Day 5: Royal Palm Reserve/ Boat Tour With Rondell/Snorkeling!

Today was a very long day...in a good way. We were set to leave this morning a little later than planned but we made it work. We jumped on a boat that was set to pick us up from our hotel and drove a short way down the beach so we could meet up with Rondell, the captain of our riverboat tour. We met up with Rondell and headed walked a short distance to where his boat was. His glass bottom boat. Normally I would not allow myself to be put into water with something as dangerous sounding as a glass bottom boat but it was interesting to see the ocean from a different perspective. We headed up the river quite a ways and went to the Royal Palm Reserve which is pretty much a National Park type of thing. We had to walk about a mile down a dirt road but we made it somehow : ). Once we were there we were taken down wooden walkways around the park. We learned about the animal life that lived in the reserve and many of the plants. It was really cool being able to see such lush plant life in such a small area because it's very different from the hardwoods back home. At the reserve we were able to see a crocodile, or we attempted to see him but he wasn't so happy about that. We went back to the boat and all of the sudden a man started yelling to Rondell to stop so Rondell pulled up on the shore. At the time it seemed like a really bad idea just because almost all of us were very hungry and just wanted to get outta the boat. But a couple of us went ashore anyway and found out that the man, Norman Scarlett, was a coconut farmer and he was just going to show us around. We were all in flip flops so we couldn't go to far in all the brush but when we got to a tree he showed us how it was done. He took his maceti and started chopping down coconuts. After he was done they chopped off the tops and had us drink the water that is inside of the coconuts and it actually was not bad at all. It tasted just like water but there was an extra little zip to it. He also chopped one down that could be eaten because the insides of the ones with water are just hollow. So after that experience we came back to the hotel and had lunch. Our group split up after that and some people went snorkeling and some went shopping. I decided to go snorkeling. In one of my earlier posts I said that I wanted to defy one of my fears, well today was that day. I am afraid of the ocean and before we left I had told everyone that they would not get me to snorkel. I decided today that if I wanted to make the most of this experience I would have to snorkel. I have to say though that I was terrified the entire time I was in the water. Rondell and one of his crew members were nice enough to come in the water to make me a little more comfortable. Rondell took me in and helped me around and showed me a lot of plants and fish. I think my favorite one was the sea cucumber just because it is so weird looking. We swam around there for about 30 minutes and then hopped back on the boat to go back to the hotel. When we got back we all got ready and went out to eat at Cosmos where Nicole said there was excellent lobster. I decided to just get the fried fish but I was able to try the lobster and it was indeed amazing. I have fallen in love with some of the food here. There is some vegetable thing here that tastes a lot like coleslaw but it is so much better. I also have fallen in love with the bread because it's so rich and filling that you can eat it as a meal itself. Well I"m really tired now and we have to be outta here by 6 a.m. tomorrow to make it to the tech college in Seaford town. Until then : )

Day 4: Service Work

This morning we were supposed to be outta here by 8 o'clock a.m. Well...that didn't happen. It seems to be a trend for us to be late for everything but as the Jamaicans say, "No worries mon'" So that gets you a little side tracked. But we got to the school none the less and started working on the rest of the buildings we had to paint. I was unable to do any of the painting involving rollers because my allergies have been really bad down here and i had to wear my glasses so my eyes would stop burning so bad. We decided to finish painting on Sunday because the kids weren't there and it was much easier to work faster. After we were done painting everything the owner/teacher of the school made us a delicious lunch that consisted of fish and rice and peas (which are red beans not peas like we think of). We also were served a cup of carrot and beet juice which had a very distinct taste. We left the school and went back to the hotel because we were supposed to go on a boat ride with a man named Moses but the water has been really rough here so we couldn't go. Instead we chilled at the hotel for awhile some people went to the beach, well everyone except me, and then we decided to go to 23/7 which is a bar/ resteraunt just down the beach from us. We stayed there for while and talked to some of the locals. However since it was a pretty long day, we turned in for the night a little early so we could be ready for tomorrow. Now I'm ready for bed so i'll be prime for tomorrow. Goodnight!

Day 3: YS Falls and Appleton Rum Factory

Well this morning we were supposed to be ready to leave at 8:30 to head to YS Falls but due to the fact me and my roommates slept in til about quarter to 8 we didn't really get out on time. After everyone finally got all set to go we headed out for a hour and a half drive to the falls. We stopped at a bakery on the way and got the best bread I have ever tasted in my life! Once we got to the falls some of us went zip lining and the others went to lay on the rocks by the falls. I went and laid on the rocks. We had a really nice guide take us right next to the falls and take pictures for us. I also worked up the nerve to jump from about 15 or 20 feet up into the water after much deliberation.. but it was worth it. Once we left YS, we made our way to Appleton Rum Factory. It is just amazing to me that a business can be so successful that it can be open for 260 years! Our wonderful guide Hugh showed us the process of making rum and the equipment they use. We also got to taste the molasses they use in the rum...which was pretty disgusting but Tammy likes it. We learned that the longest amount of time they age rum for is 30 years and we went into a storage building where there were rums that were barreled in 1983! I just found it so interesting that rum is Jamaica's #1 export and is so popular here in the country. After we were done at the rum factory, we headed back home and went to a Jamaican supermarket. As Alyson pointed out, it is really weird being the minority and especially when you are being stared at for just shopping in a store. Once we made it home we went to a restaurant just down the beach from us and had supper with American food. Some of the girls aren't liking the Jamaican food so much so we took a break from it. After supper we came back to the hotel and now me and Lindsey are just chilling in our room waiting to get tired enough to fall asleep. We have to get up kind of early tomorrow to go back to the school and finish painting so we want a good nights sleep. Well til tomorrow then!

Service Day: The Beginning

So after a wonderful night sleep last night, I woke up at 7 a.m to the sound of Tammy's beautiful voice at our door. My roomies (Lori and Lindsey) and I got ready and headed off to breakfast which was awesome! They made the bacon just the way I like it, a little chewy drippin with grease. After our morning preperation we piled into Robert's van and headed to the school. I was a little nervous about how today was going to go but it ended up being better than I could ever have imagined. We arrived at Uppertop Lincoln Early Childhood Institution and were greeted with curious stares. The kids were sooo cute. Of course all it took was for Tammy to warm up the group, well both groups to be honest, and then it was like we were there the whole time. We played ring around the rosy along with some intense games of duck duck goose. I couldn't believe that the kids didn't know how to play duck duck goose! Me and Alyson were pros at teaching the game though so our group had it down pat in no time. Well except for the little boy Michael who spent about 10 minutes going around saying duck and not picking a goose ever. The kids especially enjoyed playing with our digital cameras. It was like being swarmed by an angry mob except they were adorable kids. I did especially enjoy a little boy named Omario. He was sooo polite and cute. I wanted to take him home but Nicole reminded me that it would be considered kidnapping so I gave up that dream due to the legal consequences. After playtime with the kids we began the work. We started to move stuff out of the room we planned on painting today and we were welcomed by some disgusting inhabitants, cockroaches. It made me sick to think that these kids played in the toys that these cockroaches inhabit. It was hard not to show emotion when one sprung out at you suddenly, but a couple of the kids in the room assured us they did not enjoy them either. We painted all morning and afternoon and accomplished alot. We decided we will finish the rest on Sunday when the kids aren't there so we can get a little more done and not have to worry about running them over. We will visit the school on Wednesday also to give the kids some school supplies (which are a hot commodity here in Jamaica) and toys. After our service work we came back to teh hotel and got ready for dinner at The Three Dives. I got to taste authentic jerk chicken from Jamaica and decided I should probably lay off the jerk sauce because it was HOTTT!!! After dinner was done, our wonderful driver Robert drove us home and I headed to bed and got to talk to Austin (my boyfriend) which made me feel better before I went to sleep. So now I'm completely wore out and babbling. Goodnight everyone I'm going to go cuddle with Lindsey now since we get to share a bed : ). I can't wait to share more of my adventures with you tomorrow!

First Day

Well today started out a little rough to say the least. We left Tammy's house at midnight like scheduled and made our way to Chicago. After a very cooolllddd bus ride, we unloaded and headed into the Ohare national airport. We were one of the first people in line and because we are such lucky people, ended up with probably the least thrilled attendant to help us get our boarding passes. We boarded at 5:30 a.m and sat on the plane in anticipation of take off. Well take off didn't happen for 3 hours! We almost got out at 6:30 like we were supposed to but it just so happens that there was maintenance problems so we left 2 hours later than expected. With that delay our whole day was pushed back a bit. Robert, our driver, picked us up from the airport and from there we went to the school we will be working at tomorrow. We went over what colors they wanted to paint the two rooms of the school. I couldn't believe that they have 50 kids that fit in those buildings! I'll have to put up pictures later so you can see. It was too late to get paint supplies when we were done so we checked into our hotel and ate an excellent dinner they prepared for us. Now I'm sittin by the beach writing my blog and realizing how wiped I am from the entire day. I think it's time for bed. Goodnight all

Today is THE Day!!!

So at midnight tonight, or tomorrow morning, however you look at life I guess, we will be leaving for Jamaica FINALLY! I'm pretty nervous just for the fact that my mom likes to tell me worse case scenarios. For example, "Well, there's been a lot of earthquakes and tsunami warnings lately. What if you're on a boat and there is a tsunami?" Yes I know this sounds very unrealistic but for someone who is paranoid about open water as it is, it sounds like it's going to happen tomorrow. But I've been trying to put my fear of, well pretty much everything, and focus on all the great things we'll be doing. I can't wait to meet the people and experience the culture. I also can't wait to do our community service. I've done community service before definitely not something of this magnitude. I love the feeling when you're done that you did something that just changed a person's day, week, maybe even life. One thing that I want to do is to experience something out of my comfort zone and go for it. I don't know if that means defying my fear of heights, the ocean,...giant bugs that must be from another planet. Well maybe not bugs, but definitely something else. Well I have to finish packing because my procrastination seems to have gotten the best of me.

Children and Violence

I decided to research a little bit about children that are subjected to violence in Jamaica. I was appalled by murder rates among children. According to http://www.unicef.org/jamaica/violence.html, over the past five years over 300 children have been murdered and the majority of that is boys. Another statistic the website showed was that in 2006, children and adolescents made up 78 percent of all sexual assaults and rape cases.
And to think that those are only the ones reported. I think it would be hard to live in a place that you would have to fear. Because of this violence many adolescent boys turn to gang behavior because people expect them to underachieve. Lastly, the website told of thousands of children living in residential care and over 200 that live in institutions where family care is not available. This absence of family makes them more vulnerable to violence and abuse. I know that the U.S is not perfect, however, this seems like a lot of high numbers for such a little country.