Volleyball!

Sunday I had my FIRST ever Volleyball Match against a local team! I am playing on a local team based out of the Capital. The game was held at the same 'Stadium' (it is half built)that we practice at! We totally had home court advantage! There is about twelve women on the team ranging from I would say late teens to late thirties! Man it is a riot to play with them! My girl Anna, she is an outside and a middle hitter is such a power hitter and has such an amazing positive attitude that she carries with her!

The set-up of the games is Rally Scoring (a team gets a point every time)to 25 and we play the best out of 5. Now, I grew-up and say it with pride in the side out scoring and the Rally Scoring generation but it was always best out of 3. This girl is getting old (in less then a month I am turning another wonderful year older) and five games is a lot to play!

I know you are looking to see if we won or not (except for Mother who simple thinks we (her girls) should just have fun) ... but you must stay tuned to tomorrows blog to find out...

Weekend Update!

When I was talking to my Lovely Mother on Monday she scolded me for not updating my blog in a while (AKA a WEEK!), I am on high demand! Anyways, here I am with a little update on the weekend! Just so you all know, I am currently listening to Micheal Jackson, Pretty Little Young Thing! :)

This Weekend was a GREAT weekend! I went to the eastern most point of Dominica and way into the North! I was just one traveling girl! We went to Julie's Village to Celebrate a Belated Birthday for her as well as the Peace Corps one year anniversary of being on Dominica! See the sigh below that the lovely Shoppe Owner made for us! It was very sweet of him!




Also, I went on an event with the Rotaract Club of Roseau. They are a non-profit group of young professionals between the age of 18-30, that do various service learning projects throughout Dominica as well as different education sessions. This week was Rotaract Week, so the group is doing even more projects. We went to the North of the island and attended a church sessions to donate two hampers (baskets) of food, house items, and personal items to a needy family in the church. After the Church service was over we went to a beach to just free up and lime. We played a few games of Rounders; boys vs girls of course! I am not sure who won because we did not keep score!



After the beach, a few of us went to the Cabrits National Park I have been there before but never at night so it was amazing to see the sunset from the amazing view behind the mountains!

Thank You!

Plastic Easter Eggs- They Are NOWHERE to be found on the lovely of Dominica! But are a MUST when it comes to Easter Activities! Well, my sweet Grandma who is always on top of her game, remembered how I need them last year and this year she sent some down with Family! I am just thrilled to death to have them!! Even though Easter is about three weeks away, I already have THREE Easter Egg Hunts Lined Up! One in town for the children at the Library Crafts Camp, One at the Easter Flower Show Site Lunchon, and Another With My Host Mother and the Children of My Old Village!! From the Bottom of my Heart THANK YOU GRANDMA!!

Pictures From Peace Corps Day!

As described in the last blog, the PC Volunteers and I had Peace Corps Awareness Day! Here are some Pictures from the Event!



To See More Pictures Click HERE

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...