I thought this would be a fun experiment and, thankfully, a good number of my fellow volunteers were willing to help out. The following information comes from a poll I conducted via text messages, thanks to our Closed User Group phone plan which allows us to contact each other for free. I want to thank the 39 volunteers who are participating in this “experiment” for sharing their responses!
When you applied for Peace Corps, what countries or regions were you most hoping for?
I’ve always been fascinated by names. And names are a really fun part of Jamaican culture. Apart from given names, many people also have “yard names” (nick names) that friends and family have always called them (and that sometimes these become so common that no one knows their true first name anymore). Jamaicans also use identifiers or descriptors in the place of names when they’re calling out to people on the street, whether they know the person or not. Below you’ll find examples of the various types of names we’ve heard in Jamaica.
Our intention for living abroad and joining the Peace Corps was to take a “sabbatical,” a time set apart where life looks different from the normal and where we can grow, learn, and reflect. Throughout this whole journey, we’ve been asking ourselves: What’s next? Well, we have a lot of ideas. Turns out they all kind of center around two common themes. One: more travel. And two: making a change in first-world values.
It’s seeming more and more like our vision for a sabbatical may become less of a break-from-“real-life” and more of a long-term reality. That is to say, there’s a very good chance we won’t be going back to the 9 to 5 world and, instead, will continue to pursue an unconventional, nomadic lifestyle (maybe it will only last a year, maybe it will continue indefinitely). We even have dreams to grow Simply Intentional and make blogging part of our livelihood.
I think we’ve come to realize that the consumer-driven American Dream was pointing us in the opposite direction of our true values. We want to learn how to live outside the box. And we’re passionate about seeing more first-world people break free of materialism to embrace a simpler, happier, healthier, and more generous life.
Little by little, as we explore all of our various options for life after Peace Corps, I’ve been doing some research online by finding like-minded bloggers. Three sites stand out to me for the quality of their work and for showing me that a meaningful, “location independent” life is possible. Continue reading “America The Possible”→
My go to lunch – Fried Chicken, macroni salad, and rice and peas underneath
(two weeks ago)
Peace Corps Nurse: “Jedd, I don’t like that number, you are borderline for high blood pressure?”
Me: “What?”
It didn’t make any sense to me. Michelle and I workout 6 times a week in the morning, going against my Myers Brigg personality type that would rather sleep in and work out when I feel like it. I’ve lost weight since moving to Jamaica (which is an incredible feat in itself because of the tasty, sugary, starchy, and fatty food). I’m pretty sure I weigh less than what I weighed in college.
So how could I be borderline for high blood pressure?
Nurse: “Are you sleeping well?” “Are you anxious about anything?”
Me: “Been sleeping ok and feeling ok.”
Nurse: “Are you eating a lot of salt in your diet?”
Me: “So fried chicken twice a week and adding salt to other meals isn’t a good thing?”
I’m an emotional eater. I eat when I feel like it, and I eat what I feel like eating. There’s never been a science to me regarding what I ate. I love to eat and I eat what gives me pleasure. Looking back at this past summer, I went through a stressful time running summer camps and I think I coped with my stress with eating. Did I think about the consequences for what I ate? I didn’t really think too much about it till recently. A warning for high blood pressure was a good wake-up call for me, I needed to make a change. Continue reading “Intentional Eating”→
Ladies in the education sector, April 2012 (Sue is behind me in blue)
Introducing: Sue W. A gifted child, Sue grew up in a community where she and her mother were taught by- and interacted with- a number of Peace Corps Volunteers over the years. If I remember correctly, she later befriended a Volunteer who, now returned to the States, is her best friend. Sue is a trained Jamaican teacher but she also started working part-time with Peace Corps as a community liaison or a Language & Culture Facilitator when volunteer training groups came to her town. Eventually she was promoted and is now in charge of PCJ’s Education sector, which makes her my supervisor.
Sue’s Story (transcribed from a video) Where I come from, we’ve always had Peace Corps Volunteers. So, my mother was taught to sew by a volunteer in the 60’s when volunteers were focusing on vocational work. And as a result of that, my mother was able to make uniforms for us to go to school, and she didn’t have to spend the money that she didn’t have on uniforms because she had that skill. And so today, I learned
Co-workers (and daughter) at the community center check out the pear (avocado) seed
Most days, on my commute to work in a jam-packed mini-bus, I try not to bring more attention to myself than necessary. I stand out. But today was a good day to stand-out as most of the eyes glaring in my direction weren’t directed at me, as if to say, “What is this Mr. Chin doing here?” Instead, most of the attention was on the glass cup with the pear (avocado) seed I was carrying to work. Now the eyes seemed to ask, “What is this Mr. Chin doing here and why is he holding a pear plant?” Continue reading “It Starts with a Seed”→
In Jamaican society, looking good is highly valued. It is not unusual to see prom-style gowns at a grade school graduation. Acceptable attire in a Jamaican church is often more formal than you would find at some American weddings. And the weather has almost no effect on Jamaicans’ choice of clothing. You will see longsleeves, jackets, polyester pants, ski hats, etc. every single day of the year. Comfort is not part of the equation.
Unpredictable weather means unconventional and creative laundry hanging solutions
I’m thankful that summer is coming to an end. You will probably never hear me say those words again.
When we lived in the typically gloomy, dank Northwest of the states, we always look forward to summer. Those heavenly 2-3 months of spending long days with family and friends (the sun setting around 9pm) helped us forget about the other 80% of the time when life seemed colder, cave like, and sometimes depressing. NW summers meant hiking in the Columbia River Gorge to see waterfalls, enjoying the great harvest from farms, and enjoying festivals and events. It’s a bit dramatic, but that’s how much people in the NW really enjoy their summers.
Unlike the NW, in our little area of Jamaica (and I suspect in many parts of Jamaica and the Caribbean), summer is something we endure. The days are wickedly hot and humid. We live on a plain at a low elevation shielded by some hills, which in turn means: no wind. No wind means a sauna-type climate with daily afternoon thunderstorms/showers. This might be my favourite Continue reading “An End to a Stormy Summer…”→
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