September 15th, 2008

Hello Everyone,

I seem to remember saying that I would update the blog in a few weeks, but so much is happening that I am going to update again in order to avoid one huge long entry Because I know from experience that no one will read. (Cough,my long e-mails from Prague,cough) So anyway, everything in Saint Lucia has been going really great. Just a note, there are definitely times when I feel homesick, and I miss friends and family, but it would be selfish of my to tell everyone of those sad times, when there are so many happy ones to go along with the bad ones! By the way, another reason to update the blog...I told myself I would work-out today and this seems the best method to avoid actually working out. I should also be doing my laundry but I donÕt think that will be happening anytime soon either.. So you see, nothing has really changed!!!
Over the past week I have had some amazing experiences. I started my internship at the Secondary School. I am shadowing a very nice teacher, who has been teaching for a long time and she is really good with her students. I go to the school every Tuesday and attend all of her classes which are English and Literature. The first day she just introduced me to her class and I observed which is what I will be doing next week as well. Then, the third week I will help to run a lesson or co-facilitate. We haven't talked to much about it yet because when I met her she wasn't aware that I was interning with her. Ooops! Oh well, she handled it well and was very welcoming and nice to me. I have still been going to Castries three weeks. When I am feeling especially ambitious I read on the bus rides back and forth. Last week I read The Nanny Diaries in three days! I am currently reading Crick Crack Monkey for one of the classes I observed. Yep, my homework from the first day is to read an entire book!! It will help me follow along better in class though.

On Friday night my host family and I went to a going away party for a volunteer who has served his 2 years and is leaving Monday (which will be today once this is published). He has given me some great advice and been very helpful over the last two weeks. Saturday, I went with some of the other volunteers to the Sulphur Springs in Soufriere. It was a lot of the fun. The sulphur bath is free!!! We decided not to pay for the tour of the volcano because it is $12.50 EC or $5.00 US and frankly all we are getting paid right now is money to travel to and from Castries. Basically, we live in strange place where we are all very poor but because we look like white tourists, everyone thinks we are rich. But there are also privileges to being white (cough, like in the United States, cough). Although occasionally we might be charged a little extra at the market, or the bus driver might try to cheat us out an E.C. on our fare, overall there is a system of white privilege in place here. I am still doing some research (i.e. having casual conversations with my host sister and others around town) but I think it has to do with supporting tourism, and the belief that white people who visit can support the economy, but I think it also goes back to the slavery experienced by St. Lucian people. Anyway, I could write about this forever so before I bore all of my non-ethnic studies relatives and friends I will switch topics.
I thought it would be interesting to discuss riding the bus. I have had the pleasure of talking to a few of you back home and everyone asks, how is St. Lucia different than home? There are many similarities and differences. The bus system is a great example of differences. The buses, also called mini-buses, are actually large vans. Depending on the van they fit between 13 and 16 passengers. You wait at designated 'bus stops' and when you see one coming you stick out your arm and wave it up and down one or twice. DO NOT WAVE TO THE BUS DRIVER!! He will wave back and keep on driving. (Luckily I was educated on the system early enough that I haven't experienced that one!) If you succeed in pulling him over (1. I have yet to see a female driver so the 'he' is appropriate. 2. He will not pull over if he is full. This causes some volunteers trouble, but most of the buses headed out of Choiseul have a few seats open) you hop in. One interesting aspect of the culture is that upon entering the bus, it is polite to greet everyone with a "Good morning," "Good afternoon." or "Good Night." (NOTE: Good Night means the same thing as Good Evening, but the first few times I heard it I was very confused) These greeting are also used with everyone you walk by on the street. I walk by some Elementary age children on my way to stop and everytime I say "Good morning" they return the "Good morning." It is one of the charming aspects of my village because in Castries, it is less friendly.... I digress...Once you get on the bus, you hold on for dear life while the driver drives around the hills, twists and turns. Dramamine is not supplied but it would be nice before bus rides. Once you reach your individual destination you use one of a few commands to make the bus stop. My choice phrase is "Stopping Please," other options include "Stopping Driver," and "Bus stop." Then you jump out on the side of the road. (The cars drive on the left side, they call it the "Good side" here since so visitors call it the wrong side of the road) You pay the driver through the passenger side window and continue on your way. At first it was stressful to learn which stops to go to and to focus enough to get to your own stop, but by this point isn't too bad.


Ok, this is getting dangerously long so I am going to end it now. Again, I miss everyone and send my love! I hope everything is well at home and I will talk to you all again soon!!

Love,
Kelli