Thoughts Into Words...

Companies that make disposable items need to be responsible for post-consumer (waste) managment of their product. For example, on St. Kitts there are several plastic bottle manufacturers, including Coca Cola, and not one of them takes responsibility for the environmental consequences. If corporations like Coca Cola want to build factories, they need to support recycling, reducing, and reusing of the products made at those factories. Governments should pass laws requiring this. We need to make big polluters take responsibility for the big problems they create and leave citizens to handle.

The government needs to support adoption. Currently, adopting children can be difficult & expensive (especially considering the alternative :) Our governments need to provide monetary incentives for adopting, as well as training and on-going support for adoptive and foster care families. Everyone birthing children is no longer sustainable.

You Can't Forget Your Past

This morning, my friend Puck said goodbye after a short visit to see me here in San Jose. His visit afforded me a break from the monotonous job hunting and he had a few nuggets of wisdom to share. Now he's off on his adventures and I'm refocusing on logistical nonsense. It's always great to see a friend. Puck and I met 2 1/2 yrs. ago at Joshua Tree Music Festival 2005 and have learned many important lessons from one another.

This is me & Moma Moon, a sweet dulcimer artist & nurse from Tennessee who works at Vanderbilt Hospital with my Aunt Spring. We met this summer at Bonnaroo 2007. She sends me inspirational messages and prayers and makes dulcimers with her husband. I'm looking forward to grooving with her at 'Roo 2008.

Justin & Kathryn, my American neighbors in New Zealand. He's living in NorCal, too, doing web design, but I haven't seen him since NZ. Kathryn a.k.a. Frau Schmaterling was my tripp partner and tentmate for 'Roo 2007 (beautiful).

My Aunt Spring, Uncle Bobby, & cousins are an AMAZING hippie family. He was able to make 'Roo '07 (as well as 'Roo '05) and you can check out their family blog at http://www.ajoyfulhappylife.blogspot.com

Children Believe Dem Dat Everyting is Safe

May today there be Peace within.

May you trust Jah that you are exactly where you are meant to be.

May you not forget the infinite possiblities that are born of Faith.

May you use those gifts that you have received and pass on the Love that has been given to you.

May you be content knowing you are a child of Jah.

Let this presence settle into your bones, and allow your soul the Freedom to Sing, Dance, Praise and Love.

It is there for you each and every one of us.

Yes, yes! Missing Ital Rasta Powa

It's the Bird and the Rebel... So, Christian and his partners have been incredibly kind since I showed up a week ago. I have been readjusting to the weather and other climate changes, applying for jobs non-stop, and spending way too much time on the computer! Thanks Bobby & Spring, for introducing me to blogger.

Please pray that I'll find a job soon. Just trying to relax and have faith. I really need a massage. Serious! I think that will be my Christmas present to myself when I go see my mom in L.A.

Your Christmas present this year will be a more relaxed me, since I will have to use all my $ for the massage. Unless, of course I get a job before then,
I really miss my cuddle buddie, Taffy. Sweet puppy face. Of course, no one will ever take the place of my BFF, Maggie SugarMagnolia Muffin Lappin (shout out to Kairi & the cats...and the horses of courses...and Cocoa the pony).

Young American Alcohol Culture

Last nite, I had the pleasure of attending a young woman's 21st birthday party. The birthday girl was a friend of my brother's.
Recently, in St. Kitts, I attended a Kittitian woman's 21st birthday party. There isn't really a legal drinking age in SK, so 21 isn't particularly special. She shared one drink with her sister. Kittitian women don't really drink. She sang Killing Me Softly at karaoke and called it a night. As the only American girl, I was the drunkest one in our group.
Jackie's celebration, however, was a house party of about 50 college students, all drinking. I do believe I was the only guest not drinking. People-watching was very educational and the night ended in a drunken fist fight between 2 boys. I was the DD for Christian's 3 friends, but Christian insisted on staying the night at the party house. On the way home I said I didn't understand and his friends just answered, "that's drunk Christian."

Solutions?

1. Closer community & family ties

2. Closer relationship with the land: growing

3. Greater respect for money, responsibilities

"Herb is the healing of a nation, alcohol is its undoing." -Bob Marley

SandyPointRasta

Before I left St. Kitts, Rasta Man taught me to make real Ital food. Caroline & Marcie came over and made some delicious chunks with tomato sauce, yummy :) We ate with pieces of coconut and I saved mine. When I arrived from Puerto Rico to Texas, I used my coconut spoon to eat delicious Mexican food! It attracted interest and my Puerto Rican waiter said they do the same there. love4real

...and so my Peace Corps service has come to a close and it was with a heavy heart I said goodbye to a beautiful community in Liumuiga. I am staying with my brother in Northern California while I look for a job and permanent home. Please pray for me and keep me in your thoughts this Christmas season. It is very cold here 17*C (63*F), but it's a welcome change. Thank you for all your support while I was on my Volunteer journey :) love4real, elise babybird

Ministry of Culture

learning to speak with the djembe

This is Royd, THE best drummer on the island of St. Kitts and my private teacher. He volunteers at this local primary school teaching the interested kids how to play the Afrikan djembe drum. 15 of them will be chosen for a Carnival performance corps. Carnival is the biggest celebration of freedom in the Caribbean. This primary school has also requested my help reorganizing their library.

Recycle, Reuse, Reduce

Recycling in St. Kitts!

I am one of 13 blessed Peace Corps Volunteers who arrived in the Federation of St. Kitts/Nevis on August 18, 2007. The country is 2 main peaceful sister islands in the eastern caribbean. We finished training and were sworn in on September 14, 2007. Currently there are no recycling facilities on either St. Kitts or Nevis. The director of the SK Solid Waste Management Authority is also a former Associate Peace Corps Director! There is at least one local brewery (Carib) on SK that encourages the return and reuse of glass bottles and one water bottling company (Island Purified Water) that does the same for plastics. There are no separation bins to sort recyclable items and so, the new landfill that they thought would last 15 years is almost full, uncovered, and extremely oderous.