Joys 4/16

PICTURE FORM!!!

1.
FINALLY FOUND THEM!!

2.
A GIFT FROM MY PRECIOUS MYA!!

3.
MY FIRST HIKE TO MIDDLEHAM FALLS!!

4.
FINALLY MADE IT!!!

5.
SUNSHINE ALWAYS!!

Random!

I was listening to this song the other day and it reminded me of the Journey myself and the other volunteers on are. Many of you may know it but I never truly looked at the lyrics before. I simply wanted to share it with all of you!



Imagine there's no heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today...

Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace...

You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one

Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world...

You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one
- John Lennon- "Imagine"

Joys 4/15

1. Seeing all of my Peace Corps Volunteers
2. DAY OFF Tomorrow- HIKING Trip!!
3. A Raining night that will help all of the green around me
4. COOKIES!!
5. A Peanut Butter and Cheese Sandwhich on Wheat- Don't Hate It until you try it! :o)

Joys of 4/14!

This Car drives around shouting their Political Views

Just a Simply Post for a Simply Day

Joys!
1. CAMP SONGS
2. Red Light - Green Light Game
3. Telling Stories with my Host Mom- We were laughing so hard she started to cry
4. Feeling Important- My friends in the village came and checked me about 5 times before I went and played with them
5. Falling asleep to the sound of rain
6. A little "Deadliest Catch" Season Premier- Even though my favorite captain is not going fishing
7. Black Sprinkle Shoes for a GREAT Price! Jennifer- You would be impressed my the deal! $5EC which is about $2.00 US!
8. Started the Morning off with a Guava and Mango Smoothie for FREE (Thank You Auntie Pat)

Let me find PEACE in the Spring..

Today is an island Holiday in Dominica. It is called Easter Monday (makes sense I know). Dominica has A LOT of island Holidays, I would say about one a month at least and basically for the last three weeks of December not a lot of work gets done because of Christmas. During the Christmas time a lot of Family is flying in from other areas or simply visiting so it is time surrounded around family and getting prepared for all of that. The longer I live in Dominica the more I grow to appreciate all of the extra Holidays. Yes it is nice to have the day off but the individuals use these days to spend time with there nearest and dearest. The individuals RELAX at the Beach and simply ENJOY instead of taking the day to running around and get last minute things done.



I had a BLAST today. I was able to clean and organize my room and pack a little bit. I went for a run and a walk up the road. I am not in Hill shape yet. Then I just hung out around the house. Lastly, I took a little tour with my host mother around the south part of the Island and then to Watten Waven to go in the Hot Springs. It is an amazing spot located in the middle of the Forest. We went at night so it was dark out and all of the animals were chic-chatting. The sounds of the rain forest offer a sense of contentment and peace. In the middle of the Forest their is three "Hot Baths." The Baths are very warm and have sulfur in them so they are really good for your skin. It was a very peaceful way to end my Easter Monday.



JOYS
1. A Beautiful Sunset over the Ocean

2. Being in between two bodies of water - The Caribbean Sea on the Right and the Atlantic Ocean on the left

3. A Solid Run to the Scenic View
4. SLEEPING In
5. Watching "Bring it On"

Joys 4/12

HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE! I hope everyone enjoyed their Easter- ate lots of Jelly Beans, chocolate Easter bunnies, and whatever other Easter candy that makes your soul happy. For those of you who do not celebrate Easter I hope you enjoyed your Sunday!

My Sunday was FANTASTIC!! The morning started off with a little bit of dizzlers (no surprise for the village I live in). Nothing to get stressed out about that your day is ruined. It rains about 3 to 4 times a week during the dry season. These are not down pours (usually) but rather little dizzlers and sprinklers just to water the grass and the flowers. It usually rains for less then a hour in the middle of the night or early morning. Anyways.. Today was the FIRST Month of "Michelle Birthday Club." I know I have talked about this before but each month I will be having A Birthday Party in the Village for ALL of the children under the age of 12. There will be special recanation for those that have Birthdays in that Month.



Today was the FIRST one and it was a SUCCESS!! There was about 20 to 25 children there. We ate popcorn, pizza, cake, and gum. A long with Juice to Drink. A lovely lady in the community donated the juice, pizza and cupcakes and because of a monetary donation for another community member we were able to get the gum and the popcorn. We ate a lot, played some tag games, had a Easter Water Balloon Hunt. Plastic Easter eggs are next to impossible to find in Dominica so we had to use what we had! Once they found the Water Balloons we had a toss. The kids seemed to enjoy it and I sure had a Blast!!



After cleaning about and all that good stuff. I go outside in my house on the veranda and I hear little voice Yelling "Miss Michelle" It would be my new friends I met at the Party! We chatted and played some "Thumb Wars" and then it was dinner time. About an hour after that- I am on my computer and look up to again hear Miss Michelle and see two little once in the kitcken and then into my bedroom. So I tell them I will Check them in 5 mins for our walk. We went for a walk, played some games and sang some songs.

It was getting late and WAY dark so as I was walking to pass to go home the old gentleman on the porch of the Shop stop to chat with me. Well after a chat I was challenge to a game. I cannot turn down a challenge so before I know it I was sitting on a stool just big enough for my behind playing Dominoes with a "Learner" who plays every night for the last 20 years of his life and "Granny" the shop owner. Domino's is very big in Dominica but it is usually played by Men only. The Dominoes they play in Dominica is a little different then the States. The biggest and really only difference is- you are given SEVEN Dominoes and you aren't allowed to pick from the pile if you do not have one. You simply tap and it passes onto the next person. If everyone taps the individuals with the lowest amount of Dominoes win. The scoring is a little different but I will not go into that!

My Day was filled with Laughs, Hugs and FUN!! Tomorrow is considered an island Holiday where everyone goes to the Beach. My host mother and myself will be going to the Waterfalls in a near by town for the afternoon. It should be fun!!

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Lastly... My Joys!

1. A SUCCESSFUL Birthday Party!
2. My precious little one looking up at me saying "You are kind"
3. A hand that was never empty during own walk
4. Another little precious soul coming up to me everyone few minutes asking me if I have won in Dominoes yet and how he wanted me to win!
5. CHILDREN!
6. This FANTASTIC Frosted Flakes meet honey and peanut cereal! It is my new FAVORITE
7. A lovely hug by a older lady I have never met before in Church
8. A little one being Baptised at church today and the scene of the Godfather hold this little one in his arms and his son is cuddled into his side
9. POST SECRET Sunday- My Favorite Secret is above my JOYS!

The Alarm Goes Off....

Let me share a little story with you and paint the best picture I can with not only words but OF COURSE pictures...

As my alarm goes off at 2:47AM. As you reread the sentence you read it right the first time my alarm went off at 2:47AM because we had to leave the house at 3:30AM. Many of you are wondering what could possibly be going on at 4:00AM in time. Let me tell you about it... Today is Good Friday and Dominica has a strong Catholic background and takes their religious holidays extremely serious. As we arrive in town my host family points on top of the mountain and tells me we are walking to that cross- I give then a look of- OoO MY I am not sure if I can make it ALL that way. We arrive in town by 4:00AM and in Dominica fashion the event started about 30 minutes late. As about 100 hundred to 200 hundred individuals fill the street their is a Jeep with two large speakers on the top that leads the way. The speakers are shouting Religious Songs, The Rosary and Pray Scriptures. We were off. Numerous individuals came barrier candles and it was a simply beautiful scene as me and the host girls were a little ahead of the group and was able to look down and see the street light up by individuals and their candles.



Hot off the press I just asked my Host Mom the symbolic reasoning behind the walk and it is to remember the Passion of the Christ and the suffer he endured for us.

The view was magnificent because we were in town the higher we got we were able to look over the town and see the lights of the street and buildings starting to open. As we reached the TOP of the mountain the sun was just starting to come out and the cross was starting to fill with everyone candles. On top of the mountain their was a short service. By the time it was time to reach down (a much easier walk) the sun was fully out and the rain had FINALLY FULLY stopped.



Then when we ALL reached home it was in our beds we went for about a four hour nap. Today is a day of rest and relaxation with another service at 3:00PM. Until then I will enjoy some lunch, hand journal, and go hang out with the girls. Even though it was an early morning start, the view, energy, and experience in a whole was worth every bit of the struggle it was to get up this morning.