Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Visitors
Saturday, February 25, 2012
togetherness
So in case you couldn’t guess, we spend a lot of time together. Well, duh. Right? We’re married. That’s part of the agreement. So let’s rephrase: Here in Peace Corps, we spend A LOT of time together. We live together in a very small space, in a small community and setting in which we don’t really go out after dark. We work together and have the same ‘office’. Although, during our time here, we have worked on developing projects that we work on individually, rather than together. Our social lives also seem to always include one another, as we have all the same friends, and mostly the same interests. We’re by far each other’s best friends in our community, as making genuine local friends is something that all Jamaica PCVs seem to struggle with, ourselves included.
Our average* day consists of:
-The first hour or two being within 10 ft from each other as we read and drink coffee, organizing our plans and work for the day. (At some point Matt might make breakfast while Julie sometimes reads to him, after which we’ll eat said breakfast together.)
-Come 8/9am we both, more or less, go our separate ways to work on different things. However, it would be unusual to not cross paths again before noon, as we both need to work in the library at the same time, we’re checking in/working on a mutual project, we need to hand off the keys, we’re both at home, etc.
-Come lunch we’re both usually at home grabbing a quick bite to eat, in which we’ll once again share our hastily-made grub with one another if he/she is around.
-The rest of the day until dinner is spent in much the same way as the morning. Maybe Julie’s teaching at the school, while right outside the school, Matt’s working on the Parade ground project. Maybe we’re filling out PC paperwork together, paperwork that seems to be piling up lately. Maybe we’re at the house, proofreading one another’s grant proposal or blogposts. Maybe we’re at the library, one working on organizing the books, while the other hunts for jobs for both us back home.
-Julie starts making dinner around 5, about the same time Matt craves his afternoon coffee. So both back to the house, Julie in the kitchen, and Matt swinging in the hammock, sipping on his hand-roasted brew.
-We eat dinner together at the table. Share what little we don’t know about each other’s day. Maybe we’ll go for a walk around the community to check on the progress of the Parade Grounds, or just to get out. Back home, we’ll play a few games of cards, maybe have a beer to go alongside. And right before retiring to our bedroom to watch an episode of Deadwood or The Wire, we’ll look at each other and say, “We spend A LOT of time together.”
We can proudly say that despite all this –and the fact that we’re both stubborn, strong-minded, independent people, we haven’t killed each other yet. In fact, we’re both still completely on board with the ‘till death do us part’ agreement. And we’re sure that one day, when we have a family, and a home, and jobs, and barely have a moment alone together, we’ll both reminisce about the days in PC (and the AK Bush) when we spent so much flippin time together. AND, one thing’s for sure, that if there’s one thing that we’ve done together, we’ve grown together. However, despite all this, we’re both looking forward to having a little more time apart in our next life. I don’t know, maybe 6 hrs/day would be nice?
*Our days can vary highly from one to the next.
Our average* day consists of:
-The first hour or two being within 10 ft from each other as we read and drink coffee, organizing our plans and work for the day. (At some point Matt might make breakfast while Julie sometimes reads to him, after which we’ll eat said breakfast together.)
-Come 8/9am we both, more or less, go our separate ways to work on different things. However, it would be unusual to not cross paths again before noon, as we both need to work in the library at the same time, we’re checking in/working on a mutual project, we need to hand off the keys, we’re both at home, etc.
-Come lunch we’re both usually at home grabbing a quick bite to eat, in which we’ll once again share our hastily-made grub with one another if he/she is around.
-The rest of the day until dinner is spent in much the same way as the morning. Maybe Julie’s teaching at the school, while right outside the school, Matt’s working on the Parade ground project. Maybe we’re filling out PC paperwork together, paperwork that seems to be piling up lately. Maybe we’re at the house, proofreading one another’s grant proposal or blogposts. Maybe we’re at the library, one working on organizing the books, while the other hunts for jobs for both us back home.
-Julie starts making dinner around 5, about the same time Matt craves his afternoon coffee. So both back to the house, Julie in the kitchen, and Matt swinging in the hammock, sipping on his hand-roasted brew.
-We eat dinner together at the table. Share what little we don’t know about each other’s day. Maybe we’ll go for a walk around the community to check on the progress of the Parade Grounds, or just to get out. Back home, we’ll play a few games of cards, maybe have a beer to go alongside. And right before retiring to our bedroom to watch an episode of Deadwood or The Wire, we’ll look at each other and say, “We spend A LOT of time together.”
We can proudly say that despite all this –and the fact that we’re both stubborn, strong-minded, independent people, we haven’t killed each other yet. In fact, we’re both still completely on board with the ‘till death do us part’ agreement. And we’re sure that one day, when we have a family, and a home, and jobs, and barely have a moment alone together, we’ll both reminisce about the days in PC (and the AK Bush) when we spent so much flippin time together. AND, one thing’s for sure, that if there’s one thing that we’ve done together, we’ve grown together. However, despite all this, we’re both looking forward to having a little more time apart in our next life. I don’t know, maybe 6 hrs/day would be nice?
*Our days can vary highly from one to the next.
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Annnddd we're back.
We apologize for being MIA for the past couple weeks or so. They’ve been somewhat busy, as our schedule was booked for a month straight:
January 19th-25: Mom and Aunt Karla were here visiting
January 25-27: Our COS (Close of Service) Conference
January 26-30: JACOM board visiting Accompong
January 29-February 14: ECUADOR!!
Let us discuss the most recent of these events: ECUADOR!! Throughout our service we’ve been discussing how we would use our allotted leave days. I don’t know if this is a regular occurrence among other posts, but here in Jamaica, most PCVs spend hours and hours contemplating how they will spend their acquired leave days (2 days/month of service). For almost a year, we’ve been discussing the possibility of traveling to South America at the end of our service, a place both of us have never been but both wanted to visit. So after some research (i.e. which country we could fly to the cheapest), relentless persuasion of good friends (fellow PCVs who joined us), and reassessment of our budget (you only live once, right?), we decided on Ecuador.
Let us NOW brag about the good choices we made: Ecuador was fabulous. Our companions were wonderful. Our budget, only a little worse for the wear. We spent all of our time in the Andes/highlands, as most of us deeply miss the mountains, hiking, camping, and cool weather. We could go on and on about the great time we had, but we won’t bore you with details. Instead, here’s some pictures of our journey you can check out….
January 19th-25: Mom and Aunt Karla were here visiting
January 25-27: Our COS (Close of Service) Conference
January 26-30: JACOM board visiting Accompong
January 29-February 14: ECUADOR!!
Let us discuss the most recent of these events: ECUADOR!! Throughout our service we’ve been discussing how we would use our allotted leave days. I don’t know if this is a regular occurrence among other posts, but here in Jamaica, most PCVs spend hours and hours contemplating how they will spend their acquired leave days (2 days/month of service). For almost a year, we’ve been discussing the possibility of traveling to South America at the end of our service, a place both of us have never been but both wanted to visit. So after some research (i.e. which country we could fly to the cheapest), relentless persuasion of good friends (fellow PCVs who joined us), and reassessment of our budget (you only live once, right?), we decided on Ecuador.
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| the Crew |
Sunday, January 15, 2012
The Accompong Maroon Parade Ground and School Playfield
Having worked most recently as a professional commercial landscaper in Alaska during my last five summers before coming to the Peace Corps and Jamaica, the first thing that caught my (Matt's) eye after our first tour of our community, way back in May 2010, was the decrepit condition of the community ball field/ school recess area and playfield, otherwise known as the Accompong Maroon Parade Ground. The Parade Ground also has significant historical and cultural importance to the community.
This area is the only, flat, playable surface of any kind, anywhere in the community large enough to sustain an event or ballgame (here it is cricket, soccer and the annual January 6th Maroon Celebration that matter most). At 200’ x 100’ it is still barely large enough for even that… able to sustain only half-field 6-on-6 matches in soccer, and for cricket the boundaries must include all the downhill and rocky slopes along with bush and farmland.
As an identified need (by the community) the revitalization of the Parade Ground, in priority need, ranks only behind the improvement of local roads, the development of a reliable, potable water supply, and the creation of jobs and additional sources of income for the local population.
So… over the past year and a half, slowly, the idea for the project has evolved and developed, grant proposals have been written and submitted to many different organizations, and fingers have been crossed. The result… about $20,000 of the estimated need of $27,000 US has been raised through contributions from CHASE Fund (not Chase Bank) Jamaica, the Tourism Enhancement Fund, USAID and National Commercial Bank (NCB) Foundation. The official title of the project is the Revitalization of the Accompong Maroon Parade Ground.
The project objectives are: 1) To construct two retaining walls, one is 175’ long and averages 6’ in height, the other is 225’ long and averages 8’ in height. The erection of these walls will allow the field to be significantly expanded in size. 2) To backfill these retaining walls with fill material up to the height of the rest of the Parade Ground. 3) To raise the level of the entire field and set the grade so that it drains properly (in its current state the field holds water and for all practical purposes is a small pond during the wet season). 4) To top the entire field with topsoil and plant it with grass (currently the field is very rocky and uneven with grass growing on about 70% of its surface. 5) To erect a chain-link fence around three sides of the field to prevent injury in the event of a fall over the edge of the retaining walls, which in some places are now over 20’ high, and to keep soccer and cricket balls from cascading down the slopes and into the bush when they are kicked or struck out of bounds.
As of today we are approximately 50% complete on the project, the retaining walls have been built and have been partially backfilled, the chain-link fence is in the beginning stages of being erected. The search for the additional funds needed to bring the project to completion continues. The hope is that by the end of our service here in May we will see the successful completion of this project for the community.
(pictures to come...)
This area is the only, flat, playable surface of any kind, anywhere in the community large enough to sustain an event or ballgame (here it is cricket, soccer and the annual January 6th Maroon Celebration that matter most). At 200’ x 100’ it is still barely large enough for even that… able to sustain only half-field 6-on-6 matches in soccer, and for cricket the boundaries must include all the downhill and rocky slopes along with bush and farmland.
As an identified need (by the community) the revitalization of the Parade Ground, in priority need, ranks only behind the improvement of local roads, the development of a reliable, potable water supply, and the creation of jobs and additional sources of income for the local population.
So… over the past year and a half, slowly, the idea for the project has evolved and developed, grant proposals have been written and submitted to many different organizations, and fingers have been crossed. The result… about $20,000 of the estimated need of $27,000 US has been raised through contributions from CHASE Fund (not Chase Bank) Jamaica, the Tourism Enhancement Fund, USAID and National Commercial Bank (NCB) Foundation. The official title of the project is the Revitalization of the Accompong Maroon Parade Ground.
The project objectives are: 1) To construct two retaining walls, one is 175’ long and averages 6’ in height, the other is 225’ long and averages 8’ in height. The erection of these walls will allow the field to be significantly expanded in size. 2) To backfill these retaining walls with fill material up to the height of the rest of the Parade Ground. 3) To raise the level of the entire field and set the grade so that it drains properly (in its current state the field holds water and for all practical purposes is a small pond during the wet season). 4) To top the entire field with topsoil and plant it with grass (currently the field is very rocky and uneven with grass growing on about 70% of its surface. 5) To erect a chain-link fence around three sides of the field to prevent injury in the event of a fall over the edge of the retaining walls, which in some places are now over 20’ high, and to keep soccer and cricket balls from cascading down the slopes and into the bush when they are kicked or struck out of bounds.
As of today we are approximately 50% complete on the project, the retaining walls have been built and have been partially backfilled, the chain-link fence is in the beginning stages of being erected. The search for the additional funds needed to bring the project to completion continues. The hope is that by the end of our service here in May we will see the successful completion of this project for the community.
(pictures to come...)
Sunday, January 8, 2012
January 6th
As referenced and discussed before, January 6th is a HUGE event in Accompong, as it marks the January 6th Maroon Celebration in which thousands of visitors venture to our little rural community to commemorate birthday of Maroon hero Cudjoe and the signing of the Peace Treaty. The celebration also acts as a homecoming of sorts for many Maroons who are living elsewhere in Jamaica and overseas. Last year, we spent most of January 6th busy, but this year we decided we were going to be tourists and do our best to enjoy Celebration without responsibility. And enjoy ourselves we did.
Highlights:
-Jerk pork.
-Having hundreds of visitors visit and sit under the shade of the Herbal Garden Hut that was re-constructed last year through our efforts and that of the AMJC.
-Checking out the four sound systems/dancehalls.
-Spending time with fellow PCVs.
-Drums that were made in last year’s Culture Camp being available and used.
-Meeting with the US Ambassador again.
-Experiencing our community and Jamaica in a way that most people will never get the chance.
P.S. The AMJC sold T-Shirts as a fundraiser and have many left over. If by chance any of you out there are interested in purchasing a shirt and supporting a grassroots organization made up of young adults who work towards the betterment of their community, please contact us. Shirts are $12 US.
Highlights:
-Jerk pork.
-Having hundreds of visitors visit and sit under the shade of the Herbal Garden Hut that was re-constructed last year through our efforts and that of the AMJC.
-Checking out the four sound systems/dancehalls.
-Spending time with fellow PCVs.
-Drums that were made in last year’s Culture Camp being available and used.
-Meeting with the US Ambassador again.
-Experiencing our community and Jamaica in a way that most people will never get the chance.
P.S. The AMJC sold T-Shirts as a fundraiser and have many left over. If by chance any of you out there are interested in purchasing a shirt and supporting a grassroots organization made up of young adults who work towards the betterment of their community, please contact us. Shirts are $12 US.
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
"Errands"
I was just realizing the other day that this word has been removed from our vocabulary here in PC. I was reminded of this when our last stipend deposit came a week later than usual…during the holidays…when we’re BROKE…and trust me, when you’re already living hand-to-mouth, BROKE means BROKE.
Come back in time with me, it’s Christmas Eve’s Eve. It’s already a couple days past when our stipend is usually deposited. On our way to meet up with other PCVs for the holidays, we stop at the ATM to get some much-needed cash. And yikes! Balance inquiry: Less than $1US. Meaning: no deposit yet. …(Don’t worry, we were able to improvise through Christmas.)
We’d check back again 5 days later, on our way back to our community. Besides, 5 days later would be the deadline for the latest our deposits are supposed to come. So when I (Julie) arrived in Santa- the last stop before Accompong- where we do all our grocery shopping, I couldn’t believe we STILL had not received our deposits. (Take “I couldn’t believe” with a grain of salt, because after living in the developing world for almost 2 years, you ‘can believe’ just about anything –especially when it comes to things like deadlines.) I bought what groceries I could, with what little money I had, knowing our cupboards at home were bare, and made my way back to site, texting PCJ staff about our deposits. And sure enough, as I was walking up to my doorstep back in Accompong at 11am, I received word from the PCJ office that stipends were scheduled to be available at 2pm, at the bank.
So, what does all this have to do with ‘errands’? Well, my friends, because back in the States, going to the ATM , doesn’t consist of a tiring journey that costs half of your daily paycheck -a journey that takes a minimum of 3 hrs, involves the discipline of not missing one of the two taxis that travel to Accompong, and the flexibility to be entirely on other’s timeframes.
I’m also reminded of this, when for the 4th time in a row, Matt forgets to get the tomato paste on the grocery list -no matter that there’s only a dozen things on the list to start with, TOMATO PASTE is underlined, capitalized, and starred. Or that I sent reminder texts….but that’s a story for a different time. Of course, this is infuriating, but what drives you to the edge of insanity, is that Matt can’t just say, “I’ll run back real quick and get it” (as he knows this would definitely be his best option). But there’s no “running back real quick” in our lives. There’s no “stopping-by.” And, there certainly, most definitely is no such thing as ‘errands’ -at least in the way we know them.
Come back in time with me, it’s Christmas Eve’s Eve. It’s already a couple days past when our stipend is usually deposited. On our way to meet up with other PCVs for the holidays, we stop at the ATM to get some much-needed cash. And yikes! Balance inquiry: Less than $1US. Meaning: no deposit yet. …(Don’t worry, we were able to improvise through Christmas.)
We’d check back again 5 days later, on our way back to our community. Besides, 5 days later would be the deadline for the latest our deposits are supposed to come. So when I (Julie) arrived in Santa- the last stop before Accompong- where we do all our grocery shopping, I couldn’t believe we STILL had not received our deposits. (Take “I couldn’t believe” with a grain of salt, because after living in the developing world for almost 2 years, you ‘can believe’ just about anything –especially when it comes to things like deadlines.) I bought what groceries I could, with what little money I had, knowing our cupboards at home were bare, and made my way back to site, texting PCJ staff about our deposits. And sure enough, as I was walking up to my doorstep back in Accompong at 11am, I received word from the PCJ office that stipends were scheduled to be available at 2pm, at the bank.
So, what does all this have to do with ‘errands’? Well, my friends, because back in the States, going to the ATM , doesn’t consist of a tiring journey that costs half of your daily paycheck -a journey that takes a minimum of 3 hrs, involves the discipline of not missing one of the two taxis that travel to Accompong, and the flexibility to be entirely on other’s timeframes.
I’m also reminded of this, when for the 4th time in a row, Matt forgets to get the tomato paste on the grocery list -no matter that there’s only a dozen things on the list to start with, TOMATO PASTE is underlined, capitalized, and starred. Or that I sent reminder texts….but that’s a story for a different time. Of course, this is infuriating, but what drives you to the edge of insanity, is that Matt can’t just say, “I’ll run back real quick and get it” (as he knows this would definitely be his best option). But there’s no “running back real quick” in our lives. There’s no “stopping-by.” And, there certainly, most definitely is no such thing as ‘errands’ -at least in the way we know them.
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Election Day
December 29th was the national election day here in Jamaica. It might be of interest to you to hear of the differences between the government system here and in the US, as well as be given a brief rundown of the political system. However, out of fear of giving inaccurate information, we’ll give you just a few facts we’re sure of:
-Having been colonized by the British, it should come as no surprise that Jamaica has a parliamentary system in which there is a Prime Minister instead of a President, and Members of Parliament (MPs) instead of congressmen.
-There currently exists 2 main political parties in Jamaica: the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) and the People’s National Party (PNP).
-Jamaicans are CRAZY about politics, especially during elections:
-The party you support is part of your identity.
-JLP supporters adorn themselves in bright green, whereas PNP supporters are covered in orange. JLP supporters make the 'peace' sign with their hand, whereas PNP supporters make fists.
-Orange and green colored paraphernalia can be found all over during elections. Party songs are played endlessly on the radio, and every Jamaican TV station (by ‘every’ we mean ‘both’) covers the political situation.
-The best comparison we can make is that of avid sports fans in the US.
-On election day, the roads and streets of the island are full of people yelling, dancing, ringing bells, blowing horns, loud music, dancing, and are just straight up LOUD -both audibly and visually. Even in our small, rural community out in the boonies, the amount of commotion going on past Thursday was the most we’ve ever seen outside of Jan 6 Celebration.
-Things can get a little dicey during these times. In fact, PCJ prohibited us from traveling on election day, and we’ve been asked to refrain from wearing any green or orange for the past month. As we’ve said before, Jamaica can be a very aggressive and sometimes violent place. Locals can get really hot over issues they feel passionate about, and they’re not afraid to voice what they feel.
-That being said, the amount of arguing going on lately has been at a maximum. Now, people cussing each other out in public is by no means an uncommon occurrence here. Nor is it strange to hear distant yelling from our veranda as we sway in the hammock at night. But when we were awoken at 7am yesterday morning by heated arguments that carried on past 8, only to be followed by constant yelling as we worked in the library soon after, and of course this was concluded by walking through quarrels on our way back home…we’re tired –in more ways than one.
-Having been colonized by the British, it should come as no surprise that Jamaica has a parliamentary system in which there is a Prime Minister instead of a President, and Members of Parliament (MPs) instead of congressmen.
-There currently exists 2 main political parties in Jamaica: the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) and the People’s National Party (PNP).
-The party you support is part of your identity.
-JLP supporters adorn themselves in bright green, whereas PNP supporters are covered in orange. JLP supporters make the 'peace' sign with their hand, whereas PNP supporters make fists.
-Orange and green colored paraphernalia can be found all over during elections. Party songs are played endlessly on the radio, and every Jamaican TV station (by ‘every’ we mean ‘both’) covers the political situation.
-The best comparison we can make is that of avid sports fans in the US.
-On election day, the roads and streets of the island are full of people yelling, dancing, ringing bells, blowing horns, loud music, dancing, and are just straight up LOUD -both audibly and visually. Even in our small, rural community out in the boonies, the amount of commotion going on past Thursday was the most we’ve ever seen outside of Jan 6 Celebration.
-Things can get a little dicey during these times. In fact, PCJ prohibited us from traveling on election day, and we’ve been asked to refrain from wearing any green or orange for the past month. As we’ve said before, Jamaica can be a very aggressive and sometimes violent place. Locals can get really hot over issues they feel passionate about, and they’re not afraid to voice what they feel.
-That being said, the amount of arguing going on lately has been at a maximum. Now, people cussing each other out in public is by no means an uncommon occurrence here. Nor is it strange to hear distant yelling from our veranda as we sway in the hammock at night. But when we were awoken at 7am yesterday morning by heated arguments that carried on past 8, only to be followed by constant yelling as we worked in the library soon after, and of course this was concluded by walking through quarrels on our way back home…we’re tired –in more ways than one.
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| a VERY unusual sight |
Friday, December 30, 2011
Accompong Boys Soccer
Over the past couple of months Matt has been working with some of the local boys in a soccer program. 2-3 days a week, immediately after school, about 15 boys turn out to practice with Matt and a couple of other volunteer coaches. The 9-11 year old boys have been divided up into 3 teams, each with their own coach. On Mondays and Wednesdays we warm-up with laps, stretch and then run drills and do sprints. On Fridays we scrimmage one team against the next in a mini round-robin tournament.
Most of the boys play in bare feet, whether on the basketball court or on the playfield. Occasionally we can practice on the playfield, in between the trucks and workmen coming and going. For goals we put large rocks on the ground the appropriate distance apart, if a ball flies up into the air it is usually considered a no-goal if it is above the level of the goalie’s knees. We are currently raising funds locally to try to get enough money together to construct actual goal posts of PVC or metal.
In order to make this opportunity happen for the boys we needed to get soccer balls, ball bags, some small orange cones and coaches’ whistles. All of these things were made possible with the help of Julie’s family back in the Chicago area. With the generous support of Tom, Tami and Tim we were able to bring back with us last summer 33 soccer balls, 6 ball nets, 3 pairs of goalie gloves and a dozen orange cones. Back up in Minnesota, JACOM recently had a couple of hundred youth soccer jerseys donated to their organization and earmarked for Jamaica. They were able to send down enough jerseys, in enough different colors to allow the teams to all have their own color. Our plan is to have a couple of official tournaments with the boys on the actual Parade Ground/playfield once the revitalization project is complete, hopefully this spring. For now we primarily use the outdoor, concrete basketball court as our practice and scrimmage area.
Julie’s father, Tom, made a guest appearance a couple of weeks ago during a couple of our practices. He enjoyed hamming it up for the boys, and they enjoyed trying to get the ball past the stout, white goalie. There are few extra-curricular activities of any sort available to the students here in our rural community. This is one of the reasons that Matt wanted to develop this program… to give the boys something healthy and productive to do with their time after school. As expected, one of the biggest challenges lies in finding coaches who are willing to volunteer their time and show up reliably when practices are scheduled. The boys will always come.
With all the serious and detailed projects that we work on here during our Peace Corps service, this soccer program has turned out to be a pleasant and mostly relaxing break for Matt, one where he can run, and kick, and play, and forget about all the other extraneous stresses that are affecting him.
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Recap: Christmas
It goes without saying that Christmas in Jamaica takes on a completely different feel than what we’re used to back home. No matter how much Christmas music we listened to or Christmas movies we watched, it was difficult to feel the ‘Christmas spirit’. In the US, the whole month of December is dedicated to the holidays. Christmas can be seen and heard everywhere –Christmas trees, lights, decorations, and music. Time is filled with Christmas activities –shopping, Christmas parties, baking, wrapping presents, and decorating. I know that many of us complain about how commercialized Christmas has become in the States –us included. But being abroad during Christmas for 2 years, we’re reminded of all the good still in the American Christmas season. We miss it, and we miss all of you that we’ve been away from during the ‘most wonderful time of the year’. As we’re getting ready to spend the 9 months after Peace Corps in a constant state of transition, we do know one thing about next year, ‘I’ll be home for Christmas, you can count on me.’
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Recap: Family Visit
We had four visitors this month from Julie’s family: Julie’s dad Tom, her brother Pete, her stepmom Tami, and Pete’s fiancé Robyn. We had an excellent time relaxing and enjoying time together, something we’ve obviously missed out on being in Jamaica.
After spending the first half of their trip in Accompong, we headed off to Negril for the second half where we rented a beautiful villa on the water. This wonderful visit was almost too wonderful as saying goodbye, especially right before the holidays we would be spending apart, was really hard. We can’t wait for next Christmas that we can all spend together again.
The highlights:
Tom-playing football with some of the Accompong boys
Matt-playing ENDLESS games with Tom on his IPAD
Tami-getting some R&R, especially with the warm weather and swimming
Pete & Robyn- getting ENGAGED!!
Julie-spending quality time with her family
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| Dad with his 'little men' |
The highlights:
Tom-playing football with some of the Accompong boys
Matt-playing ENDLESS games with Tom on his IPAD
Tami-getting some R&R, especially with the warm weather and swimming
Pete & Robyn- getting ENGAGED!!
Julie-spending quality time with her family
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| (one of) the happy couple(s) |
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Recap: Reggae Marathon
The only Jamaican marathon is held every December in Negril, and it has become somewhat of a tradition for Peace Corps Jamaica to participate and support this event. It includes a 10k, a half-marathon, and a marathon. This year Julie decided to run the 10k. Matt did not sit idly by, but rather was an active supporter. So active in fact, that every time Julie would go out to run, Matt would accompany by bike…4 times a week for 2 months, usually at 6am. And so supportive, that he woke up as well at 4:30 on Dec 3 to make it in time for the 5:15am race start. The race was a lot of fun, and although a 10k is by no means epic, but sharing the training and race experience with other PCVs was a great bonding experience.
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| the REAL housewives of Peace Corps Jamaica | G81 |
Monday, December 19, 2011
Recap- Thanksgiving
Alright, it’s been a while so let’s do a few recaps. First off: Thanksgiving.
Considering we were away from home, we had a great Thanksgiving this year. Another PCV’s immediate family was visiting for Thanksgiving, and graciously invited a few of us PCVs to join them for Thanksgiving dinner –quite the noble gesture; you have no idea how much PCVs, who’ve been living off of Ramen and generic mac & cheese for the past year and a half, eat.
We traveled to the North coast where the McDonald’s had rented a beautiful villa where we all would feast. And feast we did. We were lavished with a traditional Thanksgiving dinner (turkey, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce,….), watched football all day on a 51” flatscreen with cocktails in hand, and enjoyed the company of each other as we took a relaxing break from life as a PCV.
A SERIOUS shout out to the McDonalds. Thank you for giving us so much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving.
Considering we were away from home, we had a great Thanksgiving this year. Another PCV’s immediate family was visiting for Thanksgiving, and graciously invited a few of us PCVs to join them for Thanksgiving dinner –quite the noble gesture; you have no idea how much PCVs, who’ve been living off of Ramen and generic mac & cheese for the past year and a half, eat.
We traveled to the North coast where the McDonald’s had rented a beautiful villa where we all would feast. And feast we did. We were lavished with a traditional Thanksgiving dinner (turkey, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce,….), watched football all day on a 51” flatscreen with cocktails in hand, and enjoyed the company of each other as we took a relaxing break from life as a PCV.
A SERIOUS shout out to the McDonalds. Thank you for giving us so much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving.
Friday, November 18, 2011
JQ
We just hosted our first visitor this winter: Jacquie Smith. Not only is Jacquie Matt’s cousin, but she happens to be one of the few people who knew both Matt and Julie before they were ‘Matt and Julie’. Of course we had a great time with Jacquie as we put her to work hauling bamboo, attended Matt’s football practice, went hiking, made some delicious vegetarian dishes, and spent a weekend in Treasure Beach…
Sunday, November 6, 2011
"Benefits" continued
7. Easier to stay connected afterwards- Again, going along with the proximity to the US, JRPCVs are able stay connected to their Jamaican community and friends more easily once moving back to the States.
8. As a woman, it’s tricky, but not prohibitive- Okay, I’m sure many of the single PCV women here might debate this, but this is our blog, where we express our opinions, sooo…Being a foreign woman here IS hard. Really hard. The harassment and unwanted attention is enough to send many girls packing, but the truth is, again in comparison to many other developing countries, we’ve got it pretty good. There’s very little that Matt does that I can’t do. By no means am I claiming that the gender roles are equal, but Jamaican women speak their mind, are independent compared to many other women in the world, and thus I’m able to be my usual loud, passionate, and independent self without being chastised.
9. Competent Staff- At PCJ, we have a very competent staff. Now, this does not mean we don’t have our differences, because Lord knows we do. More than anything else this is probably due to cultural differences, the curious nature of a PCV, the stress of our jobs, and a staff that is held to US government rules and regulations. (Please don’t tell anyone on staff this, it would contradict our feisty, buck-the-system-nature they’ve all come to know :).)
10. Language- This is a tough one because many JPCVs were completely disappointed to find the country they were going to serve spoke English – we included. The learning of another language is a perk for many PCV applicants. However, as someone who’s lived abroad in a country that speaks a language I wasn’t fluent in….well, it’s definitely not easy, and much more difficult to be effective in. Remembering all the struggles and how difficult it is to have meaningful relationships or discussions with a 2 yr old’s vocabulary and feeling so helpless, ….well, if we weren’t placed in a major-language speaking country (i.e. Spanish, Portuguese, French), than for us, this is the next best thing.
11. Expressive Culture- where weirdness, eccentricity, and partying is embraced- We’ve said it before, Jamaica is one crazy, crazy place. The people are wild and outlandish. As a foreigner, this can be a lot to flow with at times, but it also can be stimulating and entertaining. When I hear PCV stories of serving in post-Soviet bloc countries and how mundane and homogenous they can be, I really appreciate the colorful life we live here.
12. Staying connected to the US- Currently in Jamaica there’s an international calling plan in which PCVs can call the US for roughly $.01/minute. That’s right. One whole penny. This, along with access to internet and being on a similar time zone to the US makes it much easier to maintain relationships back home, look for jobs as we’re winding down, or to chase down businesses in the US when they failed to process our paperwork or accidently closed our account.
13. Good music- It’s true, the DJs (‘Selectas’) here can make you want to bash your head against a wall. Sometimes I can’t believe some of the music that is played on the radio… there are no Parental Advisory labels here. However, Jamaica is recognized worldwide for its quality of music, and this is rightly so. Although we don’t appreciate and love all of it, there’s a lot of good stuff out there, much of which is so unique to Jamaica –not to mention that music is what flows in the veins of this country. I’m sure that in the years to come when we hear the rhythms of reggae, or the beats of dancehall, it’ll flood us with countless memories of our time spent here.
8. As a woman, it’s tricky, but not prohibitive- Okay, I’m sure many of the single PCV women here might debate this, but this is our blog, where we express our opinions, sooo…Being a foreign woman here IS hard. Really hard. The harassment and unwanted attention is enough to send many girls packing, but the truth is, again in comparison to many other developing countries, we’ve got it pretty good. There’s very little that Matt does that I can’t do. By no means am I claiming that the gender roles are equal, but Jamaican women speak their mind, are independent compared to many other women in the world, and thus I’m able to be my usual loud, passionate, and independent self without being chastised.
9. Competent Staff- At PCJ, we have a very competent staff. Now, this does not mean we don’t have our differences, because Lord knows we do. More than anything else this is probably due to cultural differences, the curious nature of a PCV, the stress of our jobs, and a staff that is held to US government rules and regulations. (Please don’t tell anyone on staff this, it would contradict our feisty, buck-the-system-nature they’ve all come to know :).)
10. Language- This is a tough one because many JPCVs were completely disappointed to find the country they were going to serve spoke English – we included. The learning of another language is a perk for many PCV applicants. However, as someone who’s lived abroad in a country that speaks a language I wasn’t fluent in….well, it’s definitely not easy, and much more difficult to be effective in. Remembering all the struggles and how difficult it is to have meaningful relationships or discussions with a 2 yr old’s vocabulary and feeling so helpless, ….well, if we weren’t placed in a major-language speaking country (i.e. Spanish, Portuguese, French), than for us, this is the next best thing.
11. Expressive Culture- where weirdness, eccentricity, and partying is embraced- We’ve said it before, Jamaica is one crazy, crazy place. The people are wild and outlandish. As a foreigner, this can be a lot to flow with at times, but it also can be stimulating and entertaining. When I hear PCV stories of serving in post-Soviet bloc countries and how mundane and homogenous they can be, I really appreciate the colorful life we live here.
12. Staying connected to the US- Currently in Jamaica there’s an international calling plan in which PCVs can call the US for roughly $.01/minute. That’s right. One whole penny. This, along with access to internet and being on a similar time zone to the US makes it much easier to maintain relationships back home, look for jobs as we’re winding down, or to chase down businesses in the US when they failed to process our paperwork or accidently closed our account.
13. Good music- It’s true, the DJs (‘Selectas’) here can make you want to bash your head against a wall. Sometimes I can’t believe some of the music that is played on the radio… there are no Parental Advisory labels here. However, Jamaica is recognized worldwide for its quality of music, and this is rightly so. Although we don’t appreciate and love all of it, there’s a lot of good stuff out there, much of which is so unique to Jamaica –not to mention that music is what flows in the veins of this country. I’m sure that in the years to come when we hear the rhythms of reggae, or the beats of dancehall, it’ll flood us with countless memories of our time spent here.
Friday, November 4, 2011
Benefits to PCVing in Jamaica (in no certain order)
We’ve shared about many of the struggles that we have here in Jamaica, and probably haven’t shared too much about the benefits of being a PCV in Jamaica. Keeping with our last blogpost, we thought we’d highlight of few of the plusses to PCVing on The Rock. This is by no means comprehensive, but here’s a quick list:
1. Connectedness with other Volunteers- We mentioned this in the last post, but every Volunteer is one convenient and free(!) phone call (or text) away. Because of our relatively close proximity to one another, we probably go on average 2 weeks without seeing another Volunteer –and we’re some of the most rural PCVs in Jamaica. This varies among Volunteers, but I feel 2 weeks is probably the overall average.
2. Visitors- Jamaica is not only a desirable location for many of our friends and family to visit, but it’s also close and affordable. We’ve had 4 sets of visitors so far, and are expecting another 3 before we leave. PCVs LOVE visitors!
3. Traveling Home- We’ve been able to travel home quickly and affordably. There’s some debate over whether or not it’s good for a PCV’s mentality to travel home during service, but WE really enjoyed ourselves. Also, life at home still continues, and there have been many JPCVs who had to travel home unexpectedly or suddenly for one reason or another.
4. Landscape- Jamaica is a very beautiful country. The lushness and the beaches, the brightly-colored buildings and countless birds…..
5. Nice weather- Two years of shorts and flip-flops! It does get hot and humid here, and we SO miss having seasons, but overall we can’t complain. We were recently reminded of this a few weeks ago after having a conversation with RPCVs from Armenia as they recounted endless weeks of always being cold, being confined to your bed and the warmth blankets could provide, chipping ice off the shower head before bathing,…yikes!
6. Good food- Yes, we have little variety here compared to the overabundance of what’s available in the average American supermarket, and we do get sick of fried chicken, but compared to many other developing countries, we’ve got it made. The food that Jamaicans cook is pretty tasty, and the uncooked food –fruit hanging on every other tree is unbeatable….
(more soon come….)
1. Connectedness with other Volunteers- We mentioned this in the last post, but every Volunteer is one convenient and free(!) phone call (or text) away. Because of our relatively close proximity to one another, we probably go on average 2 weeks without seeing another Volunteer –and we’re some of the most rural PCVs in Jamaica. This varies among Volunteers, but I feel 2 weeks is probably the overall average.
2. Visitors- Jamaica is not only a desirable location for many of our friends and family to visit, but it’s also close and affordable. We’ve had 4 sets of visitors so far, and are expecting another 3 before we leave. PCVs LOVE visitors!
3. Traveling Home- We’ve been able to travel home quickly and affordably. There’s some debate over whether or not it’s good for a PCV’s mentality to travel home during service, but WE really enjoyed ourselves. Also, life at home still continues, and there have been many JPCVs who had to travel home unexpectedly or suddenly for one reason or another.
4. Landscape- Jamaica is a very beautiful country. The lushness and the beaches, the brightly-colored buildings and countless birds…..
5. Nice weather- Two years of shorts and flip-flops! It does get hot and humid here, and we SO miss having seasons, but overall we can’t complain. We were recently reminded of this a few weeks ago after having a conversation with RPCVs from Armenia as they recounted endless weeks of always being cold, being confined to your bed and the warmth blankets could provide, chipping ice off the shower head before bathing,…yikes!
6. Good food- Yes, we have little variety here compared to the overabundance of what’s available in the average American supermarket, and we do get sick of fried chicken, but compared to many other developing countries, we’ve got it made. The food that Jamaicans cook is pretty tasty, and the uncooked food –fruit hanging on every other tree is unbeatable….
(more soon come….)
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Halloween 2011
As JPCVs, we get together often for certain events (outside of PC-organized conferences and meetings), such as American holidays like Halloween. When I say often, I mean once ever couple months or so. Although this island can seem very small sometimes, one benefit is that you can reach any part of the island in one day’s journey taking public transportation. Sometimes this journey starts at 6am and ends after dark, and it can be rather painful, but for PCVs serving in much bigger countries with limited transportation, this is a gift.
Considering that PC has been in Jamaica for almost 50 years, and that Jamaica is a tourist destination, JPCVs have a small list of accommodations and attractions that either provide PCV discounts, or some way or another can fit into the PCV budget. The place we stayed this last weekend provided both, a PCV discount and a rather large house that normally sleeps 11 in which we slept 30. (As a PCV, you’re not picky about where you lay your head, as long as you have somewhere to lay it.)
Thirdly, I think we’re pretty well connected compared to other PC posts. We all have cellphones, which isn’t too rare these days for PCVs (roughly 90% of PCVs everywhere have one), but we also have a CUG (Closed User Group), in which we can call anyone in JPC world –staff and volunteers- for free! This is rare. Of the handful of PCVs I’ve met serving elsewhere, none of them have this, nor know of other posts that have this. AND they’re way jealous. Lucky us! As a result, we’re able to stay linked to PCVs throughout the island with no cost to our pockets. Most of us also have regular internet connection. I don’t know of any JPCV who is unable to access their email at least once a week, without great inconvenience.
As a result, we’re able to have fun get-togethers, like Halloween this last weekend.
(P.S. Matt was a party Ref, and Julie was a market woman.)
Considering that PC has been in Jamaica for almost 50 years, and that Jamaica is a tourist destination, JPCVs have a small list of accommodations and attractions that either provide PCV discounts, or some way or another can fit into the PCV budget. The place we stayed this last weekend provided both, a PCV discount and a rather large house that normally sleeps 11 in which we slept 30. (As a PCV, you’re not picky about where you lay your head, as long as you have somewhere to lay it.)
Thirdly, I think we’re pretty well connected compared to other PC posts. We all have cellphones, which isn’t too rare these days for PCVs (roughly 90% of PCVs everywhere have one), but we also have a CUG (Closed User Group), in which we can call anyone in JPC world –staff and volunteers- for free! This is rare. Of the handful of PCVs I’ve met serving elsewhere, none of them have this, nor know of other posts that have this. AND they’re way jealous. Lucky us! As a result, we’re able to stay linked to PCVs throughout the island with no cost to our pockets. Most of us also have regular internet connection. I don’t know of any JPCV who is unable to access their email at least once a week, without great inconvenience.
As a result, we’re able to have fun get-togethers, like Halloween this last weekend.
(P.S. Matt was a party Ref, and Julie was a market woman.)
Friday, October 7, 2011
Money, money, money, MON-ey!
“So how does that whole money thing work then? I mean, I know you guys are Volunteers, but I also know that Peace Corps provides you with enough cash to get by. So what’s the deal?” Good question.
So here’s the rough scoop. The idea is that PCVs are supposed to live as close to the local lifestyle as possible. This can controlled largely by limiting the monthly stipend PCVs receive. PC tries to determine, to the best of its ability, what the local wage might be, and then determines if a PCV can honestly get by with this amount, making adjustments if necessary. Again, just a rough scoop.
Here in Jamaica, all Volunteers receive the same amount for the month, regardless of where you’re located on island. The one thing that does vary from Volunteer to Volunteer is how much we pay in rent. One Volunteer might pay $130 US in rent a month, while the next pays $200. A PCJV’s stipend will reflect this difference.
In the beginning of PST, we were all given our own personal ATM (ABM as they’re called here) cards. PC automatically deposits our monthly stipend into our accounts towards the end of each month. PC does reimburse some random costs, such as travel if PC requires for us to travel into Kingston for example, and PC also reimburses us when we have to fill our propane cylinders we use for cooking.
Aside from all of this, PCVs get somewhere around $400US/month for everything else: food, transportation, phone usage, utilities, ‘personal sundries’, etc., etc., etc. This means that in Jamaica the average PCV, including rent, lives off of less than $6,000US/yr.
A nice benefit to this is that there’s no keeping up with the Jones’ here. All your PC friends know you’re broke, and they understand, because they’re just as broke as you are. So, for get-togethers everyone’s always trying to figure out the best deals, cheapest rates, and all-around most affordable fun-time-activities. And there’s surely no embarrassment in admitting that you have less than $10US in your bank account.
Now, does that better answer your question?
So here’s the rough scoop. The idea is that PCVs are supposed to live as close to the local lifestyle as possible. This can controlled largely by limiting the monthly stipend PCVs receive. PC tries to determine, to the best of its ability, what the local wage might be, and then determines if a PCV can honestly get by with this amount, making adjustments if necessary. Again, just a rough scoop.
 |
In the beginning of PST, we were all given our own personal ATM (ABM as they’re called here) cards. PC automatically deposits our monthly stipend into our accounts towards the end of each month. PC does reimburse some random costs, such as travel if PC requires for us to travel into Kingston for example, and PC also reimburses us when we have to fill our propane cylinders we use for cooking.
Aside from all of this, PCVs get somewhere around $400US/month for everything else: food, transportation, phone usage, utilities, ‘personal sundries’, etc., etc., etc. This means that in Jamaica the average PCV, including rent, lives off of less than $6,000US/yr.
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| Jamaican Cooking! |
Now, does that better answer your question?
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Family Matters
I (Julie) teach grades 7-9 at the Jr. High school here in Accompong. The two classes I teach are computer class and Health and Family Life Education (HFLE). In HFLE last year, for part of a school project, I required each student to do a very small presentation about themselves at the beginning of each class i.e. one student each time class met. For part of their presentation, they needed to bring in a “family” picture to present to the class. Knowing that most students wouldn’t have access to any photos, and also knowing that JACOM had a photo printer I could use, and also knowing that it would be nice for each student to have at least one ‘family’ photo to call their own, I agreed to come to their home sometime before their project was due to take a picture of them with someone else in their family. I printed the picture and brought it to class, and if they successfully completed their presentation, they would get to keep the picture. (This was also really helpful for me to connect with their parents/guardians, especially after first coming to site.)
I thought I might share some of these pictures with you:
p.s. It still amazes me how much some family members resemble one another here.
I thought I might share some of these pictures with you:
p.s. It still amazes me how much some family members resemble one another here.
Monday, September 26, 2011
PCMI
Peace Corps Master’s International is a collaboration between PC and certain US Universities. PCMI offers graduate students the opportunity to incorporate their PC service into their studies. It differs from university to university, but generally, most PCMI students take a year’s worth of coursework at university, and then follow this with their 27 month PC term, in which they receive graduate school credit.
Julie is enrolled in this program through University of Alaska Fairbanks, studying Alaska Native and Rural Development, or as she likes to put it, “Rural/Community Development with a Cross-Cultural or Indigenous component”. She has already completed all of her coursework, a small portion of which she did correspondence since being in Jamaica, and while here is receiving graduate credit while she works on her thesis. This means that the only thing that stands between Julie and her Master’s is the successful completion of her thesis, as well as the passing of her comprehensive exams, to be taken next summer upon returning to Alaska. If everything goes as planned, we will finish our service here in May, and Julie will graduate in August.
There are many benefits to being in the PCMI program:
And some last pics of Culture Camp:
Julie is enrolled in this program through University of Alaska Fairbanks, studying Alaska Native and Rural Development, or as she likes to put it, “Rural/Community Development with a Cross-Cultural or Indigenous component”. She has already completed all of her coursework, a small portion of which she did correspondence since being in Jamaica, and while here is receiving graduate credit while she works on her thesis. This means that the only thing that stands between Julie and her Master’s is the successful completion of her thesis, as well as the passing of her comprehensive exams, to be taken next summer upon returning to Alaska. If everything goes as planned, we will finish our service here in May, and Julie will graduate in August.
There are many benefits to being in the PCMI program:
- PC tries to place you with an assignment that corresponds with your studies. This is nice, as sometimes PCVs are placed in fields they might not have first chosen.
- Julie regularly communicates with her professors back in Alaska, as they offer guidance on her studies, suggest applicable readings, as well as provide insightful discussion on all topics pertaining to PC/grassroots development/cross-cultural interactions/etc. This has augmented Julie’s PC service nicely, as well as provide more practical experience for a graduate degree.
- The PCMI program has also greatly helped our piggy bank, as UAF waives her tuition fees for the credits she’s gaining while in PC, AND Julie also received a fellowship during her year of coursework due to her involvement in PCMI.
- Plus, having a Master’s Degree on your resume should count for something, and being a Returned PCV must open some doors… right? So, what about the double whammy… A Master’s Degree that worked hand-in-hand with PC service? We’re hopefully talking about pretty hirable material, right? As we start to shift our focus to life after PC, AND hear about the job climate back home….we sure hope so.
And some last pics of Culture Camp:
Friday, September 23, 2011
Let the Rumors Fly
The other day I was voicing my frustration to Matt about the amount and level of rumors we’ve been the subject of during our stay here in Accompong. We’ve been rumored to be thieves, adulterers, involved in regular domestic violence, liars, spies, and probably almost anything else that might make for a good story.
We have been rumored to do more and worse during our limited time in Jamaica than we had during the whole of our lives back in the US. I cannot tell you how infuriating this can be. Here we’re doing our part to better the community, and it seems all you get is grief. The two of which seem to go hand in hand. The more we do, the more we get scrutinized. (I’m sure public servants everywhere are nodding their heads in understanding.) However, in my earlier naiveté, I kept thinking, “don’t worry, once they see what we’re really here for, that we’re decent people who are just trying to help, it’ll get better.” And it did....for some people. And for others it gets worse.
You put yourself in the spotlight, and all of a sudden everyone wants to talk about you and pick you apart. It is ironic because usually the people who are the most critical are the ones that never stand up or help with anything. And who would, with people like themselves lurking around?
The truth is we’re probably the most active community members in Accompong. We’ve been able to accomplish alot in the short time we’ve been here. And this comes with a lot of power. When you write the grant for the revitalization of the parade grounds, you have asay in who gets the jobs associated with it. If you successfully refurbished the library into a top-notch internet café and library, you get to help determine the rules for the facility. Let’s say you’ve decided to teach computer classes for the community, well then you can decide the class schedule, what will be taught, and who you’ll be targeting for classes.
Now, that being said, we really and truly try our best to make the best decisions for everybody. We try and try and try to be fair. We don’t abuse our power, but we do hold people accountable. If you stole coffee suckers from the farmer’s co-op, we’ll confront you. If you disrespect the library employees, we’ll kick you out for a week. If you came out and volunteered on a community project, we’ll give you job priority in our next project.
Fair or not, this doesn’t always go over well with everyone. Most people, yes, but not the people you kicked out, confronted, or snubbed… And their friends…. And maybe with all the unemployed idlers (which is every other person here) who have nothing better to do with their time, and just want a good story about the weird white people who moved into town.
Sure, there are other factors at play here. We live in a rural small town, where everybody knows everybody, and there’s not a whole lot going on a.k.a. rumorville worldwide. Also, we’re strange. I mean, I think we’re strange to those of you who know and love us, so can you imagine how we must seem to rural Jamaicans?
So here’s the ultimate paradox: Our character has never been questioned more in our lives since we started our work as Peace Corps Volunteers…. And that’s the paradox. We’re VOLUNTEERS. That’s what we do for a living. For 2 years. I don’t know if I’ve ever done more outright ‘good’ in my life. Makes you think twice the next time you bash a public figure? Hope so.
(Some more Culture Camp pics....)
We have been rumored to do more and worse during our limited time in Jamaica than we had during the whole of our lives back in the US. I cannot tell you how infuriating this can be. Here we’re doing our part to better the community, and it seems all you get is grief. The two of which seem to go hand in hand. The more we do, the more we get scrutinized. (I’m sure public servants everywhere are nodding their heads in understanding.) However, in my earlier naiveté, I kept thinking, “don’t worry, once they see what we’re really here for, that we’re decent people who are just trying to help, it’ll get better.” And it did....for some people. And for others it gets worse.
You put yourself in the spotlight, and all of a sudden everyone wants to talk about you and pick you apart. It is ironic because usually the people who are the most critical are the ones that never stand up or help with anything. And who would, with people like themselves lurking around?
The truth is we’re probably the most active community members in Accompong. We’ve been able to accomplish alot in the short time we’ve been here. And this comes with a lot of power. When you write the grant for the revitalization of the parade grounds, you have asay in who gets the jobs associated with it. If you successfully refurbished the library into a top-notch internet café and library, you get to help determine the rules for the facility. Let’s say you’ve decided to teach computer classes for the community, well then you can decide the class schedule, what will be taught, and who you’ll be targeting for classes.
Now, that being said, we really and truly try our best to make the best decisions for everybody. We try and try and try to be fair. We don’t abuse our power, but we do hold people accountable. If you stole coffee suckers from the farmer’s co-op, we’ll confront you. If you disrespect the library employees, we’ll kick you out for a week. If you came out and volunteered on a community project, we’ll give you job priority in our next project.
Fair or not, this doesn’t always go over well with everyone. Most people, yes, but not the people you kicked out, confronted, or snubbed… And their friends…. And maybe with all the unemployed idlers (which is every other person here) who have nothing better to do with their time, and just want a good story about the weird white people who moved into town.
Sure, there are other factors at play here. We live in a rural small town, where everybody knows everybody, and there’s not a whole lot going on a.k.a. rumorville worldwide. Also, we’re strange. I mean, I think we’re strange to those of you who know and love us, so can you imagine how we must seem to rural Jamaicans?
So here’s the ultimate paradox: Our character has never been questioned more in our lives since we started our work as Peace Corps Volunteers…. And that’s the paradox. We’re VOLUNTEERS. That’s what we do for a living. For 2 years. I don’t know if I’ve ever done more outright ‘good’ in my life. Makes you think twice the next time you bash a public figure? Hope so.
(Some more Culture Camp pics....)
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