Category: Dominica

The meal at noon provided the major excitement today. After eating portions of everything on my plate, I noticed a small, white grub worm crawling next to my rice. The expression on my face was enough for Bill to ask me if I swallowed a bone. I wish it were only that. My appetite was ruined. I finished my chicken and plantains but did not eat anything else.

Bill said it was probably nothing to worry about. It was probably just a worm similar to the ones in apples. He conjectured it may have come from the lettuce. I had some lettuce. He did not and he did not see anything crawling on his plate.

I don’t think I ate any of the worms. At least I hope I didn’t. I checked our PC medical book, Where There Is No Doctor. There were no pictures exactly like the worms I saw. I am still very nervous but will just have to wait and see.

Catherine and Yolanda arrived. They called to make arrangements for a trip tomorrow to the Trafalgar fete celebrating the end of the harvest. I also talked to Mikki, Jay, Brad, and Don today.

August 5

I slept on and off but overall pretty well until 5AM when Brad’s alarm clock went off. Don was in the shower again so I waited in line. I let Catherine use the toilet before I took my shower with some bug. Of course it was cold but it was a shower hose.

I went back to my room and used the sink to prepare for the day. I wore a wrinkled shirt, black pants, white socks, and my Reeboks. I forgot my toothpaste and had to wait for Brad to get up before I brushed my teeth.

After waiting a few moments, we had a breakfast of juice, coffee, and toast and loaded into the transport to the airport. We all made it on this time. We left late and had to get off the plane in Martinique.

While we were waiting for another plane, I bought water and a danish. It cost me about $3 US. I also paid for Don’s beer ($2 US) because he only had coins with which he paid me. We got back on the flight and took a 15 minute trip to St. Lucia where Felix was waiting.

We received our spending money and rode to the school where the training was. The others were on a scavenger hunt and we went off for refreshments.

After 12 we headed back to the school, listened to the results of the scavenger hunt for various cites in St. Lucia. We signed up for interviews and received T/D shots.

Following these activities we went for a walk and ate at “Flintstones.” I had chicken, bread, and lime juice. I had soursop ice cream for dessert which tasted just like Brad’s Passion Fruit ice cream which tasted just like vanilla.

The training session resumed with skits. Ours was the shortest and least telling of the trainees’ adventures in their countries. We also had an explanation for the creole training.

After training Dave Matheny and I were picked up by our Homestays for St. Lucia. They are a retired couple who lived in England many years. We got the chance to watch the Bush announcement of his Supreme Court nominee and had tuna for dinner.

July 23

The move to St. Lucia started with me removing clothes from the line. The clothes were extremely wrinkled after sitting in a hot washing machine during the afternoon. Frustrated, I ironed them and packed everything away.

After packing, we said our goodbyes to the Shillingfords, gave them our gift (Lennox Honeychurch’s Island Culture), and walked down for breakfast. We said our goodbyes to the Leathums and gave them their gift (a map of Dominica).

We finally picked up, got our suitcases and left for a spaghetti dinner at APCD MaryAnn Murray’s house. I met some more PCVs and RPCVs who returned to Dominica. Tony was working on a masters through Pitt and attended McDowell High School [where my niece and nephew went to school] since he was originally from Erie [PA]. His dad is in charge of hiring.

We left Trafalgar for the airport to catch our flight to St. Lucia. Two of the volunteers were bumped and eventually we were all bumped and taken to a guest house not far from Melville Hall Airport. We were given very beautiful rooms and a beautiful meal.

The meal was a choice of chicken, beef, or fish. I chose chicken. We were served in addition to the chicken, a dasheen puff, rice, carrots, lettuce, banana salad, a cucumber slice, and beets. For dessert I had fruit cake which was fresh and delicious.

After that the manager showed us the craft shop. They had hats like the one Catherine made Brad and Sue. However they charged $25 EC fro the hats. Although I liked the thermometer I decided to pass on souvineers [sic] and went to bed.

July 22

We went for a late breakfast after ironing, showering, and putting in laundry. Mikki and Jay had already gone into town house-hunting so Brad and I went back to the Shillingfords’ house for the morning. I read my international version of Newsweek and watched cartoons with Devi. I got to see “Beetlejuice.” The Shillingfords decided to all go to town and leave Brad and me on our own. Mr. Shillingford told me if I had a daughter with a black woman it would be the same color as his daughter Sheree. Mr. Shillingford proudly told Brad and me once before that his grandfather was white.

After they left we watched TV including “The Naked Gun” on HBO and went to lunch. After playing cards and meeting with Don and Sue we went to Don’s homestay to get Sue’s and Brad’s hats made by Catherine of Grand Bay. We also walked to the bay and got our feet wet and other parts. My shorts and shirt are still damp. Sue saw a scorpion on the coast.

Brad and I went to the Shillingfords because I had to hang up clothes which were no longer being washed once the water went off. Teresa hung them up although I’m not positive they were thoroughly rinsed. We went for dinner played cards some more and I lost again. We got the chance to watch wrestling with Mrs. Leathum. She was really into it. It was TBS wrestling. Brad and I left to get back and prepare for tomorrow’s move to St. Lucia.

July 21

After finding some dry clothes on the line I dressed up for today’s activities. Brad and I left for breakfast on foot. We left after eating custard, bananas, bread, juice, and meat.

Upon arriving at the school we had a combined class (all 9 of us) in patois and a lesson in singing the National Anthem. I was the worst singer of the nine, but I figure if I sing it loud enough it won’t sound too bad in St. Lucia.

After that we got on transport to town. I sat on a block behind a rasta whose locks got closer to my mouth as he leaned back in the overcrowded bus.

When we made it to town I exchanged some money, bought postcards, a t-shirt, and flags to wave when we sing the national anthem of Dominica. Our planned session on family relationships was canceled when the speaker did not arrive. I went shopping again for plastic shoes (Toyotas in green, yellow, and red) and the papers with the Peace Corps articles. We listened to the current PCVs’ suggestions on housing at 1 pm. 

After those words of wisdom, I played around with the spreadsheets and database programs on the Peace Corps Macintosh. Brad and I then went shopping for gifts for our homestays. We bought a map for the Leathums and a book for the Shillingfords.

Mikki and Jay joined for another cramped ride home. This time Mikki almost didn’t make it without puking. Mr. Shillingford was home and offered us beers when we arrived. Brad and I were let known that alcohol-drinking was the proper, manly thing to do in Dominica. I had a beer but Brad doesn’t drink. Mr. Shillingford was amused that I could drink about 4 beers with friends compared to his 20.

We ran down for dinner shortly after and then Brad, Sue, and I visited Don. I had an attack of diarrhea and [had] some tea to cure it. We saw Don’s homestay, Catherine, make a hat. We finally made it home and happily because tonight there were lights and power.

July 20

After a horrible night’s sleep of roosters (starting at 3AM) and Sheree crying we woke up and went to breakfast early in order to get to Rouseau in time for a Portsmouth transport. The transport left around 9 and we arrived at the Portsmouth Secondary School after 10.

Brad and I gave our qualifications to Mrs. Murdock who will be leaving the position of principal soon to travel with her husband, the former APCD of Dominica. She filled us in about the school, introduced us to Brian, who is a Math teacher there, and gave us the books we will be using. They seem very easy to me. Mr. Fabien was also there.

After that meeting, he drove us to the Catholic Presbytary, where we met Father Reggie. Like Athlene Murdock he promised to keep an eye open for housing possibilities for us.

Following that meeting we had a long wait for transport back to Rouseau. On Thursdays Rouseau used to close down in the afternoon and people are still in the habit of not going to town. Thursday is also the day the banana boats are loaded.

Finally we made it back for the rest of a dry speech on politics in Dominica. The speaker was so tall he almost walked into the overhead fan. Jay gave away the sandwiches Mrs. Leathum prepared for us but we didn’t take. I had some Kool-Aid at the Peace Corps office and a soda and Milo bar in Portsmouth.

We made it back to Grand Bay in a minivan that at one time held 20 or more people. We hung the clothes that were in the washer and put in one more load. Toni invited me up to his snackette and gave me a Coke. I also got a lesson on politics.

I left for dinner which included Macaroni & Cheese, played “Up & Down” and won my first time playing, by candlelight. The lights went off again.

written on July 20

Wednesday started with a patois lesson on verbs and tenses and the days of the week. Interviews were going on with our APCD MaryAnn Murray. I had to wait for an hour for it. It was primarily a chance for her to get to know us better. At lunchtime we hd tuna and tasted fried breadfruit which is similar to french fries. After lunch we heard from Chief Education Officer Anthony Lockhart. Mrs. Shillingford confirmed what he said. We learned that their education system is only for the best and the standards are much higher than those in the U.S. We worked in the cemetery from 5-6:30 moving stones from the lawn, cutting plant growth, and raking up dead grass. Bill, Sue, Mikki, Jay, Brad and I made some small improvements. During our dinner which included a custard and Kool-Aid the lights went out. Apparently they usually go out on Thursdays because of the work on the hydro-electric plant but they also went out .. today.

written on July 19

In today’s class we learned more patois: how to tell your name, profession, nationality, and your state. We learned the words for relatives, too. Mikki is continuing to do better.

Her husband Jay wasn’t feeling well. He had the Hershey Squirts and did not go to the afternoon session.

He went to morning language lessons while the people from my group went to the health center. I started my community service by cutting grass. The girls talked to nurses and Bill got a chance to visit the fire station.

After that visit we had lunch and went for a history lesson on Dominica. The information was important and presented well but I was hit by down-time. Lennox Honeychurch, the presenter, lives in or near Portsmouth and he seemed hopeful to see me there.

Brad and I got our laundry off the line and went back down to the Leathum’s. I broke a glass on the patio before we took off for church meeting. It was much longer and more personal than I expected. We got a chance to do some community service, more for me and finally some for them, by agreeing to help clean the cemetery. 

After the meeting we went nuts over dry mix chicken soup after finishing ice cream on the way home.

July 17