Pictures and News Article!!

On Monday, March 1st the 8 Volunteers put on an event called 'Peace Corps Awareness Day! We sent up in a local park and displayed posters of activities and programs in our villages and the organizations we work for.

The Online News Reporter was there and put an article together for it and she interviewed me! Click HERE to read the article!!

Also, if you want to see ALL of the pictures from St. Lucia Click HERE

One Year!

Can you all believe that I have been living in Dominica for ONE Year! Honestly, I could not have completed the year without the love and support of my family and friends. The comments on my blogs, the e-mails, the letters, the ears that have listened to my problems, and the ones who have rejoiced with me when there was a success! I have been completely blessed with six other individuals that are a long on this amazing ride with me, they are my biggest source of support, and they understand, they get it, they live it with me. I hope and wish for all of you to meet the amazing individuals that are serving with me in Dominica.



The last year has been an emotional roller coaster. There were many highs and many lows and many days that I was just content. There have been nights I cried myself to sleep and other nights I have laughed until I was crying. I have had many moments of success and other moments when I fell short. Those moments are what makes the journey such an experience, I never know what is going to face me throughout the day, I do not know what challenges I may face, or obstacles that may come my way. Most importantly, I do not know the random joy I will face, the individual I will run into and they will make my day, or the child who will put down her water to run and give me a hug!



I got the below idea from a guy who went to GVSU with me and now a volunteer in Ghana. Enjoy the below list:

In a Year I have done…

1,000+ Hugs from little ones
1,000+ Stickers given out to students
340 Days WITHOUT a Hug from Mom
300 Trips to Town
200+ Pencils (Still Trying to pass them all out!)
180 Days without hearing my Best friends Voice
100 Boxes of Crayons (Still trying to pass them ALL out- But I have a Plan)
52 Sessions of the Big Reader and Little Listener Program
61 Cards or Letters from Home
25 Days of Holiday Camp
25 Days of Leadership Conference
20 Tutoring Sessions
20 Art and Craft Projects for the After School Program
10 New Trainees as of Feb. 2010
9 Therapy Sessions with my Women
8 Volunteers Started
7 Volunteers were Swear-In
7 AMAZING days with the Family
6 Dives in Dominica
5 Michelle and 0 Cockroaches
5 Games of Pools Played
3 Games of Pools Won
2 Radio Interviews
2 Homes
2 Colds on the Island
2 Marches for a Cause
2 Additional Island Visited (St. Lucia and Barbados)
1 Live TV Shot were the MC told the basically the whole Island I was staying for 5 years!
1 Football Match in our of World Peace Day
1 Amazing Host Mother

Update 3

Wednesday- Call in the babysitter… the youngsters are going on a FIELD Trip! Jennifer, Andrew, Sammy, and Myself all got in a bus and took 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 island, 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 while 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!)



Thursday- It is an ALL day event!! Through the hotel the family took a land and sea tour. It started bright and early at 7:30AM as we all hopped into the Coaster. We drove for about 1 hour and ended up in the Capital, Casteries. We had an hour of shopping, just enough time for me to find a charger after checking 4 stores and running into two volunteers, and almost losing my cousin! Then we got onto a boat and sailed for about 1.5 hours where I met an amazing little boy by the name of Ethan that was bright and asked intelligent questions. After the time, we got off in Sourfiere where we got onto bus to go to a Drive Through volcano and the Botanical Gardens! It is now WAY past lunch time so we get back on the boat for some Creole food and other boat ride to go snorkeling for about 30 minutes. We are now about 2 hours behind schedule and needless to say the bus ride home was not very quiet! (LOVE YOU Boo-Bear!)



Friday- It was filled with smoothies, water slides, pool time, water aerobics, and family time. Also, because it was the last night, the whole family decided it would be great if we went to the Italian Restaurant for our last dinner, also Andrew and Jennifer were able to have a ‘Date Night!”




Saturday- All Good Things Must come to an end...

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!"