Mural Update!

The kids are on Easter break, so it was perfect time to crank out some serious painting. Check out the updated pictures!

13 months down, 12 more to go!!!

"The future is not some place we are going, but one we are creating. The paths are not to be found, but made. And the activity of making them changes both the maker and their destination." -- John Schaar

If anyone has seen the last 13 months, please let me know. I seem to of lost them. It seems like just yesterday I was stepping off that plane in St. Lucia, then finally Grenada. The warm breeze, the humid feeling, the beauty. I had just come from the cold, so everything looked so green and colorful, new to the eye. The feeling of unrest cant easily be described in a blog post. I can only suggest you uproot your cozy life and move to a new country to absolutely understand what that feeling is like. Its been the scariest and most amazing 13 months of my life.

EC 81-Our first week in the Eastern Caribbean

I'm not quite sure why I hold on to milestones and dates so much through this journey. I was excited to tell my mom today that it was our 1 year mark to Closing of Service (COS). She replied "That is kind of sad. I dont want you thinking about coming home the whole next year." It isn't that I'm counting down the days to being stateside (or at Taco Bell), but rather a sense of being back to my hometown around the "normal" I have known for 22 years. I appreciate everyday here in Grenada and am learning things I could never imagine learning back home. I guess I get overwhelmed with the possibilities of my future that I forget to slow down. I need to work on that I suppose.

Official Swearing In- April 2010

I think its a great accomplishment that my group has stayed together these last 13 months with no one ending their service. As we get ready to say goodbye to the EC 79 group (tear) ahead of us, I have come to realize just how short this journey truly is. They are packing away the last of their items, giving away all they can and closing accounts. Im going to miss them more then I can probably realize right now. Their group welcomed us at the airport, mentored us through training and supported us through finding our roles here. Its the cycle of the Peace Corps that we have come to know so well. Always bringing in new faces keeps things fresh and ideas new. But it doesn't make the goodbyes easier. I appreciate you EC 79 and can't wait to see where your next journey takes you!

EC 79, Going to miss these guys!

So as I reflect on my last 13 months and the upcoming 12, I continue to be grateful for the experience I've had and the people I've met. The stories would take me years to tell. I have never been this happy in my life and the friendships I've made that break across cultural barriers are some I hold dear to my heart for eternity.

To the next 12 months....YOU ARE MINE!

EC 83 Swear In for Service

On Wednesday last week, ten new volunteers took the oath of any U.S. government official and became Peace Corps Volunteers. For the last 8 weeks they have been in intense training, which included sitting in a classroom all day being lectured at, man I don't miss those days!

This group of trainees turned volunteers is a unique group to the island. For the last two groups (EC 79 and 81), we have had one male volunteer. In this new group, there are SIX male volunteers. Nothing like mixing up the dynamics right? It has been a really good learning experience for all of us though and I think they are going to be a great asset to not only the Peace Corps, but to Grenada.

People in attendance at the ceremony included a feature address by the Hon. Minister of Education Franka Bernardine, words on behalf of the government of Grenada by Hon. Prime Minister Tillman Thomas, a motivating speech by the newly appointed Peace Corps Country Director Kevin Carley, and the official oath given by Charge de Affairs Mr. Bernard Link. Also at the ceremony were the current host families of the new volunteers, who so graciously rented out their families for 8 weeks, counterparts of current and new volunteers and community members.

After the ceremony, we headed to Jon and Steph's house in St. Paul's for the traditional celebration of good food, cold drinks and a peace cake! We have a few rituals (which I cant disclose, no hazing though) that we introduced to the new group in hopes they will pass it down through the next groups as well.

The Newbies with their traditional peace cake. Special group of people, haha!

Overall, it was a good time for everyone involved. It really put into perspective the limited time we have here as volunteers and just how quickly it goes by. I remember like it was yesterday being in their shoes, sitting on the stage and taking that oath to "defend our country from all foreign and domestic enemies". Wow has time flown or what? From this month exactly, our group of EC 81 has just one year of service left to Grenada and the Peace Corps. I'm proud of myself and my fellow group members for making it this far, and I can see the next year going super fast as we really get our projects going.

My host momma, who was also a host momma for one of the new volunteers.

To the new group....Thanks for being awesome and welcome to the family!!!!

Walk a Day in My Shoes

What a day. Do you ever look back on your day and just think "I did all of that in those hours?" Maybe that's just me. haha. Either way, days like today remind me why I'm here.



7:45am: Jump a bus to the Peace Corps office to retrieve the mural drawing.

8:00am-8:30am: Wait for bus outside office. This time of morning every bus is full and I'm not one to sit on the conductors lap. I've seen it happen.

9:00am- Arrive at school to see students running rampant (schools starts at 8:30) and no teachers in sight.

9:05am: Locate teachers in staff room huddled around a cake.

10:00-12:00: Young Authors assembly. The students have been preparing stories to present at the exhibition for weeks. Getting 1st graders to write more than "My pet's name is Blackie" is hard to do. So 5 minutes before exhibition, I am quickly filling in the gaps in children's handwriting. Hey...don't judge, it worked! After hearing 25 students read their stories in front of the entire school, I was glad it was over.

12:00-1:00: Students chaotically leave the assembly hall with chairs on head (as pictured), eager to eat lunch, as am I. Thankfully I managed to inhale some trail mix before students started hanging on me. I love this part of the day, but man was I hungry. I got to watch some students play dodgeball and cricket until a hear a student wailing in pain. I go to investigate and find one of my students finger had been smashed in the door. It was missing the top knuckle, not something my First Aid training could handle. Off she went to the hospital with three teachers.

1:15: Realize my counterpart teacher had left with Raziel to the hospital and I now have 20 students to myself. Uh oh. Here we go...

1:30: Manage to get 20 students teeth brushed with their new kits. This is their favorite part of the day, so I couldn't say no. Watching little kids brush their teeth is HILARIOUS. I successfully had all their pearly whites clean with only one student eating toothpaste. SUCCESS!

1:45: No lesson plan in tow you ask? Of course not. Plan B? COLOR!!!! Thanks to the bestest friend Tressa, we had new Mickey Mouse coloring books to tear in to. The way to a 1st graders heart...coloring, cutting and gluing. By the end of coloring session we had successfully broken two pair of scissors, one student had green crayon on her white uniform shirt, two students were fighting over glue which ended up on the floor, an attempted hair cutting and FINALLY new book covers, Mickey Mouse style!

2:30pm: "Please ring the bell, Please ring the bell, Please ring the bell!" RING RING RING RING RING! Thank sweet baby Jesus the bell rang. After a quick prayer they were out the door with new colored pictures and smiles on their faces. Now my day could start...

3:00pm: Run the last students off and begin painting our school mural with the help of Brice, another volunteer, (whose blog is here: www.briceandspice.blogspot.com) but not without watchful eyes through the windows.

3:00-5:15pm: Paint the coolest shipwreck and shark you have ever seen! Bam!

5:45pm: Walk in the door and collapse in bed. But not for long, I have food to make for the new volunteers official swearing in ceremony tomorrow. Twice baked potatoes in the oven and I finally realize "I have only had a handful of trail mix today." I shall settle for cheese and tomatoes, I'm to tired to cook.

9:00pm: FINALLY laying in bed, thinking to myself "I wouldn't want to be anywhere but here." And its only Tuesday.

I love my life!!!!!

Saturday Photo Dump

"The love of family is life's greatest blessing" 

 

What is family? Is it the people we share the same blood with, the same genealogy, the same heritage? Or can family be the people we choose to surround ourselves with during holidays, when times get tough and when support needs given? Family is a complex word that is defined so many ways that Webster gives it a general definition: A group of people united by certain convictions or a common affiliation. By that definition, family can be friends, pets, coworkers, etc. Who are your family members?

My personal family is quite unique in that I have a biological family and a chosen family. I was raised with a large extended biological family, none of which lived close. For this, many of my cousins aren't as well known to me as I would like to consider under the title "cousin". Its hard to get to know someone and form a bond with relatives who live plane rides away, but we have done our best.

Our family moved to Webb City when I was in 4th grade and I instantly became best friends with Whitney, who played softball and lived a scooter ride away from me. Our families instantly became one, our mothers practically sisters. We share every Christmas Eve, birthday, anniversary, graduation and celebration together as a family. I call them my chosen family because although Whitney has been my friend since childhood, our families chose to form one cohesive (and sometimes dysfunctional) family. 

Today, my chosen family sent one of our best to heaven. My grandpa Bud, the fire engine master, tootsie pop loving, kindest man in the world went to be with all our other relatives in a land of pain free living. Alzheimer's stole his brain many years ago and its been a tough struggle for our family to live through, but as any family would do, we bonded together and did what we had to for Grandpa. Although I'm sad I couldn't be there to be with him as he left our world, I know he is in good hands now. 

My wonderful cousin had the bright idea of Skyping me into the funeral service today. I cannot explain the joy it brought to me to feel like I was sitting right there with my family as we said our goodbyes. I think technology is talking over our lives in an often negative way, but today I couldn't of been more grateful for technology. I got to see a beautiful slide show and hear a powerful sermon, all while my family was right there. 

Grandpa Bud, we are going to miss you, but we know you are in a place of happiness with no pain. As the pastor said today, you exchanged that old body and mind in today for a bright, shiny, new body in heaven. Rest in peace, love you always!

Grandpa loved his Webb City Cardinals

Mom, Cheyann, Whitney and Aunt Kim

The cousins (minus Molly and I)

PAINT!!!!

I felt like a kid in art class today as I helped mix paint with the master of paint mixing. Katie, another volunteer (who took these pictures), is the art pro of the group and the person assisting me with the school mural. She drew the picture for the mural and helped draw it on the wall as well.

After making 4 trips to the paint store (two bus rides away), then carrying those gallons of paint back home and finally to the school, we got to start mixing paint today. The teachers at my school have been confused for weeks on how we were going to make all those colors out of the basic primary colors (red, yellow and blue for the slow ones), blue and black. I reassured them that it wouldn't end up being a Picasso painting and things will look fantastic when complete.

Here are some pictures of the adventures today. We are getting one step closer to paint on the walls. AMEN!