August brought about my first vacation since joining Peace Corps. I had managed to accrue about three weeks, and decided to take it all. At this point, I was in desperate need for a vacation. Thanks to my tax refund, and some savings, I was able to plan a trip to visit friends back in the states. My vacation was planned for the end of August, with me being in the US for two weeks, and home a week (I figured it would be nice to have some time to recoup from my vacation before having to head back to work-turned out I needed that week for other reasons).
It turned out that, by some miracle of fortune, I had timed my vacation just right. The day I left to head to the airport was the day I found out that Hurricane Dean was headed towards the island. My plane managed to leave well before they closed down the airports. I was almost held over in Houston because of Hurricane Erin, but managed to make it to my final destination that night (late, but not as late as I could have been). I will tell you that I was very thankful that I travel light (two carry-ons). It made travel and customs much easier.
My two weeks with my friends was absolutely wonderful. I was in some desperate need of downtime, and of "feeling normal." As interesting and wonderful as it is to live and work in another culture, there is often this feeling of being "alien." No matter how much you come to appreciate and enjoy the culture, you will always remain a bit of an outsider. This is not necessarily a bad thing, it just is. Understanding that is okay to be uncomfortable with certain aspects of another culture, or not feeling totally at home in a new culture, is part of the wisdom an experience like the Peace Corps offers. In appreciating a new culture, you learn to appreciate things about your own culture. Conversely, critiquing a new culture often makes you look more critically at your own culture. This allows you to come to a better understanding of yourself.
Back to my vacation. It was a quiet vacation (which was what I wanted and needed). I spent a lot of time just hanging out with my friends. We watched a lot of movies and tv shows (dvds of tv series are great), played a few games, and just enjoyed each others company. We did some shopping (and I was overwhelmed by the *choices* in Wal-Mart after a year in a country that has a more limited idea of department/discount stores). I enjoyed some foods I hadn't had much of in a year. Basically my two weeks at my friends house let me find my focus and balance again.
Now while I was away enjoying myself, Dean passed by Jamaica (it's outer sections passing *over* Jamaica). I did spend a bit of time during my vacation worrying about my friends on island (and worrying about the fate of the house my apartment is in). I'm very thankful that the eye did not pass over the island like it was originally projected to do. I am also very thankful for the internet, which allowed me to find out how things were going, and if people were ok. This and the fact that I knew I could do absolutely nothing at the time kept me from worrying to much.
It turned out that my friends were all fine. The other volunteers sat out the storm in the embassy building. Some of my Jamaican friends had property damage (mostly damage to roofs, and a few lots their roofs entirely), but were all physically alright.
When I returned home, I found that my landlady's house had some roof damage and had flooded. My apartment had also flooded. Thankfully my landlady had picked most everything up off the floor and set those things that had to remain on the floor up on concrete blocks to minimize water damage. So nothing was permanently damaged. Everything was covered in mold and mildew, and had to be wiped down and/or washed with bleach. The entire apartment needed to be cleaned and aired out (thankfully it is small), and all my clothes had to washed. Thankfully I had already planned on taking the week following my vacation off--this meant I had a week to clean before I had to go back to work. Not quite the way I had planned on spending the week, but so things go.
The past few months have been spent settling back in. I was sick for a time, with various viruses and other not-fun stuff, but I'm finally started to feel human again.
Celebrated my birthday on Sunday. Had a wonderful weekend. A couple of friends came over and we watched movies, made homemade chilli, cornbread, and brownies, played Jeopardy, and cards. Overall we just had a great time hanging out and being silly. I put up a strand of Christmas lights in cheerful acknowledgment of the holiday season. I'm going to another friends house this weekend to celebrate Thanksgiving with the traditional ritual of eating way to much wonderful food.
Hope everyone has a fantastic turkey day.
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