We took a day off school yesterday and had a family adventure. First, we went to go buy fabric so that our friend Trixie could make us some Dominican skirts. Willow picked out blue silk and a flower African print. I picked a purple African striped print and a black, blue, and silver print.
After that we went snorkeling at a place called champagne. A guide just out of the blue asked us if we needed a guide and we said “no, thanks", but my parents talked to him for a while and he ended up showing us around anyway. He took us out really far. We checked for seahorses clinging to the grass along the way. He motioned us nearer and he pointed out a little black thing clinging to the sea grass. It was a seahorse! I am studying seahorses in school and to see a seahorse has been my goal this whole trip. The guide took us out even further from shore and it was amazing how many things we saw. He pointed these fish out that looked like they had spines and they were wings. The guide chased it and it spread out its wings! They were neon blue on the edges and grey on the inside. We even saw a black and white spotted eel called a moray, a poisonous fish called a scorpion fish and tons of other really colorful fish.
But that was not the end of our day adventure. Then we went to the natural hot springs. It was near a river so we went into the river also. It reminded us how nature can be so incredible! At the end of that hike, there was boiling water made from nature and it was bubbling!
We went home and into the village with our friends Tori and Alia. We bought johnny cakes and went home. Our friends had dinner at our apartment and we went to bed. We are going to school today, tired.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Willow's after school activities
Hi this is Willow.
Yesterday me and Alden took a day off of school. After school was out, we read with our friends and then we went to our friends house. We played house.
Yesterday me and Alden took a day off of school. After school was out, we read with our friends and then we went to our friends house. We played house.
Then we played store. Me and Alia were the customers because we played store. We bought a broom, a glass of milk for our baby and some water for us. After we played store for a little, we played a different game. Alden, Ali and Torrie were the bloodsuckers. They checked our blood and pretty much every time they said that our blood was bad. We ran away because they were bad doctors. They made me drink this thing and then it melted me. Me and Alia had powers that made me come back alive.
I miss you all.
Sincerely,
Willow
Alison's Reflections on life here
Dominica is the grit of South Africa’s townships, the ease of the Caribbean and the friendliness of my Oregonian hometown. If the kids don’t beat them to it, the roosters and barking dogs wake us up in the morning. I walk down the dirt path to the beach passing vegetables growing next to wash buckets, heavily laden mango trees, and school uniform shirts hanging on clothes lines. I have always loved the smells and sounds of a town waking up in the morning. It doesn’t matter whether it’s Portland, Portsmouth, Botswana or Mero; the intimacy touches me.
This morning Shelia from the snackette tells me about her argument with her 21 year old daughter and Allison teaches me how to filet Ballou fish. The return to basic needs feels comforting. I like the challenge of creating meals out of what we can buy from farmers or friends in the village. The lettuce and tomatoes have dried up this year but I see watermelon for the first time. Maybe there will be fish later in the day. We listen for the conch shell to let us know the fishermen have returned. Meat and dairy are luxuries.
The volcano ash from the neighboring island drifts into everything, including our water. We hear the tap may be shut off for the weekend. It isn’t much of a topic of discussion. There is always the Layou River. Alden thinks this is simply part of the adventure. “I want to add to my life experience”, she says. Satellite brings old episodes of Seinfeld but no one knows what the Olympics or Oscars are. The surprise of this dichotomy threads through our days.
To be a woman in a country where beauty is in soft lines and practical clothing frees a part of me I don’t often realize is captive. I wear the same thing day after day like a badge. Everything is done out of practicality here. The lack of choices gives me time -- to talk with local friends who offer plantains or grapefruit from their yards and an herbal remedy for heat rash. I set out to buy toilet paper and end up with an armful of bananas and a recommendation for computer guru in Roseau. I vow to bring this same openness to spontaneous exchange back home.
We sit at dinner and the girls tell me about their first full day at school. “We pray so much and everyone seems to know the words!” Alden reports. Willow then asks, “Did Jesus really make Rose come back alive?” It takes us a few minutes to put together that she is asking about the line “Jesus rose from the dead.” We cannot stop laughing and Willow chuckles for a minute then presses, “Ask my teacher, Ms. Joseph, she’ll tell you!” With tears in my eyes, I finally tell Willow that I am not asking Ms. Joseph about Rose.
Amidst so much that is different in Dominica, the kids remind me that people are the same wherever you are. Friends from school come over to play with our markers and temporary tattoos. Kids shriek at late night hide and seek, sing dramatically to High School Musical and bodysurf together when the waves are big. Last night Willow was playing with a Swedish neighbor who spoke no English. They figured out a game to play together (something that involved using pencils as swords, naturally) and language didn’t matter. I love watching our girls being swooped up by friends as they walk into school. The black and white arms get intertwined as they enter the classroom. The father of one of the families in town tells me this morning on the beach, “I like watching our girls play together. They know that skin doesn’t matter. If we each cut our arms, our blood is the same color.” I leave his house with a baggie full of peeled sugarcane. His five girls sleep three to a mattress most nights.
Dominican families live closely, many sharing beds with siblings and walking through town in a towel to take a shower or brush their teeth. As a result, the sense of personal space is different. Alden tells me all the kids crowd her at recess. Willow says they don’t stop touching her hair because it’s so soft. How does the excess American space we have change our kids’ abilities to reach out? To get closer? To form relationships?
The economic differences create a different code here. If you need something, you just ask. Do you have a pair of socks for gym? Is there any lettuce in your garden I can have for dinner? Here is a Brownie uniform that doesn’t fit anymore. It’s yours. Nothing goes to waste, yet there is not the sense of hording or urgent possession. We see shoes we gave a girl three years ago on a different boy’s feet in town. When our girls take friends on a hike, everyone shares whatever food they have. The same goes at school, so our girls pack extra so they will get enough for their own lunch. Children are so used to not having toys, a friend here tells Jamie, that they create race cars out of empty bottles and dolls out of coconut shells. When they are finished playing, the toy is left behind. No need for any strong possessive spirit. The same goes, however, for the toy that is purchased from a store. They toss this aside, too, she explains. Because to a child it has the same value as something that is self created.
Dominica challenges as it grounds. As we begin the second half of our trip, I look for the ease of living, the friendly smiles of fellow villagers and remind myself to let the grit cleanse.
This morning Shelia from the snackette tells me about her argument with her 21 year old daughter and Allison teaches me how to filet Ballou fish. The return to basic needs feels comforting. I like the challenge of creating meals out of what we can buy from farmers or friends in the village. The lettuce and tomatoes have dried up this year but I see watermelon for the first time. Maybe there will be fish later in the day. We listen for the conch shell to let us know the fishermen have returned. Meat and dairy are luxuries.
The volcano ash from the neighboring island drifts into everything, including our water. We hear the tap may be shut off for the weekend. It isn’t much of a topic of discussion. There is always the Layou River. Alden thinks this is simply part of the adventure. “I want to add to my life experience”, she says. Satellite brings old episodes of Seinfeld but no one knows what the Olympics or Oscars are. The surprise of this dichotomy threads through our days.
To be a woman in a country where beauty is in soft lines and practical clothing frees a part of me I don’t often realize is captive. I wear the same thing day after day like a badge. Everything is done out of practicality here. The lack of choices gives me time -- to talk with local friends who offer plantains or grapefruit from their yards and an herbal remedy for heat rash. I set out to buy toilet paper and end up with an armful of bananas and a recommendation for computer guru in Roseau. I vow to bring this same openness to spontaneous exchange back home.
We sit at dinner and the girls tell me about their first full day at school. “We pray so much and everyone seems to know the words!” Alden reports. Willow then asks, “Did Jesus really make Rose come back alive?” It takes us a few minutes to put together that she is asking about the line “Jesus rose from the dead.” We cannot stop laughing and Willow chuckles for a minute then presses, “Ask my teacher, Ms. Joseph, she’ll tell you!” With tears in my eyes, I finally tell Willow that I am not asking Ms. Joseph about Rose.
Amidst so much that is different in Dominica, the kids remind me that people are the same wherever you are. Friends from school come over to play with our markers and temporary tattoos. Kids shriek at late night hide and seek, sing dramatically to High School Musical and bodysurf together when the waves are big. Last night Willow was playing with a Swedish neighbor who spoke no English. They figured out a game to play together (something that involved using pencils as swords, naturally) and language didn’t matter. I love watching our girls being swooped up by friends as they walk into school. The black and white arms get intertwined as they enter the classroom. The father of one of the families in town tells me this morning on the beach, “I like watching our girls play together. They know that skin doesn’t matter. If we each cut our arms, our blood is the same color.” I leave his house with a baggie full of peeled sugarcane. His five girls sleep three to a mattress most nights.
Dominican families live closely, many sharing beds with siblings and walking through town in a towel to take a shower or brush their teeth. As a result, the sense of personal space is different. Alden tells me all the kids crowd her at recess. Willow says they don’t stop touching her hair because it’s so soft. How does the excess American space we have change our kids’ abilities to reach out? To get closer? To form relationships?
The economic differences create a different code here. If you need something, you just ask. Do you have a pair of socks for gym? Is there any lettuce in your garden I can have for dinner? Here is a Brownie uniform that doesn’t fit anymore. It’s yours. Nothing goes to waste, yet there is not the sense of hording or urgent possession. We see shoes we gave a girl three years ago on a different boy’s feet in town. When our girls take friends on a hike, everyone shares whatever food they have. The same goes at school, so our girls pack extra so they will get enough for their own lunch. Children are so used to not having toys, a friend here tells Jamie, that they create race cars out of empty bottles and dolls out of coconut shells. When they are finished playing, the toy is left behind. No need for any strong possessive spirit. The same goes, however, for the toy that is purchased from a store. They toss this aside, too, she explains. Because to a child it has the same value as something that is self created.
Dominica challenges as it grounds. As we begin the second half of our trip, I look for the ease of living, the friendly smiles of fellow villagers and remind myself to let the grit cleanse.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Feeding yourself in Dominica
Picking your own grapefruit, seeing that cinnamon comes from the bark of a tree and that ginger grows on the surface of the soil: these are some elements of the everyday life here. We see things growing here that we’re familiar with from the produce section of the supermarket but we’ve never seen it grow. Cacao pods hang from trees, birds of paradise grow wild in the forest. Iridescent green Imperial parrots glide over the forest canopy looking for food. Some things we see are familiar and some are specific to this island.
Bananas grow on hillsides steeper than you can comfortably travel. Orange, grapefruit and lime trees appear seemingly in the middle of nowhere and suddenly there’s a farmers’ shack, then a small house and then nothing again for miles. Mangoes, avocado, and papaya trees provide public snacks.
Yesterday we stopped the car as we saw a man pushing a wheelbarrow laden with coconuts. Called “jellies,” these coconuts are cut open and handed over to drink from. We happened to have an extra water bottle in the car, which we asked him to fill up with coconut water. As he wielded his 2 foot long machete with precision, he extolled the virtues of coconut milk. A very happy man, he was proud to serve coconuts through town because he said he knew how healthy they are for people. He talked about the electrolytes, various vitamins and bush doctor remedies from coconuts. I was amazed by his knowledge and apparent lack of longing for more than he had. This is a constant reminder here. Many people have so little in the way of physical things and yet they are happy, grateful and welcoming. It’s a great lesson to bring with us back home.
After pouring the water from each coconut, he split them coconuts in half and cut a small portion of the outside shell off, handing us both halves and instructing us to use the small piece of shell as a spoon to scoop out the inner meat. Seven coconuts later we have 2 liters of coconut water, a foundation of coconut meat in our belly and we’ve only spent $7EC (about $3US). I was so taken by this guy that I took several pictures of him.
Bananas grow on hillsides steeper than you can comfortably travel. Orange, grapefruit and lime trees appear seemingly in the middle of nowhere and suddenly there’s a farmers’ shack, then a small house and then nothing again for miles. Mangoes, avocado, and papaya trees provide public snacks.
Yesterday we stopped the car as we saw a man pushing a wheelbarrow laden with coconuts. Called “jellies,” these coconuts are cut open and handed over to drink from. We happened to have an extra water bottle in the car, which we asked him to fill up with coconut water. As he wielded his 2 foot long machete with precision, he extolled the virtues of coconut milk. A very happy man, he was proud to serve coconuts through town because he said he knew how healthy they are for people. He talked about the electrolytes, various vitamins and bush doctor remedies from coconuts. I was amazed by his knowledge and apparent lack of longing for more than he had. This is a constant reminder here. Many people have so little in the way of physical things and yet they are happy, grateful and welcoming. It’s a great lesson to bring with us back home.
After pouring the water from each coconut, he split them coconuts in half and cut a small portion of the outside shell off, handing us both halves and instructing us to use the small piece of shell as a spoon to scoop out the inner meat. Seven coconuts later we have 2 liters of coconut water, a foundation of coconut meat in our belly and we’ve only spent $7EC (about $3US). I was so taken by this guy that I took several pictures of him.
Alden on Snorkeling and flip flops
Yesterday, we met up with our friend George. He lives here but he moved here from Connecticut a couple of years ago. He is white too so we blend together. He has a beautiful boat and he is a dive instructor so, he took us snorkeling off his boat. It was so pretty because we were farther out into the sea so we could see a lot more fun creatures than we would if we were closer to shore. My dad and I were swimming near a rock and we saw a spiky fish that was stuck between two rocks. We also saw some cool coral called fan coral. It is shaped like a fan and it waves just like one too as the current pushes it back and forth.
We have seen so many of our clothes or books that we donated last year. Mollie Sieve’s pink flip-flops were seen being worn by a teenage boy. We saw an older man sitting on the road reading a children’s book about a hippo brushing his teeth. We wondered if this man was just learning how to read because when he was young, many boys learned how to farm instead of read.
Has anybody figured out the longitude-latitude contest yet? We are waiting to get the gift until the winner answers right so we know if it is a boy or a girl. Start studying!
We have seen so many of our clothes or books that we donated last year. Mollie Sieve’s pink flip-flops were seen being worn by a teenage boy. We saw an older man sitting on the road reading a children’s book about a hippo brushing his teeth. We wondered if this man was just learning how to read because when he was young, many boys learned how to farm instead of read.
Has anybody figured out the longitude-latitude contest yet? We are waiting to get the gift until the winner answers right so we know if it is a boy or a girl. Start studying!
Monday, February 22, 2010
Willow's Reflections on Dominica
Hi this is Willow. Alden and I made a joke. It was funny because I said “what a lovely day in winter” and there was no snow. While we were hiking yesterday, it felt as if I was inside the sun it was so hot! We visited a fort and there were real cannons. My mom and I played war. This was also where Pirates of the Caribbean was filmed. After our hike we saw a guy selling jelly coconuts from his wheelbarrow. He opened the top with his machete so we could drink some juice. A machete is a huge knife!
Mom and Dad took pictures, and they said they will put on the blog so you can see.
As we rode down to the beach later, the road felt like big potholes. We bounced around in the car. On the side of the road we saw goats and cows. Women and men were with their children. Some children were wandering around without their parents. Many were dressed in clothes like we have. Some were just in their underwear and tank tops because they didn’t have enough money to buy bathing suits.
I go to school here. At school lunch the principal rings a bell. The students get their food. Some go out with their friends to stores and buy stuff like hot dogs. You are allowed to leave school and walk to the store. One of our friends eats fried chicken every lunch. Everyone is allowed to share food. The kids like to try my goldfish. Sometimes Alden and I take the bus home with our friends. It costs fifty cents which is like 20 cents for us. You pay the driver when you get off. The car looks like a regular van.
We are having a little problem with mosquitoes so when we come back, you might see us covered in bites.
My favorite part of Dominica is everything. But I miss you all.
Sincerely,
Willow
Mom and Dad took pictures, and they said they will put on the blog so you can see.
As we rode down to the beach later, the road felt like big potholes. We bounced around in the car. On the side of the road we saw goats and cows. Women and men were with their children. Some children were wandering around without their parents. Many were dressed in clothes like we have. Some were just in their underwear and tank tops because they didn’t have enough money to buy bathing suits.
I go to school here. At school lunch the principal rings a bell. The students get their food. Some go out with their friends to stores and buy stuff like hot dogs. You are allowed to leave school and walk to the store. One of our friends eats fried chicken every lunch. Everyone is allowed to share food. The kids like to try my goldfish. Sometimes Alden and I take the bus home with our friends. It costs fifty cents which is like 20 cents for us. You pay the driver when you get off. The car looks like a regular van.
We are having a little problem with mosquitoes so when we come back, you might see us covered in bites.
My favorite part of Dominica is everything. But I miss you all.
Sincerely,
Willow
Saturday, February 20, 2010
No Barrels yet
We have been calling about our barrels, but they have not yet arrived. Next week is our last full week here, so we’re really hoping that they show up at the dock then. We are really hoping that we have the opportunity to pick up the barrels and distribute the items.
The school library is so small, and many of the kids have never owned a book of their own. Our kids are excited to be able to share the donations with their friends from school here.
The school library is so small, and many of the kids have never owned a book of their own. Our kids are excited to be able to share the donations with their friends from school here.
Alden's School reflections
We went to school yesterday and it was very different. We gave our friends a ride to school. At the beginning of the day they do a pledge of allegiance like we do but it’s completely different because Dominica is a country. It’s actually called a Commonwealth, but it’s like a country. At the start of every day they also sing songs from the bible, and it is a public school! Then they said 20 minute prayers and had free time outside. What surprised me was that most of the kids chose to read in their free time! They don’t have many books, so they read whatever they can find. Sometimes it’s a book that’s really easy for them.
After that, it was snack time and most of the kids bought their snacks from the school. They bought things like cheese puffs and fruit pops. When they went to go play in the school yard I played with my friend Kemely (Kim-mel-lee) and Willow played with her friend Mara. We discovered that it was a half day and nobody knew that it was a half day (they all took the bus home anyway) but I just pulled a dollar out of my pocket for me and Willow to take the bus home. We waited at the side of the road and we caught a truck to Mero. We all piled in. Apparently, we didn’t need the dollar so I just kept it. We came back to the house and we went to D’Leau Chaud .Guess how many kids and adults in total we fit in our car? 16! They kept piling in. we had 7 in the trunk and 3 in the front seat and 6 in the backseat! 3 adults and 13 kids! We had a very fun day yesterday and we can’t wait for another one like it today.
After that, it was snack time and most of the kids bought their snacks from the school. They bought things like cheese puffs and fruit pops. When they went to go play in the school yard I played with my friend Kemely (Kim-mel-lee) and Willow played with her friend Mara. We discovered that it was a half day and nobody knew that it was a half day (they all took the bus home anyway) but I just pulled a dollar out of my pocket for me and Willow to take the bus home. We waited at the side of the road and we caught a truck to Mero. We all piled in. Apparently, we didn’t need the dollar so I just kept it. We came back to the house and we went to D’Leau Chaud .Guess how many kids and adults in total we fit in our car? 16! They kept piling in. we had 7 in the trunk and 3 in the front seat and 6 in the backseat! 3 adults and 13 kids! We had a very fun day yesterday and we can’t wait for another one like it today.
TGIF for the Kids
Friday was the only full school day of the week – you can bet we made sure when we dropped the kids off for the day that there were no early releases! Alison and I headed off to climb the second highest peak on the island, Morne Trois Pitons. At just under 5,000 feet, it’s usually above the clouds, but the weather pattern here has been unusually dry. We had never done this hike before and knew this would be a great opportunity to do the hike in dry weather and get a good view. 
It was spectacular – and very difficult. The trail essentially went straight up, with logs placed across the path to form steps. Thousands of steps. Barbed grasses grabbed our clothing and cut into our skin, adding to the challenge. At several points, we climbed up ropes, and in one place we scampered up a very exposed section where the undergrowth barely clung to the steep cliff. The only thing that comforted me about that section was that the terrain was dry and in the rainforest the root systems are completely intertwined.
It was spectacular – and very difficult. The trail essentially went straight up, with logs placed across the path to form steps. Thousands of steps. Barbed grasses grabbed our clothing and cut into our skin, adding to the challenge. At several points, we climbed up ropes, and in one place we scampered up a very exposed section where the undergrowth barely clung to the steep cliff. The only thing that comforted me about that section was that the terrain was dry and in the rainforest the root systems are completely intertwined.
An hour and a half of steep climbing provided exceptional views of the island. It’s very difficult to take a picture that shows how steep this is because stepping of the trail is not only challenging but incredibly dangerous. Here are a few shots that attempt to capture the steepness and views.
The full round trip took us just under 4 hours, and we only saw one other party hiking – a young Canadian couple from BC, escaping the crazy Winter Olympics scene back home.
School for Alden and Willow
Thursday was the first day of school for the girls when their uniforms were required (or so we thought). It turns out that it was a “sports day”, which meant that most boys wore shorts and the girls wore skirts. Everyone wore t shirts. Our girls wore their uniforms, not knowing about the sports day dress code. 
Despite the disappointment they must have felt showing up at school to see all their friends wearing different clothes, their friends greeted Alden and Willow with enthusiasm, taking them by the arm and bringing them over to introduce them to other classmates. Alison and I expected to stay at the playground for a bit to make sure the kids felt comfortable, but it was immediately clear that they didn’t need us to stay.
We took a few pictures of the school yard scene and then left.
Our plan was to do a hike in the north of the island, between two towns that were connected only by an old footpath. In between the towns, there is an abandoned farming village, complete with overgrown corrugated tin shacks and their abandoned fruit trees. It’s a beautiful hidden oasis an hour at a brisk pace from the closest neighboring village.
We headed off, a bit nervous that we had no cell coverage in case the school needed to reach us. Ironically we go to the abandoned village, and the phone rang – an anachronism in the abandoned village in the rainforest. As it turned out, today was a half day at school. The kids were being let out in an hour. Meanwhile, we were 2 hours from the school! How much sense did this make? The kids only had two days of school this week and now one of them was only a half day? We instructed the kids to take the bus back to Mero with their friends, which they happily did – since this is the way their friends all come and go from school they felt more like their friends when riding the bus. Apparently no parents or students were aware of this shortened day – a great reminder of the go with the flow / “island time” way of life here.
We cut our hike short, originally intending to go the full distance to the other town and return, but as we are constantly reminded here, flexibility is critical to survival here.
Despite the disappointment they must have felt showing up at school to see all their friends wearing different clothes, their friends greeted Alden and Willow with enthusiasm, taking them by the arm and bringing them over to introduce them to other classmates. Alison and I expected to stay at the playground for a bit to make sure the kids felt comfortable, but it was immediately clear that they didn’t need us to stay.
We took a few pictures of the school yard scene and then left.
Our plan was to do a hike in the north of the island, between two towns that were connected only by an old footpath. In between the towns, there is an abandoned farming village, complete with overgrown corrugated tin shacks and their abandoned fruit trees. It’s a beautiful hidden oasis an hour at a brisk pace from the closest neighboring village.
We headed off, a bit nervous that we had no cell coverage in case the school needed to reach us. Ironically we go to the abandoned village, and the phone rang – an anachronism in the abandoned village in the rainforest. As it turned out, today was a half day at school. The kids were being let out in an hour. Meanwhile, we were 2 hours from the school! How much sense did this make? The kids only had two days of school this week and now one of them was only a half day? We instructed the kids to take the bus back to Mero with their friends, which they happily did – since this is the way their friends all come and go from school they felt more like their friends when riding the bus. Apparently no parents or students were aware of this shortened day – a great reminder of the go with the flow / “island time” way of life here.
We cut our hike short, originally intending to go the full distance to the other town and return, but as we are constantly reminded here, flexibility is critical to survival here.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Laptop Fixed!
Defying the odds - and certainly my expectations - the laptop went into the shop today and came out fixed. I was prepared to kiss the laptop goodbye, at a minimum for the trip here anyway. Computers are expensive here - even more so than in the States - and not many people have them here, so the options for getting computers fixed are few.
As is typical around here, everyone's got a friend they know who can help. Sometimes that works. Other times, not so much. Today I brought the laptop into a tiny office on a small one way street in the capital, Roseau (pronounced Ro' zo). Inside, a man named Terry, who was a friend of a friend, said that for a deposit of $50 EC (Eastern Caribbean dollars, which are worth $2.6 EC for every US Dollar), he'd take a look and see if he could help. I asked when he could get to it, and he pointed to a shelf of computers awaiting his attention and said it could be a few days.
With a little more talking and pleading he said he could take a look by 11AM. This is where the "island time" mentality works for you because the others in line would just have to wait. I thanked him, wished him good luck and headed off for the local internet cafe. The kids and Alison headed to the local library in Roseau, which is a small building right next to the ocean. It was built and donated by Andrew Carnegie just after the turn of the 20th century. The library was small, with 2 rooms, but it offered something that very few Dominicans have: books!
After a couple hours at the internet cafe, I joined the others, and we headed off to have lunch in the city's beautiful botanical gardens. Just as we had finished lunch and were prepared to leave town, I got a call from Tony telling me my computer was fixed. I was overjoyed.
It turns out that one of the ports for my laptop's memory had stopped working, which meant that my laptop wasn't able to function. While Terry didn't have the part, he helped me find a place that did. Some running around the town was required as I tried to track down the necessary part and have it installed.
A sense of calm began to sink in as I booted the laptop up once we returned to Mero. We're back in action!
As is typical around here, everyone's got a friend they know who can help. Sometimes that works. Other times, not so much. Today I brought the laptop into a tiny office on a small one way street in the capital, Roseau (pronounced Ro' zo). Inside, a man named Terry, who was a friend of a friend, said that for a deposit of $50 EC (Eastern Caribbean dollars, which are worth $2.6 EC for every US Dollar), he'd take a look and see if he could help. I asked when he could get to it, and he pointed to a shelf of computers awaiting his attention and said it could be a few days.
With a little more talking and pleading he said he could take a look by 11AM. This is where the "island time" mentality works for you because the others in line would just have to wait. I thanked him, wished him good luck and headed off for the local internet cafe. The kids and Alison headed to the local library in Roseau, which is a small building right next to the ocean. It was built and donated by Andrew Carnegie just after the turn of the 20th century. The library was small, with 2 rooms, but it offered something that very few Dominicans have: books!
After a couple hours at the internet cafe, I joined the others, and we headed off to have lunch in the city's beautiful botanical gardens. Just as we had finished lunch and were prepared to leave town, I got a call from Tony telling me my computer was fixed. I was overjoyed.
It turns out that one of the ports for my laptop's memory had stopped working, which meant that my laptop wasn't able to function. While Terry didn't have the part, he helped me find a place that did. Some running around the town was required as I tried to track down the necessary part and have it installed.
A sense of calm began to sink in as I booted the laptop up once we returned to Mero. We're back in action!
We have noticed some similarities and some differences in the kids in Dominica and the kids back home. One of the similarities is that they listen to the same music as we do back home. Our friend, Jahsmine was playing music on her cell-phone and the music was Selena Gomez! Anyway, we all started to sing along to the music. I think my mom and dad were a little annoyed but we were having fun.
EVERY school here wears uniforms (we should feel lucky). We have done several hikes since the last blog entry. One of the hikes we went on was Dernier Falls. Like I said, I can’t live a day in Dominica without swimming so of course, we swam. It was so fun. We jumped off of the rocks into the waterfall. I even went through the waterfall.
Check this out!
At first, it feels sort of weird having your body be pushed under the water with the force of the waterfall. Then there is Spanny Falls. That is the hike with the ropes that is kind of dangerous. You can see here how steep it is here. My dad is helping Willow get down a really steep section to the falls.
The water is really cold at Spanny too but it is still fun.
I feel so lucky that we are able to be here knowing that some of our friends in the village don’t even have enough to go to brownies (yes, they have brownies here too!) because the buses were too expensive. The bus fare to brownies and back is $2.00 for 2 people! That is less than $1.00 for us, in US dollars! Not being able to go on adventures or even to brownies is normal for them and they just have to accept what they are given. It is things like this that help me remember how lucky we are to live in Portsmouth.
Laptop Fizzled!
Wouldn't you know it: the evening before a four day weekend of Carnival celebrations, my laptop decided to go on strike. We then had to wait until today (Wednesday) to take it someplace to have it looked at. I'm not optimistic that I'll have it back in working order before we return, but I'm crossing my fingers.
It will certainly make it challenging to update posts here, but we'll do our best. Just wanted to let everyone know everyone's OK, but our posts may be a little more sporadic.
This weekend we went on several hikes with the girls, including several friends from Mero. We discovered some new spots that are amazing! Hopefully we'll be able to post those pictures so you can see them.
The girls go to school just Thursday and Friday this week (how academically rigorous!). Tomorrow is the first day they'll wear their uniforms, so we'll be sure to take pictures of that.
We heard about the snow back home. Enjoy it! We'll send some warm weather back your way.
It will certainly make it challenging to update posts here, but we'll do our best. Just wanted to let everyone know everyone's OK, but our posts may be a little more sporadic.
This weekend we went on several hikes with the girls, including several friends from Mero. We discovered some new spots that are amazing! Hopefully we'll be able to post those pictures so you can see them.
The girls go to school just Thursday and Friday this week (how academically rigorous!). Tomorrow is the first day they'll wear their uniforms, so we'll be sure to take pictures of that.
We heard about the snow back home. Enjoy it! We'll send some warm weather back your way.
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Happy Holidays from Dominica
Carnival is a major event here in Dominica. Like in other parts of the world that celebrate Carnival, it’s become a big party, complete with parades, concerts, loud music and a heavy dose of rum. Those who are more religious do not participate in festivities, but the majority of people here look forward to Carnival like kids look forward to Christmas. In fact, I heard one Dominican wish another “Happy Holidays” as they said goodbye for the long weekend.
The parades and “Jump Ups” are the more unique aspects of Carnival here. The parades are unique in the costumes that they wear. Some are elaborate, colorful feathered costumes, complete with broad wings and wheels to support their weight. Others are “Sensi” costumes, which look like hunters’ camouflage “Ghillie Suits”, with thousands of strips of fabric or plastic bag (usually the material used to make them) coming off the suit, making them look like a giant pom-pom. Here’s a picture of Alden with one of the Sensi dancers at a jump up last year.
The picture below shows the inside of some of these costumes that are airing out before they’re worn for the parade. You can see that these costumes are made with an old jacket as the base, and all of the fabric is sewn onto the jacket. I can only imagine how these costumes are to wear in 80 degree heat while dancing! 
The jump ups are basically street parties as far as we can tell. The major feature appears to be a truck overloaded with loudspeakers and a band (if the town has one) or a DJ. The music always seems to be louder than the speakers can handle, so sound is distorted and deafening. The party follows the truck as it crawls through the town, everyone dancing, shouting, drinking, and clapping their hands.
If you happen to get stuck behind the jump up, as we have, the best thing to do is park and join the party.
The parades and “Jump Ups” are the more unique aspects of Carnival here. The parades are unique in the costumes that they wear. Some are elaborate, colorful feathered costumes, complete with broad wings and wheels to support their weight. Others are “Sensi” costumes, which look like hunters’ camouflage “Ghillie Suits”, with thousands of strips of fabric or plastic bag (usually the material used to make them) coming off the suit, making them look like a giant pom-pom. Here’s a picture of Alden with one of the Sensi dancers at a jump up last year.
The picture below shows the inside of some of these costumes that are airing out before they’re worn for the parade. You can see that these costumes are made with an old jacket as the base, and all of the fabric is sewn onto the jacket. I can only imagine how these costumes are to wear in 80 degree heat while dancing! The jump ups are basically street parties as far as we can tell. The major feature appears to be a truck overloaded with loudspeakers and a band (if the town has one) or a DJ. The music always seems to be louder than the speakers can handle, so sound is distorted and deafening. The party follows the truck as it crawls through the town, everyone dancing, shouting, drinking, and clapping their hands.
If you happen to get stuck behind the jump up, as we have, the best thing to do is park and join the party.
The Sky is Falling!
Last year it was the gas crisis that provided a new experience for us here. This morning, we woke to a layer of dust on everything. The air was thick, and the sky appeared hazy. At first I thought it was sand from the beach on the floor. The Mero sand is black and very fine, which matched the dust coating that greeted us this morning. Then after we loaded up the car to get the kids off to school, we noticed that many people were wearing masks or covering their mouths with cloths.
When we got to school, we heard that the neighboring island of Montserrat had a volcanic eruption. This dust was volcanic ash.
We did our best to keep the ash out of the apartment and from coating everything, but it was not a battle we could win, so we gave into it, making sure that cameras, our laptop and other sensitive electronics were protected. Everything else just became gritty – even the food. Walking barefoot is like having a 220 grit sandpaper floor.
Ironically, Dominica is believed to have one of the highest concentrations of active volcanoes in the world. Yet the ash that’s falling here is from one of the neighboring islands.
When we got to school, we heard that the neighboring island of Montserrat had a volcanic eruption. This dust was volcanic ash.
We did our best to keep the ash out of the apartment and from coating everything, but it was not a battle we could win, so we gave into it, making sure that cameras, our laptop and other sensitive electronics were protected. Everything else just became gritty – even the food. Walking barefoot is like having a 220 grit sandpaper floor.
Ironically, Dominica is believed to have one of the highest concentrations of active volcanoes in the world. Yet the ash that’s falling here is from one of the neighboring islands.
Friday, February 12, 2010
Alden and Willow's 2nd day of school
This is our 3rd day in Dominica. Today at school we had a field trip and we walked about 8 miles in the blazing hot sun! It was very tiring. School ended at 12:00!!! That was only because they are getting ready for carnival. Luckily, we got a ride home from my mom and dad and we didn’t have to walk home. We fit 9 kids in our car! 4 sat in the trunk and 5 sat in the backseat and mom and dad in the front. When we returned to the village we wanted to go swimming. So, we went to go ask the other kids parents if the kids could come to d’leau chaud, a fresh water river with a hot spring. The parents said yes and we hopped back into the car. It was about a 10 minute drive. When we got out of the car, we remembered how many ashes there were in the air because a volcano erupted in another island in the Caribbean called Montserrat. They covered the car. Here's a picture of it. 
Lots if people are also walking around wearing masks because there is so much ash in the air. we found a cool link to the volcano if you want to learn more about it. http://www.montserratvolcanoobservatory.info/After we walked a small distance, we were at the river. We swam and did cartwheels into the water. We surfed on the rocks and dared each other to touch the sand at the bottom of the river. Teachers will be glad to know that we went home to work on our homework.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Can you find us?
Can you find us on the map? We are at roughly 15 degrees North latitude (up and down). Can you find out what degrees of longitude we are?
If you find out, post it as a comment to the blog. The first STUDENT to get the right answer will get a prize from the dominican culture. Good luck!
If you find out, post it as a comment to the blog. The first STUDENT to get the right answer will get a prize from the dominican culture. Good luck!
Alden's Arrival Reflections
Our trip to Dominica has had some ups and some downs. First of all, My dad lost his laptop on the airplane but luckily, he found it. Our trip to Peurto Rico was great and we had a safe trip down to Dominica after that. When we arrived in Dominica, we went straight to the beach. We saw most of our friends and they gave us a big hug. We are staying in a nice little apartment with two twin beds for Willow and I, and one big bed for my mom and dad. We have unpacked pretty much everything and of course, noticed what we left behind. We left the underwater camera and a journal for me but we decided that the laptop would be good enough. We miss you all and we hope you are enjoying the snow.
Arriving in Dominica
This trip down seemed to be more challenging than our previous trips. Maybe it was the extra leg, with the required layover in San Juan. Maybe it was the fact that we are here for longer than we have stayed before – which means the same amount of clothing but a lot more food. We have 16 bags total, so keeping track of them all has been no small task as we transition from baggage claim to taxi to hotel and back to the airport.
The biggest trauma of our first day was realizing that we had left the laptop on the airplane to San Juan, underneath one of the red fleece airplane blankets under one of the seats. We realized it as we arrived at our hotel in San Juan. Relief of completing the first leg of the journey turned to instant panic. We’ll spare you the details, but it took a couple hours to finally confirm that they had the computer and that it was safe. We picked it up this morning at the airport after we checked in for our flight to Dominica. Never had I been so happy to see my computer.
The flight to Dominica lasted for just under 2 hours, and as we flew in for the approach, we could recognize some of the hillsides we have hiked in past trips here. It’s a beautiful, mountainous landscape. On the east coast, where the Melville Hall airport is, the hills are covered with banana and citrus farms. A mountain range with peaks just over 5,000 feet divides the island, and on the west coast, the landscape is the same, but the climate is drier, the clouds having dumped most of their moisture on the east coast.
The hour long cab ride to Mero was up and over a mountain pass through the interior of the island. It was beautiful scenery, with the smell of fresh rain and farmers’ burn piles reminding us of how sensual the island is. We wound up the mountain pass and then began our descent to the west coast of the island, our bodies pushed from side to side as the road twisted down the steep hillside.
After getting settled, we headed down the hill to the center of town to say hello to our friends. Reuniting was sweet, with most people recognizing our kids first. We watched as their faces turned into huge smiles. Lots of hugs, fist bumps and “how-have-you-been” exchanged. We were all happy to see familiar faces.
A sense of calm swallowed us up, with all travel anxiety melting away. Ah, we’ve made it. Everything arrived safely. Tomorrow it’s off to Rouseau, the capital, where we will shop for the girls’ school uniforms and go to the farmers’ market for veggies. Then we plan to go snorkeling.
The biggest trauma of our first day was realizing that we had left the laptop on the airplane to San Juan, underneath one of the red fleece airplane blankets under one of the seats. We realized it as we arrived at our hotel in San Juan. Relief of completing the first leg of the journey turned to instant panic. We’ll spare you the details, but it took a couple hours to finally confirm that they had the computer and that it was safe. We picked it up this morning at the airport after we checked in for our flight to Dominica. Never had I been so happy to see my computer.
The flight to Dominica lasted for just under 2 hours, and as we flew in for the approach, we could recognize some of the hillsides we have hiked in past trips here. It’s a beautiful, mountainous landscape. On the east coast, where the Melville Hall airport is, the hills are covered with banana and citrus farms. A mountain range with peaks just over 5,000 feet divides the island, and on the west coast, the landscape is the same, but the climate is drier, the clouds having dumped most of their moisture on the east coast.
The hour long cab ride to Mero was up and over a mountain pass through the interior of the island. It was beautiful scenery, with the smell of fresh rain and farmers’ burn piles reminding us of how sensual the island is. We wound up the mountain pass and then began our descent to the west coast of the island, our bodies pushed from side to side as the road twisted down the steep hillside.
After getting settled, we headed down the hill to the center of town to say hello to our friends. Reuniting was sweet, with most people recognizing our kids first. We watched as their faces turned into huge smiles. Lots of hugs, fist bumps and “how-have-you-been” exchanged. We were all happy to see familiar faces.
A sense of calm swallowed us up, with all travel anxiety melting away. Ah, we’ve made it. Everything arrived safely. Tomorrow it’s off to Rouseau, the capital, where we will shop for the girls’ school uniforms and go to the farmers’ market for veggies. Then we plan to go snorkeling.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Thanks for the help!
We're off in the wee hours of the morning tomorrow - first by bus to Boston (at 5AM) and then by plane to San Juan, where we spend the night in Old San Juan. Everything is packed, and we're working our way through the last minute punch list. I discovered last minute that the thermostat in the kitchen doesn't work, so I added a trip to Home Depot to the list. The wood stove has been masking the defective thermostat for some time, I suspect, so I'm glad I discovred that this morning. Who knows what we might have found when we returned if the heat didn't work in our kitchen while we're gone!
A big thanks to everyone who contributed books, school supplies, reusable shopping bags and cold hard cash to help get all the donations down to Dominica. We're constantly amazed and in awe of the wonderful help we ave received as we prepare to bring the supplies down. This year, we are beginning to think about creating a specific focus for our - and your- efforts. Should we try to build the library for the school (currently one very small bookshelf), or is there another area of need that we should help them with? We'll continue to think about this as we travel and hope that anyone who has ideas will offer them as well.
Look for an update once we get settled in our final stop of Mero, a little town of approximately 100 people midway up the west coast of Dominica. Who knows, we may take some pictures of the girls in their new school uniforms so you can see what they look like as they prepare for school with their Dominica friends.
Tomorrow it's off to Puerto Rico for a day and then on to Dominica on Tuesday.
We're off!!
A big thanks to everyone who contributed books, school supplies, reusable shopping bags and cold hard cash to help get all the donations down to Dominica. We're constantly amazed and in awe of the wonderful help we ave received as we prepare to bring the supplies down. This year, we are beginning to think about creating a specific focus for our - and your- efforts. Should we try to build the library for the school (currently one very small bookshelf), or is there another area of need that we should help them with? We'll continue to think about this as we travel and hope that anyone who has ideas will offer them as well.
Look for an update once we get settled in our final stop of Mero, a little town of approximately 100 people midway up the west coast of Dominica. Who knows, we may take some pictures of the girls in their new school uniforms so you can see what they look like as they prepare for school with their Dominica friends.
Tomorrow it's off to Puerto Rico for a day and then on to Dominica on Tuesday.
We're off!!
Monday, February 1, 2010
It's on it's way
Here we are with Turner, the Jamaican transplant to Maine, helping us pack. Thanks to all of you the books,backpacks,flip-flops, and much more are on there way to Dominica. All of the donations fit into two huge cardboard barrels. we estimate that it was about 500 lbs total! Wow! Check out the pictures.
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