Memorial Day

Hello again ya'll! I wanted to take some time to wish everyone a Happy Memorial Day. As everyone back home is enjoying the river, cookouts, cold beer or the lake, I will be doing work on my veranda enjoying the nice rain falling. haha. sounds fun right?

As you prepare your weekend festivities and celebrate the service of the fine young men and women who gave their lives to serve our country in the military, I also have one more request. Take a moment to remember also the over 200 members of the Peace Corps who selflessly served the U.S. and their respected country, but lost their lives during service. Often times people associate Memorial Day with just the military, but let me remind you that Peace Corps Volunteers also serve their countries too. I challenge you to serve each and everyday through small grassroots work, as that is the way to change.

Happy Memorial Day!

"Service is the rent we pay for being.It is the very purpose of life.And not something you do in your spare time."
--Marion Wright Edelman

Peace

Its been a long day. Most days are long in the life of a Peace Corps worker, but today was particularly long. When i can feel the workday coming to an end i think of the one place on this island that i want to be: my veranda.

I wish i could say its quiet out here, but its not. I wish i could say it was cool and calm, but its not. Its everything i want it to be though. Its a plastic green chair and a nice place to rest my computer. Its a place of stillness where i can gather my thoughts from the day and reevaluate my progress. This place teaches me to love nature as i overlook my village and the ocean in the distance. I hear birds chirping, public buses hustling by, neighbors greeting each other and kids skipping to the village bakery. I hear the river water bouncing off the rocks like a sweet song. I see a beautiful church in the distance and can hear the choir praising the Lord while little children throw rocks into the river.



The constant honk of car horns remind me that this village is a family, for there is no one that doesn't know each other. As the hairdresser across the street closes up shop for the night she yells hello from across the road. My neighbor Judy brings me sweet mangoes from the market and we sit on the veranda and talk about our day. The gentle old man down the road knows i love fresh cherries and my supply is never low. All this while i get a sense that maybe I'm starting to become part of this village family. This place is no longer new and unknown to me, but rather refreshing and enlightening.



I find peace and harmony on this veranda for i know that tomorrow yields another day of hard work and frustration. I cant control what will happen tomorrow or next year, but what i can control is the beauty of this opportunity. The gift I've been given to help people is something i will never be able to repay, but i think for what I'm giving these people I'm getting twice as much back from them.

Have it your way?

I sat down at the computer tonight thinking i had some great things to share with people, and it has ALL slipped my mind. Apparently it wasn't that important so i figured i would tell you about Subway, yes Subway.

We have two American fast food places on the island, KFC and Subway. Random combination right? When i arrived on island and heard there was fast food i said a prayer to God that it was Taco Bell. Nope, it sure wasn't. Maybe i didn't pray hard enough...next time God, next time.

Anyways...My to do list today was forever long, so i was running all over town paying bills, standing in the FOREVER long bank line and trying to find gold ribbon (don't ask). I worked at my primary school all morning and left a bit early to start on my list because i had anticipated that finding gold ribbon would be a chore in Grenada, it wasn't. haha. As i was on my mission to conquer town i realized i hadn't ate all day and it was already 3 o'clock. Who would of thought that moving to Grenada would put eating at the bottom of my important list. THERE IS A GOD!!!! hahaha.

So as i was paying my electric bill (and waiting in another outrageous line), I realized that Subway was really close to the place i was going and i hadn't splurged any in the last week, so i could afford a 14 dollar sandwich. haha. Yes i said 14 dollars. Bet your gonna enjoy your 5 dollar foot long now aren't ya? I didn't receive the "Hi! Welcome to Subway" greeting as i walked in the door either, i should of known. Thankfully the menu was still the American Subway menu so i ordered the usual Subway Melt. As my sandwiched moved down the line the lady was asking what i wanted on my sandwich. After every thing i said (lettuce, pickle, onion, cucumber, jalapenos, mayo) she would say, "ok that's going to cost extra". I thought to myself, "why in the world is there a price next to the sandwich if it ALL depends on what you put ON the sandwich?", but i was good and insisted she continue. I got to the register and my originally 14 dollar sandwich was now NINETEEN DOLLARS!!! Can you tell someone to please take off the lettuce, cucumbers and pickles because my sandwich costs too much? UGH! So i reluctantly paid the 19 dollars and took my sandwich, knowing i wouldn't be able to eat for the next 3 days because of my 19 dollar sandwich. I'm kidding...kinda.

After a not so good sandwich that cost me 19 dollars i continued on my mission to complete my to do list, all while kicking myself in the shin for "needing" American fast food. Great marketing Subway...

Whose Whit?

Today is a national holiday in Grenada. I often don't find out its a holiday until the day before and this proved to be true again with Whit Monday. But of course i will take the free day away from work.

The holiday is Whitsuntide Monday, it represents Pentecost (Whitsuntide) which is a major festival in the Christian Church. It is celebrated on the Sunday which falls on the 50th day after the Easter festival. Since Grenada is a predominately Catholic country that day is observed as a public holiday.

Often times Grenadians have "harvests" on Whit Monday, usually organized by a Catholic Church in the village. They will set up tents and have food vendors, kids games and lots of music and alcohol. One of the biggest things i love about Grenadian culture is that they LOVE to celebrate anything. Its fellowship they say and it brings their people closer together. During these celebrations there is no talk of work deadlines or politics, they are simply there to enjoy each others company and celebrate.

Bread? Fruit?

I have found my favorite tropical treat...breadfruit. No, it has nothing to do with bread or fruit and i have no reason why its named this. Maybe i should do research but I'm to busy enjoying it right now. I have alot of different trees in my yard, from grapefruit to oranges and coconuts. But my most favorite tree is the hugeeeee breadfruit tree that stands on the side of my apartment. Its got these huge limbs, beautiful hunter green leaves and small green balls. I am constantly tripping over the breadfruit that has fallen from the tree but i cant ever figure out when its actually ripe so i kindly asked my neighbor this morning as i was out there pondering. She told me you have to feel them and if they are solid but you can squeeze them a bit then they are perfect to eat. FABULOUS! i had found my breadfruit and was ready to make some breadfruit salad. Many that know me understand that i love grilling out, but my favorite part of a cookout are the sides. haha. And potato salad TOPS that list. My roommate in the dorms during college had a mother that was a Godsend for many reasons, but one was because she would send back Stacy with potato salad JUST for me. haha. This breadfruit is very similar to a potato and has the same texture and taste, so many Grenadians make breadfruit salad with it. I chopped up some carrots, snap peas, eggs and such and through it together to make a delicious breadfruit salad. Today is a good day...Now back to cleaning. :)