top of a mountain. City girl is in the mountains and loving it. It rains almost everyday at my host family home- even though we are in the dry season at the moment. There is a rainbow frequently (a few times a week). I have to take a picture of it the next time I see it. I am also surrounded around naturally untouched beauty that I hope I do not take advantage of.

I think that is it- enjoy the pictures on the next post- if you have any questions just e-mail me or e-mail me to say Hello. Hope all is well with everyone!!

Love and Miss Each and Everyone of you!

M

Pictures for your viewing Pleasure..

Outside the Park Finishing our Ice Cream

The Girls Pretending to be in the Jungle

GROUP SHOT!

Waiting is the Game...

Let me paint just a little picture...

Next to me is one of my Peace Corps volunteers Beth (Beth says "Just Chillin looking for Rhianna") also farting around on her Laptop- there is a Security Guard outside to my Left- and a Man wearing a Fanny pack that just walked by.

Well.. you guessed it I am at the Airport in Barbados waiting for my Flight to Dominica.

So... for those of you know I check Post Secrets every Sunday (I am not sure what I am going to do if I do not have a Internet and cannot check them out weekly. Two things I found out is- he is coming out with his fourth book (Christmas Idea :o) ) and the Postsecret above is amazing for the journey we are on. The answer to the questions is Yes- they do have tampons on the island.

Anyways- today is filled with emotions similar to most. There is happiness/excitement to meet my host family and finally get to my Island but their is also nervous and a sense of anxiety that comes a long with that. Then there is sadness as well. We were a close group of 23- that become about 16 and now it is 8. I am going to miss those individuals that I learned about- chatting with and a bond was formed. We will meet again in about 1 year to see the amazing things we have done in our communities. I know they will ALL do GREAT things in their islands!

All is well- simply enjoying the different languages I hear around me (none being English) and the Sunshine that wakes me up every morning.

I do not have a lot to update with you beside I will be living with host family for about 2 months and then I will be living on my own. As time goes on I will be able to update you on events going on and projects I will be partaking in. But for now- we are learning the ways of land and training like crazy!

I hope everyone is doing well! Miss all of you!

Love You

M