Let me tell you something...

Today was such an amazing day at it is only 1:00PM. I figured I should share with all of you about my amazing day and hope you are also having a GREAT day!

It started off with a GREAT cup of coffee and some morning company. Two of the PCVs spent the night last night because Dominica had Creole in the Park. Which is an outdoor concert for four days before the official Creole Festival which takes place on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at the Windsor Park Stadium.

Anyways, I walked onto my porch this morning to put my trash on the street and there was a bunch of bananas waiting for me! YaY! I made it to work on time was able to talk to my bestest for a minute. I had a really really good meeting with a gentleman who works for the Ministry of Sports in regards to developing/working with a volleyball program. A program is already developed so I will be meeting with them next week to set up a practice schedule for the secondary schools. There will be a Championship in the beginning of January thru February. We are getting the girls and boys skills up to par so they are able to compete.

As I was walking back... I stopped to get some Bananas, an amazing apple, and my favorite Hi-C Juice Box. It was a Great Snack/Breakfast! The Sun is shinning and town is busy with people and music in the stores.

Then it was Big Readers/Little Listeners program. Because of the Independence Season, it did not happen which made me sad but I went and hung out with the Pre-K students for awhile, they met me at the gate which separates the Primary School and their Pre-School. It was amazing to be greeted by such pretty faces, lots of hugs, and a few giggles. We chatted about brushing teeth (don't ask how we got on that topic) and they all ensured me that they brush their teeth EVERY night... the ones in the WAY back... and even their tongues. What really got me was when the students and I were talking about what they watched on TV, the little voices where like "Dora, Sponge Bob, Cinderella" and then a little voice in the back said "Micheal Jackson!" LOVE IT! It made me smile ear to ear! They are ALL so lovely! Their happy, joyful souls makes my day!

Last but least was a comment from my mother who I just simply love. This was her response to an e-mail story about me I had sent her. "You go girl!!!! Nothing wrong with a little junk in the trunk!!!"

Working as One...

This pass weekend was Heritage in my Village. Each year the Sunday before the week long festive start for Independence day, a different village will host Heritage Day. This year it was my village's turn. It is a day long event which includes a Church Service in Creole (The Local Language), the opening of the Flower Show Site (My Village is KNOWN for their flowers), an exhibit of flowers, fruits, veggies, arts, and cultural sculptors, and we ended the night with a cultural gala to demonstrate the different dances, songs, and traditions. One of purposes of Heritage Day is to showcase, understand and be proud of the past. Get into the roots so they are not forgotten!

Click HERE for Pictures!

Before all of the above can be done, there was A LOT and I mean A LOT of work to be done! The prison system has an amazing program for the prisoners who are on 'good behavior!' They are able to leave the prison (with a guard) and do different type of work all throughout the island. A lot of the work involves beautification of land, building stages for events, working on houses. If a prisoner comes into prison with a skill and are on 'good behavior' then they are able to go on these special outings. My landlord's husband is in charge of deciding what prisoners are able to assist in the different actives. There is a cost that is involved by hiring the prisoners to do the work, but it is a great deal less expensive then it would be to hire a contractor.

The program is amazing because it allows the prisoners to feel a sense of accomplishment, rewards good behavior in a positive way, and help the villages a great deal. To be honest, we (my village) would not of been able to do all the work we did with out the GREAT assist of the prisoners.

One of the days I had the opportunity to work with them and help clear out the playing field. I did most of the moving the branches to the burn pile as they were on the side of a cliff thing cutting them down. I did not even know how they got up there let allow cut things down from that angle. It was good to interact with them, I do not know nor do I care to know why they are there.. the men were just humans, working hard, playing some football, and enjoying themselves. There was a sense of respect for me as I showed them the same respect.

At the end of the day we are humans, we all make mistakes, some mistakes are greater then others but we make mistakes. If we all look back on our lives, there could be a time when we made a mistake but did not get caught. Sometimes the difference between prisoners and non-prisoners, is one got caught and one did not. These men got caught the act and now have to pay for the consequence of their action. But the individuals do not become dead to society but help to up lift the island. They are still able to use their skills and help to in better the island!

Joys over the last couple of Months!

Joys over the past couple of months that must of stuck because I can still remember them

1. Playing really good volleyball, connecting with my hitters, and hearing the boys ask if they can turn me into a boy so I can play on their men’s team
2. Random text and messages from my lovies back at home
3. Seeing the face of my landlords daughter when I delivery her the card from her pen pal!
4. The students SOOO excited for Arts and Crafts Monday!
5. Another successful year of ‘Big Readers, Little Listeners!’
6. My nearest and dearest letting me be there avenue for giving!
7. A spare bedroom filled with School Supplies, Education Material, Crafts, and the Cards… more then materials but rather LOVE!
8. When one of my pre-schoolers, after she asked me to use the toilet, she comes back, grabs my hand, as her little hand is in my mine I do not feel that her hands are wet, I ask “Did you wash your hands” she looks at me with her big brown eyes and a “Simple No was all I got!”
9. An amazing support system on the Island!
10. Keeping their word- doing what they say and saying what they do!
11. The shoppe owner taking good care of me and making sure my fridge is always filled with fruits and veggies!
12. Students faces lighting up for craft time at the after school program!
13. Being told I was raised in a Humble Environment
14. Shooting Stars and making wishes!
15. Finally making a connection!
16. My peace sign of pictures!
17. Seeing my quiet village, take on the challenge successfully when called upon to pull the village together for Heritage Day!
18. Sunsets
19. My tutoring Program!
20. Giving a child a sticker for doing well!
21. Students ASKING me for homework to do!
22. Giggles from little ones!
23. This conversation
Rob (A PCV’s Boyfriend who came to visit)- Michelle, they hug you a lot
Alicia (PCV)- Yay, Michelle likes to hug!
24. My lizards that think my house is there personal juggle gym!
25. My Card Wall
26. Stickers!
27. Sweet Mema at church
28. Friends coming back from the States with Chocolate Chips and Hand Mixers in their hands!
29. The sea
30. Morning Text Messages (that are usually my alarm clock)
31. Neon ABCs
32. Ice Pops on a HOT Afternoon!
33. The coolness that is coming over my village and the island in a whole

Birthdays

It was my Supervisors Birthday on Monday and I decided I wanted to make him a cake! My dear PCV, Julie just got back from the United States of America, and brought me a hand mixer and I am in LOVE, it makes making cakes so much easier and smoother!

The below picture is of the cake I had. It is a homemade; Almond cake, swirled with a chocolate and peanut butter mixture. The homemade frosting is peanut putter flavored, with a butter scotch chip D on it! I had made some cupcakes as well and they turned out amazing, so I am hoping he enjoys his personal cake as much as I enjoyed making it!

Drum Roll Please...

... HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY MOM!!!!!

Today is my lovely Mother's Birthday! She loves when I give shouts outs to her in my Blog so, this one is ALL about you Mom!

My Mom is an amazing women who can carry the weight of the world on her shoulders and the stressers of others in your heart. She does this extremely gracefully without every missing a beat. Everything in her life has a specific spot and items will not get accomplished if they are not written on the Dry Eraser Board.

She is a women with great achievements under her belt. She raised (with the help of Dad), two amazing youth ladies, that have grown up with unconditional love and support. We were able to learn, explore, sometimes fail knowing our Mother alwayed had our back, was there to greet us with a hug, and tells us "It will ALL work out in the end!"

My mother is the MOST selfless person I have ever met. She is always putting her family before herself. Making sure they are all taken care before she concerns herself with her own needs. If it is eating a cold dinner because we are asking her to get more stuff from the fridge, driving my sister and I to practice, school, friends, etc or listening to all of our stresses, concerns, and problems without us every saying Thank You or asking Mom how she is!

But Mom, Today is YOUR Day!! I hope you do everything that will make your soul dance! I am extremely grateful to have your unconditional love in my life, I can feel it even 1200 miles away. I miss your hugs and getting ice cream but there will be plenty of time for that when I get back! ONLY 113 days left until we are reunited!! You deserve a day that is ALL YOU!

Lots of Love ALWAYS!!

HELP!

Yes, I am always calling on ALL of you for help! I do not need materials this time but rather KNOWLEDGE! As I am tutoring remedial reading, including learning/recognizing the ABCs, sentence structure, phonics, spelling, ect. Any topic having to do with literacy, I am working on. As you ALL know, I adore children and LOVE working with them, but I am not a teacher I am a social worker. At times, I feel like the information is over my head and I may not be taking the correct approach.

I plea to you ALL of you, my AMAZING readers, if you are an educator, a parent, an adult, that has some useful tools (websites, strategies, worksheets), I could use PLEASE PLEASE fill me in on them, as I am continuing to do my own research! You can leave a comment or e-mail me a garavami14@gmail.com with the suggestions!

A MILLION THANK YOUS!

Halloween!

A few people have asked about Halloween and if children in Dominica celebrate Halloween similar to as in the States. The simply answer is No! There are no haunted houses (even though there is an amazing house that would be PERFECT for a haunted house), craving pumpkins, dressing up or treat-n-tricking. From talking to a few individuals, both young and old, the main feeling I have received is, Halloween did not catch on like it did in the States. I have explained to many individuals what Halloween is all about in the United States of America and the different activities that children partake in during the Halloween season.

I was thinking about having a little Mini-Halloween party but this year, Halloween is the same week/weekend as our Independence Day time. It is a very busy week/weekend in Dominica. Independence Day is filled with Creole Music, Local Bands, French Music, gatherings in the Botanic Gardens, and a three day Music Festival which takes at the Stadium. On top of all of that Heritage Day (which is the Sunday before the Festival begins), is in my village this year. To add a Halloween party to the mix would be far too much in an already busy time of the year.

Do not worry Grandma! Those stickers will be used! I will use them in the school the Tuesday before Halloween and share with them some stories about Halloween and maybe even do some educational work based on Halloween!