2.24.09
This past weekend I met an interesting character. Meeting interesting people that have bizarre stories and adventures to share is all part of the fun of exploring a new nation. His name was Francisco, a tall gangly character with a scruffy chin and neck. His fingernails were dingy, his teeth revealed signs of chain smoking, and his hair seemed to be plastered with gel that hadn’t been washed our for several days… But, now that I think of it, his half spiked hair style must have been placed so by the natural oils that must have been accumulating on his scalp for weeks without washing. Even though his shorts were tattered and his vest faded he was chipper and jolly; clearly the rum flows freely on his ship. Anyway, he passed me as I was sitting eating a sandwich and asked if I would like to take a walk with him. I could tell immediately that this was an intriguing man, but honestly, I just accepted his offer because I wanted to bum a cigarette.
Turns out that Francisco is a sailor; I should have known, and somewhere between coffee and rum Francisco told me all about his live as a sailor. Briefly, he mentioned what he refers to as his ‘past life’. Before sailing the seas endlessly he was a professor of philosophy at a university in France. Six months ago he retired from his job, gave up all his possessions, family and friends and decided to start sailing. He bought a boat and has been sailing around the world for 6 months with no real plan on where to go next or for how long to stay. He only dreams of finding a sailor girl to join him on his adventure, find a cozy place on the sea shore to settle, build a house, fish and live out the rest of their days. Sounds romantic, huh?
Before St. Lucia, Francisco spent 2 months in different parts of Africa. He sounded like a character straight out of a story book; speaking about how mystical Africa was and how lovely and kind people are all over the world. His tales were incredibly marvelous. It’s incredible how some people are able to just take a risk and go anywhere their heart desires. After our chatter came to an end the sailor sipped down his last drop of rum and went back to the marina; I think he had a chess match to attend on one of the other ships.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Cultural Blooper
2.19.09
Last week EC78 (the 78th PCV group to serve in the eastern Caribbean) had its first in-service training. This training is held two times over the course of our stay in St. Lucia. Anyhow, on our first day of IST our PC trainer had us share some of the cultural bloopers we as volunteers experienced during our first 6 months in St. Lucia. Some people shared experiences about getting on buses just after having a Lucian shower (getting caught in a torrential down pour without an umbrella) and having the driver curse under his breathe the whole way home; experiences of forgetting to open a meeting with a prayer; and stories of how accepting a crate of fruit from a male community member can make him think you are going to go to bed with him. There wasn’t much for me to contribute to the bloopers wall… until today, that is. In fact, my cultural blooper came with great consequence, and has lead to a doctor who has been seeing volunteers for 27 years no longer being willing to treat Peace Corps Volunteers!
Several months ago I went to see the doctor for the treatment of an ongoing headache I was having. It was my first doctor visit in St. Lucia, and a bizarre one, at that. First, the doctor asked me the details of my ailment; nothing out of the ordinary yet. Next, she proceeded to check my throat, eyes and nose; still nothing unusual. Things go a little strange when the doctor asked me to remove my shirt. With hesitation I did so, but I was very uncomfortable, and I was confused as to why she was asking me to do so. She pressed on my abdomen a little, then asked me to remove my bra, too. The request was met with no explanation as to why I should do so, I was given no cover, and it was obvious that she did not intend on leaving the room while I undressed. Naturally, I was shocked by the nature of her request, thus asked her to repeat herself, “You want me to remove my bra, too?,” I said with surprise in my voice. She confirmed, “Yes.” I feeling very uncomfortable with the request, as I had no understanding of why she was asking me to disrobe, so I asked her, “Why do you want me to remove my bra?” Clearly offended, she responded, “Well, I was just going to check your breast for you, but I don’t have to!” I told her “No, I don’t see that its necessary; I just have a headache!” I left the office that day feeling that the incident was mighty peculiar and I ran the scenario by one of my supervisors, whom is Lucian. She confirmed that the procedure was normal.
Nevertheless, my response to her turned out to be extremely offensive and led to her decision to no longer care for Peace Corps Volunteers, after 27 years of service! Apparently, it is uncommon for patients to question doctors in this culture, and in fact, it is viewed as a questioning of their expertise. It is normal for doctors to give you a complete physical for anything, no matter the ailment; this is actually better service than we get back home. Additionally it is not customary for female doctors to give a cover or leave the room for female clients.
This has been my largest cultural blooper, and I feel awful about it. I have decided to write the doctor an apology in regards to my misunderstanding. Also, I believe the next group of volunteers will be receiving a written notice titled, “What to Expect on Your First Doctors Visit!” Well… OOPS!
Last week EC78 (the 78th PCV group to serve in the eastern Caribbean) had its first in-service training. This training is held two times over the course of our stay in St. Lucia. Anyhow, on our first day of IST our PC trainer had us share some of the cultural bloopers we as volunteers experienced during our first 6 months in St. Lucia. Some people shared experiences about getting on buses just after having a Lucian shower (getting caught in a torrential down pour without an umbrella) and having the driver curse under his breathe the whole way home; experiences of forgetting to open a meeting with a prayer; and stories of how accepting a crate of fruit from a male community member can make him think you are going to go to bed with him. There wasn’t much for me to contribute to the bloopers wall… until today, that is. In fact, my cultural blooper came with great consequence, and has lead to a doctor who has been seeing volunteers for 27 years no longer being willing to treat Peace Corps Volunteers!
Several months ago I went to see the doctor for the treatment of an ongoing headache I was having. It was my first doctor visit in St. Lucia, and a bizarre one, at that. First, the doctor asked me the details of my ailment; nothing out of the ordinary yet. Next, she proceeded to check my throat, eyes and nose; still nothing unusual. Things go a little strange when the doctor asked me to remove my shirt. With hesitation I did so, but I was very uncomfortable, and I was confused as to why she was asking me to do so. She pressed on my abdomen a little, then asked me to remove my bra, too. The request was met with no explanation as to why I should do so, I was given no cover, and it was obvious that she did not intend on leaving the room while I undressed. Naturally, I was shocked by the nature of her request, thus asked her to repeat herself, “You want me to remove my bra, too?,” I said with surprise in my voice. She confirmed, “Yes.” I feeling very uncomfortable with the request, as I had no understanding of why she was asking me to disrobe, so I asked her, “Why do you want me to remove my bra?” Clearly offended, she responded, “Well, I was just going to check your breast for you, but I don’t have to!” I told her “No, I don’t see that its necessary; I just have a headache!” I left the office that day feeling that the incident was mighty peculiar and I ran the scenario by one of my supervisors, whom is Lucian. She confirmed that the procedure was normal.
Nevertheless, my response to her turned out to be extremely offensive and led to her decision to no longer care for Peace Corps Volunteers, after 27 years of service! Apparently, it is uncommon for patients to question doctors in this culture, and in fact, it is viewed as a questioning of their expertise. It is normal for doctors to give you a complete physical for anything, no matter the ailment; this is actually better service than we get back home. Additionally it is not customary for female doctors to give a cover or leave the room for female clients.
This has been my largest cultural blooper, and I feel awful about it. I have decided to write the doctor an apology in regards to my misunderstanding. Also, I believe the next group of volunteers will be receiving a written notice titled, “What to Expect on Your First Doctors Visit!” Well… OOPS!
Recipe for Vegetable Peanut Pasta and Mediterranean Salad
Friday Feb 14th, 2009
Vegetarian Peanut Noodles Recipe
INGREDIENTS:
For the peanut sauce:
• 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
• 2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
• 1/4 cup vegetable broth
• 1 Tbsp. sesame oil
• 2 Tbsp. teriyaki sauce
• One “thumb” of ginger
• Zest and juice of ½ lime
• 2 Tbsp. chopped peanuts
• Pinch red pepper flakes
• Black pepper to taste
For the pasta:
• 250 grams (1/4 package) linguine or udon noodles
For the stir-fry:
• 1-2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
• 1 tsp. sesame oil
• 3 carrots, sliced thinly into matchsticks
• 1 cup broccoli florets
• 1.5 cups bean sprouts
• 1/2 red bell pepper, sliced thinly
To serve:
• Green onions
• Chopped peanuts
• Sesame seeds
DIRECTIONS:
For the peanut sauce:
1. Heat a small saucepan over low-medium heat.
2. Add the broth, peanut butter, garlic, sesame oil, teriyaki sauce, grated
ginger, lime zest, lime juice, and peppers to the pot, stirring gently.
3. Heat through.
For the pasta:
1. Bring a large pot of water to the boil and cook pasta until al dente. The
noodles should be cooked but still slightly firm in the middle, not slippery
or mushy. Firmer noodles are desired to hold onto the sauce better.
2. If using udon noodles, cook according to minimum cook time on package.
For the Stir-fry:
1. Heat a small skillet over medium-high heat and add one tablespoon oil.
2. Add the vegetables and stir-fry for several minutes, until all vegetables
are tender-crisp.
To serve:
• In a serving dish, toss the cooked and drained pasta with the peanut sauce
and vegetables. Garnish with green onions (scallions), chopped peanuts, and
sesame seeds.
Mediterranean Chickpea Salad
INGREDIENTS
• 1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained and rinsed
• 1 roma (plum) tomato, seeded and diced
• 1/2 medium green bell pepper, diced
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 small clove garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 lemon, juiced
DIRECTIONS
1. In a bowl, toss together the garbanzo beans, roma tomato, green bell pepper,
onion, garlic, parsley, olive oil, and lemon juice. Cover, and chill until
serving.
Vegetarian Peanut Noodles Recipe
INGREDIENTS:
For the peanut sauce:
• 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
• 2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
• 1/4 cup vegetable broth
• 1 Tbsp. sesame oil
• 2 Tbsp. teriyaki sauce
• One “thumb” of ginger
• Zest and juice of ½ lime
• 2 Tbsp. chopped peanuts
• Pinch red pepper flakes
• Black pepper to taste
For the pasta:
• 250 grams (1/4 package) linguine or udon noodles
For the stir-fry:
• 1-2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
• 1 tsp. sesame oil
• 3 carrots, sliced thinly into matchsticks
• 1 cup broccoli florets
• 1.5 cups bean sprouts
• 1/2 red bell pepper, sliced thinly
To serve:
• Green onions
• Chopped peanuts
• Sesame seeds
DIRECTIONS:
For the peanut sauce:
1. Heat a small saucepan over low-medium heat.
2. Add the broth, peanut butter, garlic, sesame oil, teriyaki sauce, grated
ginger, lime zest, lime juice, and peppers to the pot, stirring gently.
3. Heat through.
For the pasta:
1. Bring a large pot of water to the boil and cook pasta until al dente. The
noodles should be cooked but still slightly firm in the middle, not slippery
or mushy. Firmer noodles are desired to hold onto the sauce better.
2. If using udon noodles, cook according to minimum cook time on package.
For the Stir-fry:
1. Heat a small skillet over medium-high heat and add one tablespoon oil.
2. Add the vegetables and stir-fry for several minutes, until all vegetables
are tender-crisp.
To serve:
• In a serving dish, toss the cooked and drained pasta with the peanut sauce
and vegetables. Garnish with green onions (scallions), chopped peanuts, and
sesame seeds.
Mediterranean Chickpea Salad
INGREDIENTS
• 1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained and rinsed
• 1 roma (plum) tomato, seeded and diced
• 1/2 medium green bell pepper, diced
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 small clove garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 lemon, juiced
DIRECTIONS
1. In a bowl, toss together the garbanzo beans, roma tomato, green bell pepper,
onion, garlic, parsley, olive oil, and lemon juice. Cover, and chill until
serving.
Grant Writing
Wednesday February 11th, 2009
Today I participated in a grant writing workshop as part of my Peace Corps training. The workshop was invaluable! One great thing about the way Peace Corps structures its in-service trainings is they allow the volunteers to provide feedback on what additional training would be most useful. Then, Peace Corps designs our bi-annual trainings on the topics identified most by the volunteers.
Currently, I am working on two funding proposals, one to be ‘officially’ submitted by the Ministry of Education and the other to be submitted by Hope Academy, a new non-profit organization working to increase opportunity for success for children living in poverty. Both proposals will be submitted to major funding sources, and while I have had some exposure to grant writing, I have never written an entire official funding proposal. Nevertheless, I was suffering from writers block, despite my enthusiasm for the opportunity to play such a large role in these two projects. However, thanks to the workshop from today I feel I have all the tools needed to write a well-received proposal!
The proposal I am writing on behalf of the Ministry is for funding of “Why Try?” in more of the secondary schools, to be rolled out in 3 phases over 2 – 3 years. The second proposal is for the development of a ropes course in Babonneau. The ropes course will support the mission and vision of Hope Academy and help to build confidence, self-esteem, and team work among the students of Hope Academy
Exciting stuff!! Exciting stuff!!
Today I participated in a grant writing workshop as part of my Peace Corps training. The workshop was invaluable! One great thing about the way Peace Corps structures its in-service trainings is they allow the volunteers to provide feedback on what additional training would be most useful. Then, Peace Corps designs our bi-annual trainings on the topics identified most by the volunteers.
Currently, I am working on two funding proposals, one to be ‘officially’ submitted by the Ministry of Education and the other to be submitted by Hope Academy, a new non-profit organization working to increase opportunity for success for children living in poverty. Both proposals will be submitted to major funding sources, and while I have had some exposure to grant writing, I have never written an entire official funding proposal. Nevertheless, I was suffering from writers block, despite my enthusiasm for the opportunity to play such a large role in these two projects. However, thanks to the workshop from today I feel I have all the tools needed to write a well-received proposal!
The proposal I am writing on behalf of the Ministry is for funding of “Why Try?” in more of the secondary schools, to be rolled out in 3 phases over 2 – 3 years. The second proposal is for the development of a ropes course in Babonneau. The ropes course will support the mission and vision of Hope Academy and help to build confidence, self-esteem, and team work among the students of Hope Academy
Exciting stuff!! Exciting stuff!!
Flea Market and Steel Pan
2.7.09
I’m sitting at the Rodney Bay mall waiting for Haley to walk down from her place. There is a flea Market sale down the road and we need new clothes. The sun, salt water, and walking has all but worn out everything we have. The last sale I got a pair of capris, 2 dresses, and a shirt for 10EC. That is $4 US!! After the sale, Haley and I will spend the day at the beach before proceeding to steel pan practice at 3:00. Our steel pan instructor thinks that we will be good enough to perform with Pan-Orama in July!
I’m sitting at the Rodney Bay mall waiting for Haley to walk down from her place. There is a flea Market sale down the road and we need new clothes. The sun, salt water, and walking has all but worn out everything we have. The last sale I got a pair of capris, 2 dresses, and a shirt for 10EC. That is $4 US!! After the sale, Haley and I will spend the day at the beach before proceeding to steel pan practice at 3:00. Our steel pan instructor thinks that we will be good enough to perform with Pan-Orama in July!
Tattoo Me Baby
Saturday Feb 7th, 2009
New tattoo ideas
Across my upper back, irie pa bon
Direct translation – alright not good
What it stand for – blessed imperfection
On my left shoulder, a social work symbol, a St. Lucian flag, a peace corps symbol
On the top of my right foot, a mandala
New tattoo ideas
Across my upper back, irie pa bon
Direct translation – alright not good
What it stand for – blessed imperfection
On my left shoulder, a social work symbol, a St. Lucian flag, a peace corps symbol
On the top of my right foot, a mandala
One Pot
Entry from 2.6.09
The other day Haley, Lloyd, Sergio, and I went to Pigeon Point. We found a geocache; very cool. All day was a blast. We ran around, took pictures and played volleyball all day.
I have been cooking a lot lately. I have been learning how to make some good one pots, bouillon and dumplings. I made some lemon butter garlic sauce today for tuna (in a can of course).
One Pot – a bullion consisting of all or any combination of the following:
Lentils, dumplings, rice, noodles, plantain, green fig, onion, garlic, pumpkin, any vegetables, etc, etc.
Most often, a one pot is sure to contain lentils and dumplings.
You get the point?
Throw a bunch of food in a pot and let it boil!
The other day Haley, Lloyd, Sergio, and I went to Pigeon Point. We found a geocache; very cool. All day was a blast. We ran around, took pictures and played volleyball all day.
I have been cooking a lot lately. I have been learning how to make some good one pots, bouillon and dumplings. I made some lemon butter garlic sauce today for tuna (in a can of course).
One Pot – a bullion consisting of all or any combination of the following:
Lentils, dumplings, rice, noodles, plantain, green fig, onion, garlic, pumpkin, any vegetables, etc, etc.
Most often, a one pot is sure to contain lentils and dumplings.
You get the point?
Throw a bunch of food in a pot and let it boil!
Benefit of Why Try
Entry from 2.4.09
I’m at American Drywall, the building Elaine’s office is in. She works for the Chamber of Commerce. We are about to walk down to a Chinese restaurant, if you can really call it Chinese, down the way for lunch. I just facilitated my 3rd “Why Try?” group at Sir Ira Simmons Secondary School. The participants are in form 2 & 3, which is the same as grades 8 & 9 in the U.S. I am working with them on using positive motivation to overcome challenges in their life. Running groups in St. Lucia is significantly different than the groups I have run back home. Like I have said before, counseling is a new concept in St. Lucia. I think that the study of psychology has transferred the value of self-reflection and introspection into main-stream society in the states. In St. Lucia, it seems to be something that only a minority practice. Introspection requires a certain degree of critical thinking, and these skills develop at an even later stage of life in St. Lucia. Critical thinking is not nurtured in the same way here. I find that the young girls, especially, are not accustomed to reflecting on their feelings, thoughts, and actions. When I ask them questions about their thoughts and feelings, they have a difficult time verbalizing them what they might have been feeling or thinking in a situation. It follows then, that they have difficulty understanding how their thoughts, feelings and actions influence one another. Nevertheless, I know, at the least, that these girls will benefit from the “Why Try?” Program because it will develop their ability to reflect on their own thoughts, feelings and behaviors. Furthermore, they will develop a habit of processing and understanding the affect they have on situations that occur in their own lives
I’m at American Drywall, the building Elaine’s office is in. She works for the Chamber of Commerce. We are about to walk down to a Chinese restaurant, if you can really call it Chinese, down the way for lunch. I just facilitated my 3rd “Why Try?” group at Sir Ira Simmons Secondary School. The participants are in form 2 & 3, which is the same as grades 8 & 9 in the U.S. I am working with them on using positive motivation to overcome challenges in their life. Running groups in St. Lucia is significantly different than the groups I have run back home. Like I have said before, counseling is a new concept in St. Lucia. I think that the study of psychology has transferred the value of self-reflection and introspection into main-stream society in the states. In St. Lucia, it seems to be something that only a minority practice. Introspection requires a certain degree of critical thinking, and these skills develop at an even later stage of life in St. Lucia. Critical thinking is not nurtured in the same way here. I find that the young girls, especially, are not accustomed to reflecting on their feelings, thoughts, and actions. When I ask them questions about their thoughts and feelings, they have a difficult time verbalizing them what they might have been feeling or thinking in a situation. It follows then, that they have difficulty understanding how their thoughts, feelings and actions influence one another. Nevertheless, I know, at the least, that these girls will benefit from the “Why Try?” Program because it will develop their ability to reflect on their own thoughts, feelings and behaviors. Furthermore, they will develop a habit of processing and understanding the affect they have on situations that occur in their own lives
Why Try Progress
Entry from 1.28.09
Why Try is going well. I have faith that the group will continue to grow and develop. Hopefully, we will see positive change in the kids, even though the conditions are less than ideal. The lights in the small, cramped room are out. This means that we must leave the door open. Of course, this leaves the group open to distractions, mainly by other students popping their heads into the room. I am also understanding the problem of over extension. I didn’t think I was over extended, but now I have found myself divided into so many places that I am having trouble keeping up with it all.
Why Try is going well. I have faith that the group will continue to grow and develop. Hopefully, we will see positive change in the kids, even though the conditions are less than ideal. The lights in the small, cramped room are out. This means that we must leave the door open. Of course, this leaves the group open to distractions, mainly by other students popping their heads into the room. I am also understanding the problem of over extension. I didn’t think I was over extended, but now I have found myself divided into so many places that I am having trouble keeping up with it all.
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