feels like it's been more than a week and a half (pics later)

The past week has been very busy. Along with regular training and school internship stuff, there were extra homework assignments, requiring me to carry more things and go more places, and finally on Friday was our last full day of training.

Thursday in addition to whatever else I ended up needing to do (I really don't remember, it seemed like so much) I went by my new apartment to check it out, meet the landlady, give her the rent agreement, and get the inventory. Looks like I lucked out--there are many things already here, since there were a couple Peace Corps volunteers who have lived here before me. And cable and internet are provided by my landlady, so I get to save more money for vacation (which means I'll get to catch up on fellow volunteers who have more funds back home)

Friday I was sad that I couldn't go to Laborie to see La Magueritte, a cultural festival in which different groups do performances and dress up and have princes and princesses and kings and queens. I don't have pictures on my computer, so maybe another day I'll upload the pics Manman took.

Saturday I went with my host parents up to Pidgeon Point, in the fancy touristy north part of the island. It was organized by the Peace Corps, so almost all of us trainees were there with our host families. Everyone brought food and there were so many tasty dishes. It was neat to meet everyone's families, since we've all heard things about all the others. A few of us went on a hike for a couple hours going around the hills there, and exploring the ruins of old colonial buildings. The views were pretty neat, and it was a good hike. We even grabbed a few guavas from a tree on the way back. And one of the locals, Jason's host cousin (?), talked the park people into not charging us for the hike.

Saturday night I went out after dark by myself for the first time. In downtown Vieux Fort at The Old Plantation Restaurant was a cultural music event organized by my friend Fay. It was a lot of fun, and of course I ended up seeing one of the boys I work with at school. No pictures unfortunately of this event, but it included a group of drum dancers and a band. There were supposed to be more, but there was some confusion between Fay and the restaurant owner about the time of the event. It ended early and I went home to pack, but fell asleep on my floor (and my clothes in a suitcase) after less than an hour. It was a long day.

Sunday seemed even longer. I finished packing in the morning, then walked down to the Super J (the big chain grocery store around the island) to get food and supplies for my new apartment. I spent $400EC there, and of course there are plenty of things I didn't/couldn't get there. Albert, a taxi driver that's a friend of Manman (who lives down the street from me now) picked me up there, then we went home, packed up the van with my luggage, and moved everything into my apartment. After putting away groceries, Manman and I walked back to her house (about 35 min walk, at about noon) for lunch. I thought I would get ready to go soon after that, but she insisted I just hang out and watch TV or something. I guess she was sad to see me go, even though I'm going to be around and visit often (more on that later). So she walked me back around 4pm, passing by her cousin's house on the way, and showing me a place past the brewery where there are roads going all through a grassy area where I can start jogging (it was originally going to be an industrial complex, but only one or two factory shells were put up, and they are long out of work). Once home I continued to unpack, although a lot of my time was spent going through the kitchen and cleaning lots of dishes and appliances. I didn't get to sleep until midnight, even later I think.

Monday I went up to Castries for the final interview of training, to make sure I was in good condition for swearing in. Sharmon (pretty much my Peace Corps boss/supervisor) said I had done very well in training, and that I had surprised everyone because I'm competent (good, some might even say) at working with kids who need help in school. Who new? Well, they didn't expect it because I was quiet in training. That day we also practiced for swearing in, and got information about reporting, monitoring, and evaluation throughout service. Which is nice, since it'll give us (and the PC office, and Washington) good quantifiable things to see what we've actually accomplished.

After training Kelli and I went through the market up in Castries, where I picked up some garlic, a dasheen, some okra, and a big red tomato (that alone was $4, but they're expensive here). We also went by a home improvement store, where I picked up most of the things I still needed, like towels and an iron. I lugged home a heavy tote bag and a big bag o' stuff. That night I prepared things to make stew the next morning. And of course I watched Heroes.

I did make stew on Tuesday morning before school, and it turned out ok, but I'll definitely need to revise it a few times before I'll post a full recipe. Suffice to say, though, it included green plantain, dasheen, pinto beans, okra, cabbage, pumpkin, and carrot. The really cool thing about stew is that for about $12 plus energy and time, I get a good 10 meals.

After work on Tuesday I walked between a few stores and got some more things that I needed and things that aren't necessary but nice to have. I got some instant coffee and some powdered cocoa, which made me jittery the next morning. Before I went home on Tuesday I also picked up some grapefruits from a fruit vendor on the street ($2 for 4 big ones), who I talked a little with and who I saw the next night on the bus. I remembered his name but he didn't remember mine (which doesn't usually happen).

Wednesday was our Swearing-In Ceremony. Manman and my point person, the District 6 Education Officer (Mr. Joseph), as well as the families and point persons of other trainees, and a bunch of gov't officials, and current volunteers, and.... well they all attended, and it was nice. I and three other volunteers (we had by this time taken our oath of office) read an address in Kwéyòl written by our instructor, and everyone was surprised and impressed with our pronunciation (although the four of us were selected because of that quality, and just because we could say things doesn't mean that we know what they mean). It was a nice ceremony though, and catered with delicious finger foods.

After the ceremony, the volunteers all headed over to a restaurant/bar in Rodney Bay (where all the hoity toity touristy types go, so everything is pretty expensive) for a send-off for Judy, who trained with us but will be working in Dominica. It was fun getting to hang out with everyone, and I was sad that I had to leave at 4 to get home before it got late, since most other people who lived south were spending the night with Haley, who lives there in Rodney Bay. But I had work at the school in the morning today so I couldn't stay.

At lunch today (Thursday) Manman came by the school and took me down the street to a seamstress so I can have a dress made with the madras cloth for Jounen Creole on Sunday. I'll even get have my hair in corn rows, according to Manman, and then I'll be ready for Creole Mass and the celebration that goes along with the day. Expect pictures!

Well, after a few nights of being on my own, I'm feelig comfortable in the place. It's nice to have things to do in the evenings (cook and clean), and I feel like I'm doing things nicely. On Monday evening I made some popcorn on the stove, and I don't ever want to waste money on microwavable popcorn again. There was so much of it! I'm still eating it a few days later. Most of my meals consist of either sandwiches filled with lots of veggies and some cheese and a cut-up chicken hot dog, or some soup and bread. Lots of fruit, too.

I feel like I'll get to know plenty of people around here eventually. One of my neighbors in this apt complex has made herself available for anything I need, and she's invited me to an election night party. Things are nice in general.

Well, it's very late (almost 12:30am!), waaaaaay past my bedtime, and I'm going to a school on the other side of town in the morning, so I think it's time to turn in.