October 10, 2003


We've had a couple stormy/rainy days these last few days. It's been wonderful! On Wednesday, we had our last day of training. It's been held at the place where we had our swearing in ceremony. There are a few classrooms in the building and we've been meeting there with the other 6 volunteers and Franka. After shivering through the first week because they keep the AC so high (!) I've been taking a light sweatshirt with me for class. This week we were in a different classroom and it was even colder. I really hesitate to complain about the cool, but it's just not comfortable having blue toenails--especially when you have to go back out into the heat for lunch and breaks. This week, however, it was kind of rainy and stormy in town and I actually kept my long-sleeves on during lunch outside. I couldn't really believe it. We've been having lots of thunder and showers which has been keeping the temperature down a bit.

Yesterday, my friend, JP and I were deciding whether or not to go down to Bathway for a swim. So we were on my porch looking at the weather over the ocean and deciding what it was going to do--rain or clear up. We decided that neither of us were good judges, so I called my host dad outside and said we need a Grenadian opinion about the weather. He looked at us and said, "Well, first of all, if you want to know what the weather's going to do at Bathway, you need to look that way" and pointed in the opposite direction of our gazes "because that's where the weather will come from." Right, good start, thanks. He told us he thought it would be OK and if it does rain, it's kind of fun to swim in the rain. So, we treked up to the beach and got in the water. I might have told you before that Bathway has a coral reef barrier about 30 feet out from the shore. That pretty much separates where it is safe to swim and not safe. We've been told that "No one has survived" beyond the reef. Trust me, I'm not going to be the first one to try... The water seemed a bit higher yesterday--there was less of the reef showing and much less sandy beach. We were having a nice swim when all of a sudden I spotted a big fin that popped up from the water. Jaws swam through my mind as a shriek came out of my mouth. I tried to point out the spot to JP but it was tough because the waves were a foot or two high. Finally he saw it to, and we realized that "it" wasn't one, there was about 10 or 15 fins bobbing around. The fins were probably each about 6 or 8 inches out of the water. After a few minutes of frightened observation, we realized that the fins were the tails of fish and figured they must be feeding off the coral reef because the water was so high. We relaxed a bit and had a really good time watching this school of "fins". When we got out and went to the little snack shop on the beach, the woman who owns it said "You saw the fish!". She had been watching us from the beach and saw us pointing to them. She said that they come out every full moon and feed on the coral (full moon is tonight!). I asked her what kind they were and she said "Oh oh"--it's a Patois name, she couldn't rememeber their real name, but said they were large black fish.

After we dried off, we caught our respective busses back home. I didn't get back into Grenville until about 6:30. It was drizzling a little and was pretty dark when I got off the bus. As I was walking home, I realized that the street light by our house was out. Luckily the full moon was bright enough to light my way a bit. It stopped drizzling and I was looking around, enjoying the light of the moon and the palm trees and their silhouette against the sky when I realized that the trees were sparkling. These 30-40 foot palm trees had fireflies flying all around them and it made them look like they were sparkling! It looked absolutely magical. There were probably about 30 fireflies near the tops of all of these trees. Their light was more of a white light though then the ones I've seen in the states. Small treasures. I arrived home in the dark to find that the reason that the street light was out was because we had lost power in the neighborhood. Evidently the whole area up to Sauters was without power. My host mom, sister and her niece were relaxing on the couch with an electric lantern. I went to my room and pulled out my headlamp, much to their amusement! The "current" came back on about an hour later and I realized that if it had been on the whole time, I would have missed the fireflies because of the streetlight. Good stuff.

I've changed my mind yet again about apartments and have decided to rent out the 2 bedroom place on the ground level of the family I am living with now. It is a nice place and they said I can use their internet connection downstairs which, in the end, makes it better financially than the other place. Plus they have a washing machine--YEAH! I really like the Peters and the last couple weeks have felt close to them and realized that it will be very nice to have a family so nearby. I think it will be a nice mix of getting my own space and privacy and feeling connected to a family. Right now, I am in Dee's room (18 yr old), so Dee had to share with Junior (15 yr old), so Junior moved downstairs to the apartment for the last few weeks. I think we'll play musical bedrooms sometime early next week and I should be settled in my new place. Remember--that extra bedroom is for visitors, so come on down!


I'm going to try to download some new pictures today as well, so check them out...

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