Vincy Independance!!

Tomorrow is the 31st anniversary of Vincentian Independence. I, personally, am going to be spending it Mustique, one of the Grenadine islands. Others will be attending the national parade held every year in Kingstown.

Because there isn't any school tomorrow, schools across the country held their Independence day celebrations today, and I figured I'd share a few videos with you all!

The choir performed and I wish that the video conveyed how amazing they really were. I was entirely impressed (especially by the fact that they all have perfect rhythm!). Mr Dover, the choir director, asked me if I might want to play guitar for some of their performances come Christmas so I may be accompanying them at some point!





I'll also include in this post the kindergarten, not because they were especially impressive, but they were just so darn cute. Fifth and Sixth graders here are just as they are in the states, ooh-ing and ah-ing over the smallness and endearing nature of five year olds.






And while I'm posting things based on cute, check out how adorable the preschoolers were in their Vincy outfits! I have not idea what they were supposed to be singing, but I don't think that matters when kids are small enough for it to be cute that their pampers are sticking out 4 inches above their pants.





Sixth grade did a really nice job with their performance. They even had a little choreography (which they appeared to think was pretty funny as they covered their faces when they had to wiggle around a bit). Below is another of the sixth grade in which they were doing some sort of rap-type performance. I don't know what it was about exactly, but it sounded cool!








And what Caribbean celebration would be complete without a little steel drum? He also played the national anthem at the beginning of the ceremony, but I didn't get that on video.




Lastly, I'll leave you with a video of everyone singing together. It gives a good idea of both the kids and the building in which I work. On a typical day, that room houses grade 1, two grade 2 classes, and grade 3. Each grade is separated by the chalkboards that you can see here lining the walls. Grade 1 has class up on the stage. It's very noisy, but it certainly does convert nicely into an assembly space!




On a final note, you may have noticed that I'm typing...which means one of 2 things. I'm either using the Peace Corps computer or I've somehow gotten my hands on a working keyboard. I'm happy to report that it's the latter, which means I'll be making more frequent blog updates! Expect pictures at some point of my trip tomorrow!

I hope everyone is well at home!

It's almost official...

My first point of business here today is to once again apologize for not having posted anything in over a month. I'm currently contending with a broken computer keyboard which makes updating my blog a rather impossible process even though I now have wireless internet at my house. Fortunately for me, Chris has wonderfully offered to bring me some sort of computer down when he visits, so that problem will have been remedied in the next couple months. In the meantime, I have to come into town to type with any satisfactory speed on the computer in the Peace Corps Volunteer Lounge. I can, however, Skype all I want so if I don't have your Skype name, let me know what it is! Mine is christa.elliott.

There are only two days left until my group, EC-82 swears in as official Peace Corps Volunteers. The last 2 months have flown by and it makes me wonder if the next two years are going to follow suit. I have a feeling that they very well may given the accounts of current volunteers and the reality of constant summer. I don't know about everyone at home, but I know for me warm weather months always seem to go much more quickly than do their frigid counterparts, and without the cold weather to slow everything down, what's to stop the cosmic gas pedal from being perpetually pushed to the floor?

I think that everyone in my group is very excited to be embarking on what will be our projects for the next 2 years. I know that I'm thrilled to escape Pre-Service Training and actually have the time to focus on the library and literacy work that will be my primary projects. We were given a day long training in remedial literacy work, and it was certainly helpful. Prior Pre-Service Trainings have not included this component, and through the complaints and suggestions of previous groups, we were the first guinea pigs, for which I'm very glad. It would have been very hard to start from scratch without any materials or instruction and the small amount we have received will serve as a platform from which to jump.

The weather continues to be incredibly hot, but I also continue to acclimate. I've been trying out various strategies to keep my house cool during the day, and the most effective attempt has been the tried and true method of keeping the windows open and the curtains closed.

And this brings me to the next big news in my life in the Peace Corps: I now live in my own apartment!

It's a two bedroom apartment with a bathroom between the bedrooms and a large room that serves as a living room/kitchen. My house came fully furnished including a television and cablebox. My landlady, Sandra, is absolutely wonderful. She lives in the upstairs of the house with her two children Synez (age 10) and Ty (almost 8). They've essentially welcomed me into their family in much the same way that Ms Davis did as my homestay mother and they bring me with them when they go various places.

Last night we all went to a harvest celebration at their church. The first couple hours involved members of the church performing in various capacities and afterward everyone was able to purchase food ranging from fruits to cakes as a fund-raiser for the church. I bought oranges (which are green here) and passionfruit juice which came in a lovely glass bottle that I have plans to reuse for something, although that something has yet to be determined. Afterward, we all went to the Mespo area where Sandra needed to pick up a couple of large pots from her mother's house. We limed (hung out on the street) for awhile before heading back home.

As I try to get settled in my new home/life here, there are costantly things that I realize that I took for granted back at home but have to start from scratch purchasing here: casserole dishes, cookie sheets, bread pans, spices, etc. Today is one of those days that I'm going to spend buying many of those things. I also need to buy a basin in which I'll be handwashing all my clothing. This is something I'm really not looking forward to but is, alas, a necessity. Ah well.

On a more positive consumer note, I'm going to purchase a hammock! I have a lovely patio space where I'm going to conduct dance classes for some of the children here which can also double as hammock space. It'll be wonderful to lie out there during the day and evenings! I haven't even priced hammocks, and I imagine that they're a bit expensive, but I figure that one household splurge won't completely break the bank!

I hope everyone at home is well as the cold-weather continues to approach and that everyone is avoiding colds and such (I have not been so fortunate here and have been suffering from the flu/colds for the last month). I'm starting to get letters into the mail, and I expect everyone to write back! :)