Good Friday in Grenada

One of the biggest excitements i had about joining the Peace Corps was the chance to experience different holiday traditions. In the States i can remember being so thrilled to just see how other families celebrated differently then i did. Some don't celebrate at all while others go all out. The ways that Americans celebrate holidays cant be defined under one large heading, but in Grenada that's a fair assumption.

My first sign that Easter in Grenada was going to be different was when i was told the children have TWO weeks out of school. Its not like in the States where the district says "well we cant give them this day, cuz then we are short on days here and we have to meet this amount"...YADA YADA YADA! Here...if there is something important to be out of school for whether religious, political, a funeral or celebration then they are going to cancel school. And i have found that i really like it this way, it makes the community seem more tight nit.

So today i woke up around 8 am because my APCD (associate Peace Corps director) was picking me and a few other up to show us our apartments we are moving into next Saturday. After seeing my new place i returned home and was quickly put to work in the kitchen. I asked my mom what the day had in store and feel like she said "we are gonna do this, then this, and then this, and finally this." But really once i listened to her i learned that Grenadians pretty much have a ritual on Good Friday. Here is what i got from it:

First: CHURCH! Some churches have one service in the morning, and then others have morning and evening services. This morning there were literally NO cars on the road which gave me the indication everyone was at church.

Second: Prepare lunch. The same dish is ate in just about every family in Grenada on Good Friday. Herron fish with tomatoes, peppers, onions and olive oil. Also some breadfruit and yams. I'm not a big fan of fish, especially the real fishy tasting ones here, but i ate it, as i knew it was respectful to the holiday.

Third: BEACH! yes...i said it. We went to the beach around 2:30 and found the shores packed with families picnicking and swimming. The mood in the air seemed so refreshing and joyish. I was glad to be there.

Fourth: Fly kites! This is a HUGE Easter ritual in Grenada. The largest kite flying day of the break is Easter Sunday, but in order to ensure your kite is prepared for Sunday you must trial run on Good Friday. I found myself just staring into the sky admiring the hundreds of kites that filled the air. Homemade kites are far better then store bought and i cant wait til a Grenadian kid can teach me how to make them.

Overall today was a huge success and gave me some great insight into the traditions of the Grenadian people. It didn't seem as if you were questioning what other families were doing, because everyone was doing the same thing, like one big family. I cant wait to see how Easter day is celebrated. Stay tuned...

Homemade kites

Main dish