mi drop at di market

I am in Hellshire and just completed day 4 of the three week training here.  I live with Mabel who is delightful and is already telling me that she will miss me and to come back to her whenever I can.  She has taught me so much.  My first Saturday here, we went to the market in Kingston which is an amazing experience.  It is a veritable garden of humans, colors, smells, textures and sounds.  I was accompanied by Mabel, another PC volunteer, Sara, and her family".  I was taking in all the sights and suddenly tripped, lost my balance and fell down, not just on the sidewalk but in a puddle that I refer to as the "eternal bog of stench".  Everyone was horrified except myself and Sara who was laughing.  She helped me up and I exclaimed " Well, I am glad that I got that over with!"  I smelled like I had just had a fresh cow patty rubbed on me.  I thought poor Mabel was going to faint.  She was so upset that I fell like that.  I was led away by the women to a public restroom where I was instructed to strip down to my underwear while one woman went to buy a towel, another fetched a bucket of water and got some disinfectant to put in it and another went to buy me new clothes; mine had to be thrown away!  So there I was, this white woman stripped to undies being washed by a complete stranger.  Some women who came into the restroom stated how sorry they were that this happened to me in Jamaica.  One of the women returned with a lime green tank top and a purple skirt.  I put the new clothes on and my orange hat.  Sara took a picture of me in my new clothes and standing by the "eternal bog of stench" which I will download later.  Even though this was truly a hilarious episode, I must add that I experienced Jamaican hospitality first hand.  I was completely cared for and strangers came up to express concern.  I could not have been in better hands.  We continued and I enjoyed surveying all the fresh produce and fruits, many of which I had never seen before.  We got back to Hellshire by using bus and taxi and loaded down with bags of our purchases.  It was quite a day.  Sunday, I went to the beach with friends and we enjoyed swimming and people watching.  I had my first taste of fresh coconut water, very nice.

There is so much to tell about but time is limited so I will say that I am loving this experience.  I find it very stimulating to be with my new Peace Corps friends and staff and with the Jamaicans.  I am learning so much about the culture, language, food, music and the people.  Our training is intense and very useful, there is a lot of information on health and safety.  I am learning Patois and Mabel, who is a fabulous cook, is teaching me to make Jamaican food.  In the evenings, people are sitting outside or walking and there is a lot of visiting.  Mabel has lived here for 30 years and knows everyone.  I have learned that she is loved by all and she has children and adults who come to her for a meal or a listening ear.  It is a true community where everyone knows everyone and neighbors watch out for each other ----quite different from the American experience.

I am adjusting to the heat and enjoy cold showers. Everyday is a new adventure.