So Sincerely Sorry for that Span of Silence! (statement brought to you by my infatuation for alliteration 
This time lapse has been due to a need for internal introspection and a busy schedule. Also, I’ve had my nose stuck in a series of books in which the protagonist is a young woman in her mid 20’s who is 4ft 11in, less than 100 lbs and kicks a lot of ass… for some reason I find her character empowering, haha.
After a hectic month of high stress situations, I was only too glad to pack my backpack, hide my money on various locations against my body and hit the road for Montego Bay, where my parents were to meet me in the lobby of a resort hotel. Fresh from dropping their youngest baby girl off at college, they wasted no time transferring their pent up parental love directly into my arms. This love came in the form of the typical sort, hugs and kisses, but also in a gigantic bag of “home things”.
The first full day in the resort I spent feeling very guilty. Phrases like “Posh Corps” kept popping into my head and it was weird to be attended to by Jamaicans. I could wear strapless dresses and put on make-up… seriously? do I deserve this? I should be back in the bush sweating through my clothes!
That guilt lasted approximately 6 hours. I was able to extend my rare position to the volunteer in MoBay and we spent an evening catching up over dinner and the sunset. It was a strange juxtaposition of scenarios, Mom and Dad in Jamaica as I approach my 6 month point on Island. Not nearly the expert but certainly not a visitor. Taking them to my community was even stranger- I guided my father through the turns and potholes of the road through the hills from North to South Coast, I introduced them to the people I see on a daily basis and the fruits I’d come to love- breadfruit, jelly coconut, mango, sweet sop, ginep… We drove through my community, they sat on the porch of my office and I was given the amusing sight of my mother in the foreground and the empty ball field behind, where so many rowdy football games, events and parties g’wan routinely. I think if we’d come any other day but Sunday, they would have been overwhelmed, but most of the population was in church.
We went back to MoBay by way of the coast road, which took us through Negril. With Dad’s birthday dinner in mind, we avoided a crowded tourist hotspot famous for it’s sunset and ate at an adjacent restaurant that was quiet, secluded, served delicious food and had an equally awesome view of the sunset. Probably as perfect an evening there is. (see Mom’s album on FB for proof).
They drove me back home and I felt refreshed as I put my “new” things from home in their rightful place.
I’m looking at my place here a little differently, and I have to remind myself of these things when my gut starts tying into knots. I am the first volunteer in this community and so, I need to accept that my role here may not seem big and impressive. Some community members may not feel the difference I make, but if I can clear a path for the next volunteer then perhaps I can consider that a job well done, and if I do something that the community needs, even if it’s not directly related to my skill set (enviro/ag), I’ve done a service- and isn’t that the point?
My community needs a LOT of help, and I might be “likkle but talawah” but I aint superwoman.
Here are a few photos of things that happened in August- Preparing food for a Fun Day and a Farmer’s Workshop taught by NEPA.
Making Coconut Milk from Scratch: Shred coconut, blend with water, squeeze and filter, repeat.
…Only took 4 months and NEPA’s presence to turn all that lumber I’d dismantled into the compost bin I’d intended it to be…
You are superwoman, in my book.
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