New term, old building and my first visitor.

We are at the start of a new term and we find ourselves back in the old school. “There is just some finishing work that should be done in about a month.” However, as that is the same line given for the past few months – it might be a few more months…

The new school is still far away

The principal, realizing the demotivational situation of not moving to the new school as expected did some repairs to the building and a bit a paint to freshen up the place for students and teachers.

Some repairs to the holes in the plywood walls

And some new paint
So we are making the best of it and had a good week of planning for the term and reviewing with the children in this first week.

Turn it around not over when you show me the word please

Visitor


 On a group chat some time ago a volunteer on St. Vincent asked if anyone could “host a US traveler sometime in February for a week or two?”

Peace Corps volunteers experience hospitality during homestay training and as we integrate into our new community. We are generally friendly people happy to give to others what we have received. So having strangers at your site is not uncommon – PCV couchsurfing is a thing. PCVs and others in Africa were always sending out the word that they are visiting and looking for a place to stay. I was in a rather remote part of Ghana so I only had a couple of visitors.

Beyond Peace Corps I’ve benefited from people opening their homes – long before Airbnb was a thing and between my two Peace Corps assignments without having to use Airbnb. Therefore, since I have a spare bedroom I’m comfortable with using the common African saying “you’re invited”.

Still, I didn’t initially offer to host the young lady because I figured there were so many young female volunteers on the island that she would find a place without much problem. However, when I checked a bit later I found she was still looking so I happily gave my information so she could contact me if she wanted to stay here.

We texted contact information but I never verified the dates in February. While I was in the states she said that she would arrive four days after I returned to the island for a two week stay - (so I was glad that I had cleaned my house before I left).

Walking up from Mt. Carmel after the bus ride from the airport
I’ve mentioned before that Peace Corps volunteers have to be flexible. In Ghana when we heard that we had to be as flexible as Gumby throughout training and service. Flexibility is certainly a rather valuable skill for anyone in today’s crazy world.

And its not a problem of course. Haley, is a bright young adventurous lady who is spending some time visiting the islands before college. She’s been to the school and the kids love her. They love her more than me – perhaps because she is a young lady who laughs a lot, perhaps because she doesn’t correct classroom behavior, perhaps because she doesn’t give a math quiz in the first week of school. At the end of Friday each of my students came to give her a nice hug goodbye. I did get a hug and half a wave as an afterthought. Hmmm…. Lol

Talking with some of the students during lunch
or being reminded of the song "There's a new kid in town"
She stays another week and then I have another visitor arriving the day she leaves so the timing is fine. 

Overlooking St. Georges with two cruise ships in the background
Yesterday I showed her some of St. Georges and Grand Anse beach where we met up with other Peace Corps volunteers before I left to do my Saturday food shopping.

At the beach with two cruise ships in town, so a lot of white people
Also taking this photo while my daughter is driving to her new place in 0 degree Montana

I’m not saying Haley came back with a sunburn. I am saying, as they say in Ghana, “you’re invited”.

Love always,
John

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