Three Cheers for Volunteers!

Posted on August 23, 2011 by Sarah

Once upon a time, 19 grown ups boarded a magical reggae bus and rode up the windy road to Queen Elizabeth’s Home for Orphans.

When they arrived, they found a few new friends and an afternoon of fun and games.

But the fun didn’t stop there. … It continues almost every day of the week.

  • Monday: Queen Elizabeth Home for Children Orphanage. Meet at school and take a bus up there.
  • Tuesday: Limes After School Program. Meet at the Texaco roundabout and walk back there.
  • Wednesday: Limes After School Program. Meet at the Texaco roundabout and walk back there.
  • Thursday: Limes After School Program. Meet at the Texaco roundabout and walk back there.
  • Friday: Nothing … yet
  • Saturday: Grand Anse beach day with orphans from either Queen Elizabeth Home or Bel Aire Home
  • Sunday: Church

Volunteer opportunities in Grenada are as numerous as the little faces you see wandering the streets. About 40 crooked grins and shining personalities fill two children’s orphanages on the southern half of the island. Most were taken from their homes because of abuse too evil to mention here. Others are special needs. Still others came from homes that just couldn’t feed them. None of them are over 12 years old. After 12, children are sent their separate ways to boys and girls homes around the island.

However, the orphans know that they are going to be fed three square meals a day. Many more children here don’t have that luxury.

That is where the Limes program steps in. You can read more about it in a previous blog post here. After school, up to 40 kids from the poorer neighborhoods flood the soccer fields looking for something to keep them out of trouble.  St. George’s University wives, husbands and everyone in between step up to the task.

Some are in middle school, while others are elementary school kids caring for their pre-school aged siblings.

On Saturdays, the Orphan Student Organization takes to the beach and with lifejackets attached, the children splash in the waves. I stayed dry and in the shade with the little babies and a few SGU friends.


Just look how much fun we have!

If you are interested in volunteering in Grenada, you can contact our wonderful volunteer coordinators Kelsey Coghill and Stephanie Scurlock.

 

 

 

Categories: Limes, Volunteering | Comments Off on Three Cheers for Volunteers!

Feelin’ Hot Hot Hot

Posted on August 19, 2011 by Sarah

The sun here is so intense, an afternoon out can make you feel like you are boiling in your own sweat. Layered clothing is an inconvenience and the words “Caribbean Breeze” take on a dulcet tone.

No one feels the heat more than the Huz as we walk to and from church. For myself, the 20 minute jaunt isn’t unbearable if the wind licks my arms and floats around the hem of my skirt. I am still pouring sweat by the time we arrive, but not as bad as this guy. Here’s a little look at last week’s wreckage:

No shoes? No shirt? No problem.

Categories: Heat | 1 Comment

Shell Shock

Posted on August 18, 2011 by Sarah

Past the guard dogs and back gates of the SGU campus lies one man’s wasteland and another man’s treasure trove.

Conch shells that can be up to the size of a large cantaloupe litter the beach on the western edge of St. George’s University. Wednesday, we went on a treasure seeking adventure and found a few gems.

Fishermen gather the shells and suck the meat (called Lambie) out of a hole in the top. After they have their prize, the fishermen toss the leftover shells onto the beach to rot with the rest of their garbage.

That is when we come in. If you grab the shells fresh from being farmed, the insides are a vibrant, pearly pink color. However, when we went there were few fishermen to be seen so most of the shells had been bleached white by the sun.

According to friends here, Grenada does not adhere to international fishing season laws, so the shells cannot leave the country. However, it hasn’t stopped me from displaying them proudly on my coffee table!

Categories: Adventure, Beach, Conch Shells, Discovering Grenada | 1 Comment

Academic Update

Posted on August 17, 2011 by Sarah

As this is a family blog and not simply Sarah’s travel journal, I feel I should update you on the Huz’s progress in medical school.

The update is fairly brief.

He is doing well.

The Huz has entered his fourth term of courses. Deceivingly, fourth in this case does not mean final. Nor does it mean easy. Prior to now, a half day of lectures was followed by a half day of studying. Now, a full day of lectures and labs are followed by a full night of studying. This is the term that divides the boys from the men, as they say. I have every confidence that my man will do well.

He will run this educational  gamut until December when he gets some short, sweet relief. The academics will continue in January for his fifth and final term in Grenada.

Rather than twiddling my thumbs during my new-found late nights alone, I have started studying to become a certified personal trainer through the American Council on Exercise (ACE).  Fitness has been a back-burner hobby ever since my days at Curves for Women, where I was a manager and fitness coach. Now, it is finally time to take the plunge and get certified.

Hopefully we will both come back from this adventure smarter than we were before!

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Dive! Dive! Dive!

Posted on August 12, 2011 by Sarah


With a splash, David and I jumped into our open water dive training last week.

The plethora of dive companies in Grenada entice American students with rock-bottom rates and promises of underwater adventure. We took the bait.

You are now reading the blog of an open water certified scuba diver. The process took four half-days of work plus a little reading on our own.

Those few hours underwater on the final day made all the work seem worth it. Schools of  bright yellow striped Sergeant Major fish swan around our boat as we peered into the crystal blue water.

Underwater the view was even better. We dove through canyons of coral with the fish while small underwater neon kelp waved at us with the current.

The water was so clear on the last day that it seemed as if you could see forever. The boat ride out to the dive spot was pretty nice too.

Our final dive was a beautiful experience and a great segue into David’s fourth term of medical school. The next day, he started classes.

For those interested in certifying, here’s the nitty gritty of what we did:

  • Certified through Devotion 2 Ocean (D2O) at the Rex Resort.
  • The process took four half-days (9 a.m. to 1 p.m.) of learning time.
  • In preparation, we had to read 179 pages and complete quizzes in the back of the book.
  • The first day was classroom instruction testing our knowledge of what we had read on our own.
  • The second day was in the resort pool using tanks, regulators and breathing underwater for the first time.
  • The third day was in the shallow part of the ocean diving down about 7 meters and practicing all the stuff you did in the pool all over again.
  • The fourth day was a boat ride to a dive spot where you practiced a few buoyancy skills and swam around at about 20 meters max.

 

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Carnival Time!

Posted on August 10, 2011 by Sarah

I have never seen so many glittering, bikini clad gyrating bodies all in one place. This, my friends, is Carnival – a two day Rio-esque street party that brings out the costumes and crazies from all corners of the island (and the world.)

 The madness started in the pre-dawn hours of Monday morning with J’Ouvert (a sunrise party) when the Jab Jabs (tourists/SGU Students/Locals) crawled into the streets. Masses of people (mostly drunk) danced around downtown St. George’s while splashing paint on each other. Pulsing Soca music blared from semi trucks rigged from stem to stern with speakers, amps and sub woofers.

While it sounded like a crazy time, David and I opted to stay away from the party that morning. However, if you want to see what it might have looked like, click here.

Monday afternoon, these guys danced their way down our street and up our driveway.

While a little drunk and bleary eyed from the night before, they were perfectly harmless and were just out begging for money.

The fun continued Monday night with that same semi truck full of speakers bouncing down the road – this time with two more semi trucks and a gaggle of glow stick wielding partiers following behind.

Come Tuesday you would think things would wind down a little bit – but no. The costumes came out and the music marched on as glittered and feathered girls jiggled down the streets of downtown.

These are some of the tamer photos from the event. The bouncing bright bikinis went on for miles that evening as the party danced to a close. A lot of people are very hung over today.

Happy Carnival! This sure was a Grenada experience for the history books!

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So … That’s Strange

Posted on August 4, 2011 by Sarah

What little quirk do you have at your house that makes it unique?

Fact: We move around a lot.

If Med School by its nature is a transitory affair, then SGU is med school on steroids. While some might move every 4 years or so to chase education, residency, fellowships and jobs, we will move at least 4 times in 4 years.

Each new place has its quirks. For you, it might be the staircase knob that falls off (vis a vis It’s a Wonderful Life). For us in our Grenada home, it is this little beauty.

When we wash our dishes (by hand, blech) we can stick them to dry in the cupboard. They just drip into the sink.

What do you think is interesting or unique about your house/ apartment/ bungalow/ shack?

These are some funny ones that I stumbled across on YouTube.

Anyone remember Home Improvement? On the topic of new homes, I had a nostalgic moment here.

 
Photobucket

Categories: Home | 4 Comments

What is an LDS missionary?

Posted on August 3, 2011 by Sarah

As of today, my sister is a full-time missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. For the next 18 months, she will spend her days knocking on doors and sharing what she believes.

Mormon missionaries get a bad rap sometimes. Yes, we do knock on your door looking like the FBI and try to tell you about religion. We are overly friendly and are willing to clean up your yard for free just because we care. We believe the Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ and is a companion to (not a replacement for) the Bible. We are Christians. We believe that Jesus Christ is our Savior and redeemer. We know that the Church of Jesus Christ is alive and well on the earth today and we are willing to sacrifice two years of our lives to share that knowledge.

We sent my younger brother off to Des Moines, Iowa almost two years ago for his mission. I have been able to hear his voice four times over the past two years. The brother that I used to text and talk to on an almost daily basis now shares his life with me though only weekly letters. He has been entirely focused on serving others. Last week he stained a deck. Tomorrow, he is sitting down with someone and answering their questions about the church.

Now, my sweet younger sister and one of my best friends will be doing the same for the next 18 months. I will only be able to hear her voice on Mother’s Day and Christmas. She decided she believed in the church so much that she wanted to give up family, friends, career and home and share what she believes with people she hasn’t met. I can’t imagine walking up to a total stranger on the street and sharing my thoughts on God. She is a stronger woman than I am.

Although I have a hard time sharing what I believe with others, the blog isn’t as personal. So here it goes …

I know that Jesus Christ is my personal Savior. I know that I am happier when I try to emulate Him through my actions. I know that Jesus Christ loves everyone personally and I hope that I can show His love to others through my actions. I am so thankful for my membership in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. It has made me a happier person and helped me in every aspect of my life.

If you want to know more, visit mormon.org.

We are so proud of you sis!

Categories: Family | 1 Comment

Rainstorms in Grenada

Posted on August 2, 2011 by Sarah

The sound on this video does not do the majesty of a Grenada rainstorm justice. If you listen carefully, there is even a little thunder.
Yesterday, the heavens opened at the tail end of Emily’s residue and dumped a bunch of rain and thunder and lightning on us. It was glorious.
Enjoy!

Categories: Discovering Grenada, Heat, Magazine Beach | 1 Comment

Our First Grenada Holiday

Posted on August 2, 2011 by Sarah

The frantic staccato of island party music pounded along the beach last night and marched right into our bedroom window. Just a few blocks below us, hundreds of islanders descended on the beach with their lawn chairs and tarp tents ready for a party.
Wouldn’t you want to celebrate too if you were freed from hundreds of years of plantation-style servitude?
Emancipation Day comes around the first Monday of August and celebrates the abolition of slavery in the Caribbean. First, the Prime Minister gives a speech before the Emancipation proclamation is read in the market square. Then, people throng the streets and the party begins.
Travel websites described masses of masked locals parading down the streets in traditional African costume with drums pulsating in the background. What we saw looked more like a day of beach-side barbecuers just enjoying a day off.
Most of the people you meet here are the descendents of African slaves, shipped onto the island over hundreds of years by the French and British who needed free labor for their spice plantations. The original Caribs were essentially wiped out by about 1654 when the French moved in.
Years of struggle peppered Grenada’s history with the French and British fighting between themselves and the slaves having a bone to pick with both of them.
After a bloody clash, Grenada’s African transplant locals finally had their freedom on August 1, 1834 – a full 30 years before America would decide the same issue.
Don’t be deceived though; everything wasn’t just peachy after that little proclamation. Grenada’s Africans continued as “indentured apprentices” for many years following their emancipation, slowly chipping away at slavery for almost a century more. After a few more ups and downs, Grenadians were given the ability to completely self govern in 1967. But that’s another story …
Skipping to Monday, Emancipation Day was a quiet one for us. Since David had the day off from school, we went to Magazine Beach for a little sun and snorkeling with some friends. The rainy season seemed to have other plans for us and brought a little rain to our snorkeling day. But the fish don’t seem to care about getting a little wet and neither did we.

P.S. While the din on the beach quieted down after a while and let us enjoy a good nights sleep, we thought you might want to know what Soca Music sounds like. Here is a little taste of what is blaring on all the buses … and most everywhere you go around here. For those more conservative, you might want to just take a listen to the music instead of watching the video – or enjoy the second half of the video as the first part is in a club.


 

Happy Emancipation Day!

Categories: Beach, Discovering Grenada, Grenada, Holidays | Comments Off on Our First Grenada Holiday