THE RAINY SEASON HAS ARRIVED IN JAMAICA!

Since last I wrote there have been a number of different activities at Breadnut Hill Primary School. One Saturday, 4 Peace Corps friends from the Ochi area and about a dozen members of the Breadnut Hill Police Youth Club met to help build a rock/cement wall at school. This wall will help to divide the school yard from a dirt road. This project entailed hauling marl over to mix with cement and gradually pouring it over a collection of rocks dropped into a wooden form. We were able to complete about 3 new sections of 5 feet each. Some of the Police Club members prepared us a lunch of chicken and rice and peas (really kidney beans). This group meets once a week at the school on Monday evenings from about 7-10PM and is geared to what we would term young adults from ages 16-24 or so. They have various activities, community projects and social events. There is more wall to finish but they need to fundraise the money for more cement first.
Mrs. Williams, the school guidance counselor, and I met with Junior Achievement representatives about starting an after school program for our Grade 5 & 6 students. JA has a financial literacy program designed for this age students and the curriculum is all organized and Jamaicanized. This seems like it has great potential and is something that would be very helpful to our students. I will keep you posted on how this works out!
Currently volunteers from a U.S. nonprofit called Great Shape Inc. (they do have a web site) are at my school. This is the group that donated most of the school’s 8 computers. The volunteers come and lead sessions in Music, Art, Sports, Literacy, and Computers. The students love it- Music, Art, and Sports are not in the school curriculum and computer time is very limited, so this is a real treat for them. The volunteers are generally from the Washington and Oregon area, but anyone can sign up, pay a participation fee, and come. Some have teaching experience but it is not required. Sandals Resort puts them up for the week so they are able to enjoy deluxe accommodations and food. The group helps at 4 primary schools in the Ocho Rios area. I felt badly that my fellow PCV’s working at more rural schools don’t have this opportunity, so the group kindly put together a box of school supplies & some books for them. When I go to our PC Thanksgiving dinner and meetings I will pass them along.
The most exciting event of this month was having my 1st visitor! My father, (G’pa) came for a week long visit. He stayed at my apartment for 3 nights and I joined him at the Hibiscus Lodge Hotel in Ocho Rios for 4 nights. He came just before the anticipated arrival of Tropical Storm Tomas. But lucky for Jamaica, and us, Tomas really did not hit Jamaica. We had lots of windy , cloudy weather but not much rain. Dad and I took a number a day trips to places I had read about but had not visited. We visited Sir Noel Coward’s Jamaican home, Rose Hall Great House, and The Enchanted Gardens with multiple water falls, gardens, and a bird aviary. and took a plantation tour It was such fun to show him around “my” Jamaica; he even came to school with me one day- the day before TS Tomas was to arrive- only 40 of the 275 students even came to school that day! I’ve learned that lots of rain, or in this case, anticipated lots of rain is sort of like snow days in the U.S. The Ministry of Education announced that schools were open on that Thursday and Friday in all the parishes except the far eastern ones, but hardly anyone came to school. On Friday only 4 students total came to school- the principal sent them (and us teachers ) home by 10:30AM! Both days there really wasn’t much teaching going on, but I was kept busy supervising students in the computers room, so they lucked out! Dad was even invited to go “clubbing” with 3 of the younger teachers! My landlord Steve was very helpful in arranging transportation for Dad and me. I am lucky to have such a caring landlord!
Dad came with school supplies from the Wallingford Family YMCA, (Thank you everyone!) some clothes and shoes I had ordered, and some Christmas things, including Christmas cookies from Dad’s church! I am so fortunate that at 87 he is interested and able to travel and came to see me! I do have a spare bed, so let me know if you are interested in coming to Jamaica! I’d love to see you!
I feel so very supported by family and friends - I am truly blessed! Thank you- and have a wonderful Thanksgiving wherever you are! I will be in Kingston with most of my fellow PCV’s for a couple of meetings and a Friday night Thanksgiving potluck dinner!