Sorry, Red Cross, I can't donate blood today. I already gave a liter to the mosquitoes.

The mosquitoes here are like little demon vampires. They are cruel and heartless and bloodsucking. I have literally woken myself up at night scratching patches of my skin with 5 to 10 fresh bites on one small area. The only bug spray I have is this "all natural" Peace Corps issued stuff that smells like pine and causes a strange burning sensation wherever I spray it. I don't think "all natural" stuff is suppose to burn, but what do I know anyway? One time I accidentally sprayed it in my eye and while I had my hands over my eyes thinking, "Please, dear God, don't let me be blinded by government issued bug spray," I started to feel myself getting bitten again so I proceeded to hop around and flail my limbs, blinded, screaming, "AAAGGGHHH!!!!" I wonder what that looked like from afar. Probably something like a possession. At one point, I started to walk around the house in a zig-zag fashion, adopting the same tactic people have used for running away from shooting gunmen. Not sure why I thought that would be effective. People do strange things in desperation.

But, other than being one gigantic mosquito bite my quality of life is pretty good.

Today I ventured into Cockpit Country, the middle/western section of Jamaica known for its dense forests and rich history. The road to get there is one lane, in extremely poor condition, and there is nothing but a prayer between the car tire and the edge of a cliff with a few-hundred foot drop. Still, I was extremely excited to go and I would love to go again. It is the land of the Maroons, the escaped slaves that fought (and many times defeated) the British army with their guerilla war tactics in the 18th century. I visited a Peace Corps Volunteer who lives in the town of Accompong to check out a grant-sponsored beautification project he has been working on over the last year. This volunteer is also established this website (a really good one, might I add) to promote hiking related eco-tourism in the area, but there’s some great information on the history of Cockpit Country and beautiful photos on the site. Check it out! While you’re at it, book a tour! If hiking isn’t exactly your thing, then I suggest spending the day at the Appleton Rum Estates tour just down the road. I heard that they have over 30 types of rum at Appleton Estates. Yeah. You can’t try them all in one day. Well, I suppose you could if you really wanted... but I wouldn't suggest it. Ever.

A few Peace Corps Trainees have already dropped out and have gone back home to the US. This really saddens me because my group truly has become like my family, and each time I hear the news that another one has decided to go home it stings me right in the center of my heart...partly because I am going to miss them, and partly because I know how hard it must have been for them to "give up" on this experience. Empathetically, I do understand their reasons for leaving and believe that they were wholly justified in their decisions and I wish them nothing but pure happiness and more adventures in their futures. Selfishly, I just want everyone to stay here so that we can all fight our battles together and stay as an intact family. I know that this cannot be. Through the course of these next two years many volunteers will terminate their service early. This is a fact of Peace Corps life, and especially of Peace Corps Jamaica life, as our attrition rate is especially high. I know all this, but I still hope that the damage to our group is minimal and that I as an individual can adapt, survive, and maybe even thrive these next two full years.

This article about me appears on the St. Clair County Community College website. The woman who wrote it, Patti Samar, did an AMAZING job, and I appreciate the fact that she included relevant, accurate information. And the fact that she didn't misquote me was an added bonus! I was really pleased to read the article (although the picture of me that goes with it literally made me laugh aloud due to its high cheesiness factor) and hope that some of you back home get a chance to send Ms. Samar some props for a job very well done.

I encourage all of you to visit some of the blogs of my fellow trainees currently in Jamaica. They can be found on the panel on the right side of this page. Enjoy! Love you all very much!