Here, for now

I am realizing that the time is nearing for me to go. Not just because my two years is up from a Peace Corps service aspect, but in a sense of life, I feel it in my bones. I am getting that itch, the same itch that lead me to this beautiful land is calling me to explore elsewhere.

This experience has been wildly liberating in ways, freeing as well…I have let go and roamed the depths of my soul while at the same time it has also been limiting and constraining to certain aspects of my being.

This conflicting existence has inherent limits to my growth, expansion and overall  well being. A catalyst in ways,  Purposeful for a time, temporarily useful…but I have outgrown this casing, it is time to fly. Saint Vincent, my cocoon. Forever grateful I will be, for you allowed me to “see” me.

 

Animal Action Week

While working  with the Vincentian Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals- VSPCA (a non-profit founded by another volunteer, Kiersten Anderson) early on in my service, I came across an organization called   IFAW  (International fund for animal welfare). Every October IFAW Animal Action Week world wide. The goal is to empower young people and their communities to take positive actions for animals through educational programs.

This year I introduced the first Animal Action Week at the primary school I am work with. It was a great week full of fun activities. Thanks to  Hands Across the Sea and donations from family and friends, we recently received a large number of fiction and non fiction animal books. We were able to incorporate the library into the Animal Action Week by creating an "Animal Fact Wall" as well as encouraging students to check out the new books. The students could post facts that they learned throughout the week on the wall.



                                     
                                     

I also encouraged all students to check out books related to animals. We conducted a book share today to give them a chance to share what they learned from their books.

The week also included movie time in the computer lab for each class to watch a National Geographic DVD for kids about various animals.
                                              
                                         
                                         
Grades K and 1 took a field trip to the local Vet!

                                         
                                         
                                         
And the grand finale to conclude Animal Action week was animal face painting!! This activity was the most touching to me since the idea was presented by teachers who wanted to support AAW and get involved. Very cool.

Not too shabby for my first time face painting! :)

 

I would  say the week was a success. Maybe this will be the start of an annual celebration at the school :)
                                             

Election Night , Vincy Style

 

 

 

Reppin Cali :)

...happy campers

Polls are closing

Great night! *cheers*

Happy Independence Day!!

 

33 years of Independence

 

"From 1763 until its independence in 1979, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines passed through various stages of colonial status under the British. A representative assembly was authorised in 1776, Crown Colony government was installed in 1877, a legislative council was created in 1925, and universal adult suffrage was granted in 1951.

 

During the period of its control of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, the British made several unsuccessful attempts to affiliate the island with other Windward Islands. This would have simplified Britain's control over the region through a unified administration. In the 1960s, several regional islands under British control, including Saint Vincent, also made an independent attempt to unify. The unification was to be called the West Indies Federation and was driven by a desire to gain freedom from British rule. The attempt collapsed in 1962.


Saint Vincent was granted "associate statehood" status by Britain on October 27, 1969. This gave Saint Vincent complete control over its internal affairs but was short of full independence. On October 27, 1979, following a referendum under Milton Cato, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines became the last of the Windward Islands to gain independence. Independence came on the 10th anniversary of Saint Vincent's associate statehood status." (source : Wikipedia)

Celebration at the School

Precious!

March around the school yard

March in full swing

Wave ya flag

Mini me

 

 

6 Month outlook

School is in, the books have arrived the library is up and running, actually BOOMING and BUSTLING a should say. It truly warms my heart to see the enthusiasm and excitement that the students have towards the books and the library as a whole. They have such a sense of  accomplishment when they select a new book to borrow and or return the latest read. You can see their eyes light up when they find "that one" they were looking for.

I have been working hard on developing a topic list at the request of a few teachers in efforts to make the library more user friendly for teachers seeking to incorporate the books into specific lessons. This is a vital aspect to the sustainability of the library because the Teachers must also buy into the importance of keeping the library up and running, whats in it for me?

I have transitioned my focus from working with small groups and individuals in remediation. I could write a book on this but bottom line, I am not a trained teacher, literacy instruction on that level is not something I am passionate about and I also felt the students I was working with needed more time , energy and expertise than I was able to give.  What happens to those students? Well, they go back into the classroom. They miss out on 60 minutes of supplemental instructional time a week. Did those 60 minutes a week help them academically, I am not sure. Was there some benefit of them being singled out (Hawthorne Effect), most likely yes. However, with 6 months left in my service I guess I felt my presence at the school could be put to "better" use.  I still interact with my students from last year, I encourage them to utilize the library...so yea, that is that.

I applied for a grant over the summer with the Mustique Charitable Trust Foundation to obtain funding for the renovation of our Literacy Center. The vision of this center is to create an interactive educational space for students to obtain supplemental instruction in the area of Literacy as well as have the opportunity to engage in self guided learning activities. We will have different stations : Drama, Art, Oral , Written in the room with many teaching aids and manipulatives to enhance the students experience. My hope is that many of the students that have consistently struggled with reading and writing from year to year will finally be able to receive the additional help they deserve , in a warm welcoming space by a trained teacher equipped to assist them with their needs.

So what am I doing now? My main station is the library. The great news is we have a new teacher that has taken interest in the library and agreed to take over my duties once I leave!! The literacy renovation project is off to a slow start but should be picking up next month. The room was taken over by Bats over the Summer and all the books I sorted last year were mixed up so the "keep and give away" piles are one big mess again. The goal is to have the grand opening in February during Literacy Week.  I am continuing the Art Classes with grade 3 on Fridays, I LOVE it , it brings out my inner hippie and the kids get a kick out of my stunts.  :)  I have also started a Life Skills Course with Grade 5 that I conduct once a week. It is off to a great start, the teacher is really supportive and helps make the sessions lively and fun.  It is definitely one of the highlights of my service.

Katie and I finished the computer course at the Women's Prison. We are scheduled to kick off our 6 month Women's Empowerment Series this month. Exciting!

Writers Flow is still moving and shaking. We will have one more event before the end of the year. We are looking to start monthly youth poetry workshops in collaboration with a local book store at the start of the new year. I am really looking forward to helping facilitate some of the workshops.

Some projects that I thought would be successful have fizzled out. One thing that I have come to accept is that not all great ideas will come to be when we desire them to be. I am not interested in inserting myself in an agency or organization just because it appears they have a need I can help fill. They have to want the help. I am very selective these days on what I give my time and energy to. It is actually quite a blessing to be able to select what feels right, what is in sync, what brings me joy and move forward with those projects rather than being forced to do something just because it is something else to add to my "to do list" or resume.

I feel pretty solid with whats on my plate for these last 6 months. Yes, all is well.

Thank you to Hands Across the Sea and every single person that donated to the Library project this year. We received about 700 additional books and 10 pencil shapeners to be placed in each class room. I am so thankful and appreciative of all your encouragement and support.

Here are a few pics of the new pics and pencil sharpeners:

Summa Time

...well look what happens when Jessica is out of school for the Summer... she goes blog crazzzay!! Don't worry, I am 90% sure this won't last haha.   I must say, I am truly enjoying the school break. There is something special and uplifting about being mobbed by a ton of 6 year olds with hugs, yes indeed .But I am also LOVING the freedom and flexibility I have to work on other projects when I am not at the school everyday.

Mental Health Center:
Outside of the library camp I have continued to do monthly groups at the Mental Health Center (this requires an entirely separate post) *sigh*. Let's just say it has been extremely eye opening , frustrating, overwhelming, draining, confusing and disheartening all at the same time. Having a background  in the field of mental health and counseling, I am no newbie to residential homes, psychiatric hospitals and various settings which serve this population...but this is something of a different breed. First let me say I have been impressed overall with the staff from nursing aids to the Senior officers that work at the center, from what I have seen they provide services with care and respect.  They seem to do the best with what they have. The majority of patients are in and out of various states of psychosis, a good percentage of this being substance induced psychosis. There are also patients that are permanent residents and have lived at the center for more than 5 years because there is no where else for them to go. No step down services, no transitional homes. You are either institutionalized or left to battle your illness on your own. Common methods of those who don't seek treatment :pray the devil away or drink him stupid. As most know, therapy is pretty much pointless if someone is still using. The center has unfortunately become a revolving door serving to babysit and contain those that suffer from SA and Mental Illness when they "act out" in the community. There are a slew of suggestions, alternatives, and solutions that would help to help increase the level of rehabilitation at the center but that would take way more time, energy and resources than I am able  to invest in this secondary project right now. They offer some community outreach programs as well as monthly clinics in town, I plan to get involved with these in October and see if it is a better fit than offering groups at the center with inpatients. So for now...I continue to do what I can with what I have which is more than doing nothing at all so I am ok with that.

Women's Prison:
Another volunteer and I have been doing a basic computer skills program at the women's prison for almost a year now. This program has been one of the highlights of my service. We recently wrote an article recapping our experience with the ladies and the program, I will post it once it is published in the Peace Corps magazine. The computer skills course is coming to a conclusion next Monday the 20th. We will have our final ceremony with the ladies and celebrate the success of the course. The majority of "rehabilitation" services offered at the prison are religious based. They have 4-6 different ministries come visit the prison weekly. Faith and Spirituality can be a great source of strength in life , especially while serving a prison sentence, but for many of us, rehabilitation includes more than just praise and worship. Because of this, we want to continue to go to the prison for the duration of our service in order to provide additional ways to contribute to personal growth while serving time. In October we will start a 6 month Women's Empowerment Series. We will deliver monthly sessions on topics including : Communication, Goal Setting, Self -Esteem, Violence, Yoga, and Anger Management.  I am looking forward to this and hope to get some great speakers from around the island to come and vibe out with the ladies.

Writers' Flow:
For the last few months I have been working with a group of Vincentian artist that came together under the name Writers'Flow. The group seeks to promote written expression in various forms and settings throughout the island. One of their most successful ventures has been a monthly open mic night held in town. These open mics are unique here because they offer a quality, mature atmosphere that is not drowned out by formalities and protocol. People can just come be and DO whatever they are moved to share... a solid night of good vibes and laughter.

So I write, I have been writing A LOT since coming here...it isn't really "poetry" more like prose I guess? Anyway, because this space was so warm and welcoming I decided to get on the mic and share some of my writing for the first time EVER in a public place. They were nice, and I didn't get booed (at least not out loud) , it was a great experience and I am glad I finally got the courage to share but let's just say we can't all be performance artist!  haha  So I will stick to what I do best and continue to be an avid supporter of the arts and a consistent loyal fan who will do all that I can to make sure these events continue. I help set up the events, spread the word and capture some of the highlights with my flip cam. Groupie love, no shame :)

This Summer break has been pretty fulfilling. I feel I found a pretty good balance of work, play, and relaxation. Next week I go home to the states for a MUCH needed visit. I miss my family and friends...I just miss home.

 I was walking back from school one day and met a lady on the road. She asked me how long I had been here and if I planned to stay longer. I started to tell her how there is a lot of beauty in St. Vincent and I love parts about this country, I am so grateful for the people I have met here that have made SVG feel like a second home. But I just missed home(probably followed by a look of sadness because this was during a rough day, I remember because I tried to stop myself from tearing up while talking to her). She just smiled and told me that if I didn't miss home...then it must not be much of a home I came from. For some reason, this simple statement made me smile. It was some sort of gracious message to say...its ok to let your heartache for what it misses some times.  Its ok to  love where you are while still loving where you came from.

 Strong healthy  roots are essential  for limitless expansion, boundless exploration and growth. We must have roots somewhere, someplace to provide that base. Home has a different meaning for each of us  it could be God, a place of worship, Family, A lover,  mountains, rivers, or a geographical   location but without a solid foundation or roots as a lifeline to some source, we are essentially dead, how does a plant flourish with severed roots?

What is Carnival? (follow up)

In my previous post  Carnival Time I said I would capture some comments from Vincentians and share their take on Vincy Mas and carnival in general.  

Well here you go!

Keep in mind this is an extremely small sample size of the island (1 non-Vincentian interview included- thanks Ivan!)  and only reflects the views of those interviewed as individuals, this is by no means a post to say "All Vincentians" feel this way about carnival. Mostly co-workers and friends.

Also, most of my interviews where pre-carnival, not during or after the events. It would of been nice to get more interviews with  people that did participate in Vincy Mas, however I didn't   bring my flip cam to the festivities I attended so that made my window of opportunity a bit smaller.

A lot of people partake in Vincy Mas,  a lot don't , it is a personal choice. I would have liked to talk to some of the people that study history and culture on a regular basis like Sister Nell or Dr. Adams to see what they had to say about the origins of Carnival in the Caribbean but didn't get around to it...maybe that will be a future post maybe not..

Personally, I am kind of over the carnival thing at this point. It was a great time, some people have the time of their life...I enjoy all the dancing and good music but I think 1-2 days is enough for me. I would say if I was here for a 3rd year, I might sit the next one out or maybe do some different events like Panorama and the Cylypso contest . I guess that is the beauty of carnival season, it is not a one size fits all celebration, there are different ways to be involved if one wishes to participate.

Cultural Survival : The good ole days

Schools out...so now what? One of the highlights of my Summer break thus far has been working the CLAP: for fun camp last month. It is a 2 week summer camp held at the National Public Library in town. This years theme was Cultural Survival : The good ole days. It was pretty much a crash course in all things Vincentian from arts and crafts, song, poetry, food to basic ways of life. The participants were told not to bring any electronics with them to the program. The goal was to expose them to some of the ways people worked, ate, played and survived back in the good ole days before Blackberries and facebook.

It was a great time. Some of the crafts my age group made included : scrap mats, clay pots, coconut jewelry boxes,  and banana bark save alls. An exhibition was held the last day of the camp which included performances and an display of all the participants work.

Pics  by Ticky Herbert

It is magical what happens when you allow the imagination to run free. Especially in young people. I had to keep reminding some of the adults that guidance and feedback is cool but instead of  telling the participants exactly how their artwork should look  or that it has too much of this or not enough of that,  instead we should encourage them to  take their time and do their best.  However their work  turns out is their own little masterpiece inspired from within.

 It was powerful to see the kids go from  complaining the first few days after an hour of work " Miss my hand hurts, Miss this boring!, Miss we got to finish this entire thing???",  to shortening their break and lunch time to put in extra work into  their projects by the end of the camp!

Choral Speech
One of the poems my age group recited as a group speech

De Company Fu Keep ( Grandmother's Advice)-

by a Vincentian writer, I cannot remember her name. Will update when I locate it.

"This poem includes many of the local expressions and philosophy handed down from generation to generation. A girl who begins to behave like her unruly friends is sent to live in a remote part of the country with her stern grandmother. she is only allowed to return home when she "know her place" or in other words, learns her respect." - Author

I encourage everyone to give it a go and read this outloud to someone :) It was pretty entertaining to rehearse this with the kids. It was a difficult read even for those who regularly speak local dialect/ Vincentian Creole (still not sure what to call it, I hear various terms).

Me muma tell me puppa

Me wark wid bad company,

An is like water pan duck back,

When she ah tark to me,

Dem say dat me go bring dem

Only shame and disgrace,

Me mus go stop wid megranmuma,

Until me know me place.

Me frien an dem na jail bud,

Dem nar smoke marijuana,

Dem nar thief poor people ram goat,

An dem na murderer.

Dem only stone dung mango, Antruckshon, an talk slack,

An got dem little boy frien,

Behin dem parents back.

So dem pack me Georgie bundle,

An sen me ah Fancy,

Go spen time wid me granmuma,

Till she tark sense into me.

Dem say she na go tolerate

None ah me waywudniss,

An if me ge she back answer,

She go meck me see start pitch.

Granma treat me nice one month,

An meck me feel so great,

But when me start to get outalone,

She tell me watch yo gait!

Me haffu tell she way megwine,

When me gwine fu a wakr,

Way me bin, an who an me bin,

When me come back befo dark.

Me Granma size me up, an den,

She put me fu siddnug,

An tell me, me mus change me course,

An me life arung.

She say company ah carry me,

But dem nar bring me,

An follow fashin dog,

Mus ketch mangie.

She say me na fu truckshon,

Me haffu cut it out,

An me haffu drop dem brawling friends,

Who like fu knack about.

Na want ah tongue cattle got, meck ecar tark,

But ah too much tongue e got

An, ah kay “K” na kay meck e back bruck.

Me spen six months widGrarma,

An me hear way Grama say,

An den she sen me home back,

An me wark straight till today.

Me ha respeck fu older heads,

At night me parents can sleep.

Becausen, now, me understand,

De company fu keep.

Random Act of Kindness

Today I strolled over to my box to collect the mail and saw a postcard from the Netherlands. I assumed it was placed in the wrong box until I saw my name on it with the following note:

"I stumbled upon your blog about your life as a Peace Corps Volunteer in St. Vincent. I enjoyed reading about it and I think you are doing a great job! I decided to send you a greeting from Holland" -Maick

Short, sweet and to the point. This simple gesture automatically brought a smile to my face. A smile  I continued to share with others throughout the rest of my day.

Thank you kind "stranger" for taking a moment to spread some love.

Books are treasures...

..dig in! ( the 2011-2012 theme for Literacy Week).  The students surely dug in ALL the way after the grand re-opening of the school library this year. 

As many of you know, I have less than a year left of my service. I will be at the school for term 1 and 2 of next school year and then my service is over. Yesterday my Dad asked me if I felt my work at the school was actually impacting the students. After a few moments of uncertainty, it came to me with clarity- The Library has been the absolute highlight of  my work at the school. 

Creating a space for the students to come and relax, find a moment of peace and quiet as they read through Clifford the big red dog, Dora the explorer, "Just for me"  (a series specially created for children of African Descent), Chicken soup for the child's soul, Baby sitters club, Junie B. Jones, National Geographic for kids and the list goes on and on...seeing them fully take in this space daily has continued to be a source of inspiration during my time here. 

I am extremely grateful for all of you that helped make this vision become a reality last year.  Hands Across the Sea has generously offered to help us again this year. With your help, we obtained 700 books and art supplies last year. This was a GREAT start. We are looking to continue to grow the school library by adding 700 more books this year. You aren't in this alone, Hands Across the Sea contributes donations from private donors and we had parents and teachers that also brought in books throughout the year. Our collection is growing each month. 

 The donations this year will also be used to purchase manual stationary pencil sharpeners to install in each classroom so that the students can finally leave the straight edge razors at home! (cringe)

Any little bit helps! Please donate today.

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Wonderful start, help us keep growing.

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Teacher sign out sheet

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