And then it hit.

I don't think there is any other holiday that my family celebrates (that I have been gone for so far) like Thanksgiving. I think today was the first real time that it hit me that I'm away and I'm missing stuff. I was moody all week and it didn't really hit me until today what it was. I know that everyone back home is celebrating and I don't get to be with them. When I was at college, I could drive home and supprise them; I can't do that now. In order to get home, I have to fly. I miss stealing food from my mom, and sitting behind the counter talking to her. I miss chilling with my dad when he is driving my mom crazy (and talking about hockey with him)!! I miss sitting on my little sister and annoying her. I miss listening to the wisdom of my older sister. I miss just being with my younger sister. And of course I miss playing with my nephews (and I can't miss playing with my nieces because I've never gotten to play with them) and seeing my brother-in-laws. It's the family that I got used to seeing and now can't see that I miss the most. It's just one of those days. Alls I can say is December 17th. That's the day I fly home for Christmas.

Now don't get me wrong. I love my family here. My PC family is amazing. My host family I lived with during training I still talk to and love. My boyfriend, that thinks I'm going crazy this week because I've been moody and not myself but helps me get through it, I love dearly. And my friends that I have made here, who check on me, see how I'm doing, and who I love hanging out with, I feel very fortunate to have found. I am thankful for my life here, and I would not have changed my decision to be a PCV for anything, sometimes I just wish I could be two places at once.

Money!

This past week I went to St. Kitts for a couple of days. I realized that the value of money has really changed in my mind. While looking at souvenirs, which were priced in USD (US dollars), and having to pay (as I am currently paid) in EC (Eastern Caribbean), I realized how expensive things really are. Say you are walking down the street and see something for $5.00 USD, that same thing for me is $13.50, which might not be so bad; but take a look at a simple souvenir t-shirt for $20.00 USD. That would cost me $54.00! (Exchange $1.00 USD = $2.7 EC) While as an American traveling, that exchange rate is great! You’re like, “oh, my money is worth so much!” But as someone who lives, works and gets paid in EC, that conversion back is like, “oh no, that thing is so expensive there is no way I can afford that!” Take into mind that this is also on a PCV (peace corps volunteer) living allowance.

I’m not writing this to complain. I realized that when I was signing up for PC I was signing up to be a volunteer. I write this that you may remember and think of the local people when you are traveling. Be aware of the actual cost of things, and be aware of how much the USD is actually worth.

*Pictures coming soon...hopefully!

Say What!?!

It has been another busy week. I had disaster preparedness/first aide/cpr training on Tuesday of this week. It was an optional overview, and since my CPR training expired in August, and I'm nervous about hurricanes (we're almost through the season!!) I attended. It was a good training, and I'm glad I went!
I spent the night in Castries, and then attended IST II (In service training 2) from Wednesday until Yesterday. I learned more in some sessions than others, and made some great learning assessments about myself, how I learn, and different teaching styles.
On my way to IST I saw the first car pulled over by a police officer here. I was shocked. Over 10 months here and a car was finally pulled over!
I am now getting ready to go to St. Kitts for a couple of days. I am anxious to get back to my community being gone for so long. It was hard to go back for less than one day and then leave again. But the next time I have to spend the night out of my community after this trip is when I go to Ohio for Christmas! It doesn't feel like November. The trees are green, with leaves on them. It's warm (sometimes it feels cool! aka in the 70s with a breeze!) I love it though!

November 28, 2011

The election has been called! Yesterday the Prime Minister announced that the election is going to be held November 28, 2011 (it had to be before March 2012).
Being here through election season I have learned a lot about parlimentry government. I learned that Prime Ministers are not elected. I have learned there are not elections every year (something I took for granted. While I've voted around 7 times, a person my age here has voted once.).
I am most excited that the election has been called because that means I can wear red for Christmas!! The political colors here are red and yellow (there is a third party that is green, but the two major parties are red and yellow). I have not been wearing these two colors since around August/September to avoid being labled as part of one party or the other (Peace Corps is nonpolitical). I have some really cute shirts that are these colors, so I'm really excited to be able to get them back out after the elections (even though I'll probably still wait a week or so after the elections to wear them).
So while it's elections tomorrow in the US, we have elections here at the end of the month. Happy Voting!

P.S. While usually I am EST, since daylight savings time took effect, I am one hour ahead because we don't observe daylight savings.

Jounen Kweyol

 Corn on the grill. It's not the same and as sweet as corn in the States, but it's good!

 The stage here in ALR!

 Some of the venders and the street. Later in the day, this street was so crowded that you could hardly walk down it!

A beautiful rainbow (there was actually a double rainbow) the other day!

Wow! Again, it is crazy here. We just celebrated Jounen Kweyol. ALR was a hosting community which means that people from all over the country came down. Jounen Kweyol is the celebration of the Creole culture. It was a lot of fun to see everything that happened! I have more pictures on my fb page.
I talked to someone that Friday who grew up in St. Lucia and always comes to visit during Jounen Kweyol. He asked me where I was from. I said Ohio. He said Cincinnati, Ohio. Turns out he grew up listening to a radio station from Cincinnati in St. Lucia!
It has also been one year since Hurricane Thomas hit St. Lucia. We've almost made it through another hurricane season (the end of November is the end of it). Watching the weather and learning the patterns has become a lot of fun for me!