I love how every day has a different tone to it - and this was different yet! Started out the morning with banana fritters, french toast, bacon and mango... and coffee daily of course. After that I putzed around the office for a bit, typing up some ideas for future projects, signing off on peoples petty cash slips and again immersing myself in the way things have to be done here. It's good for me to be prepared to get hung up on if I can't understand someone I've called, and people won't give you their fax numbers, or their email address is "bigugly@blahblahblah.com."
I was supposed to go to Kingston with Nick, but there is some craziness going on there between Jamaica and the states so he thought it best for me to stay behind. (He did make it home safely though tonight.)So instead, John Gardner took me on an adventure. We visited the most recent CSI house that was built for a Mr. Carlton (he did not however do the Carlton dance) and his wife Jean.... AND it was PINK! He was busy building the kitchen out back. John is a photographer and took me then to visit some places I've only seen his pictures of - and while they are beautiful photographs the real thing is so much better. We went to Jacks Bay, and let me tell you the view literally took my breath away at one point. I think Jamaica stole some of the "pretty" from Ohio, because that view was AMAZING. We also saw The Blue Hole which is literally a big hole of water connected to the ocean underground. Little swift birds live under the rocks and were flying everywhere and brilliantly blue fish live in it. GORGEOUS view. Also there are ruins on the property (Green Castle area). They were barracks built by the British military in the 1700s to protect the coast. I'll get pics uploaded hopefully soon. For those of my friends who enjoy counting wildlife: 20 goats (in the road), 12 horses, 8 cows (first I've seen here... they are rare). That was all today - but yesterday I saw a teeny puppy a man carried in one hand, with a baby on his head. Yeah, you read that right.
Lunch was the local fast food equivalent - Juici Patti. It's basically a hotpocket full of something. Last year the something I tried was chicken... mystery meat. Today I had "cheese" which is really beef and cheese. It tasted like a mix of hamburger helper and a chili cheese burrito. WIN either way! You put the whole thing in the middle of a big piece of bread called cocoa bread... which is just like a delicious fluffy roll. Filling, and costs (with bread) about $1.50 US. I would say it's their taco bell equivalent, but that was dinner! PACO NIGHT! So Pinto the cook makes the taco shells which feel and taste like pancakes - so it shall henceforth be called Paco (or Panaco) night. Yum either way...
Before dinner was low-key. The beach and the sun made me sleepy, so I napped and read. Then AnnaKaye, a local girl who was close to Jamie (the missionary who just left), has gone to cosmetology school and did my toes. They are green with glitter and a cool design. Of course it was documented with a photo. Hope it lasts until I get home, she did a great job. John Deere green toenails... I'm sure my mother is so proud.
After dinner I sang with Audrey, and we all chatted a bit. Seriously I could go to sleep now - and it isn't even 8 here. I wake up at 5, so that should explain it. I'm all thrown off! Less emotional day today, but give me a minute it will change! I'm trying to roll with the punches. The laid-back Jamaican way is rubbing off a bit, I'm trying not to be so structured.
Hugs to you all - no one is huggy here, and that feels weird to me. I'm hug deficient today. I miss you.
Love, Allison "LaLa" Beekman
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