The Cultural Connection

It’s official:  I've been in Grenada for a whole year and am rapidly approaching the half-way point of my service.  When I look back at the last year I cannot believe how much we accomplished, and how quickly the time went by.  Two years seem daunting at the start, but time flies once you identify your purpose.

I am thankful for my assignment and my community.  I love the village life and appreciate all of the support I've received from the community.  My students are really starting to progress, and seeing that change motivates me to continue to explore literacy in hopes of graduating them from the program.

Most importantly, I am thankful for the opportunity to explore culture in a way that I've never been able to before.  I knew before I started that I wanted to explore dance in whatever country Peace Corps sent me to, but I had no idea that I would get the opportunity to immerse myself to such a capacity.  Dancing and drumming classes have allowed me to form an understanding of what art and culture mean in Grenada.  Most movements and rhythms in Afro-Caribbean dance and drumming are so closely tied to life that it’s like your breathing through every beat.  The technique liberates while the music inspires.  

I am so excited to finally have enough of a grasp of the art to teach it in my dance classes.   These kids are extremely invested in creative exploration, continuously encouraging me to challenge them in ways they've never been before.  I’m looking forward to seeing what we can do together in the next year. 

Drumming at Jazz Night held every first Friday at the National Museum.

ps. Remember Grenada's Independence Day Celebrations from last year? This year, we performed during the festivities. So cool.

Living in a Topsy-Turvy World

Four weeks ago I boarded a plane filled to the brim with American medical students and their pets.  I suppose all of us had the same idea:  to go home for a well-deserved Christmas break.  For some of us, ie. me, this simple vacation turned into a total mental test.

It all started at the airport.  Being surrounded by fifty plus American twenty-something year olds after living in rural Grenada on a modest stipend does not help with culture shock.  I couldn’t believe that this was what I was going back to.  I can’t really describe a particular event that threw me over the edge.  Rather, it was the culmination of a three-hour waiting period filled with observing interactions that are so completely different from the Grenadian norm.

Fast-forward twenty-four hours, I get to take my first hot shower of the year! Except, my body no longer appreciates the heat.  For the entirety of those ten-minutes, and every shower afterwards, my skin crawled and creeped, very much confused by the cranked up temperature.  Whilst I still complain about my cold showers (Grenada gets rather chilly this time of year), my body appreciates the return of normalcy.

Living in a small-island developing nation sure twists your perspectives on the everyday life.  I am so thankful to have been able to go home and visit my family.  My Grenadian co-workers have told me I blossomed like a flower while I was gone and have returned refreshed.  I’m not so sure about the flower part, but I definitely feel a renewed sense of excitement.  I have all of my projects for the year planned out and have decided on what’s in store for me in 2014 when I complete my service. So, 2013, I’m ready for ya, let’s get started!

December in Grenada.

December in the States. Loved the snow!