We're home!
We still owe you blog posts from Saturday and Sunday, but we're home again which is the most important headline. We realized a bit too late that downloading LOST from iTunes would completely use up the satellite internet feed for much longer than we anticipated, thus preventing us from posting any blog updates. Sorry. At least the episode was good!
We don't have any luggage to show for our arrival (long story), but all in due time! Ryan will be working on that project in between classes today while I am back to work.
Thanks to all our readers - look back in the next few days for more the rest of the story!
Liz & Ryan
3.10.2008
3.07.2008
Friday - May Pen Market Day 5 (Mar 7, 2008)
Today we went to the May Pen Market with Winsome and Evelyn. We took 2 taxis into town and hit a variety of shops during our 3+ hour spree. First we went to the "Super Shopper" which was very much like a large American grocery store. Big aisles, A/C, and lots of options to choose from.
Next we stopped at the Pharmacy which was a store that carried home goods and food, as well as some Jamaican gift items like lacquered burl wood clocks and flag-printed t-shirts. Not too many items caught our eye here, but it was still fun to look around.
Finally we went to the "real" market which was truly a new experience, and not something to be done without a Jamaican guide to help us navigate the narrow corridors, vendors shouting from stalls, or the occasional taxi which would drive right through the middle with its horn beeping in a high-pitched nasal fashion.
In the market Winsome purchased fresh produce for the incoming team who will stay from Sunday to Sunday and build at least 1 house during their stay. She picked up pumpkin, spices, peppers and many other vegetables including onions and tomatoes for the week's meals.
After leaving the first vegetable stalls I bought a large hand-made grater. It is used for shredding coconut and cassava, and possibly other things. It won't get used when we return home, but when I got some strange looks from some ladies later in the afternoon I played up the act. To their curious glances I smiled and said "for cassava and coconut!" and they burst into laughter and simultaneous awe. It was amazing that this white lady really know what she was talkin' 'bout! (Thank you grater man for dropping those tips in your sales pitch)
After the vegetable stalls we went on a mission to find a straw basket without a handle. At every place we tried we were told to venture on to another stall and finally somebody just told us to go to Kingston. Winsome said she might be able to get one in Kingston for me - maybe next time.
We wound our way through several corridors and turned a corner to see the fish area. It was full of very potent smells. So I started breathing through my mouth to avoid the scent.
Another quick turn and we were in a building with more clothes and home goods similar to what we'd see in the stalls where we inquired about baskets. Another turn and suddenly we were in the butchers area. And that's when I realized the fish corner had been mild. The freshly slaughtered beef, pork, and goat was pungent. Almost too pungent. Add in some blood splattered here and there and various organs hanging on hooks and, well, I started to feel a little weak. Had it not been for the guy in the next stall over who started smoking, I would have been unable to stay for very long. The smoke covered the meaty odor and I could breathe through my nose without gagging.
(beef heart and esophogus on the left and the kidneys on the right)
Today we went to the May Pen Market with Winsome and Evelyn. We took 2 taxis into town and hit a variety of shops during our 3+ hour spree. First we went to the "Super Shopper" which was very much like a large American grocery store. Big aisles, A/C, and lots of options to choose from.
Next we stopped at the Pharmacy which was a store that carried home goods and food, as well as some Jamaican gift items like lacquered burl wood clocks and flag-printed t-shirts. Not too many items caught our eye here, but it was still fun to look around.
Finally we went to the "real" market which was truly a new experience, and not something to be done without a Jamaican guide to help us navigate the narrow corridors, vendors shouting from stalls, or the occasional taxi which would drive right through the middle with its horn beeping in a high-pitched nasal fashion.
In the market Winsome purchased fresh produce for the incoming team who will stay from Sunday to Sunday and build at least 1 house during their stay. She picked up pumpkin, spices, peppers and many other vegetables including onions and tomatoes for the week's meals.
After leaving the first vegetable stalls I bought a large hand-made grater. It is used for shredding coconut and cassava, and possibly other things. It won't get used when we return home, but when I got some strange looks from some ladies later in the afternoon I played up the act. To their curious glances I smiled and said "for cassava and coconut!" and they burst into laughter and simultaneous awe. It was amazing that this white lady really know what she was talkin' 'bout! (Thank you grater man for dropping those tips in your sales pitch)
After the vegetable stalls we went on a mission to find a straw basket without a handle. At every place we tried we were told to venture on to another stall and finally somebody just told us to go to Kingston. Winsome said she might be able to get one in Kingston for me - maybe next time.We wound our way through several corridors and turned a corner to see the fish area. It was full of very potent smells. So I started breathing through my mouth to avoid the scent.
Another quick turn and we were in a building with more clothes and home goods similar to what we'd see in the stalls where we inquired about baskets. Another turn and suddenly we were in the butchers area. And that's when I realized the fish corner had been mild. The freshly slaughtered beef, pork, and goat was pungent. Almost too pungent. Add in some blood splattered here and there and various organs hanging on hooks and, well, I started to feel a little weak. Had it not been for the guy in the next stall over who started smoking, I would have been unable to stay for very long. The smoke covered the meaty odor and I could breathe through my nose without gagging.
(beef heart and esophogus on the left and the kidneys on the right)I visited with one of the butchers and learned that the cows had been slaughtered that morning and anything that was not sold today would be taken back and refrigerated. So the meat was incredibly fresh - more fresh than what we'd get at home. We were surprised there weren't any flies around and doubly surprised to learn that they don't do anything to keep them out. All signs pointed to impressive sanitation, even though the scene itself did not feel very sanitized.
(beef on tree stump "cutting block" with the giant cleaver that hacked through bone and flesh)
The singular moment of our time in the butcher stalls that will always be remembered was when the butcher was hacking through bone and a piece of it shot out and hit me in the chin. I was mostly thankful I didn't have my mouth open or it would have gone straight in.
After picking up the meat orders we wound our way back through the maze of stalls and headed to one of our favorite Jamaican stops for dinner (the Jamaican word for lunch). We went straight to Juici Patti for beef patti(s) and pepsi. Delicious.
I thought I would have a hard time eating after spending nearly 30 minutes in the meat/butcher area but I guess I was hungry enough to overcome any disgust.
This afternoon we sat around with Mark and Emily and visited which was really fun. We weren't able to have dinner together (supper) last night due to some surprise tasks that came up at the last minute for them. Their neighbor Dean had spent the last week making charcoal and had just finished bundling it all (nearly 20 bags, each one about 2 ft x 3 ft in size) as night fell. He didn't want to leave it out overnight for fear that someone would steal them. So we went with them in the truck to load it and haul it to his house for safekeeping.
Tonight we will probably relax a bit, try to watch LOST online and also work on the letters and other things we have promised to the Infirmary matron. Tomorrow morning we'll head back around 10 am to give her the documents and to say our goodbyes.
Today was really fun and brought a much-needed break from the work at the infirmary and school. Beef bone and all.
Liz & Ryan
(beef on tree stump "cutting block" with the giant cleaver that hacked through bone and flesh)The singular moment of our time in the butcher stalls that will always be remembered was when the butcher was hacking through bone and a piece of it shot out and hit me in the chin. I was mostly thankful I didn't have my mouth open or it would have gone straight in.
After picking up the meat orders we wound our way back through the maze of stalls and headed to one of our favorite Jamaican stops for dinner (the Jamaican word for lunch). We went straight to Juici Patti for beef patti(s) and pepsi. Delicious.I thought I would have a hard time eating after spending nearly 30 minutes in the meat/butcher area but I guess I was hungry enough to overcome any disgust.
This afternoon we sat around with Mark and Emily and visited which was really fun. We weren't able to have dinner together (supper) last night due to some surprise tasks that came up at the last minute for them. Their neighbor Dean had spent the last week making charcoal and had just finished bundling it all (nearly 20 bags, each one about 2 ft x 3 ft in size) as night fell. He didn't want to leave it out overnight for fear that someone would steal them. So we went with them in the truck to load it and haul it to his house for safekeeping.Tonight we will probably relax a bit, try to watch LOST online and also work on the letters and other things we have promised to the Infirmary matron. Tomorrow morning we'll head back around 10 am to give her the documents and to say our goodbyes.
Today was really fun and brought a much-needed break from the work at the infirmary and school. Beef bone and all.
Liz & Ryan
3.06.2008
Infirmary Day 4 - March 6, 2008
Today was a rather quick day at the Infirmary because the all ages school was letting out early today and we needed to get some work done on the computers before we were locked out of the lab.
Liz and I spent an hour or so saying hello to some of the residents, and visiting with some of the men with whom we hadn't yet spent much time. Since there are only two of us, and since we're only doing half days, it's been hard to juggle spending time with those we already know well and meeting some of the new residents or spending time with those that are less interactive.
When the Matron arrived to work, Liz went to have a meeting with her, and it seemed to be very productive. Liz is going to work on drafting a public service announcement and a letter to different volunteer organizations and churches in the hope of better connecting the community to the infirmary. The Matron seems happy to have the help, we think, and we're looking forward to moving forward with this step.
While Liz was in the meeting I decided it was time for some balloon animals. The Jamaicans at the Infirmary do seem to love the balloon animals. I think it's a mixture of the bright colors and the giving of a gift that is created right in front of their eyes. I have a book that gives me directions to make about a dozen animals, but I'm a master at the dog. And so today, I think I tied about two dozen dogs with varying neck and torso lengths. Karen helped me in my task, walking around with me, making sure that every woman got one, and then helping to hand out the animals, or putting them in a safe spot for the women who couldn't really hold on to theirs. When we return I'll ply my skill in the men's ward.
We went again to the school this afternoon to troubleshoot some of the lab computers.
We thought we might have to install operating systems on most of the machines, but to our surprise, most of them were ready to go. There are still some problems with some of the keyboards, monitors, and mice, and some of the machines were either damaged in transit or should not have been donated, but overall things there are coming together.
After school we decided to walk the 4-5 kilometers back to the Harmony House. Liz had done the walk before, and we were both eager to be on foot for awhile, since we don't seem to walk anywhere anymore in Indiana. It was really ejoyable to be outside, the colors and scenery so much more vibrant than from behind a windshield. We couldn't walk very far without running into someone we knew, and so we stopped to chat with people along the way.
We even ran into the brother of a Jamaican whom I've known since my first visit to Harmons, and whom I've kept in touch with for several years. My friend moved to St. Maarten about a year ago to take a job as an electrician, and through some phone number mishaps, I haven't talked to him since. But his brother called him up right then, so I got to have a long distance phone chat with him, which as a lot of fun.
Tonight Liz and I have been invited to a traditional Jamaican dinner of fried chicken and rice and peas with the missionary couple who lives at the house. We're looking forward to a night off of tortellini and green beans.
Tomorrow should bring an interesting post as we're headed into town for a day of shopping at the MayPen market. This is no tourist craftmarket, so we're interested to see how it goes!
Ryan & Liz
Today was a rather quick day at the Infirmary because the all ages school was letting out early today and we needed to get some work done on the computers before we were locked out of the lab.
Liz and I spent an hour or so saying hello to some of the residents, and visiting with some of the men with whom we hadn't yet spent much time. Since there are only two of us, and since we're only doing half days, it's been hard to juggle spending time with those we already know well and meeting some of the new residents or spending time with those that are less interactive.
When the Matron arrived to work, Liz went to have a meeting with her, and it seemed to be very productive. Liz is going to work on drafting a public service announcement and a letter to different volunteer organizations and churches in the hope of better connecting the community to the infirmary. The Matron seems happy to have the help, we think, and we're looking forward to moving forward with this step.
While Liz was in the meeting I decided it was time for some balloon animals. The Jamaicans at the Infirmary do seem to love the balloon animals. I think it's a mixture of the bright colors and the giving of a gift that is created right in front of their eyes. I have a book that gives me directions to make about a dozen animals, but I'm a master at the dog. And so today, I think I tied about two dozen dogs with varying neck and torso lengths. Karen helped me in my task, walking around with me, making sure that every woman got one, and then helping to hand out the animals, or putting them in a safe spot for the women who couldn't really hold on to theirs. When we return I'll ply my skill in the men's ward.
We went again to the school this afternoon to troubleshoot some of the lab computers.
We thought we might have to install operating systems on most of the machines, but to our surprise, most of them were ready to go. There are still some problems with some of the keyboards, monitors, and mice, and some of the machines were either damaged in transit or should not have been donated, but overall things there are coming together.After school we decided to walk the 4-5 kilometers back to the Harmony House. Liz had done the walk before, and we were both eager to be on foot for awhile, since we don't seem to walk anywhere anymore in Indiana. It was really ejoyable to be outside, the colors and scenery so much more vibrant than from behind a windshield. We couldn't walk very far without running into someone we knew, and so we stopped to chat with people along the way.
We even ran into the brother of a Jamaican whom I've known since my first visit to Harmons, and whom I've kept in touch with for several years. My friend moved to St. Maarten about a year ago to take a job as an electrician, and through some phone number mishaps, I haven't talked to him since. But his brother called him up right then, so I got to have a long distance phone chat with him, which as a lot of fun.Tonight Liz and I have been invited to a traditional Jamaican dinner of fried chicken and rice and peas with the missionary couple who lives at the house. We're looking forward to a night off of tortellini and green beans.
Tomorrow should bring an interesting post as we're headed into town for a day of shopping at the MayPen market. This is no tourist craftmarket, so we're interested to see how it goes!
Ryan & Liz
3.05.2008
Wednesday - Infirmary Day 3 (Mar 5, 2008)
Our morning started off with 2 frazzling incidents - a malfunctioning coffee maker and Liz's tripping in a dark hallway. Neither of these were enough to keep us home, though the caffeine would have been nice.
Our morning started off with 2 frazzling incidents - a malfunctioning coffee maker and Liz's tripping in a dark hallway. Neither of these were enough to keep us home, though the caffeine would have been nice.
Liz & Peyton at the Infirmary
Our first agenda item was to meet with the Matron, who fortunately came to work even though it was her day off. Those of you who are praying types must have made a personal plea on our behalf - it worked. We presented the needs she had identified over the last 2 days and offered our assistance in outlining orientation classes, establishing standards for professional performance, seeking someone to administer exercise classes for residents/patients, etc. She even brought up the very same idea we came up with over dinner last night and were most keen about implementing. We are now planning to speak with Won by One as an organization to see if we can put these jointly approved plans into practice. And we'll also start figuring out how to fundraise to see this project through for at least 1 year. We figure the total cost would be $3600-$4800 for the year.
So if you're the praying type - keep it up. We will need to get approval to move forward with our idea and just as important, we'll need to find creative ways to raise that money to sustain the project.
Our friend Patricia was feeling very sick today with a sore throat. She is scheduled to have surgery on Monday so we did our best to encourage her (and will continue) to drink fluids and rest. She held onto her new "babeeee" and cuddled it in bed with her.
Since she was feeling so poorly I gathered her and a few other women (Iris, Ina, Karen, and Millie) around and they listed as I read from Matthew. Iris requested that I read chapter 5 but silly me...I said, why don't we just start at the beginning with chapter 1. I had clearly forgotten that Chapter 1 is a genealogy list so I was reading the "and he beget him" stuff for a while.
Karen, Liz, Millie, and Patricia
Karen is doing well - she seems to keep very busy assisting the staff with handing out meals and cleaning up. It is so good to see her being active - she likely has a very long life ahead of her at the infirmary and this activity will keep her physically and mentally stable.
One of the residents who I photographed yesterday afternoon passed away over night. The ambulance came for his body this morning before we arrived. Yesterday when I saw him, I had to watch his chest to see if he was breathing. He was asleep when both Ryan and I were in the room (at separate times) so neither of us woke him to ask how he was doing or to visit. I must admit that I also was reluctant because he was clearly such a shell of a person and I didn't know what a visit might be like. Had he been awake, I might have made an effort, but how can I know for sure if I would have taken the step to overcome my own discomfort?
Death has been a constant reminder of reality for us this week and we find ourselves surprised each day by conversations or events. Nobody else seems as surprised - and then we realized how sheltered we are.
We spent a lot more time visiting with staff today and we can tell that this trip's goal has already been met. We are getting to know them, and they are getting to know us. We can't move forward toward improved care and performance without their assistance. So this is a relief.
I had a moment of sadness today as we passed by Pearl's room. But there is freedom for me without her presence, and an even greater freedom for her. She wouldn't wish to be back at the infirmary nor would I wish her there out of selfish reasons. But still, sadness that our friendship cannot develop further will always remain.
***
At the school we moved computers to the appropriate workstations and connected everything together. Tomorrow we will check to see if these machines actually work.
Long days ahead of us still.
Liz & Ryan
PS I got the lightest sunburn on my face yesterday. The was the first time ever in Jamaica. Hopefully a light glow to my skin won't give anyone at work the impression that I was actually at the beach.
3.04.2008
Tuesday - Infirmary Day 2 (Mar 4, 2008)
Tomorrow we wil be back at the infirmary in the AM to discuss some plans and strategies with the Matron for organizing a new employee training, outlining some staff performance standards, and ways to involve the community/volunteers more effectively. These needs were all identified by her and we hope that she will allow us to help create definitions, processes, and protocols that she can review and refine. If you're the praying type, please pray that this conversation and actual work are not thwarted.
Our second day at the Infirmary held some partially good news - we were mistaken about Ermina. She is still living at the Infirmary but she is much changed. She seems more confused and less expressive. She is unable to fully move on her own - most likely due to the broken hip she had in Febaruary of 2007.
There were several others we looked for today to give them photographs taken during our prior trip, but one of them has passed away (Mr. Barnett). The photo of the other man remains a mystery - nobody seems to recognize him or know his name. There is a chance that he was someone who came for just a few days and then just wandered away. These types of reports worry us, as you might imagine.
We handed out presents from our friend BB (who joined us here in Nov 2006) and these gifts were so appreciated. Here is Daisy Mae showing off her new necklace.
Patricia kept calling her new stuffed animal "my baby" but with her accent it sounded more like "ma babeeeeeeeee." She kept kissing it and proudly showing it off to everyone who would pay attention.
We handed out presents from our friend BB (who joined us here in Nov 2006) and these gifts were so appreciated. Here is Daisy Mae showing off her new necklace.
Patricia kept calling her new stuffed animal "my baby" but with her accent it sounded more like "ma babeeeeeeeee." She kept kissing it and proudly showing it off to everyone who would pay attention.We had hoped that a young nurse here in Harmons might be qualified to serve as the Assistant Matron at the infirmary but she needs higher qualifications/diplomas than she already has. The Head Matron has indicated she will keep her resume on file though. We have other ideas in mind and hope to see them work out to everyone's advantage. To do so would require a significant fundraising initiative on our part. We will keep you posted upon our return.
We met a new woman today whose name is May. She has only been at the infirmary for a few weeks and seems very kind. She sang us a few songs and also asked us to read to her.
Lunch today was chicken foot soup, which nearly turned my stomach. Fortunately we had packed our own lunch (we always do) since this is a very common and seemingly well-liked dish in Jamaica. In the picture below you can see that lunch has just been served. I don't know the name of the man in this photo but hope to learn it tomorrow. He does not speak/communicate well so it means I need to ask around. 
In the background you can see (on the left) that Evarton, or "bird" as people call him, is building a small chicken coop. He's done quite a nice job and as we have seen from past experience he is very handy in surprising ways.
In the background you can see (on the left) that Evarton, or "bird" as people call him, is building a small chicken coop. He's done quite a nice job and as we have seen from past experience he is very handy in surprising ways.Our interactions with staff members has been really positive. The women who work in the laundry area have been especially fun to visit with. There was great confusion until we finally settled the matter that they both share the last name of Reid. They're not relatives though - just coincidentally sharing the same last name. Both have been friendly and open to talking with us about their jobs, which gives us a lot better understanding of the structure and process at the infirmary.
Our time at the school was spent grading 6th grade journal entries for spelling, grammar, and content. Tomorrow we anticipate that we will work in the computer lab. Fingers crossed.
Our friend MFG (from our Nov 2006sent us a care package to be opened each morning before we venture out to "work." Today we opened a fun surprise. These drew a lot of attention and I have been working diligently to teach any and all Jamaicans to say "Boston Red Sox are #1." Surprisingly, at the infirmary we met some family visiting their brother who now resides at the infirmary. The nephew of the resident had lived in NY for 24 years and was proudly wearing a Yankees cap. We gently reminded him which of the two teams are superior. =)
Tomorrow we wil be back at the infirmary in the AM to discuss some plans and strategies with the Matron for organizing a new employee training, outlining some staff performance standards, and ways to involve the community/volunteers more effectively. These needs were all identified by her and we hope that she will allow us to help create definitions, processes, and protocols that she can review and refine. If you're the praying type, please pray that this conversation and actual work are not thwarted.More tomorrow!
Liz & Ryan
PS to be honest, last night was a little lonesome for us. Our pasta was crummy, the canned green beans were tasteless and I think we felt a little discouraged. Tonight has been much better. There always seems to be a 24-hour period upon first arrival when things seem foreign and bleak. We're past that point now!!
PPS I have teeny tiny bumps all over my arms and parts of my hands. I think it may be heat rash (nothing that can't be cured once I get home....just like anything else I might encounter here) but it does itch like you can't imagine. I forgot to pack any creams for this sort of thing since I've never experienced anything like this during our prior trips. It is seriously driving me mad. But I'll survive. Mine is not a serious ailment at all, as I am reminded of each morning when we arrive at the infirmary.
3.03.2008
Monday - Infirmary Day 1 (Mar 3, 2008)
Our first day back at the Infirmary went quite well, perhaps better than we anticipated. There were definitely some surprises and some sad realizations but overall, things were very good.
The Assistant Head Matron received a promotion in the fall and is now the Head Matron at another infirmary in a different parish. It was unfortunate we did not see her, but we are hoping that one of the nurses who lives in the village where we stay, might be a good fit for this job. We will be checking with the Head Matron tomorrow and bringing a resume along with us. This would be a great opportunity (if all works out) for all 3 parties - our friend the nurse, the Infirmary, and us too since it would help us maintain better contact with the Infirmary.
The sad realizations were the number of faces we had hoped to see but did not. Mr. Jackson has passed away, and it seems that Ermina has too. Another woman, Myrtle, also passed away. Thanks to her our November 2006 team will always have fond memorites. Myrtle gave us a good laugh on our first trip. Myrtle was nearly blind and when her picture was taken using a flash, she clapped her hands and shouted "halleluja! I can see!"
We were sad to realize that these faces were no longer a part of the friends we hoped to visit with. There are many new faces now and this was nice, but reminded us that there is a sense of loss we will likely experience each time we visit the infirmary.
We had a very good conversation with the matron about implementing some changes and it seems like a new door has opened in our relationship with her. This door opened in the most unexpected way, but I guess that is how some doors open at times. We'll take it.
We also learned that our friend Gary plans to move out of the infirmary in October. His sister (Gary is one of 10 siblings) has moved from the Caymans back to Jamaica with her 2 children and will be taking Gary in to live with her. We are so thankful that he will be more settled with his family and hopefully able to take advantage of services and opportunities that he doesn't have at the infirmary.
After our morning at the infirmary we stopped at the primary school to meet the new Principal and to see if they could use 2 sets of hands in the afternoons this week. The new principal was very warm and inviting and it sounds like she wants us to focus on reading with students. I am hopeful this is the start of a new season at the school.
We spent some time with Emily who is now employed (along with her husband) and lives here at the Harmony House. We have really enjoyed meeting them for the first time after the many missed opportunities to connect in the past. Emily was very close to our friend Pearl and we both share that loss with heavy hearts.
Our one remaining hurdle is trying to gain access to our gmail accounts. We can get online and do various things, but for some reason we cannot open any gmail messages! So don't be offended if you have sent a message and don't hear from us for a while.
Our apologies for not having photos to show you more, but we are struggling to get them posted with the internet connection. We'll keep trying, so check back soon!
Liz & Ryan
Our first day back at the Infirmary went quite well, perhaps better than we anticipated. There were definitely some surprises and some sad realizations but overall, things were very good.
The Assistant Head Matron received a promotion in the fall and is now the Head Matron at another infirmary in a different parish. It was unfortunate we did not see her, but we are hoping that one of the nurses who lives in the village where we stay, might be a good fit for this job. We will be checking with the Head Matron tomorrow and bringing a resume along with us. This would be a great opportunity (if all works out) for all 3 parties - our friend the nurse, the Infirmary, and us too since it would help us maintain better contact with the Infirmary.
The sad realizations were the number of faces we had hoped to see but did not. Mr. Jackson has passed away, and it seems that Ermina has too. Another woman, Myrtle, also passed away. Thanks to her our November 2006 team will always have fond memorites. Myrtle gave us a good laugh on our first trip. Myrtle was nearly blind and when her picture was taken using a flash, she clapped her hands and shouted "halleluja! I can see!"
We were sad to realize that these faces were no longer a part of the friends we hoped to visit with. There are many new faces now and this was nice, but reminded us that there is a sense of loss we will likely experience each time we visit the infirmary.
We had a very good conversation with the matron about implementing some changes and it seems like a new door has opened in our relationship with her. This door opened in the most unexpected way, but I guess that is how some doors open at times. We'll take it.
We also learned that our friend Gary plans to move out of the infirmary in October. His sister (Gary is one of 10 siblings) has moved from the Caymans back to Jamaica with her 2 children and will be taking Gary in to live with her. We are so thankful that he will be more settled with his family and hopefully able to take advantage of services and opportunities that he doesn't have at the infirmary.
After our morning at the infirmary we stopped at the primary school to meet the new Principal and to see if they could use 2 sets of hands in the afternoons this week. The new principal was very warm and inviting and it sounds like she wants us to focus on reading with students. I am hopeful this is the start of a new season at the school.
We spent some time with Emily who is now employed (along with her husband) and lives here at the Harmony House. We have really enjoyed meeting them for the first time after the many missed opportunities to connect in the past. Emily was very close to our friend Pearl and we both share that loss with heavy hearts.
Our one remaining hurdle is trying to gain access to our gmail accounts. We can get online and do various things, but for some reason we cannot open any gmail messages! So don't be offended if you have sent a message and don't hear from us for a while.
Our apologies for not having photos to show you more, but we are struggling to get them posted with the internet connection. We'll keep trying, so check back soon!
Liz & Ryan
3.02.2008
Arrival in Jamaica (Sunday - March 2, 2008)
We are back in Jamaica and the beauty of this country never ceases to amaze me.
Our flight left South Bend very early this morning. And thanks to the kindness of our friend E.V. who picked us up at 4:30 AM and treated us to a pleasant ride to the airport. Way before dawn.
We flew to Chicago where we waited for 3 hours to board our flight. After successfully boarding and getting an entire row to ourselves, we sat on the tarmac for over an hour waiting for the food and beverage service carts to be loaded onto the plane. After a very long day (about 10 hours total) we arrived in Montego Bay. The process of entering Jamaica is always amusing to me. Long lines of tourists who are eagerly awaiting the stamp in their passport. The customs agents always look at us a little funny when we answer their questions.
***
"What is the purpose of your visit?"
"We're volunteers. We'll be volunteering at the Clarendon Infirmary."
[Agent's eyebrow is raised. Perplexity expressed on his/her face. Who would go to the infirmary on their vacation?]
"Where are you staying?"
"We will be staying in Harmons, at the Harmony House in Manchester Parish"
[Facial confusion ensues. Harmons? They have never heard of Harmons. And it doesn't seem to be near the beach.]
"Is that a resort or hotel?"
"Um, no, it's more like a, uh, guest house. Yes it is a guest house."
[Silently the agent stamps our books, still a little befuddled. We get motioned to pass through the turnstile to pick up our luggage.]
***
I'm sure we're an oddity in the midst of the tourons (thank you MFG for that wonderful term) who can't wait to get to the beach and pina colada number 1, 2, or 3. I always wonder if the agents think we're lying to them, but then I figure there is no to use the "Infirmary volunteer" as a cover for anything so maybe they do believe us.
Our friend Don was waiting for us at the airport and kindly stopped along the 4 hour drive so we could pick up some food at the market.
Jamaican grocery stores remind me of what shopping in the 50s, 60s, or 70s must have been like. Small, intimate, a hodge-podge of boxed items and produce available. Other than allowing patrons to use debit cards, I think a lot of things must be the same. When I get home I'll ask my parents what they think.
We arrived in Harmons around 6:30 PM and finally met Mark and Emily who are an American couple living in Harmons full-time. Emily was good friends with our friend Pearl (who passed away in August) but we have never met nor officially corresponded until today.
We are ready for bed (to say the least) and looking forward to our first day at the Infirmary tomorrow. We know already that it is the head Matron's birthday so we have a little gift to convey our appreciation of her.
We hope to post again tomorrow with some photos but we are awaiting the password to get online with our own laptop.
More as soon as we can!
Liz & Ryan
We are back in Jamaica and the beauty of this country never ceases to amaze me.
Our flight left South Bend very early this morning. And thanks to the kindness of our friend E.V. who picked us up at 4:30 AM and treated us to a pleasant ride to the airport. Way before dawn.
We flew to Chicago where we waited for 3 hours to board our flight. After successfully boarding and getting an entire row to ourselves, we sat on the tarmac for over an hour waiting for the food and beverage service carts to be loaded onto the plane. After a very long day (about 10 hours total) we arrived in Montego Bay. The process of entering Jamaica is always amusing to me. Long lines of tourists who are eagerly awaiting the stamp in their passport. The customs agents always look at us a little funny when we answer their questions.
***
"What is the purpose of your visit?"
"We're volunteers. We'll be volunteering at the Clarendon Infirmary."
[Agent's eyebrow is raised. Perplexity expressed on his/her face. Who would go to the infirmary on their vacation?]
"Where are you staying?"
"We will be staying in Harmons, at the Harmony House in Manchester Parish"
[Facial confusion ensues. Harmons? They have never heard of Harmons. And it doesn't seem to be near the beach.]
"Is that a resort or hotel?"
"Um, no, it's more like a, uh, guest house. Yes it is a guest house."
[Silently the agent stamps our books, still a little befuddled. We get motioned to pass through the turnstile to pick up our luggage.]
***
I'm sure we're an oddity in the midst of the tourons (thank you MFG for that wonderful term) who can't wait to get to the beach and pina colada number 1, 2, or 3. I always wonder if the agents think we're lying to them, but then I figure there is no to use the "Infirmary volunteer" as a cover for anything so maybe they do believe us.
Our friend Don was waiting for us at the airport and kindly stopped along the 4 hour drive so we could pick up some food at the market.
Jamaican grocery stores remind me of what shopping in the 50s, 60s, or 70s must have been like. Small, intimate, a hodge-podge of boxed items and produce available. Other than allowing patrons to use debit cards, I think a lot of things must be the same. When I get home I'll ask my parents what they think.
We arrived in Harmons around 6:30 PM and finally met Mark and Emily who are an American couple living in Harmons full-time. Emily was good friends with our friend Pearl (who passed away in August) but we have never met nor officially corresponded until today.
We are ready for bed (to say the least) and looking forward to our first day at the Infirmary tomorrow. We know already that it is the head Matron's birthday so we have a little gift to convey our appreciation of her.
We hope to post again tomorrow with some photos but we are awaiting the password to get online with our own laptop.
More as soon as we can!
Liz & Ryan
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