Laundry, oh laundry, why does thy not dry? Maybe because it is hurricane season and it rains every time you do your washing??? Seriously dudes, my washing strategy has not been perfected as of yet. Too much or too little detergent, can't ring it out enough for it to dry in a short period of time, can't get stains out. Handwashing is a bitch! However, there is something incredibly satisfying about it. I got so worked up and sweaty from washing my underwear that I had to take a shower!
On Smelling:
Yup, still not used to stinking. It is either the sour of sweat all day, the musk from sweating all day (yes there is a sour and a musk), or the mildew from my clothes because I haven't perfected my handwashing! How does one get mildew black splotches out of clothing? Beats me, but I need to know. I will say, there is something really amazing about smelling though. It means you have been doing something worth while...well usually. It means that I walk two miles a day in the sun to and from work. It means that I am in Jamaica. It means that I am trying, even though it is difficult.
On Heat:
It is hot here. Like really hot. I am trying to adjust and be the strong, brave, wonder woman I fantasize about being, but the heat kicks my ass. I still trudge along and I do it well, but the heat makes me sick! I can't keep up with liquids. I drink water all day. Like a gallon a day, but still it is like I can feel the life evaporating off of me throughout the day. It makes me want to swim and to sleep. The funny part is that the water isn't cold enough and my room isn't even close to being cool so another thing about the heat is that you cannot escape it no matter how hard you try!
On Food:
It turns out I can cook. It is awesome. I love it. Today I made a coconut curry chicken vegetable rice bake surprise. It was incredible. Not only was it incredible, but I have now cooked for the entire week! The ingredients are as follows: coconut milk powder, curry powder, garlic, onion, carrot, sweet pepper (bell pepper), potato, green beans, eggplant, chicken, salt, and cock soup powder. Sooooo good. Oh, and this is poured over brown rice. I think it is nutritious....and delicious. Big op to Matt C. for the eggplant tip. ;) Also, jerk is the f*king bomb. I love it. I can't eat it often because it is a little too spendy for a Peace Corps budget, but dang.
I never knew how amazing living alone could be. Roommates are good because I learned a lot about communication, boundaries, person time, space, etc, but really...living alone is incredible. I am not sure I can ever go back. I love my kitchen, everything in it is mine. I love my bathroom, everything in the cupboards are mine. I can fold my towels my way, leave things where I want them, decorate to compliment my spirit, and last but not least, I can experiment with things I have never been able to do but always wanted. First, peeing with the door open. I know lots of people do it, mainly guys, but I can just sit on the john and do my business and the door is wide open! It still makes me feel a little uncomfortable and I close it out of habit a lot but sometimes...I don't. Second, and really more importantly, nakedness. It is soooooo liberating. Today I came home for lunch and got soaked (Thanks Ike) and took off all my clothes. All my clothes. I didn't change, I just walked around my place naked. I made my lunch in my kitchen naked. I sat in my chair and ate my lunch naked. I cleaned my house and drank my instant coffee naked. I have realized for the first time that I really love to be naked.
Oh, I guess that is the good stuff. The only really bad thing is that I get scared sometimes. I have had people try to break in and steal stuff at night when I am here and I am fortified like no other with bars everywhere but every time I hear a noise in the dark I always worry if I will be able to scream if I need to for help. So dumb. It ends up being lucky the dog or fruit falling from all my fruit trees. Ugh.
On Music:
Listening to Paul Simon now. Listening a lot to Feist, Derby, Another Cynthia, Modest Mouse, Otis Redding, Johnny Cash, Ben Lee, Ryan Adams, Josh Ritter, Stars, Manu Chao, Jose Gonzales, Janis Joplin, and Fiona Apple mostly. It is all about the music. The morning routine, the chill time, the shower time, the laundry time, the dancing time, the singing time. So many occasions for music.
On Friends:
I miss everyone back home and I hope I am doing a good job keeping in touch. Doing my best...On people I am meeting here, wow. Amazing people. Funny people, beautiful people, strong people. I really hope that we will be friends for years and years. Oh, and coolest thing ever: I now have sweet hookups all over the country. Places I am most excited about: Kodiak, Alaska; Hawaii, Chicago, Georgia. Hells yes friends.
On Tanning:
It is hard to tan on purpose. You walk outside without SPF and you burn, with it you tan. I have lines all over the place. My butt is a pasty pasty white and my boobs look ridiculous. The beach is an incredible way to relax, look out at beauty, and reflect. It is amazing...and tanning is bitter sweet. I look good as a tan blond, but the cancer I may get later makes me nervous. I am trying to take care of my skin. I wear SPF Broad Spectrum 40 and apply like every 15 minutes usually. I have only burnt a couple of times since being here and never bad so I am pretty proud of myself. What I can't explain is the one tan line that goes between my boobs and halfway down my belly. It looks like someone layed a snake on my chest. I am thinking maybe laying under partial shade? Lame.
On Internet:
I am writing this from my bed. Wireless internet in the Peace Corps. Weird. I am not too ridiculous, but it has allowed me to keep up with people a lot more and read the news, blog, etc. I am just going to roll with it.
On Work:
Work is up and down, back and forth. I am still convinced that my boss is the coolest in all of Jamaica. The work that is ahead of me is really daunting because this type of work, pace of work, work ethic, etc is so different than the US that it is a constant comfort zone flirtation that sometimes I just don't have the energy for. I am going to learn a lot and hope that I am able to make some positive change. I really worry about sustainability. How do you make a market for recycling out of midair? Scary.
On Play:
I don't really know what play means. I can say that I have not been exercising in a way I am accustomed to. The 15 pounds I have lost from being sick is ok, it looks ok, not too skinny or gross, but what I can't handle is that my ass is starting to sag and turn to mush. If it goes too much more it is going to look like two pancakes hanging off my back. Not into it. It is too hot to do anything. When I get my bike i am going to start riding early in the morning and on the weekends hopefully. I miss frisbee and I am hoping to get into football (soccer) soon. Other than that, my days are pretty mentally overwhelming so by the time I get home, I love hanging out and reading, cooking, etc. I know it will get old at some point, but not yet. Right now I love my alone time. Sometimes I watch the sunset at Canoe or at the beach, usually with Brian and Yvonne. Sometimes I have visitors that come to visit. This last weekend I had four people visiting. It was a total blast. We went to the beach, cooked, listened to music and bullshitted, went to Rick's and swam. Cool stuff. This weekend is my birthday weekend and I am heading to Falmouth for the weekend to go to a volleyball tournament and have a party. It is going to be hard not to drink because I know everyone will be, but I may have one beer or two. Just not really drinking right now. Doesn't mix with my meds so I stay away.
I have more On ***s. But I am tired of writing. My computer is too damned hot now and I need to be done. What you missed out on:
On Culture Shock
On Emotions
On Needs
Sorry. Maybe next time.
This was a good blog. I really enjoyed writing it....naked.
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