So as most of you know, my original placement in Jamaica was to help develop the youth program of the Dispute Resolution Foundation in western Jamaica for one year. For various reasons, by the time I started the job, it no longer made sense for me to do this work, (see here for a more detailed explanation,) so in November I started to work directly with the Cuso Jamaica Programme Office to seek out and develop opportunties for volunteers to work in the western part of the island. And there is no one else here, so I'm not done yet!
"Yet" is the key part to understand. In the typical meandering way of community development, networking, and life in relaxed Jamaica, it has taken longer to get where I want to be than my western-trained, overly-efficient self would like. So I have committed to be in Jamaica working with Cuso International for 6 more months, with the goal of welcoming some new volunteers to Montego Bay and showing them all my favourite places to hang out before I leave.
And, possibly, there are a few other reasons why I'm not ready to go home yet (wink wink) Growing up in Winterpeg (you'll find it on the map as Winnipeg, Manitoba,) has meant that I need more than the average person's quota of sun and sand to warm up.
So please, if you were thinking of coming to visit, you have six more months to do so. If you were thinking of making a donation, you have 8 more days to be part of the karmic balancing sock draw. If you weren't thinking any of these things, but were wondering what I'm going to do in another six months, stick around and the adventures will continue!
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| Pot of gold fell off the cruise ship? |
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| Reasons why I can't go yet... |
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| Sunset IN the water |
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| Mango, papaya and watermelon. Ate half of it for breakfast, then added pineapple and ate the rest of it as an afternoon snack - yummy! |
