Since I have posted last, I have traveled to and from Kingston to Negril, gotten sworn in as a Peace Corps Volunteer, gone to the doctor 3 times, survived Tropical Storm Gustav, and shit my pants. Me and my Negril posse left last Saturday for Kingston for a fun week of tests, lectures, and ceremonies. At some point while going 140km/h the bus holding twice as many people than it was made for, got a flat tire and screeched to a halt. I knew that my two years in Jamaica would not go by without some car troubles and as they knew what they were doing and changed the tire in five minutes, I got out of the van certain I almost died at seven in the morning.
The hotel we stayed in while in Kingston was the Mayfair and it was a huge step up from Shortwood Teachers College. They had a pool, bar, air conditioning, cable, and hot water. Didn't buy anything from the bar, and I didn't watch cable. I was not excited about the hot water until I a) went swimming until my teeth were chattering several nights in a row; and b) got a terrible cold and took an amazing bath. My roomate was none other than my bffj. How lucky am I. And my neighbors were amazing. Although the week was a pain with more necessary but unfortunate Peace Corps bureaucracy, it was also a time to get together with everyone and have a blast. In this last week we have learned that ting and gin make Ging, our new favorite drink (when talking of alchohol, I am not indulging..it has been making me sick). Ging is now an important beverage among us.
Our days and nights were relaxing, cards, food, drink, and most of it surrounded the pool. I was thrown in twice without my permission and while wearing clothes. Thank you Nick and Taylor for the clothes loans. Sorry you didn't get them back....oops. This trip opened up my world to wrestling in a way that I had not experienced for a long time. Apparently I am a bad ass. Thank you very much. Sorry Rob, I know you meant to beat me. The knuckle in my right big toe is unfortunately raw and robbed of its hobbit hair, but well worth the shock and awe attack.
A huge grief as of late has been the absence of black beans in ANY of the Negril markets. I am not crazy, I just love me beans. Without them I cannot make my huevos rancheros or my tacos. I need the beans. FINALLY after and exhausted search I find my beans in the Mega-mart, which is the Costco wannabe for JA, although I have a feeling they do not pay as well. I know it was a little overkill, but you better believe I bought 5 cans and 3 bags of dried black beans. Those who know me knows it doesn't stop there. I just plain love beans.
HIGHLIGHT OF THE WEEK: The Kingston Squealers! It is possibly too difficult to explain, but it involves five handsome men in a circle with a centerpiece being a man with a Kingston Beer. They all go under and one of them gives the signal of three squeals underwater. Then, in an explosion of wonder and bewilderment, these same men fly out of the water synchronized as flopping fishes all jumping in one direction in the cirlce. In a flash they are gone again only to have them reemerge going the other direction. Can you say HILARIOUS? Thank you men.
Also on this trip I solidified a nonfriend, but made many others. Many of us have picked up nicknames while we have been here because we are either that cool, or more than one of us have the same name or both. For instance, if I am ever mentioned, it likely will sound like this, "Has anyone seen the Tamahawk recently? You know that Tamahawk Cruise Missle is always in action." Yes indeed. But others are Care Bear Amy, Moomoo Jess, Braid Jess, Married Jess, Amy E, Tall Brian, Old Brian, Jason Senior, Jason Junior, etc. Maybe I have made these up in my head, but I have a feeling that they are used as identification markers for others as well. I just have to make an excited declaration that I have done some serious bonding this trip... and I'm going to mention names. That is how excited I am. First, Gracie, my love. You are beautiful and amazing and I feel like the luckiest girl here that you are my bff. Care bear Amy, Moomoo Jess, who knew. Who knew that all we needed to do was have an isolated conversation and true love would exist? So happy for us. Last but not least...Taylor. Taylor Taylor Taylor. Nuff said.
One thing I was looking forward to in Kingston was the added relaxation time and the opportunity to finally get all the way better. I was almost there. Almost well. But no, I got a cold. A pretty quick and easy one but one that ran me a high temp for a couple days and made me cough to the point of pain in my stomach muscles. This naturally warranted a doctors visit on the morning of the swearing in ceremony. It was good that I went, I was in no position to get sworn in, however, I was so sad that I wasn't there. More than anything I wanted to share that experience with my peers. Not to fear though because the country director was sure to swear me in in front of everyone the next day so although I was unable to share their moments, they shared mine. I am feeling better now but not well. I keep pushing myself to go back to work but what I need to do is wait until I am 100% and then attempt work. Every time I get up, I just get knocked right back down.
Traveling home to Negril was good. I went alone for the first time which was interesting. I took a chartered taxi to the Country Bus Park and due to the tropical storm, there wasn't much going on. I had to wait for a bus which has never happened before and then many of the roads were flooded. It took a while to get back but I has a front row seat. I was sitting bitch between a driver and a passenger, both pleasant gentleman. They bought me guinnep and we shared. I had to lift my feet a couple of times while the cab flooded. Never in America would this happen. Incredible. The storm was pretty intense. Some trees fallen, including my banana tree in the back yard. The electricity and water was also off in Negril for several days which was not fun to come home to. My refrigerator was rancid with rotten fish in the freezer and juice leaking everywhere. I windexed that bitch like there's no tomorrow and I still can't get the smell out. And how the hell did ants and flies get into my unopened fridge? Suspect. Not cool. Dear Ants, I hate you. Love, Tami.
I was about to be done but I forgot one very important story...it is...how does one 23 year old manage to shit in her pants? I have several theories. The first one is, Jamaica hates me. Another, not enough crazy weird shit has happened to me yet. The last one, the water isn't its best being newly turned on any my stupid ass drinking it allowed my GI tract to quickly liquefy all contents in my ass so that my gas...ahem...was no longer actually gas. Disgusting I know. You don't want to know these things, but they are my life and now you know them. Love it.
