Keeping It Talawah!

'Mi likkle but mi a talawah' is my new favorite Jamaican proverb. I bet you can guess why- Talawah means powerful, strong, mighty...
On a related note, the national bird of Jamaica is (drumroll please) the HUMMINGBIRD. Small but mighty my friends, small but mighty.

So week two is beginning to breeze on by out here on the southern coast of this little country (the size of the state of CT incidentally). Training has been chock full of information from culture and language to safety and security and all that falls in between. The highlight of my days are always the first and last segments of the day: Culture and Language; Sector Rooms. Culture and language is just great because it offers me the hope that someday, maybe, I'll understand what the people around me are saying. Sector meetings at the end of the day focus on the responsibilities and expectations of the Green Initiative program. My sector leaders are fantastic- easygoing, knowledgeable and encouraging- and the subject matter is so applicable I can't help but be excited and attentive, even at the end of the day when we're sticky, hot and drained from previous activities. This being drained that I speak of comes in both physical and emotional/mental waves.

This past Friday I went to karaoke with my friend and his host dad. The event was at a ritzy hotel in Kingston and was unlike any karaoke I'd ever seen. White chairs were lined up along the side of a pool in the courtyard. The pool was spewing an elegant fountain from it's middle and lighted trees protected the chairs, which faced the stage at the front of the pool. I chose to sing Rolling in the Deep by Adele, even though I'd never actually sung the whole song. The night hadn't even begun yet when they called my name to sing and as I was caught unaware, my walk to the stage was long and awkward. As I walked they explained that this is the first time a newcomer has opened the night. OY.
I sang the song to the best of my abilities as the DJ interjected on the soundboard with bytes saying 'WOWEE' and ridiculous things like that... I've never been to a karaoke that actually reacts AS the person is singing. People clapped and smiled as I finished and the emcee grabbed the mic saying 'wow what a little girl with a big voice!' or something along those lines. The rest of the night carried some real talent- people obviously accustomed to performing and showing off... no one was actually BAD. Also, a man proposed to his girlfriend via song dedication and on the way home we ate jerk chicken that was handed to us from the grill on the curb through the window of the car. This is a common occurrence in Kingston and I suspect in the rest of Jamaica.

Saturday, Peggy took me to Coronation Market, an activity all host parents were expected to do so that we could learn to barter and negotiate the crowds. The market is huge and is located in Kingston, so it was also my first bus and taxi experience. The market is HUGE and spans from under a giant pavilion outwards, under crudely strung tarps that had me thankful I'm 5ft tall. Peggy was very selective about her prices and she could be because there were SO many people selling similar items. She also bought so much that we each carried a bag, and then had to share the weight of a third bag between us. It was a funny sight I can imagine and we were pretty tired by the time we returned home.

Sunday a few of us walked about a half hour down the road to Twin Sister's cave, two beautiful caves nearby nestled in a pit of Banyan trees and other flora. The caves were essentially the openings to brackish water tunnels and home to blue backed lobster, young talapia, bats, owls and crayfish as well as lots of anole-type lizards and birds. After, we went to the beach to celebrate a few volunteers' birthdays. It was so relaxing to lay out, swim and have a couple cold(ish) beers. Later that night I realized that I was burned to a crisp and currently am thanking karma that Peggy has a healthy sized aloe plant in her front yard.

Today I talked to Dan my program manager in an interview format so that he could better understand my goals and skills and personality to place me in my final location. I've been strongly identified as 'de baby' lately among Hellshire-folk, although those who speak to me eventually recognize the 'mighty' part. As I spoke about my ability to teach and lead, my preference for hands on work and my interest in music, his smile got wider and wider 'I can't say anything about placement, but I've got ideas for you' he said amidst a smile. I laughed and said I like to sing and jam out in my spare time and he smiled once again, this time proud of some little secret he had in his own head and gave me a high five. If he's not worried, I'm gonna stop worrying. His confidence translated immediately to me and I've felt good all day. While Hellshire has been a wonderful community to start my growth, I can't wait to leave for my hub training in the mountains this Sunday!