Why did the mongoose cross the road?

I don’t know, but I saw one running across my street yesterday morning. It scared the crap out of me. I thought it was some kind of strange weasel-ferret-beaver-rat-dog hybrid but when I consulted a neighbor about it he informed me that it was “just a mongoose.” Like it was no big deal. Frankly, I thought the mongoose was a made up mythical creature… until I saw one. The thing was huge! My Lonely Planet guide said that the mongooses (mongeese?) completely wiped out several species of poisonous snakes in Jamaica. Don’t mess with a mongoose.

If you were wondering, here is what a typical day would be like for me:

I awaken to my belligerent rooster enemy crowing at 6am, take a cold shower, dress to impress, and enjoy my morning coffee and cereal while watching Smile Jamaica (the Jamaican version of Good Morning America). I then make the mile-long journey to work and arrive a sweaty, hot mess. I have to sit in front of the fan for the first 30 minutes so that I can function. Work day activities range anywhere from sitting in the one-room office and answering phone calls and helping the needy acquire food/clothing/bedding, to attending meetings around the Parish of St. Elizabeth and collaborating with other non-profit agencies, to assisting my co-worker in putting on HIV education workshops for students in area schools. When work is over, I make the mile-long journey (this time uphill) back to my house, take another cold shower, and fix some dinner. At night I vacillate between playing guitar and reading, or listening to music and writing until I go to bed around 10pm. Thursday night is my favorite night because I get to watch The Office. Overall, it’s not a very exciting life, but I am extremely well-suited for it. Every once and awhile I’ll bust out the dominoes table and invite some of my Jamaican and/or PC friends over to play or watch a movie on my laptop. I have a loose routine for my days but I do change it up every once and while. And that’s just how I like it.

My nighttime activities are nothing like what they were in the states. Back home I could hop in the car and drive around, go out with friends, or just find a place to sit and be. In Jamaica, no matter how “safe” of a city you live in, it is not acceptable for a young woman to be out past dark alone, and I don’t even like to go out after dark even if I AM with people. Sadly, I have not seen the moon in many, many weeks. After 5pm I’m always in my house for the night. The good part about that is I have done more reading and writing and thinking than I ever have before due to the lack of distractions and nighttime activities.

Exciting news! Soon to be added to the mix of things I have going on at work will be tutoring part time for an Expanded Education Horizons (EEH) school for teenage boys with remedial math and literacy skills. I will also be doubling as a Life Skills teacher, which means I get to talk to the young men about all that fun stuff young men think about. My main goals will be to try to instill in them positive values, respect for themselves and others, self-esteem, job skills, and basic health education. I will also be trying to help the school increase its student enrollment and overall capacity for helping the youth population. The two other teachers at the school focus on teaching literacy and math skills so that these young men can pass the “HEART” test and be eligible for free college and technical training. The EEH school is very excited to have me and I’m equally excited to start helping them in any way I can. My first lecture is going to be on Ganja (marijuana) smoking, as most of these boys live up in the mountains where ganja is commonly grown and heavily consumed. The whole experience is going to be extremely challenging but hopefully beneficial and rewarding for everyone involved.

A lizard just fell from the ceiling onto the chair next to me. I’m not sure who was more scared, him or me.

More exciting news! I will be coming home for Christmas this year (if Peace Corps approves of my leave days)! My mom and brother surprised me by going in on a ticket for me to come home for 8 days around Christmas time! WOooO!!!!! Thank you Mom and Milke! You guys rock! I’ll let you know via email --when everything has been made official -- when I’ll be home.


These are my feet after walking home on a rainy day in flip flops. Ow.


Highlights of the week:

-Seeing a mongoose cross the road.
-Drinking a delicious smoothie made of paw-paw, guava, and some other indistinguishable tropical fruit. My very sweet landlady Miss ‘Dessa made it for me! Mmm.
-Signing up to get internet (Yes,that is the first step in a long process to getting internet. First you sign up. Then you wait. Then they decide if you can have it. Then you wait. Then they install it. That is, if they show up). If all goes well, I should hopefully have internet in my room in the next 2 to 3 weeks!
-Having my first boring weekend alone at my house. It was actually a really nice, normal feeling weekend. I did laundry, cleaned, watched movies, slept in, made calls home. Relaxing!
-Hearing that my amazing Great Aunt Catherine, who is 100 years young, reads my blog! Hi, Aunt Catherine! Thanks for reading! Hope you are well, I love you and miss you very much!

Until next time! Take care, stay healthy and happy.