It's the possibility that keeps me going....

Five more stories of the Remarkable Teens ....

Shazill Bergan

Courage to Overcome:  Spirit of Hope

Shazill’s is a story of resiliency and inner strength.  Shazill was a lonely child who often dreamed of a kinder life when as an eight year old second grade student at Sandy Point Primary School the unthinkable happened. Walking to the bus after school one afternoon, Shazill was grabbed by a man she recognized from the community.  He forced her into his house where he brutally raped her before finally letting her leave. Scared and physically in pain, Shazill found her way back to her mother.  Shazill was taken to the hospital for tests which confirmed the attack and soon after her assailant was arrested.  Shazill was then placed in foster care and sent to live at the Children’s Home for her own protection pending the trial of the man who had raped her.  Shazill explains that her mother visited her daily which she was her saving grace during these troubled times.  Unfortunately, the man who raped her was never brought to trial.  After three years, Shazill’s mother took Shazill back home to live.  Shazill left the Children’s Home with mixed emotions, sorry to leave the many friends she had made there, but happy to be returning home. 

The most inspiring part of Shazill’s story is the radiance of her optimism, the strength and dignity that she has displayed throughout her long ordeal.  Shazill has never received the justice that would have meant so much to her healing, and she is still uncomfortable when she sees her assailant around the community, but she has found the inner strength to overcome the shame and horror of that day by helping others and staying positive.

While a student at Verchilds, Shazill was an involved athlete and school leader who served as a role model and inspiration to classmates. Captain of both the school’s cricket and basketball teams and Vice-Captain of the futbol team, Shazill also participated in track and field events including shot put, javelin and discus and played both netball and volleyball on the school teams.  Shazill’s exemplary leadership skills led to her being chosen to represent Verchilds at the regional Youth Leadership Conference.  

Shazill is also a teenage mother with a one year old son, Kelvin. Kelvin’s father is an active part of their life and Shazill says that they plan to marry one day soon.  Shazill names her brother Amos Francis as her role model.  She looks up to Amos because he also had to overcome the hardship and pain of being bullied in the community because of the family’s poverty. Shazill says that his perseverance and determination proved everyone wrong when he finished high school and college and found a successful career as a teacher. Shazill’s shares her philosophy. “Life is filled with obstacles that can be overcome if you keep a positive attitude.  Life is what you make it.  You never really know who you are until you have to face life’s challenges,”

Shazill is currently attending Clarence Fitzroy Bryant College where she is studying Culinary Arts.  Once she completes this area of study, she plans to enroll in the Nursing program.  Shazill’s life goal is to become a nurse.  “I get strength from helping others,” she says.  “It’s what I hope to do for the rest of my life.”  Shazill is an 18 year old graduate of Verchilds High School.  She receives the Spirit of Hope award in the category of Courage to Overcome.

Shaquille Fredericks

Community Service

For the past six years, Shaquille has volunteered at the Basseterre Fire Station for an average of 24 hours a week. He logs over 1,200 hours of community service each year even while holding down a full time job. Shaquille is also a member of the Fire Department cricket team and a former military cadet. While a fourth form student, Shaquille found that his family needed him.  To do his part to help with finances, Shaquille quit school and got a full time job. In spite of this setback, Shaquille never waivered in his loyalty to fire and rescue services and continued to serve as an auxiliary officer. 

Shaquille’s father is a long time firefighter.  When Shaquille was young, he allowed him to come along to a few fires to watch the men work.  Recognizing the excitement in Shaquille as he watched the firefighters do their job, Shaquille’s father encouraged him to volunteer for the department.  Shaquille was just 12 years old at the time, and he has been volunteering ever since.

When Shaquille was young he remembers chasing fire engines with his brother to see where they were headed and often being able to spot a fire even before he heard the sirens. 

Shaquille believes that to succeed you need to find something you love, something to motivate you, something to inspire you.  Shaquille feels fortunate that he discovered his passion at such a young age.  “Some people spend their whole lives never knowing what it is they really want to do, or doing something they don’t like to just earn a living,” he says. “I’ve known that I want to be a firefighter since the time I was 12, and that is a dream that will never change.”  Shaquille hopes to be hired by the fire department sometime next year when the hiring freeze eases up.

Shaquille Fredericks is 19 years old and works in security as a full time employee of the Port Authority. Shaquille possesses impressive dedication to serving the community.  He is hard working and committed; passionate about helping people.   Shaquille receives the Remarkable Teen award for his exceptional commitment to Community Service.

Desi Brown

Youth Activism

An exemplary student, Desi dreams of becoming an entertainment attorney one day.  But it is not in the pursuit of her career as an attorney that Desi is singly focused, but to the betterment of all youth, spreading her talents and voice as far as she can to persuade other young people to become engaged in their lives, organizing for social change through meaningful youth involvement, and leading her community to a better tomorrow. 

Desi contributes close to 40 hours a month to extra curricular activities in various forms as a member of SKYNPA and co-founder of Young Intellects and the Teen Spotlight Awards – a program that recognizes not just the academic accomplishments of youth, but extra curricular involvement too; time spent in positive behavior that too often goes unnoticed and unappreciated.   Desi also finds time for her first passion of 11 years, dance.  She is a part of the CFBC dance ensemble LEAP, and a member of the Nubian Arts production company.  She also performs at Island Expressions, a popular local entertainment venue. Through LEAP, Desi uses her talents in dance to help prepare dancers of all ages to participate in pageants and other competitions.

Some people try to persuade others to change their behavior directly by modeling the results of making positive choices; Desi is just such an individual.  Desi believes that “success is built on being committed 24/7, always moving forward and knowing where you want to go.”  But it was not always so.  Bullied throughout primary school and first form by classmates, Desi was a withdrawn and unhappy student. In an effort to stand up for herself, she became a bully too, doing to others that which was done to her. Fighting to protect what was left of her dignity and self esteem, Desi lashed out in anger.  She was suspended from school for fighting more than once.

It was then that Desi knew she must let go of her painful past and take control of her life in a positive way before she lost the chance to build a promising future.  Realizing “it’s only you who can create that better feeling,” Desi turned the experience of being bullied from a weakness into strength. She remembered the feelings of being both victim and victimizer and found the courage to admit where she’d been wrong.  “I chose to follow through on what in my heart and mind I knew was right,” she says.  Since that time, Desi has worked tirelessly to create new opportunities as a youth activist and a voice for change in her generation.

Desi Brown is a 17 year old student at Clarence Fitzroy Bryant College, with plans to attend law school overseas. She is being honored as a Remarkable Teen in the category of Youth Activism.

Leahcim Phipps

Culinary Arts

At the age of nine, Leahcim was diagnosed with dyslexia.  Faced with the academic challenges of this learning disability, Leahcim had to work hard with tutors to discover techniques and reading skills to help him learn in spite of this impairment.

Leahcim comes from a family who loves the kitchen.  His grandfather was a baker, his grandmother an accomplished caterer, his uncles, aunts and father passionate about food and cooking.  Leahcim shares their passion and has participated in several cooking competitions.  Most recently, Leahcim and his teammates from ICCS were recognized for the delicious meal of Mahi Mahi and mashed potatoes they prepared for the Department of Youth’s 2010 Chef’s Competition.   In 2010, Leahcim went on a job attachment to the Beach House restaurant where he received much encouragement from the Chef and other kitchen staff.  After volunteering at the restaurant, he was offered a full time summer job as an appetizer chef in 2011.  Leahcim continues to work at the Beach House Wednesday after school and on Saturday helping to prepare such culinary delights as Lobster Pho Soup, Cerviche of Snapper and the island renowned Beach House Salad.

Leahcim is also a sports enthusiast and has been playing cricket since he was eight.  He is currently Captain of the Clarence Fitzroy Bryant College cricket team.  Most recently, Leahcim traveled to Guyana as part of the Leeward Islands cricket team.

Describing his love of cooking Leahcim explains.  “Cooking is a way for me to be creative.  I see it as art, a place where I am able to express myself through food.  When I look at ingredients on their own, they don’t really mean anything.  Then I put them together in a creative way and I find I can make something out of nothing; something that brings a smile to a person’s face. I love that feeling.”

Nominated by Lisa Pistana, former principal of ICCS, Ms. Pistana is asked what she thinks sets Leahcim apart from his peers.  “It is his passion for cooking,” she says.  “It is Leahcim’s fortitude and excitement that motivates him to excel.”

Leahcim plans to attend the Cordon Bleu Culinary Arts School in Miami before returning to St. Kitts to open his own restaurant.

Leahcim Phipps is a 17 year old student at Immaculate Conception Catholic School.  He is being recognized as a Remarkable Teen in the category of Culinary Arts

Glenston Patrick

Commitment to Personal Excellence

Glenston is a persistent young man.  Even while facing academic setbacks, he has remained focused and committed to doing his best at every task. Cricket, music, learning a trade, Glenston has stayed involved, creating many pathways for personal success.  Glenston is a resilient young man who strives for excellence.  He understands the value of flexibility and humor in facing life’s challenges

Glenston has been playing cricket since he was six years old, representing St. Kitts and Nevis at National and International competitions as a member of the National Cricket Team and a member of the St. Kitts Cricket Club.  He was also Captain of his high school cricket team.  In 2008 and 2010, Glenston received the Man of the Match Trophy.

Glenston is an active participant in the St. Kitts and Nevis Defence Force Band as well, playing at Independence Day celebrations and Christmas Galas.

Glenston is an accomplished musician playing both the saxophone and clarinet, but it is the saxophone that he most loves.  “Music is my passion,” he says. “Making music is a way for me to express my feelings.  It also brings joy to others.”

Glenston has held several jobs throughout his young life, including as a security camera repairman, air conditioning and refrigeration repairman, a server and a bartender.

Glenston feels it is important to work hard, to act with discipline and focus and to stay on top of things.  “Not everyone has to go to college to achieve their goals,” he says.  “It’s finding that thing you do best, and then doing whatever it takes to succeed.”

Glenston is an 18 year old student at AVEC, the Advanced Vocational Education Center. He receives the Remarkable Teen award in the category of Commitment to Personal Excellence. 

And the winner is...

Here we are, the long awaited 25 Most Remarkable Teens in St. Kitts official program, complete with photographs and profiles of the 25 truly remarkable teens selected for this special recognition.  The file is huge so I will only be able to post a couple of profiles today with more in the days ahead.  I hope you enjoy reading the profiles and appreciate the courage, faith and sheer determination these young people have demonstrated as they found meaning and purpose in the journey that is the story of their life to now.

KAILAH JAMES 
COURAGE TO OVERCOME:  HEALTH CONDITION

 

Kailah was excited about the upcoming school year.  She had lots of plans for her second year of high school and looked forward to the opportunities that lay ahead. Kailah’s world was a happy place; she loved the dawn of each day.  

On August 9, 2007 all that changed.  Kailah woke with a nagging back pain, a persistent ache that increased during the day. On the sixth day, Kailah was in the shower when she felt like she was going to collapse.  She began to see all kinds of colors, especially red, and when she tried to walk down the hall to return to her bedroom she realized she couldn’t feel the ground beneath her feet.  Her mother called an ambulance and Kailah was raced to the hospital.  Lying in the hospital bed, Kailah realized she was paralyzed.  “I felt like I was going to die,” she says.  “I couldn’t move; I couldn’t feel my limbs.  It was like everything shut down. I was angry, mad at everything and everyone.  I kept asking for my life to be ended when suddenly, a peace came over me, and I knew I would accept my fate.  I don’t know if what I experienced at that moment is what people call ‘divine intervention’ but I know I was embraced by a force of spirit that filled me with strength and hope, and I knew that from that day on I could endure anything.”

Kailah went to Antigua for an MRI and was diagnosed with Acute Transverse Myelitis, a neurological disorder caused by an inflammatory process affecting a thickening of the spinal cord.  What preceded Kailah contracting this condition is not known, but the medical professionals say there are several stages of recovery from partial to full recovery, so the prognosis is hopeful though the timeline is uncertain.  It has been four years now, and Kailah’s optimism and courage have allowed her to turn this crippling disability into an inspiration that speaks to the power of the human spirit.

Kailah embraces everything she does with an exuberance and determination that is remarkable. She loves computers and is learning graphic design. Kailah also enjoys writing lyrics and hopes to one day publish her songs.  In September, she performed an original song at the Independence Day Gala.

 “I think I’m a nicer person since the paralysis, and I definitely have more perspective,” she says.  “I have learned that an emotional disability is much more crippling than a physical disability.  I want to use my story to motivate others, to tell people that the impossible is possible as long as you have faith and never ever give up.”

Clifford Govia, principal of Washington Archibald High School, states "Kailah’s resilience exemplifies courage.  Other children, even adults would have given up or become depressed and withdrawn, yet Kailah remains strong willed and determined in the face of adversity.”

Kailah James is a 16 year old recent graduate of Washington Archibald High School.  She is being honored as a Remarkable Teen in the category of Courage to Overcome: Health Condition. 

RAHEEM DEPUSOIR

MOST ENTERPRISING

What makes Raheem especially remarkable is his ability to channel his love for animals into something truly enterprising.  Nominated by his reading tutor, Millicent Nash, Raheem is a struggling reader who as part of a group of young people with the same difficulty receives extra help.  Explains Miss Nash when asked about Raheem, “When the session is finished, Raheem always stays back for an individual session. He is willing to do whatever it takes to learn.”

From pit bulls to rabbits, Raheem loves animals.  He lives in Belle Vue Village with his mother, grandmother, uncle, aunts, cousins and some of his 19 siblings. 

Several years ago, Raheem’s uncle gave him a donkey to care for and Raheem turned this gift into a thriving enterprise. Recognizing that tourists on their way to Black Rocks were taken by the young boy with the donkey, Raheem began posing for photographs with the tourists and the donkey, and eventually offering donkey rides. Charging $1.00 for a photograph and $2.00 for a ride, Raheem was soon earning money.  On being a successful business man at the age of 12, Raheem says “it makes me feel special and smart.”  Raheem is a confident and determined young man.  When asked for one word he would use to best describe himself, Raheem said “brilliant.”

Raheem hates to see animals hurt, explaining that it is the one thing that makes him unhappy.   His dream is to become a veterinarian and to turn his love for animals into a life long career.  Raheem uses some of the money he earns from his business for school supplies and gives the rest to his mother to save toward his college education. 

            Raheem Depusoir is a 12 year old first form student at Saddlers Secondary School. Raheem plans to attend Ross University and become a veterinarian.  He receives the Remarkable Teen honor in the category of Most Enterprising.

JOSIAH OYEBEFUN

SCHOLAR ATHLETE

Josiah is a sprinter and competes regionally, nationally and internationally in the 100, 200, and 400 meter races.  He holds the national record in his age group for the 200 meter at 22.49s.  Even at the age of 15 Josiah is a young man who has received numerous awards and recognitions for his athletic skill, including the 2009 prestigious Victor Ludorum “Champion of the Games” award for most outstanding male athlete in St. Kitts.   Most recently in 2011 Josiah received a gold medal in the 200M where he set a record at the Inter School Competition and he earned a gold medal in the 100M at the same event.  He also received a gold medal in the 400M at the National Junior Championship.  In addition, Josiah represented St. Kitts and Nevis at the Carifta Games in Jamaica, qualifying 14^th in the 200M. 

Josiah’s commitment to athletics is not the only area in which Josiah stands out.  He is also an honored academic student placing in the top five percent of his class and named on both the Honor roll and Principal’s List at Washington Archibald High School.  Josiah is also a creative young man and enjoys writing short stories and poems. 

In a sport where 4/100^th of a second is the difference between silver and gold, it takes focus, discipline and determination to be the best.  Josiah is all that and more.  He is tough but gentle; a thoughtful young man with an open heart who strives to do his best in everything he does.  When asked where he gets his motivation to push beyond in track, Josiah relates a story from primary school.  “In 2008, I moved to Beach Allen from Molineaux.  I was sort of a fat awkward kid and didn’t feel like I fit.  I decided to try running and did okay, but when I challenged a classmate who was the fastest runner in the school, I lost.  It was then that I realized I had a competitive nature and that I could use that energy in a positive way. Timothy Morton, the coach at Beach Allen, saw my potential and agreed to train me.  With his support and my hard work, I vowed that I would never lose to my classmate again, and to this day I haven’t.”

Josiah gives back to the community by mentoring young children to stay positive and believe in themselves.  “I try to encourage every child I meet to reach for their personal best,” he says, “whatever that may be and where ever their interests may take them.”  Josiah would like to continue to share his story of determination and discipline throughout his life.  He is as committed to being an inspiration to others as he is to his own future.

Josiah Oyebufun is a 15 year old student at Washington Archibald High School who plans to pursue a career in sports medicine.  He receives the Remarkable Teen honor as a Scholar Athlete for his combined academic and athletic ability. 

And so and so said so and so.....

Let me share a little with you about working here in St. Kitts; more specifically about working in the Department of Blank.  In a word, 'frustrating', in another word often 'infuriating', and in yet two more words, 'defys logic'.


I thought things were on track for the upcoming 25 Most Remarkable Teens in St. Kitts award presentation scheduled for November 10th, and felt that months of hard work had finally come together.  The person who must approve the request for a special sitting of Parliament, gave his approval.  The Honorable Curtis Martin, Speaker of the National Assembly, who is the person who has to approve logistics and any requested changes to regular Parliamentary procedure, reviewed the plans and gave his approval.  Profiles of each recipient were completed, each telling the story of the honoree with information gleaned from hours of interviews, phone calls, additional contacts and some good old fashioned creative license.  The program design was well on its way to completion, with my friend and fellow Peace Corps Volunteer, Chris Nelson once again taking charge with his special genius for this specialized task.


A list of guests had been compiled - 170 including the 25 teens and their 25 SKYNPA presenters plus the Government Ministers and Parliament Representatives;  standing room only and quite a wide reach within these small chambers. The presentation was to be aired Live on ZIZ for an even broader national audience, and plans for several radio interviews promoting the event had been scheduled.  Quite an opportunity for these 25 Remarkable Teens to have their individual stories of courage, determination, compassion, commitment, talent and just plain hard work heard around the nation.


So what's the problem?  I can't get a group photo of the Government Minsters and Federal Parliamentarians for the official program because so and so said so and so will get it, and so and so said they're too busy and it's not their job, and so and so said so and so would create a montage and get it to me by Tuesday latest, but that so and so said it was the first he/she had heard of this request and in a word "it couldn't be done." (This back and forth went on for a full two weeks before I decided to leave those photos out of the final printed program.)  


Recipient interviews for the one hour television program to be aired throughout the month of November were a logistical nightmare to schedule, but the job got done and the interviews were all taped. However, now there doesn't seem to be anyone willing to edit the raw footage or add the graphics to the film because so and so has problems with so and so, who has territorial issues with so and so, and so and so said everyone expects them to do everything and to ask so and so to do it, but so and so doesn't have the time, and besides "it's not my job."  Yesterday, I went to the information office and asked for the tapes back.  I will try to find someone outside of the asylum willing to volunteer to do what needs to be done to finalize the program, and if I can't find anyone, then there will be no television program.  It is a shame though, that these difficult people can't seem to put aside their petty differences to focus on celebrating the kids and the power of their collective human spirit.


Then there is the ink.  In order to get the programs printed, I needed to get approval from the  for color ink to give to the print shop.  Both Mr. Blank and the person appointed to oversee Blank said "no problem, you can count on whatever you need."  Three weeks later, nose to nose with the deadline, I am told that an invoice signed by the Overseer in my presence, hasn't actually been approved by 'in the system' because there is no balance in the account to which he assigned the expenditure.  A couple of days later, money was found (or so I was told) and assigned to the correct account and the required process began again.  The Overseer signed off on the release of funds 'in the system" when a new glitch glared; the woman at CPU, the office distributing supplies, would not release nor expedite the order, insisting that protocol calls for a three day waiting period once approved payment has been received, and insisting that the money has yet to be moved from Peter to pay Paul. So, I am still waiting.


And by the way, I am not making any new friends during this insanity.  I've become the pushy American, someone who does not follow rules; a person insensitive to protocol, ignorant of process and procedure, a 'rocking the boat' kind of woman; one of THEM.   Where have I experienced this brick wall of unbending stiff necked obstinacy before? Hmmmm.

So while I can't wait for you to meet the kids and plan to post their profiles and pictures on future blog entries, I first wanted to share my story of broken machines and squeaky wheels and I wanted someone to commiserate with. 

And so it goes.

A Little Bit of This and That

Thought you might enjoy taking a look at these signs/posters I've picked up along the way. 

This one should hang in kids bedrooms everywhere.

This sign should be posted everywhere boys with drooping britches walk.

A sign posted in the window at McDonalds.

Perfect answer.

Not sure where I'd put this one, but I'm down for the message.

Wow.

Very true.

Not much time to write today. In sort of an edgy, reflective, philosophical mode after an especially frustrating work week - make that a madding-ly frustrating work week.  But still, I  remain refreshingly optimistic about Monday. 
I will leave you with something I've been thinking a lot while interviewing these 100 or so kids for the program I'm working on.  Many of them have gone through much loss, aloneness and hurt.  While they have seemingly overcome their adversity with grace and courage, they still hold deep scars and fears about their futures.  I am a firm believer in the idea that abandonment is the wound at the heart of human experience.  It not only represents core human fear but it is something we’ve all experienced at one time or another.  So on that note, let's all try to be just a little kinder to one another.


And so it goes on this first day of October, 2011.

"Come on Connie, you know who I mean... Megan...Megan from Texas."

Haley walked into class last week, smiling and full of life; a happy, joyful 7 year old.  School had started again and she was excited to be a third grader.
"Good morning, Connie," she said as she ran to where I was sharing pictures of my girls with a group of other kids. "Who are they?"
"These are my daughters. Sarah, Caitlin and Maggie."
Haley squealed with recognition and delight.  "You know Megan?" she asked, clearly excited that she thought we had these people in common.
"Megan who?" I said.
Haley shook her head and threw her arms out in exasperation.  "Megan," she said. "Megan from Texas."  
"I don't think I know Megan."
"Yes you do, Connie.  Megan and Bree and Francis and Kayla? They live in Texas.  You know Texas?"
"Yes, I know Texas. But Bree and Francis and Kayla?" I repeated.
"Yeeeeesss!" she said again, waving her arms wildly and spinning around in a circle.
"Texas is a big place, Haley. I really don't think I know them."
Haley stamped her feet and rolled her eyes.  "You knowww them, Connie!"
I looked at the descending disappointment as Haley's body language became more frustrated and I realized that for once language wasn't the problem, but the understanding of time and distance, the limits of Haley's spatial awareness. I knew I didn't want to be the one to tell her there is no  Santa Claus.
"Oh...I think I remember Megan and Bree and Francis and Kayla from Texas," I said. "Maybe I do know them after all."
The return of her smile was worth the little white lie.

It is so hot, hot, hot and humid here; and the thing is, the temperature doesn't change from a.m. to p.m.  How hot is it you might ask?  Last night I froze a litre bottle of water rock solid and put it on my stomach and chest trying to cool myself off. In less than 30 minutes it was liquid and I was back to thinking that Alaska might be a nice place to retire.  Those of you who know me, know that I have often complained about the heat in SoCal too.  I do admit to being a heat wimp, but putting the dramatic aside, it is just too, too hot and humid here. Quoting words from a favorite fun song that Maggie burned on a CD for me several years ago, "It's getting hot in here. I think I'll take off all my clothes."  Now there's a scary visual.

The 25 Most Remarkable Teens program is well on its way to success.  I ended up doing in-person interviews with 90 of the 100 nominees, and have selected recipients in 25 categories.  Presentations will be held on Thursday, November 10 at a special meeting of Parliament wherein award winners will be recognized by all the Ministers of Government, including the Prime Minister, in the presence of parents and other family members, nominators, school administrators and community leaders. There will be no monetary awards for recognition, but rather the simple honor of Government Ministers showing their respect and admiration for the positive choices, courage and determination of these young people.  It's a recognition that is fundamental to the success of the program, its long term sustainability and the broader effect on the way youth will be viewed in this nation.

Speaking of determination, I've been here a year plus now and though I miss home, family and friends immensely, I will stay and fulfill my commitment.  I think the reason I'm here has many layers, but essentially it is in harmony with where I need to be.  So, I'm going to follow my intuition knowing that the experience brings with it the potential for a greater good and a more peaceful life.  In other words, I'm letting the universe have its way with me.

And so it goes for another day.

Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head....

The rain is falling and I am without an umbrella.  I do have one, but it's at home and I'm at the office.  It never fails. I have bought three umbrellas since I arrived in St. Kitts and I never seem to have one with me when I need it. As many of you know, I grew up in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, specifically Seattle, or more specifically, Des Moines.  In all the years I lived there, I never once used an umbrella; not even during my two year return home as an adult.  Walking in the rain was just something you did, like knowing all the different species of moss carpeting the earth as you hiked in the woods.  Frizzy hair and damp clothes were part of the package, a small price to pay to live in nature's paradise.


The very first coffee shop opened in Basseterre last week.  It's called Rituals and it seems to have been designed to resemble Starbucks - even down to the pastry choices and the green and tan color scheme.  I stood in line with everyone else on opening day and ordered a tall cappuccino to go. When I took my first sip, I felt like a little piece of home had come to visit.


The Department of Youth is hosting it's 28th Annual Residential Summer Camp for the next two weeks.  Two hundred children between the ages of 8 and 16 will be sleeping at the Beach Allen Primary School where they will enjoy a variety of educational and enrichment activities organized by my office.  It is the first widespread community volunteer effort I have experienced while on island with 100 adults serving as group leaders and supervisors.  While the organization for this event was at times chaotic, the staff was especially professional and worked well as a team.  I am glad to have been a part of it.  I will post some pictures of both the campers and the staff sometime next week.


The school year ended last Friday and I said goodbye to my third grade students.  I'm not sure if I will resume teaching at Maurice Hillier in September; that mostly depends on whether Miss Matthew returns.  While I enjoyed the kids and the opportunity to share creative writing with them, it was largely because of the teacher that the experience was so positive.  She and I worked well together, better than most, and the children benefited from that relationship.  If she doesn't return, I will find something else to try.  I am committed to make the most of my two years here and working directly with the youth is one of the areas I most enjoy.


I'm borrowing a picture to share with you that my friend Chris posted on his blog.  I think it was one of the ornaments made for the Peace Tree during the Peace Corps 50th Anniversary celebration in June, and it is also a well known Peace Corps slogan. 

Peace Corps Slogan

And so it goes on July 19, 2011, the 199th day of the year.  Enjoy the moment.  I am.

Aracnophobe in the Caribbean

Creepy Crawler

Big hairy tarantulas have always struck immediate fear in this aracnophobe, but none quite like this Caribbean tarantula that I caught lying in wait in my yard as I left my house last Sunday.


It was at least 10 inches wide and 10 inches long - as big as a dinner plate - with 8 beady eyes watching my every move. I'm sure it was a she just after sex, looking sleepy and satisfied she moved slowly as I approached, still using her savage jaws to consume her mate - him being of no use after fertilization.  Creepy cannibals these spiders that eat their mates, no wasted romantic sentimentalism from the female arachnid. She eats her man simply because she's hungry and she can.  A life lesson I might well consider.

In other news, one of the projects I'm working on is generating a lot of interest.  The 25 Most Remarkable Teens in St. Kitts, a program I introduced in Riverside many years ago, is well on its way to success in the Eastern Caribbean.  To market the program we had this banner made and hung it above Fort Street, the main thoroughfare in Basseterre.

Remarkable Teen Banner, Fort Street, Basseterre, St. Kitts

As of today, we've received 75 nomination forms for young Kittitians ages 12 - 19.  That's 20 more forms than we received the first year I implemented the program in Riverside - a city of 300,000 people - St. Kitts has a population of 35,000.  Now the real work begins with telephone calls to nominators, meetings with endorsers and community supporters, panels and personal interviews.  All the steps in the process of selection have been designed to find out the real story behind each of these remarkable kids. At the end of it all, recipients will be featured on a local television program produced by us and presented with their awards at a special meeting of Parliament during National Youth Month in November.  A long way to go, but a great start with the enthusiastic response of teachers, principals, parents, service clubs, and faith based organizations all submitting nominations.


It's hurricane season again in the Caribbean.  The time when exceptional weather creates an unstable atmosphere with the convergence of warm moist air and other stuff to produce the greatest storms on earth.  While the real threat of hurricanes doesn't usually concern locals until late August, I'm already rehearsing my landing for when my roof flies off my house and I end up back in Kansas with Dorothy.   Random thunderstorms displaying the frightening sounds and sights of thunder and lightening were the highlight of my weekend and it's only the beginning of July.  I looked up the names of the projected Atlantic hurricanes for 2011 and found Arlene is expected to be the first, followed by Bret, Cindy, Don, Emily, Franklin, Gert, Harvey, Irene, Jose, Katia, Lee, Maria, Nate and Ophelia  - the tragic madwoman of Hamlet. Yes, I think I'll stop there. Ophelia will be the one to unleash her fury on my little tropical island, another adventure. 


Do you know you can actually make mock bets on which hurricanes will hit land?  There was a report on ABC News last year about Ken Horowitz, a man initiating such a platform.  Traders would buy and sell Hurricane Risk Landfall Options that represented different regions of the Atlantic coasts.  If a hurricane hit land in the region that corresponded to your option, you would split the payout with others making the same bet.  If it's still available, the website is called Weather Risk Solutions and it's headquartered in Palm Beach, Florida. I'll put my money on Ophelia.

Before I close, a comment.  News reports this morning said that the Marist Poll shows that only 58% of the Americans surveyed knew when the country declared independence and only one in four knew which country we gained independence from. Troubling.

And so it goes, on this our country's birthday.  Happy 4th of July.

St. Kitts and Nevis Celebrates Peace Corps 50th Anniversary

I thought you might like to read an article I wrote about our Peace Corps 50th Anniversary celebration here on St. Kitts and Nevis.  I will update the blog with more personal reflections next week after things quiet down.  Until then enjoy!

Peace Corps Day – Independence Square, Basseterre, St. Kitts

On 3 June, 2011, seventeen Peace Corps Volunteers (PCVs) from St. Kitts and Nevis gathered in Independence Square located in Basseterre, St. Kitts to host an all day community event celebrating the 50^th Anniversary of Peace Corps and featuring games, music, arts, crafts and information about the work of PCVs in the Federation.

A history of the Peace Corps was presented in the Past booth with a timeline of important events that have contributed to its successful growth and the global reach of the organization in 132 countries over the past 50 years.

The Present booth featured a world map where the stateside home of each PCV currently serving on St. Kitts and Nevis was pinpointed.  To the side of the map were photographs and a short biography of each PCV including a description of their work assignment and comments by their counterparts on the importance of their service and their value to that organization or school.

The Future booth offered six activities for event participants, with the focus on activities for children.

One World Banner:  A 3’ x 25’ horizontal banner – One World…Many Hands…Holding Our Future - was covered with colorful hand prints of all event participants.  The banner will be displayed on Fort Street, just off the Circus Square in Basseterre, as a work of art illuminating the community connection and spirit demonstrated at the Peace Corps 50^th Anniversary event.

Peace Tree:  In celebration of International Peace Tree Day, festival goers created an “ornament” to place on the Papaya tree in the garden at Project Strong, a skill development school in St. Kitts.  The “ornaments” created were religious, cultural and simple symbols of peace representing countries and cultures from around the world.  The tree was photographed in the garden at Project Strong where the “ornaments” remain on display today.  A photograph of the Peace Tree was submitted to the official International Peace Tree Day website to be included in their selection of 2011 Peace Tree Day celebrations around the world.

Peace Corps Quilt:  Participants were invited to design a square representing one of the 132 countries the Peace Corps has served since its inception in 1961.  Flags of each of the countries were presented for replication. The finished squares were sewn together to make a quilt which will be displayed at primary schools throughout St. Kitts and Nevis.

Children were also invited to make bookmarks and ceramic tiles to take home and use as gifts for friends or family members.  The activity presented translations of the word “Peace” in 75 world languages. Once participants chose a language to transcribe onto the bookmark or tile, they were given permanent markers to use for decoration.

A popular activity for both adults and children was the chance to make friendship bracelets interweaving the colors of the Kittitian and American flags.  Colorful yarn bracelets could be seen all over St. Kitts and Nevis for weeks following the event. 

Children danced to music played throughout the day by local disc jockey Wet Dirt. As an added surprise visitors enjoyed a special performance by the Dr. William Connor Primary School Iron Band.  Other activities included a trivia style game in which visitors were given candy and prizes  based on correct responses to questions derived from the timeline, handouts and general knowledge of the Peace Corps and its mission.  Children were also invited to play football/soccer with equipment provided by the Ministry of Sports.  A video montage of the event can be viewed at URL http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xtIbR3XGAc

The Peace Corps 50^th Anniversary celebration was a huge success with hundreds of participants enjoying the activities and information presented by the PCVs of St. Kitts and Nevis.  The three goals of the Peace Corps were highlighted and reinforced throughout the day as Kittitians and Nevisians learned first hand about the mission of the Peace Corps in promoting peace and friendship around the world.

Have you ever seen a hearse go by...?

It's been too long since I've put fingers to keyboard to post on this blog, but not because it hasn't been on my mind.  My muse has been missing. It still is. That's the only excuse I can offer.

The world did not end on Saturday, but I did begin another decade of my life; quietly with a walk on the beach, reflecting on the past and making plans for the future.  And then it was Sunday and after a painful night of tossing and turning, I reached for the aloe to nurse my sunburnt shoulders and decided everything could wait until Monday, including getting up. 

Today I walked past Jenkins Funeral Home on my way to the gym and a hearse was parked curbside, back hatch door wide open, waiting to be loaded. The first thought that came to my mind was The Hearse song I learned during a girl scout camping trip and I couldn't help but start to sing, "the worms crawl in, the worms crawl out, the worms play pinochle on your snout..."   The whole thing gave me the creeps as it did back then, so I crossed the street and tried to look elsewhere, but as with most anything scary, from a safe distance it's hard to resist another peek.

Walking home last week, two girls ran up to me as I neared the top of the hill in my village. "You got a facebook?" they blurted in unison. 
"Am I on facebook?"
The girls looked at each other and rolled their eyes.  "Ya," the taller one said.
"Yes, I'm on facebook."
"What's your name, we gonna friend you?"
"Connie."
"That your facebook name?"
"Connie Howard is my facebook name."
They divided the chore of remembering my name between them, repeating it several times.
"Say yes when we friend you," Tanequa said. "T  for Tiger, a-n-e-q-u-a."
"Tanequa," I repeated.
"Me too, the other one said.  "Shanequa. S for Sexy, h-a-n-e-q-u-a.."
"Okay, Shanequa."
"Where you live Connie Howard?"
I pointed to my house which was just up the road.
"You from Italy?"
"No, America."
"I love America," Tanequa said and grabbed Shanequa's hand.  "We gotta go, but we gonna friend you when we get home," she promised as they ran down the hill.

I'm still teaching expository writing to the 3rd grade at Maurice Hillier.  Last week we worked on apology letters and I taught the kids how to address envelopes.  Both skills are part of the standards they must know for end of the year testing.  I suggested they write to a classmate, which didn't turn out to be a problem since apparently everyone had wronged someone sitting near them at one time or another. Anyway, to make the lesson more fun, I promised I would mail the completed letters at the post office so that each would receive a letter at home.  Reading the letters before I mailed them was hysterical.

Two examples:  Dear Andria, I am sorry I hit you on the head with my bible puzzle book.  Jaylen forced me to do it.  I will be your assistant every day next month starting June 1 if you forgive me.  I promise I will never do it again. Love, Tabian.
Dear Jaida, I am sorry I stole your lunch money.  Miss Matthew forced me to do it.  I take full responsibility for my actions and will never do it again.  Would you like me to bring you flowers?  Your friend, Onaje.

I'm not sure it translates well in the telling, but it gave me a good laugh and reminded me that kids are kids no matter where they live.

I'm off to do a radio show to promote my 25 Most Remarkable Teens in St. Kitts project.  More on that later.

And so it goes, for now.

10 Things I Miss Most...

It seems as though I am becoming known among my friends as a lazy blogger.  It's not that I don't think about the blog, planning long clever posts while doing my daily work out on the treadmill, but somewhere between working out and sitting down at the computer my thoughts give way to the excessive heat and humidity of my environment; climate factors that work against creativity, effectively reducing blood flow to my brain and thus my ability to blog.  I hope this is an improvement on the dog ate my homework story.

Ten things I miss most about life in the U.S.A.

1. Family
2. Friends
3. Variety of food
4. Sunday newspaper
5. Brothers and Sisters, Grey's Anatomy, Desperate Housewives and Dexter
6. Transportation mobility and basic driving rules
7. Seasons
8. Celebrating traditional holidays
9. Separation of church and state
10. Experiencing people with the energy of ambition

And so it goes. Thanks for reading.

Divine worship vs. disturbing the peace: What do you think?

I'm having a noise issue in my neighborhood, and while it's driving me crazy, I don't know what I can do about it. 

I live in a neighborhood where several churches sit amidst groups of houses clustered together in varying density. The Church of God of Prophecy is located within a football field of my house and from 7:30 p.m. - 10:30 p.m. between 3 to 5 nights a week microphone enhanced seismic sound waves of song and sermon blast from its doors straight into my living room. The booming rhythm is so loud that it sounds like the entire congregation is meeting at my house.

Church of God of Prophecy

During the past few weeks, I've spoken to a few church members and some local officials about this issue. I've asked respectfully if the volume on the sound system can be turned down. I've suggested that loud music is not necessary for worship, that music and sermons don't have to be loud to honor God, that perhaps God sometimes speaks in whispers. I've argued that loud music is loud music, whether it be Christian or secular; explained that I would honor their request if my music or worship disturbed their peace of mind. And I've referenced the Christian principles of "love one another" and "do unto others as you would have them do unto you"; that for one to worship with grace one must not just speak the Gospel of Peace, but live it.  The overwhelming response?  I've been accused of being godless, of worshiping the devil, of being a sacrilegious tourist, and finally, I've been advised to deal with it; told that I have no rights when those rights are in conflict with the rights of the church.

I've been informed by locals that the Pentecostal church believes very loud music and a shouted message is powerful and that neighbours will hear the service and come in to repent of their sins. I think the intensity of the volume overwhelms the mind and obscures the message; you can't even decipher the words coming through this wall of sound.  I don't see that worship at this level of noise does anything to glorify God or encourage faith.

Paul, in speaking to the Corinthians. laid down some guidelines to bring order to worship services. In these verses, he states that "those who are spiritual should be able to follow these guidelines, and he gives two summary statements.  One emphasizes prophecy over tongues because it edifies others, and the other emphasizes order in the worship service (vss. 39-40)."  In Corinthians I, verse 15, Paul addresses the subject of music directly: "I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind." I believe Paul would turn down the volume if asked. Paul was a great believer in thinking Christianity.

From my point of view, well reasoned faith. 

And so it goes, on President's Day 2011.

I'm just saying...

1.  My co-worker Diane has two children, both girls. Their names:  Siana and Siane. They look alike, talk alike, are close in age and both wear blue school uniforms with matching hair ribbons.   My neighbor has two daughters: Taniqua and Tanisha, same thing except their uniforms are brown.  And the way I'm supposed to figure out how to tell them apart and call them by their right name?


2.  I got to the bus stop a little later than usual last Friday morning.  Several buses passed me by signaling they were full. When one finally stopped there was only room in the front seat which is a scary ride no matter who is driving, but I was tired of waiting so I decided to hop on and close my eyes for a fearless ride.  And hop on is exactly what I tried to do - unfortunately falling to the ground before making contact with the seat. No one offered to help, just looked at the clumsy blonde Peace Corps and waited for me to pull it together and try again. 

 3.  I walked along the shores of the Atlantic from my house to the Marriott last week.  The walk was about 4 miles and it was both beautiful and disturbing. 
 

Me on this glorious day halfway from my house to the Marriott

  

Same walk, about a mile later, covered in litter, a major threat to the ecosystem.

The end of the walk, taken from the restaurant at the Marriott.

4.  Last week, we were told a meeting had been scheduled with the Permanent Secretary (PS) of our Ministry for Tuesday morning at 10.  I was looking forward to the opportunity to discuss my service goals and had prepared several project outlines to share before walking across the street to Government headquarters with the other staff members from my office. Once we arrived, we waited in the hallway for the assistant to call us into the meeting. 30 minutes later, still waiting, the assistant appeared and told us we should return to our offices and wait there for the PS.  It's Monday morning, 4 work days later, and I'm still waiting.


5.  The Director of Youth (my counterpart) is also a wedding planner and an embalmer.


6.  On one of my beach walks, I came across Dr. Brown and his amazing Aquaculture Fish Farm.  It is a research farm which he has been operating (self-funded) for some 16 years.  Dr. Brown told me he cultivates the Jamaican Red Snapper, a salt water version of the fresh water Tilapia.  He has four ponds on his property, all fed with water from the sea.  He also has an invention he calls a Sexual Reassignment machine and a process he said he developed to do just that, thereby reducing the number of female fish and increasing his profits. (Apparently each female can produce 1500 babies - far more than he needs to feed, grow and sell.)  The contraption is located near the "maternity ward" and looks much like a trio of laundry tubs with tubes extending in several directions. By taking the newly spawned females, putting them in this machine, and feeding them a special food laced with testosterone, he said he can influence their gender and control the number of females he cultivates.  He said he only needs 5 females to cultivate the entire farm.   "Besides," he explained, "females eat too much and are a distraction to the males."  Where have I heard that before?

Dr. Brown's Aquaculture Center.

 

Dr. Brown explaining his fish farm.

The maternity ward.

7.  Everyday on the way home, the bus passes the St. Kitts dump, a site that has been used to deposit trash and other waste for the past 15 years.  About 5 weeks ago a huge pile of tires caught fire and sent dense billows of black smoke into the air. The toxic fumes continue to poison the atmosphere as the fire burns from below the earth.  There are no plans to contain it.

8.  Kittitian women have a habit of patting the tops of their heads.  I've asked several people about this gesture - wondering if it was culture specific or had a lingual context.  One person told me it was a way of scratching the head where too tight plaits contributed to an itchy scalp. That made sense until I saw a woman without plaits doing the same thing - patting rhythmically on a spot closer to her forehead.  "It means everything is good," she told me.  That worked too, but it seemed to be a rather painful way of showing happiness.  Finally, after observing schoolchildren doing the same thing, usually after being reprimanded by an adult, I decided it must be nervousness, not unlike nail biting or foot tapping.

9.  Calvin Klein don't bother to send your perfumes to St. Kitts!  I've been curious why so many Kittitian school girls have white necks.  Since I'm not living in a culture that practices body markings to denote tribal or familial affiliations, I decided it was time to ask the question.  A young high school student, similarly marked, got off at the same bus stop that I did and we walked together for awhile. When I asked her about the markings she explained that it was baby powder, and that all the girls used it because it "makes you smell sweet and keeps you fresh all day."  Are you listening Johnson and Johnson? 

10.  I've been going to the gym for 4 weeks now, working out with weights, trying to tone my neglected muscles. The trainer on the floor, a lovely and very muscular woman named Shirley, told me the first day she met me that I was the weakest person she had ever worked with.  She didn't mean it to be disrespectful, just stating the facts.  She told me she didn't think I would ever be able to build any muscle, but she didn't give up on me and I didn't give up on me.  Today she told me I was getting stronger.  Yea, me!

And so it goes on Valentine's Day 2011.