What Am I Getting From This...

So a recent question was asked,"What do I plan on getting out of this experience?" It's a hard question to answer since there are so many things I would like to gain from this trip. First and foremost, I want to feel the accomplishment of helping out people that are not given the same luxuries and opportunities that I get everyday. It's easy to forget that not everyone wakes up and watches their big T.V. and go on their computer to check their facebooks. I also would like to gain some more self awareness. IN my first semester of the Human Services program we learned about reflection and how it aids in self awareness. With this blog, I will be able to reflect daily on my experiences in Jamaica. Lastly, of course, I want to gain friendships and bonds that can't disappear with time. That sounds a little corny but when you have to live and eat and sleep with people for a little over a week you get to know them better than some of their close friends. On top of that, we can always look back on the experience and share memories and remember what it was like together. I'm a little afraid of being so far away from home in a place I know very little about but I guess that's half the excitement right?

Jamaican History

It has been too long! I was having some trouble getting into my blogger account but I have it all figured out now so I'm up and running. Well since the trip is a short two weeks away (sooo excited) I thought I'd look a little bit into the history of Jamaica. What I became most interested in was the original people of Jamaica, the Arawaks. The Arawaks are also known as the Tainos. 2500 years ago they left South America and settled in Jamaica. They named the island Xaymaca, which means, "land of wood and water." To me it seems their lifestyle was much like that of Native Americans in the U.S. They grew sweet potatoes, corn, fruits and vegetables, and tobacco. Tobacco was popular to grow because smoking it was a pastime for the Arawaks. They usually settled villages along the coast or by rivers so that they were skilled fisherman and that was a main source for food. They were peaceful until the arrival of Christopher Columbus in 1494. Columbus went to the island because he heard that there was gold there. Eventually the Spanish killed them off through brutal treatment, slavery, disease. Their numbers went from around 60,000 to 0 in a matter of 50 years. I love history and learning about people that really owned the land like the Arawak people. I hope you found this as interesting as I did.