Presenting…

The newest Peace Corps Volunteer, officially sworn in for her 2 year service on St Lucia! That’s right, I am done with training and was sworn in by the U.S. Ambassador for the Caribbean. It was pretty awesome and there were really great remarks made. We also got to sing a song in Kweyol for everyone…they were sooo impressed. It was a great experience and we got tons of pictures. I will put them up soon, as soon as I get a cord for my camera so I can post them…thank you family for sending one for me!! 🙂  After, I got my official PC pin, patch and a certificate to make it even more official. The PCV’s from last year took us out to lunch afterwards. Its so nice to no longer be a trainee. Its official, I am a Peace Corps Volunteer! That was yesterday, today I got to explore Vieux Fort and also participate in a branch activity at the LDS church…karaoke party! It was so much fun, Lucians love to karaoke. They have no fear at all when they sing. I got up and sang “Roar” by Katy Perry with a young girl from the branch. I think I was hiding behind her…

On Tuesday, I have a conference with my Principle and co-teachers and will be in the school for the rest of the week getting ready for school to start on the 1st. I can’t wait to get started! My principle is very excited about my experience with library work. I will have lots of work to do 🙂

 I am so sorry for the few posts lately. With having no wifi regularly plus huge loads of stress at training, life is a bit chaotic 🙂 Training has been mostly on language, which next week we have a few assessments as well as a security test, medical test and a closing final interview for my readiness to serve…after I pass all these with flying colors (ha) I will be sworn in as a new volunteer next Friday! The swearing in is a very big deal, lots of pressure esp when they have asked our group to do a cultural presentation for the top government officials and leaders and the entire island! That’s right, the ceremony will be broadcasted on national television through out the entire Island. SO anyone who has Caribbean Cable, which is no one, can watch me read in Kreyol and preform something which our group hasn’t really put together or planned yet. Peace Corps has even invited all of our principles and co-teachers to come to our Swearing just to make it more fun. Oh sooo nerve wrecking! The best reward for surviving this ordeal is that next weekend, I get to move into my very own house! I’ve seen it and I’m so excited to finally live in it!

My Daily Commute…

After a week of recovery, I am finally starting to feel better and I am also officially moved into my new host family home in the southern part of the Island! I do have to commute up to Castries for training almost every day – 1.5hr bus ride – but that’s ok, I just sleep the whole way up anyway. I have to catch the bus at 6am which is very early for me. But I have 2 more weeks of training left. Then I get to move into my new house just for me and start working in my school! I really like my new community, its quiet and everyone I have met is very kind and welcoming. I got to explore Vieux Fort yesterday, I believe its the 2nd largest city on the island and has basically everything Castries has. I found the library yesterday which has free wifi = awesome! I will be stopping by again soon. Life is good, I am excited to meet my co-teachers I will be working with…oh my gosh, as I am writing this in a near by mall area with wifi, I just noticed a giant land crab is watching me. Boy that scared me 🙂 My host mom would have caught it and boiled it…Oh Caribbean Life!

Well…I got the Gunya

So I knew it was just a matter of time, on Wednesday I started to have joint pain in my wrist and ankles, both I thought I knew the causes for but then I got a rash all over my body…didn’t have a reason for that. By Thursday morning, I was down for the count. I had a 102 degree fever for two days and couldn’t walk or use my hands for those two days. Every joint hurt, every time I moved and it hurt to just lay down. Luckily Chikungunya makes you so tired that you sleep through most of it. I also had bad migraines and dry mouth that really made eating anything difficult. I finally woke up today, Saturday, feeling almost normal again. I now have a lingering rash that is starting to itch like crazy and just tiredness with aches in my joints when I walk. I will be better in no time. Normally it takes about a week to recover but I only needed about 3 days. I give credit to the local remedy my host mom gave me…bush tea! Its made with papaya leaves and boy it tastes like death but I really believe it helped. I was suppose to move into my new and permanent community down in Vieux Fort today…not going to happen! I need the weekend to rest and get my strength back. I still have to pack up my suitcases! I will go to training on Monday with my luggage and then head to my southern community afterwards. Not going to lie, I like having a little more time with my wonderful host mom this weekend 🙂  Good news, I got a new camera! Since my old one was not useable anymore, my host mom had her Peace Corps Volunteer from last year ask her friend who was coming to visit for a week to bring one from Walmart. That friend flew in today so I got an awesome new camera without having to wait for it for weeks in shipping or paying for a camera here which are around $300 due to import tax…Blessings! Living here reminds you how easy it is to get things you need or want in America.