Sunday, May 23, 2010
SLU DSP Volleyball
Well beach volleyball has pretty much taken up all of my spare time aside from work for the last few months... It has been some good training and preparing. My partner and I won 2nd place in the LIME/SLVBA tournament two weekends ago and a few of us are now preparing for the regional tournament next weekend. Exciting! I still have quite a few things to learn out on the sand, but I am really starting to love playing beach. Somehow it has pushed court volleyball further from my heart and taken over. :D Now I just need to start training harder and getting back into real shape. Time.
Ode to Carnival- the case of the real you
ODE to Carnival :
There once was a girl
that was just like a pearl
all shiny and sweet
from her, men eh never get any treat.
This girl wanted to dress up in satin and lace
and even put some paint on her face.
Her mother told her to keep it clean
Her pastor told her she was still just a teen.
Her father told her to wear them tights
and her boyfriend gave her just a few frights.
But when she heard the loud music so
Her hips starting rocking to and fro.
The boys on the block watched her slow wine
the girls even thought she was looking so fine.
Her movements were steady and slow to the touch
but eventually the rum got a little too much.
Her eyes were looking tight and dreary
her hair was looking sloppy and scary.
Her backside was starting to slouch
all she needed now was a couch.
She started to speak and couldn't say a word
but she could swear she was flying high as a bird.
Her smile got crooked and legs started to ease
And all of this just to be a tease.
Her clothes started falling off to the ground
all of this with all of Castries around.
She had a secret though you see
that there is something the boys couldn't free.
She was wearing a push up bra and a backside panty
everyone thought she was looking like candy.
When her bra fell of she was flopping like a slipper
and her backside was dropping just like a flipper.
So you see this pearl was really a stone
One that you might find all alone
Carnival costumes are sweet how they are
so girls don't be stretching too far.
There once was a girl
that was just like a pearl
all shiny and sweet
from her, men eh never get any treat.
This girl wanted to dress up in satin and lace
and even put some paint on her face.
Her mother told her to keep it clean
Her pastor told her she was still just a teen.
Her father told her to wear them tights
and her boyfriend gave her just a few frights.
But when she heard the loud music so
Her hips starting rocking to and fro.
The boys on the block watched her slow wine
the girls even thought she was looking so fine.
Her movements were steady and slow to the touch
but eventually the rum got a little too much.
Her eyes were looking tight and dreary
her hair was looking sloppy and scary.
Her backside was starting to slouch
all she needed now was a couch.
She started to speak and couldn't say a word
but she could swear she was flying high as a bird.
Her smile got crooked and legs started to ease
And all of this just to be a tease.
Her clothes started falling off to the ground
all of this with all of Castries around.
She had a secret though you see
that there is something the boys couldn't free.
She was wearing a push up bra and a backside panty
everyone thought she was looking like candy.
When her bra fell of she was flopping like a slipper
and her backside was dropping just like a flipper.
So you see this pearl was really a stone
One that you might find all alone
Carnival costumes are sweet how they are
so girls don't be stretching too far.
Just be yourself- the real you is always up to par.
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Impotence is not relevant
Funny things that happened to me:
- A teacher falls asleep while talking in mid-sentence during a staff meeting. Yes, it sounds like a movie.
- When giving a presentation at one of the schools in front of 50 instructors and counselors a man said "the key to achieving success is, in fact, impotence". He meant "importance", but in St. Lucia the "r's" are soft.
- (Ear muffs for this one if you are under 21) When I was leaving the office, I passed over the sky bridge on the main road in St. Lucia in the north. It had been raining for the first time in months so I did not have my umbrella. As I started to walk down the stairs, I was grossly surprised at the sight that was before me. A NAKED vagrant "jerking the chicken" was going at it quite reverently. He was wide out there in the open for all to see. I presumed that he wanted the free lube. The man who came down the stairs after me had to talk him back into his senses.
- A teacher falls asleep while talking in mid-sentence during a staff meeting. Yes, it sounds like a movie.
- When giving a presentation at one of the schools in front of 50 instructors and counselors a man said "the key to achieving success is, in fact, impotence". He meant "importance", but in St. Lucia the "r's" are soft.
- (Ear muffs for this one if you are under 21) When I was leaving the office, I passed over the sky bridge on the main road in St. Lucia in the north. It had been raining for the first time in months so I did not have my umbrella. As I started to walk down the stairs, I was grossly surprised at the sight that was before me. A NAKED vagrant "jerking the chicken" was going at it quite reverently. He was wide out there in the open for all to see. I presumed that he wanted the free lube. The man who came down the stairs after me had to talk him back into his senses.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Siren.
I am still speechless when it comes to this full grown cat that showed up on my porch last week. It's weird! I have never in my life seen a male cat come into another house with an already existing male cat. Amyys has always been protective about his home and his mother and yet or some reason he has no problem with this cat. Odd. Well, I'm not sure what is going to happen when I leave back for the states. Am I even able to bring back two cats realistically speaking? I don't think that this cat is going anywhere anytime soon so I might just have to.
Amyys is the one on the left and Siren is the one on the right.
Yes, I am the old cat lady. Thanks for reminding me.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Waiting for nothing
This culture is all about waiting.
-I wait for the bus to fill up
-I wait for class to start
-I wait for people to show up to a meeting
-I wait for the girls to start working
-I wait for my ride to training
-I wait for water to come
-I wait for my mangoes to ripen
-I wait for work to happen
-I wait to see what will happen
The first time that I realized how much this culture relies on waiting was during a tropical rain storm two months into my service. I was on my way somewhere and I got stuck in the rain with no umbrella and no ride home. What did I do? I waited for three hours under a tarp out in the middle of nowhere with a woman I did not even know (as of yet).
The refresher was just last night when I was outside on my porch waiting for nothing. Absolutely nothing. I was there with three cats (two of which are mine), one frog, and one horse. What were we all waiting on? Again, nothing. But we were still waiting.
People wait all the time for things to happen here. They wait longer than they need to for a bus just to catch the one that they want. They wait for friends to pass by in town just for a little bit for company. They wait for something to happen.
This is a nice change from the fast paced world of the States. There is never waiting in the states that is patient. When you are waiting, it is not a good thing. Here, waiting can be your life. I love this idea of waiting. In fact, I love it probably a little too much. I must sit out on my porch for hours every night just being and waiting for nothing.
This is the time when it is just me, when I am all alone except the toads, cats, horses and lizards running around. This is the time when I collect my thoughts from the day, prepare for tomorrow, and see things in a light I have never seen them. Why? Because I never slowed down in the States.
Just when I was on the brink of not slowing down here, I was gently reminded by another PCV that maybe life should be different than it was in the states for us. In fact, that is true. Slowing down and really enjoying this life while I have it here is what I need to do.
That is why I wait. Wait for nothing and wait for everything.
-I wait for the bus to fill up
-I wait for class to start
-I wait for people to show up to a meeting
-I wait for the girls to start working
-I wait for my ride to training
-I wait for water to come
-I wait for my mangoes to ripen
-I wait for work to happen
-I wait to see what will happen
The first time that I realized how much this culture relies on waiting was during a tropical rain storm two months into my service. I was on my way somewhere and I got stuck in the rain with no umbrella and no ride home. What did I do? I waited for three hours under a tarp out in the middle of nowhere with a woman I did not even know (as of yet).
The refresher was just last night when I was outside on my porch waiting for nothing. Absolutely nothing. I was there with three cats (two of which are mine), one frog, and one horse. What were we all waiting on? Again, nothing. But we were still waiting.
People wait all the time for things to happen here. They wait longer than they need to for a bus just to catch the one that they want. They wait for friends to pass by in town just for a little bit for company. They wait for something to happen.
This is a nice change from the fast paced world of the States. There is never waiting in the states that is patient. When you are waiting, it is not a good thing. Here, waiting can be your life. I love this idea of waiting. In fact, I love it probably a little too much. I must sit out on my porch for hours every night just being and waiting for nothing.
This is the time when it is just me, when I am all alone except the toads, cats, horses and lizards running around. This is the time when I collect my thoughts from the day, prepare for tomorrow, and see things in a light I have never seen them. Why? Because I never slowed down in the States.
Just when I was on the brink of not slowing down here, I was gently reminded by another PCV that maybe life should be different than it was in the states for us. In fact, that is true. Slowing down and really enjoying this life while I have it here is what I need to do.
That is why I wait. Wait for nothing and wait for everything.
Friday, March 12, 2010
Rains-a-comin' !!!!
Rains a comin!!! That might be the biggest overstatement of the year, actually. The rain came for a half an hour and it was in American terms, "sprinkling". Not enough to replenish my water source but it was a nice sight to see anyway.
In other news, Amyys has befriended a male cat. I was worried for a second there that he had a multitude of girlfriends that have been coming to my porch every morning. I thought, well, it appears he really is a Lucian male. :P This one though has the same markings as Amyys and he behaves in the same manners. He meows too much though. Amyys is quiet compared to him. I have named him "Siren" because of this. I thought he would be gone this morningafter spending all night outside on the porch but much to my surprise he was still there. I may have unknowingly taken in another male cat. Uh-oh. This might give him a little preparation of getting used to cats when I introduce him to the cats I have back in the states.
Yesterday I decided to invest in a new pair of volleyball shoes. I have gone through an amazing amount of tennis shoes here. I don't know what it is exactly but the soles of the shoes keep coming right off. I find myself slipping back and forth here and there all around the court. After the tournament on Sunday, I just realized I don't want to deal with it anymore. The last thing I want is an injury from rotten shoes. Geez. The shoes are most likely going to cost around 200ec...pretty pricey for us little PCVs. I might just be bankrupt after this purchase.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Here and now
A PCRV recently told me that I should start writing more as my service is winding down..and not for other people but for myself so that I can remember things when I leave. I think that this is a good idea. So if things don't make sense to some of you reading this, well, deal with it. It has now become more of my personal memory bank than anything else.
Last week we held a Peace Corps Exhibition. It involved months and months of planning but it finally materialized. I was coordinating the event and in the end, it was worth it. I was skeptical about how it would turn out. Up until two hours into the event I was nervously sweating at the outcome. We planned for stations, activities, and displays. Things got complicated as we hadto plan out all of the little details. Brian, another PCV, was a great help with all of the little details. He thought about things that I overlooked, such as would there be water at the venue the day of the event when we are smack-dad right in the middle of a drought?
We had a schedule for the event that was very full. When it came to the morning of the event, we had a few flies in the mud, but nothing too big. First off, the town hall double booked the venue for the day. Thank god we got there ten minutes before the other group, otherwise we would have been out of a venue! The other event was supposed to be a fashion show try-out. The apparently needed the stage. We felt bad, but hey, the show must go on. They ended up using the upstairs for their event and we used the open space.
After setting everything up, we made a coffee run and then opened the doors. For the first hour there was hardly anyone there. We made the schedule flexible and held off on the welcome address (of which was televised) and the trivia. Once people started filing in, we started the activities. There were plenty of interviews that were also televised. It was good publicity for the Peace Corps.
I'm glad that that is over so now I can have a somewhat clearer schedule. Someone recently told me I should slow down and enjoy the rest of my service, and that is exactly what I am going to attempt to be doing. I didn't get much rest after the event, as we went out for drinks to celebrate at "The Lookout" (one of my new favorite places to go for a drink- it's got an incredible view of the Castries basin and the vibe is good). We attempted to give one of the new response volunteers a "tour" of rodney bay afterwards, but since it is Lent, it was pretty dead. So we went back to my place after a few Pitons and slept til I had to leave for my volleyball tournament the next morning. Ah, those twin size mattresses I have and the foam chair pads to sleep on are just miraculous for your back. Not to mention, I only have one pillow so the other volunteers had to deal without. They say PCVs can sleep anywhere, anytime, and anyhow. Try sleeping by me and you might change your mind.
This weekend is looking like some relaxation is going to come into play. Since I have been so busy with work I have been very much out of the loop with the volunteers. I am hoping to somehow get back into the loop, if that is how you can say it. So tomorrow I am looking at taking the day to the beach. I need to shift my energies and rejuvenate. I've been feeling a little blah and need a little pick me up day. Saturday will be beach day too. Yep, that's right people, two beach days in a row...you jealous? Well I have been working my butt off lately and I need it. Beach, beach, here I come. Let's just hope I can work on this uneven tanning thing I have going. My arms and my legs are a much different shade than the rest of me because I never have beach days and that's really the only part of me that ever sees the sun. I might have to put out a press release for people to wear sunglasses this weekend so they don't get blinded. (A lot of St. Lucians don't wear sunglasses ever). So here's to rest and rejuvenation.
Last week we held a Peace Corps Exhibition. It involved months and months of planning but it finally materialized. I was coordinating the event and in the end, it was worth it. I was skeptical about how it would turn out. Up until two hours into the event I was nervously sweating at the outcome. We planned for stations, activities, and displays. Things got complicated as we hadto plan out all of the little details. Brian, another PCV, was a great help with all of the little details. He thought about things that I overlooked, such as would there be water at the venue the day of the event when we are smack-dad right in the middle of a drought?
We had a schedule for the event that was very full. When it came to the morning of the event, we had a few flies in the mud, but nothing too big. First off, the town hall double booked the venue for the day. Thank god we got there ten minutes before the other group, otherwise we would have been out of a venue! The other event was supposed to be a fashion show try-out. The apparently needed the stage. We felt bad, but hey, the show must go on. They ended up using the upstairs for their event and we used the open space.
After setting everything up, we made a coffee run and then opened the doors. For the first hour there was hardly anyone there. We made the schedule flexible and held off on the welcome address (of which was televised) and the trivia. Once people started filing in, we started the activities. There were plenty of interviews that were also televised. It was good publicity for the Peace Corps.
I'm glad that that is over so now I can have a somewhat clearer schedule. Someone recently told me I should slow down and enjoy the rest of my service, and that is exactly what I am going to attempt to be doing. I didn't get much rest after the event, as we went out for drinks to celebrate at "The Lookout" (one of my new favorite places to go for a drink- it's got an incredible view of the Castries basin and the vibe is good). We attempted to give one of the new response volunteers a "tour" of rodney bay afterwards, but since it is Lent, it was pretty dead. So we went back to my place after a few Pitons and slept til I had to leave for my volleyball tournament the next morning. Ah, those twin size mattresses I have and the foam chair pads to sleep on are just miraculous for your back. Not to mention, I only have one pillow so the other volunteers had to deal without. They say PCVs can sleep anywhere, anytime, and anyhow. Try sleeping by me and you might change your mind.
This weekend is looking like some relaxation is going to come into play. Since I have been so busy with work I have been very much out of the loop with the volunteers. I am hoping to somehow get back into the loop, if that is how you can say it. So tomorrow I am looking at taking the day to the beach. I need to shift my energies and rejuvenate. I've been feeling a little blah and need a little pick me up day. Saturday will be beach day too. Yep, that's right people, two beach days in a row...you jealous? Well I have been working my butt off lately and I need it. Beach, beach, here I come. Let's just hope I can work on this uneven tanning thing I have going. My arms and my legs are a much different shade than the rest of me because I never have beach days and that's really the only part of me that ever sees the sun. I might have to put out a press release for people to wear sunglasses this weekend so they don't get blinded. (A lot of St. Lucians don't wear sunglasses ever). So here's to rest and rejuvenation.
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