Bye Bye 2008 Hello 2009!

So in this post we've decided to mention some of our 2008 highlights! With the year coming to a close we find ourselves reflecting on some of the great things we experienced this past year! So without further ado....here it goes!

On January 13 we were blessed with a wonderful god-daughter Kaila! She keeps growing like a weed and we miss her more than ever. We enjoy seeing pictures of her and her beautiful smile.

In January we were also accepted into the Peace Corps! We knew we were going to the Caribbean but were unsure on which country and our exact departure date. We also spent an awesome weekend at a Bed and Breakfast where we did some snowshoeing and snowboarding!

February we tried out cross country skiing for the first time...I'm not sure it's something we'll do a lot of but it was fun to spend some time with the Overstreet's in peaceful Elk River. March was a trying time for both Will and I. My great grandfather passed away... I think about him often especially when times are tough- he gives me great strength and keeps me prayerful. Will's grandmother Betty Schumaker also passed away. She will be sorely missed by all- a reminder of saintliness and kindness.

April brought final preparations for graduation. Will was busy student teaching at Troy High School having the time of his life- traveling with the FFA program and inspiring high school students.

May was extremely chaotic! On May 5 we received the news that we would be heading to Jamaica for Peace Corps! 4 days later we graduated from the University of Idaho with degrees in Agriculture! This was a huge accomplishment for the both of us. We also went camping with Steve and Annie! A beautiful place in Washington called Lake Crescent. June we packed our apartment and left the University of Idaho and our cute little apartment. This time was spent with family and friends saying our goodbyes and preparing for Peace Corps. I traveled to Las Vegas to bring my near and dear friend Erin back to Boise to begin teaching in Idaho!

July we left for Florida for 3 days for Peace Corps staging. This was our last time in the United States- we departed for Jamaica on July 3. July was filled with training, sightseeing, and making new friends. August we found out where we would be living- Santa Cruz, St. Elizabeth. We also found out we would be working with an organization called RADA- Rural Agricultural Development Authority. We were also finally sworn in as Peace Corps Volunteers. A year from the time we applied for Peace Corps to the time we were sworn in as volunteers. September October and November brought many trying times. We struggled with integration, life as a volunteer, and daily life in Jamaica. We travelled around a little bit in Jamaica. We visited Lovers Leap, frequented Treasure Beach, and Dunns River Falls and attended the Shrimp Festival (needless to say eating shrimp since then has been non-existent) In September our godson-Matthew Kudrna was also born. We have yet to hold him and actually see him but thanks to his wonderful parents we get to see lots of pictures of the little man! Finally this past month we traveled to Portland for Christmas! We had a wonderful time with our friends Josh and Jesse along with Dave and Molly. We hiked to a beautiful waterfall, baked sugar cookies, cooked an awesome Christmas dinner, watched A LOT of movies, stayed in the glass house in Long Bay, visited Monkey Island, stayed at Ivanhoes guest house, and basked in the sun at Frenchman's Cove. All in all a fabulous time- will write more of this wonderful journey in the new year!

Alas we reach today... our 2 year anniversary! We've been married for 731 days...holy moly! We've had a wonderful time together and look forward to many more years to come. Just a little reminder of our wedding day....

Merry Christmas!

Since this is the last time we will have internet access prior to December 25 we're going to wish EVERYONE a

from the wonderful island of Jamaica but more importantly from the Schumakers! As you already know we love and miss you all however we hope you have a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year!

P.S. We're kinda cheap so consider this your early Christmas card :)

Is It Really Almost Christmas....?

Seriously….it’s still hot, there isn’t much Christmas spirit, and WE DON’T EVEN HAVE A TREE!- this is a sin in itself for us! We love Christmas- everything about it- the tree, nativity, advent wreath, food- oh the food, spending time with our family and friends, the parties, movies, music, and just the Christmas spirit. However I like to think this Christmas will be unlike any other…We’re in Jamaica!

I’ve been asked by several family members to illustrate a typical day… this is really hard because no two days are the same however for the most part our Friday’s go something like this:
We wake up at 6:45 a.m. in the morning- for no particular reason- we don’t have to leave for work until 8:15… Below is a picture of our wonderful room...

we roll out of bed and make breakfast- every day is different. Sometimes it toast with peanut butter other times it’s a fried egg or porridge. Once we eat Breakfast Will washes dishes while I get in the shower (now mind you sometimes we have water lock off so taking a shower is not possible unless we use our water from outside to wash up). Once we both get our morning shower in we pack our lunch and walk to work. The walk takes us about 15 minutes- we like to walk slowly- we’re not in a hurry and if we get to walking to fast we start sweating…that’s no fun! When walking we like to take pictures---Behind us is the neighborhood we live in:When we arrive at work we do office tasks for the majority of the day- I might spend my time on the computer preparing lessons for my school children while Will helps Extension Officers enter crop data. On Fridays the office closes at 4 which is an hour early. We walk downtown into Santa Cruz. This is a picture of downtown Santa Cruz:We walk to the Market which isn't too far from the main road. This is one of my favorite things to do in Santa Cruz, they have an awesome market with almost everything produced in Jamaica. Everything is so fresh and the people are really nice to us. We’ve developed relationships with about 5 people at the market- these are the people we buy almost all our produce from. This particular woman is extremly nice to me- she is always really excited to see Will and I. She then proceeds to tell us how beautiful we are!We walk away with bags full of carrots, cabbage, sweet pepper, lettuce, onions, garlic, sweet potato, irish potato, cucumber, zucchini, and sometimes salt fish. We then begin walking back home- since we walked into town it takes us about a half hour to get back home. This is another slow and heavy walk. One of our favorite things when we're walking is to see this calf and his mama! They come to the fence to greet us- almost daily- I ♥ this little guys ears!Once we get home we prepare dinner- This is the best day to cook because we have all of our wonderful, fresh produce. Most nights we sit in our room or on the veranda reading or listening to music.

This weekend we’re going to our favorite spot…Treasure Beach! We’ll soak in some rays, have wireless internet, swim in the sea, and enjoy some Jack Sprats Pizza! Then it’s off to Portland for Christmas- We finally have our arrangements- we’ll be staying at a nice little guest house on the beach for two nights and then in Port Antonio for two more nights and of course with our favorite Portland friends Josh and Jesse for 3 nights. We’re looking forward to Christmas and trying to make the best of it! We’ll be thinking of everyone as they gather to celebrate the spirit of Christ! We love you all!

We've got to keep on Moving....

First of all I need to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY to WILLY! Well actually his Birthday was on December 4 but this was the earliest I could get something posted! I think, for the most part, he had a fabulous day! We were in Kingston taking care of “business” and decided to stay with our embassy friend Roger. He lives at Powell Plaza and has AC, hot water, internet, all the cable channels one can imagine, and a very comfy bed! It’s better than the way we were living in the U.S. (ahhh married housing at UI). For Will’s birthday we were able to eat at a fancy Italian restaurant- (uh yeah I said ITALIAN!) Will had pasta with smoked sausage and I had some yummy chicken alfredo with fettuccini…ahhh my mouth is watering just thinking about it! We shared this delightful experience with our favorite Tennessee”ians” We were also able to find some rainbow chip cake mix and frosting so Jesse and I baked a cake. At midnight we ate that yummy cake and Will opened his gifts!

(Josh really liked the CAKE!) -->

We returned to our site and decided that this slump we’re in needed to come to a screeching hault! This might sound easy however; admittedly this is the hardest thing Will or I have ever done…this Peace Corps business that is! We’ve decided that if our supervisor isn’t willing to work with us then we need to find our own things to do. On Friday I went to the 4-H office and was relieved to hear they needed my help. I will start working with them almost every Friday doing trainings for 4-H kids in agriculture, home economics, and the environment. On Monday we were pleasantly surprised with work…not real, tangible, Peace Corps, meeting goals work….but work! We went to a farmer’s house and helped him plant some onion seed. This leads me into my next lesson…..

Farming 101 Jamaica Style!

I watched the farmers take a machete and chop all the dead debris from the field. After doing so they raked it all into a pile, out of the field. Once finished they took their onion seed and scattered it about the field (I’m told there is a method to it). Once they spread the seed they got down on their hands and knees and used their machete to bury the seed. Carefully they would agitate the soil with their machete until they believed all the seed was covered. Once this tedious task was finished the farmers would take some guinea grass and cover all the soil.

Our job was to run a test plot and show them a more mechanized way to farm. A rotovator (commonly know to us as a rototiller) was purchased for this particular project along with a seed planter. A training session took place to show the farmers how to use the machinery and together we figured out how much time it took to till and plant 1/10 of an acre…I will go through later and do the math to figure out how long it will take to use this machinery on 1 acre. This will show farmers that by using the machinery they can cut their labor in half.

Other than that things are moving along…We’re really excited for Christmas but sad at the same time! We’re going to stay in Porti with Josh and Jesse which will be really fun however we’re going to miss everyone at home…especially the snow! I think it might be 85° here now….so cooling off! HAHA! Love you all!!!

P.S. This is the view from the top of Mandeville the mountain Northeast of us- therefore this is kind of an aerial view of where we live!

Finding the Words....

A couple weeks ago we traveled to Ocho Rios for Early Service Conference…a time to decompress and talk about the things we’ve been experiencing these past 4 months. On our way to Ocho we had quite an adventure. We reached a taxi stop in Albert Town and were told that we couldn’t go any further- the road was flooded up ahead! They told us to take a taxi back and find an alternate route. We had already been traveling for about 3 hours and didn’t really want to turn back. Thank goodness a taxi driver decided he would take us through the flooded water. They managed to cram us into a car including us 9 people in the car. Two men pushed us through waist high water for about a ¼ mile. I was laughing the entire time- I was sitting in the back of the hatchback car- Will was in the back seat with two other PCV’s Curt and Ryan. The car began to fill with water- by the time we were through the car had about 6 inches of water. They had us bail out of the car and began bucketing the water from the car. It gave me a good laugh for the day. The conference was frustrating mostly because Will and I don’t have a lot to share. We’ve had frustrations with our supervisor and finding work has been left up to us. It was inspiring though to hear that we’re not the only ones experiencing this. Another breakthrough was my husband becoming quite the singer. He decided that karaoke is his thing! He was singing some Myrle Haggerd- Okie from Muskogee and even sang- Ray Orbison- Crying Over You to me!

<-- thanks Josh and Jesse! I now have evidence!

The following week we returned to work revived and excited to try some new ways of communicating with our supervisor. On Monday we had a meeting with him. We had all of these great ideas- projects we could do within our organization and the parish. To make a long story short- we’re back at square one. We’ve even been told to do the work asked of us even though it doesn’t meet the goals of Peace Corps and then turn around and tell Peace Corps we’re doing what we’re supposed to be doing. That is not what we signed up for! I feel as though we’ve exhausted all of our resources and we still haven’t accomplished anything. We’re both mentally and physically exhausted running around in circles with our supervisor and our organization.

Living in a foreign country has had its fair share of frustrations and sometimes I just can’t find the words to describe what we’re going through on a daily basis. I mean we have internet access for the most part, we live in a nice house, we have a fan to keep us cool at night, and we’ve met a lot of wonderful people along the way. However there are times I could just pull my hair out! I understand this is all part of the experience therefore I won’t bore you with all the depressing things because I’ve come to realize that we signed up for Peace Corps. There will be bad days and really bad days. You will meet people who love the work you’re doing here and on the flip side you’ll meet people who could care less why you’re here or what you’re doing. There will be times when you’re rewarded and feel a sense of accomplishment but there will be times when you feel as though you’re useless and disposable. Don’t sweat the small stuff, love the journey you’re embarking on, let there be challenges and frustrations- they only make you stronger and build your character. Most of all have fun and take time for you!

Overall I think Will and I have decided to just let go and let Jamaica take what they want and need from us. Not for us to dictate what we give. Yet, we are also finding that you have to set boundaries and limitations to what you give, or else they will take everything you have and leave you frustrated, exhausted and longing to get away.

Thus, once again we struggle for balance and to find the courage to stay with it, because the rewards and satisfaction of knowing that you overcame a huge obstacle is what we have to remember.

As always we love and miss everyone! We really wanted to feast on some Thanksgiving turkey with our loved ones- as they say here- soon come! Love to All!

Wagawan en Jamaica?

One of my projects is to work at Holland Primary School on a school garden and environmental club project. This photo to the right is the group of fourth graders I work with, about 20 students. I work with grade 4, 5, and 6 totaling 60 students. This can be challenging in itself- 60 loud, crazy, but enthusiastic kids. The area we’re trying to start the garden still hasn’t been cleared. I’m quickly learning that if you want things done you have to do them yourself. Therefore- I’ve set a work day for the parents and children to come clear the garden. I’ve also written letters to the minister of state and 4-H asking for funding or supplies. Hopefully this will get the ball rolling.

This last weekend we went to Treasure Beach to work on the Moringa Project. The organization is bringing in a man from Africa who knows a lot about the project. He will give presentations to several organizations on island. This will hopefully give Moringa Farms the direction they need. They're looking at using the tree as an animal feed. Currently they’re running a study to document the nutritional value the plant has for animals. Will has been busily preparing for his visit with invitations, contact lists, and attending meetings. . Of course while in Treasure Beach we had to eat at Jack Sprats- the famous pizza place we commonly indulge in~ however almost every time we eat there it upsets our stomachs- this time was no different. We stayed the night with the woman who started the Moringa project in Jamaica- we played scrabble, ate yummy lamb sausage spaghetti, had wireless internet, took an early morning swim in the sea, and played with some absolutely adorable puppies.

There were 7 in total. I'm sure they were infested with heartworm and several other ailments but I couldn't keep my
hands off of them.

After a positive discussion with our supervisor about the inadequate amount of work, we came away feeling more confident about our two years of service. It has become clear that we must find the projects, funding, and expect to execute it on our own. Is this the goal of Peace Corps- I’m not sure- it is my understanding that we are supposed to hopefully work ourselves out of a job…work together with our agency to make a positive difference. That’s what we signed up for when we applied for Peace Corps. Often times we question our purpose here, I have come to realize that maybe it’s just our presence. There is a reason we received an invitation to serve in Jamaica- of all the places we could serve we were sent here and while it may not be crystal clear what our purpose is we have to be content with that fact (thanks Jesse).

After attending several meetings with fellow Jamaicans I have realized they aren’t looking for handouts- but they’ve come to expect it. At whose fault? Probably organizations that continually support them instead of expecting Jamaican’s to put their feet on the ground and become self sufficient. Some questions arise in these meetings about how things are going to be funded, who is going to take care of it and the attitude is that foreign agencies will do that. It’s an attitude that lacks gratitude but is consumed with anticipation from these foreign agencies. And if those agencies can’t or don’t follow through well then; “shame on you!” This at times can also be hard to swallow- as an american I have dollar signs written on my forehead.

I was finally able to make the national dish of Jamaica (pictured on the left)- Ackee and Saltfish- I have to admit it tasted pretty darn good- maybe it's because Will and I prepared it- self gratification!

As always we love and miss you all! Thank you for all of your continued love and support we greatly appreciate all of it!

Daily Struggles

Throughout our time here in Jamaica I have tried to remain extremely positive despite some of the things that occur in our daily lives. However I wouldn’t be doing any of our readers justice if I was always happy and bubbly. Right? I mean we’re human beings and everything isn’t always hunky dory!

This presidential election has made us realize a lot about not only American people but the world as a whole. Will and I struggled immensely with this election primarily because we couldn’t support either candidate 100%. We went back and forth, back and forth, and it was even more complicated not being in the United States amongst all the commotion. We were left to evaluate our thoughts with fellow Jamaicans. This at times was extremely frustrating because they thought if it wasn’t cut and dry for us to vote for Obama then we were racist. This is obviously not the case for us- why would we surround ourselves in a country where we are clearly the minority if race was an issue. This was also daunting because people would also tell us that we should vote for him primarily because he’s a man of color-forget about the issues- Please lord tell me that after the election last night we can honestly say that we have moved past the issue of color and race! I would be lying if I said it wasn’t hard being white in Jamaica- let alone a woman- but that’s another issue in itself. We’re both excited to see what Barack Obama is going to do for the United States of America and bring change and hope to this ever-evolving world.

The daunting task of walking down the street! Pssst pssst pssst….(walk a little faster with your head down) pssst pssst pssst! Hey sexy, hey baby, hey pretty white lady, white girl you’re looking good….there is no respect for women and whilst you try to do your best ignoring it, there are times when I would just like to walk over and slap them silly!

Mosquitoes and now fleas have been attacking us on a daily basis- they don’t congregate in small numbers to take us on either- it’s a large army swarming and attacking us! I have been bit in places I never thought it was possible to have bug bites- I thought the butt was a bad place to be bit- well try your breasts- oh that’s even better- scratching your boobs!

Inconsistent bowel movements are almost a daily issue- it’s amazing how one minute you’ll be feeling fine and the next you’re running to a bathroom- whenever we go places we have to ask where the bathroom is- mostly because you never know when you’ll need it. We also carry toilet paper with us wherever we go. For some reason in most of the bathrooms there isn’t any- just imagine how it feels after sitting down on the toilet, having an inconsistent bowel movement, and then realizing your worst nightmare is true…NO TOILET PAPER!

Things for us started out great in our jobs- we were meeting a uol eap of new people and several projects were discussed however now we’re at a stand still. Our supervisor has now doubled the amount of people he’s supervising and taken on the role of the parish manager for 5 months- where do we fit in all of this- well we don’t really- we sit in the computer lab most days staring at the screen hoping some kind of work will come along! We suggest potential projects however the follow through is lacking and at times extremely frustrating.

The last thing that has made me really sad about Jamaica is the amount of men that cheat on their wives. I am an extremely naive person but there is no escaping the reality of it. For example there are men we know who are model citizens in their communities, god fearing family men, and what are they doing on the side- sleeping with another woman! For me the saddest part is the children- especially the little boys are taught that it’s acceptable so the vicious cycle continues.

I can’t tell you how much I have loved this experience thus far, how it continues to mold both Will and I into better, more accepting, open minded people. However I have to thank the lord everyday that we have our faith and each other to keep us grounded during this wonderful journey.

P.S. I know many of you read the last post and thought when I said we were going to Portland you were thinking Oregon- I hate to be a bearer of bad news but we won’t be there during Christmas- There is a parish in Jamaica called Portland- therefore that’s where we’ll be staying with our Peace Corps friends Josh and Jesse.

What's New?

The Schumakers feel like kids again! We went to the zoo this week! It’s not a zoo that is ready for tourists but is almost finished and will soon be open for business. We had a lot of fun walking around looking at the animals- our tourist guide- a kitten! He was following us around playing with the animals, chasing butterflies, and meowing. He reminded me of LT- a sad moment- because I kind of miss the little guy- even though he was really obnoxious! While at the zoo we saw all kinds of animals- zebras, lions, crocodiles, raccoons, squirrels, monkeys, llamas, parrots, toucans, and the list goes on!


Work is going alright- we continue to struggle with the culture and finding our place in a country that is still fairly new to us- even though we’ve been here for 4 months now! Yesterday we walked to the store and on the walk back it started pouring rain- we were soaked to the bone- freezing cold- in JAMAICA! We finally found a vacant house to duck under until we thought the rain had passed- of course after walking a short distance it started pouring again! Go Figure! We walked home, changed into pajamas, and drank some hot tea.
We’re getting excited for Early Service Conference (which will be in Ochi Rios- in a fancy hotel) and Christmas- We’ve decided to go and spend some time with our friends Josh and Jesse- We’ll be staying in Portland with them and hopefully doing some touristy things!

Up and Running...for the time being!

Our internet crashed again…this has become the story of our life- however it’s up and running again- keep your fingers crossed that it works for at least the remainder of the week!

We have been keeping busy these last couple weeks. Last Monday we hosted the first ever environmental regional workshop- for the most part it was a success…I won’t get into how our supervisor somehow managed to squeak his way out of it because that would take me an entire blog entry to write! We have some new goals which are related to agriculture! We’re both really excited about this since we are working for RADA and a lot of the stuff we’ve been doing relates directly to farmers and agriculture.

We went to Mandeville to celebrate World Food Day- the food we were displaying was pumpkin, anything and everything made from pumpkin….sauce, chutney, jam, steamed pumpkin leaves, pudding, and the list goes on. I had no idea you could make all these things from pumpkin! While there Dr. the honorable Chris Tufton (the Minister of Agriculture) chatted with both Will and I- we haven’t seen him since being sworn in as PCV’s. St. Elizabeth is his parish and he has some projects that he thinks we can both work on.

We attended the Shrimp Festival in Middle Quarters on Sunday. RADA set up a booth to disseminate information and register farmers. It rained for a good portion of the day. We both ate lots and lots of shrimp… shrimp curry, shrimp punch, spicy shrimp dip, coconut shrimp, and shrimp chutney, I don’t think we’ll be craving shrimp anytime soon. While at the festival we began to take down our booth when who decides to show up….Dr. Tufton! Our supervisor saw him coming and frantically said- put the displays back out…the minister is coming! I started to laugh because I’ve never seen my supervisor get so worked up before. Dr. Tufton came over to our display and chatted with us. He told our supervisor not to take down the display- He said, “There might still be some farmers that have questions, you should stick around and answer their questions!” I was laughing the entire time- It was the first time our supervisor was whipped into shape, he reminded me of a dog with his tail between his legs! (The above picture is from Shrimp Festival - A cultural dance representing several apects of Jamaica)

Finally Monday was a holiday- Hero’s Day- Will and I went to Dunn’s River Falls in St. Mary- It’s quite the drive- took us about two and a half hours to get there. It probably would have taken longer if we had to take public transportation. I didn’t realize the place was such a tourist trap! The price to get into the Falls is $J300 which translates to about $4 U.S. The price for non-Jamaican residents $15 U.S. we explained that we were peace corps volunteers so they let us pay $J300. Once inside I was almost embarrassed to be white- Tourists were handing out money left and right – thank goodness we were with a group of Jamaicans! I came to realize why Jamaicans always try to get money from white people. When we got ready to hike the falls a group of tourists came up with a guide- they formed a line, held hands, and began climbing the falls as a group! Can you say LAME??? We were able to climb the falls independently without holding hands. We climbed the falls a couple times, ate the lunch we packed on the beach, enjoyed an iced cappuccino, and some cherry berry passion ice-cream. It was nice to have these luxuries while relaxing in such a beautiful place.

<---- Yeah that's an iced Cappucino!

This weekend we are going to Kingston for quarterlies. I applied to be on the SPA committee and was selected to be a member. I’m really excited I will have this opportunity especially since Jamaica is known for their SPA program. We’ll be attending meetings and hopefully get in some yummy coffee and American food! We’ll also cast our votes for the presidential election! I’m not going to elaborate on who we’re voting for and politics. My grandma always told me there are two things you should not discuss- politics and religion, therefore I will just say that we’re doing our American duty and voting for a presidential candidate!

<--- I ♥ my chacos!

P.S. I forgot to mention that mosquitos suck! They have reached an all time low! I was bit on the rear end by one! Does anyone have any idea how bad that sucks?? While riding the bus, sitting at work, or chatting with your supervisor and your butt itches so bad you can't concentrate on anything but that!

This is a typical Saturday- Handwashing Laundry

and praying that it doesn't rain :)

You want me to eat what....?

We finally have internet back!!!!! Things in Jamaica usually take a long time and that’s no exaggeration! We didn’t have internet for nearly 3 weeks plus our phone lines are still down! To me this is insanely crazy…people haven’t been able to get work done because the farmer registration system is all online- go figure! My apologies for not updating our blog sooner, it’s just been a little crazy and not being able to use internet at work has made it sometimes inconvenient. I keep forgetting that there are some things I want to discuss with my fellow readers. So here it goes:

The first week we were back in Santa Cruz after being sworn in we attended a church function. While there we indulged in something called Manish Water- (I’m not entirely sure that’s how you spell it) I had no idea what it was. When the woman handed it to us we could smell the hot steamy soup. It didn’t smell nice at all, in fact it stunk! It reminded me of when we raised goats and the bucks would smell of urine during breeding season. I tried to get past the stench and take a sip of the warm drink. Upon doing so I nearly barfed in my mouth! Will and I both decided we weren’t going to choke it down. We asked the nun sitting with us what was in this particular soup. She explained to us that it’s a delicacy in Jamaica- the contents include: the head, feet, and belly of a goat! No wonder it smelled like a stinky buck! The following day we once again indulged in some more soup…this time chicken feet soup! This wasn’t nearly as bad. It smelled nice and contained some wonderful vegetables. However it is extremely hard to get past the fact that there are indeed chicken feet floating in your soup (not little feet either). Will and I both ate two bowls of it. Not so bad! However I’m not sure how much more soup I can eat- it reminds me of lunch as a child- “Who wants Meatloaf Surprise??”

That same day we also met a nun…her name Sister Eva! She has been one of the sweetest ladies we’ve gotten to know. On Sundays when we see her at church she always asks how we’re doing and tries to give us something. She has given both Will and I a new pair of Crocs, rice crispy cereal, rice, beans, and peas (all in quantities to feed an army). We really appreciate her kind and genuine heart. Going to church brings me a lot of comfort. It’s nice being able to find one thing familiar to us in this unfamiliar place. Church here lasts slightly longer but I don’t really notice. Will and I are considering getting involved in the youth ministry where we would do some religious education with the kids. It’s saddening because several of them can’t even make the sign of the cross.

Some of the things we took for granted and miss:

1. Windy Roads + Potholes = Bumpy Ride (We’ve both miss a smooth, quiet ride in a car)
2. The seasons….It is sad to know the leaves are changing and fall is upon everyone there! It’s still hot here :)
3. Bug Free Houses! The mosquitos, cockroaches, lizards, etc. are everywhere and nearly impossible to keep out
4. Having our own car and being able to drive anywhere at anytime
5. Good Italian food and Starbucks! (this was a given)
6. Our friends and family!

However there are many things to love about living here!

1. Every week we go to the market and buy fresh produce- this is GREAT!
2. In our backyard we have lime, mango, cherry, coconut, avocado, and orange trees. In the morning I can pick an orange for breakfast and for dinner an avocado to have with dinner.
3. We have both lost weight- we’re not sure exactly how much- we found a scale for sale at a store in town and weighed ourselves- we’re guessing between 10-15 pounds each!
4. Our Supervisor! He’s our guardian angel and a truly genuine kind man! We both love working with him and the staff at RADA
5. The working pace…everything is so much slower- this is a nice change from our fast paced lives in America
6. The scenery- there is nothing like a sunset in Jamaica and there are some really nice beaches and I hate to say the word but “tourist” attractions

All of the pictures are from our lastest visit at Treasure Beach a little over a week ago: Enjoy

Meet myfriend Mr. JellyFish- "You Shall Be Mine And I Shall Call You Squishy"

Boat at Treasure Beach

Lack of Internet....

So when we arrived to work on Monday we found the internet wasn't working- turns out that the massive storm we had on Saturday destroyed our precious internet at work. The lightning actually hit the modem and well for a lack of better words...killed the internet! So I have to write this quickly because I'm in a little internet cafe in Santa Cruz- with little time left!

We recieved two yes I said two packages on Tuesday- 1 from the Reyes's and 1 from the Newlans! Oh the joy of recieving a package! I felt like a child at Christmas!!! Even though you have to claim the contents on the outside there are still unexpected surprises! Kaui and Cisco- I'm not going to lie the loofa's you sent- AMAZING! We have been in Jamaica now for 3 months and I've searched hi and low trying to find becuase the one I brought fell apart! I havn't been able to find one and then a package comes from you with what....TWO LOOFAS! I immediatly took the sticker off and jumped in the cold shower- and how wonderful it was! Scrub a dub dub...well you know the rest! Also in your package was more toiletries than I can shake a stick at! I think Will and I will be squeaky clean for at least a month! At first I felt as though this was your silly way of telling us we stink therefore you should have some shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and oh by the way brush your teeth with this toothpaste, new toothbrush, mouthwash, and would you please floss for crying out loud. However I then realized that you truly understood how bad we needed those things- TRUE FRIENDSHIP! Nick and Joy we also recieved a wonderful package from you! I loved the little notes attached to each item- I took them off and will hopefully hang them in our room- once we get some time to decorate! I also loved the pictures you both sent! How I miss both of my girls! I take the photos around telling everyone I left my children at home and look at how cute they are.

Jamaica is making us crazy! Somedays go by so fast that I can't remember the date let alone the month! This is a good thing though- makes the time go by much faster. Will trained some extension agents on a new program he designed to calculate their crop production every month and to also compile the totals for a parish report. I started working at a primary school (grades 1-6) on a school garden and compost pile. I love working with the kids. Last week when I went to visit them I allowed them time to ask me any questions they had about me, the United States, etc. A lot of the kids asked me if I was married- I told them yes to a man named Willy (that's what they call him here)...and then they immediatley asked if I had kids- when I replied no several of them said, "Mrs. can you take us back to the United States to be your child." I laughed of course and told them they would miss Jamaica too much if I did that. Some of the kids are so intrigued by me they just want to touch my skin or hair...it's kind of weird but easy to cope with. (It's almost like I'm a celebrity here...haha)

Last week we went to a funeral- one of the extension agents we work with his father passed away. The night before they have what is called a "wake" They stay up all night celebrating the life of the person. The next day, which happened to be a Sunday the service began at 1:00 p.m. needless to say we didn't leave until about 6:00 p.m. It was extremly long but is something I think can be admired about Jamaican culture- They have much respect for their elders!

Once again we need to say thank you to everyone who has sent us letters and packages. We have several people asking us what Will wants for his Birthday and what we want for Christmas! We will compile a list hopefully- we were able to get some pro deals through Keen, Chaco, NorthFace, etc. so if you're interested in helping with a purchase from one of these fine places we would really love that but I will post a list....soon kum!

Until later--- JAMAICA TO DI WORL!!!!

Erin and Michael

We LOVE YOU 10X OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN!!!

Today we recieved your package and what a great package it was!!! You probably forgot what you sent so here it goes:

*Chips Ahoy Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies/ MY FAVORITE!!
*Granola Bars
*Gobstoppers
*Mike and Ikes
*Fruit Roll Ups
*Fruit Punch and Lemonade Mix
*Sunscreen
*Bug Spray- 100% Deet ( I Love You)
*Chapstick
*Headbands!
*Shampoo/Conditioner
*Body Wash - our favorite kinds- Old Spice and Dove- YOU ROCK!
*Q-Tips- how did you know we were running low....?
*Hand Sanitizer
*and an amazing letter that you hand wrote!

I just want to say thank you thank you thank you for these wonderful treasures! They seem ridiculous to most people but I was so exicited to open it I nearly cried! I was also amazed at how great you were at stuffing everything into such a tiny box...AMAZING!

The story about Cisco in your letter made Will and I laugh so hard!! I can just picture him cutting his finger and thinking his finger was going to fall off! Even the woozy feeling and possibly needing stitches!

Again we just want to Thank You so much- you not only made our day, but our week, and possibly our month. We Love You!

Chuggin Right Along!

There is so much to share from these last two weeks I’m not even sure where to begin!

We came back to our sites after Gustav- There wasn’t a lot of visible damage however when we went to work on Monday there was nuf nuf damage to assess. We spent the majority of the week visiting farms and looking at the damage caused from the storm. From this a document was compiled and sent to the Ministry of Agriculture which should help aid some of the farmers who suffered the most damage. It is calculated that St. Elizabeth suffered about $25 million dollars worth of loss.

In the midst of all this we moved into another house. We actually ended up moving in with the secretary we work with. She has more space and lives alone which is different from the 9 total people we were living with before (including us!) We have really enjoyed getting to know her and actually feeling like we’re a part of her family!

I went to a farm on Friday because there was a man there claiming to have lost 25 goats. The minute we arrived (myself, my counterpart, another extension officer, and a man from JAS) the farmer was extremely angry. I won’t get into a lot of detail as to why…lets just say politics here can make people FREAK OUT!. When my counterpart went to introduce me to the man he was extremly angry. He said, “I know who she is! She works with RADA!” My counterpart dumfounded said, “Well, why are you so angry about that?” The farmer went on to explain that she is one of those whitey’s here to destroy him, you know the ones from the CIA! I kind of chuckled as did the group from RADA I was with. This was my first encounter with someone who wanted to have absolutely nothing to do with me and the work I was trying to do. To make a long story short- the farmer couldn’t show us his goats- turns out he doesn’t even own any! This is probably why he was so angry with us and why he accused me of being with the CIA- to unveil him being a fraud and taking advantage of the government.

The photo on the left was an actual goat farm we visited- not one a farmer made up...I saw it with my own two eyes:)

On Saturday Will and I attended the first ever meeting held by the women of St. Elizabeth. The organization is called SEW (St. Elizabeth Women) this will be a primary project for me as I will be working with these women in several different areas. One of my first projects is to teach the women how to make products from goat’s milk. I will be teaching them how to make soap, lotion, cheese, and several other income generating products. I will also be doing some training around the parish on composting, organic farming, and environmental education.

This week has been packed full of more exciting things. Will has started working on a project dealing with the Moringa tree. It is the hope that this tree will be grown throughout Jamaica as it has several uses. Our hope is to make oil from the seeds in the pod grown on the tree and market it as cooking /spa oil. We went and visited a woman, who is willing to grow 10 acres of the crop as a test plot while we find an industry to produce and manufacture the oil and a marketing plan which will include education on the product.

The cattle above were a small road block on our way to YS Falls!

Finally we went to Lovers Leap. I will try to make the story short and sweet since I’ve babbled on enough in this posting. Before emancipation there were several plantations owned mostly by the British. Tunkey and Mizzi were both slaves working on plantations located next to each other. It is said that Tunkey and Mizzi fell in love but were not supposed to see one another because the owner (we’ll call him Mr. Slavedriver) of Mizzi was actually in love with her. Mizzi’s brother despised the fact that she would run off every night to visit Tunkey because he knew that if she could be with Mr. Slavedriver he would have a better life. Mizzi’s brother told Mr. Slavedriver that every night at 9 p.m. they meet (at this place where Lovers Leap is currently located). There are two endings to the story but I’ll share the one I hope happened. At 9 o’clock Mr. Slavedriver showed up and surprised them. Looking at one another they realized there was no way out. They didn’t want to be separated so together they decide to jump to their death.

Lovers Leap!

Swearing In and Hurricane Gustov!

Just wanted to drop a couple of quick notes as we wait out this wonderful hurricane! Today we were officially sworn in as peace corps volunteers!

This is how we look when we bling out and dandy up for swearing in- Pretty snazzy if I may say so myself!
We've now been here for 8 weeks and it has gone by quicker than you can imagine! We stay very busy but always miss our family and friends. We enjoy the contact we are able to have with everyone though and love the pictures we see of our godchildren and family.

I have to admit I've never been in a hurricane- it is exciting and scary at the same time. Please don't be alarmed as we will get through it just fine- it's only a category 1 for crying out loud :)
For now we look ahead and truly wonder what this two years will bring- the saying is so true, Life is calling...how far will you go! The adventure begins now and we couldn't be more excited.

Little shout out to the Overstreets- We received your package- enjoyed the wonderful reminders of our St. Joe trip which actually happened about a year ago. This was also the time we submitted our peace corps application- crazy how time changes in just a year. We just wanted to say thank you for the wonderful things you sent us- We love and miss you both! Also thank you to my grandparents and Will's parents for their thought fullness in writing sincere letters to us. You have no idea how much we really do cherish those! As always we miss you all and look forward to hearing from you!

P.S. We added a ton of pictures to the flickr website so take a look and feel free to leave comments! (remember the link is on the left of your computer screen- 'Schumaker photos')