rachelanna.com

Hello dear friends and family,

Well, here it is Monday afternoon . I had wanted to write you more last week but always the lab was down and I was busy anyway…The graduation ceremony was very nice. I am hoping that at some point some of the people here with digital cameras will have some of their pictures posted and then I might be able to share them with you and everyone else .

After the ceremony, I got home to O.H.B. at about midnight (of course having been driven home by friends). On Saturday, Karen (my the lady I am living with) and I spent all day from about 8 or 9 am until 11 or 12 midnight working, moving furniture around and moving me in. I didn’t think that she would go for it, but she didn’t mind at all–she said that every once in a while she gets the urge and has to or wants to move furniture around. It was a lot of fun and I love my room. The rest of the house still needs a whole lot of work to clean up and put things away.

Today, I went to both offices of the agencies that I am working for. The first half of the day went very slowly with a very boring meeting at the Ministry of Health (from 10:00-1:00). When I looked at my watch, I couldn’t believe that it was that late! Anyway, I finally made my way out of that office and onto the SDC/DAC office. SDC is Social development Commission, and the DAC is Development Area Committee. I feel like I would like the Ministry of Health’s support and backup, but it is hard for me to know how I fit in with what they need/what I should be doing for them. However, I do see me fitting in very well with the SDC and DAC, and all the other development committees and CBOs (Community Based Organizations).

Well, I have been here a long time and it is time for me to go home now. Much, much love to all of you, and I hope that you are (all) doing well !

to all the Principia staff–my best wishes as the new school year starts.

the weather here–the rainy season has started, albeit, slowly, with rain every few days. At this moment, since it rained today, the breeze is slightly cool, but not enough to want longsleeves.Yesturday was hot, humid, and sticky. (but hot was maybe in high 80’s) I don’t think that it ever gets to a hundred here, but it can be very hot in the mornings–this morning included.

much love,Rachel

Just some more notes:

A friend asked me will I be able to travel around the island some or will I be so busy that I am stuck and I am not sure. Yes, volunteers do travel around the island from time to time and especially to visit other PCV’s sites, but I am not sure if I will. we are only allowed a certain amount of time for vacation and by the time that I (hopefully) go home for association and other family business, and come back and ….I don’t know, maybe if my family comes to visit me, then we’ll travel together and see the sites. ? ?Who knows?

Another question was if in my work if I would be in an office or out in the field with people and the answer is probably a little of the first and a whole lot of the second.

The third question was about language, and the language that is spoken here is Patios (pronounced Pat-wa–Jamaicans even spell the word different because it is pronounced differently than the French.)so one common phrase in Patios is “Mi soon come,” meaning, I’ll be back soon.

Jamaicans often drop the letter “S” before words and the h from the “th” sound. I have probably said this before, but one of my favorite phrases is “Everyting kris!” it means that you couldn’t be happier, and that you are completely satisfied, everything is perfect. the “kris” comes from crisp, clean.

love you all, see ya!

Dear All,

You’ll have to excuse my absence for the past two weeks–as it is the end of
training, I have been short in the monetary department and haven’t been able
to afford the taxi into town and then the charge of actually using the
computers once I got there.

I am in the last week of my training and come Friday night (Aug 22), I will
go back to Old Harbour Bay which will be my new home for the next two years.
On Friday, we have what is called a “Swearing-in ceremony” which is
supposed to be very nice and elegant. It is our graduation ceremony from
the training program that we are in now.

UNTIL Friday, I have my own single (all of us do) in the newest and nicest
housing complex on the Univ. of the West Indies campus. They are really
treating us well–today we left OHB in a “limousine” type tour bus where I
think anyone that wanted one could have their own row! that is a big thing
when we have been used to cramming in or what is called “queezing up”–short
for squeeze up.

I have two options for where I can and or will (possibly more that I haven’t
seen yet) stay, but I know that wherever I live I will be taken care of.
come friday night, I will go home to a lady named Karen and her house. she
is a recent grad from Univ. of the West Indies in Sociology. she is very
nice and very smart and we get along very well. we laugh and smile a lot
together. the best part is that she doesn’t watch (apparently) a whole lot
of TV, and I am grateful for that.

the other option is a beautiful house, and if I do end up there, it will be
a show of God’s divine guidance as to where the furniture (and household
items) will come from, as I am sure that the moving-in allowance is very
small.

anyway, I love you all very much and remember that each of you are loved,
loving, and lovable!
have a blessed day

love,
rachel