Wow...I knew it had been a while, but indeed it has been 2.5 months since I updated this blog, and 3 months, almost exactly, since I arrived in sweet Barbados.
There is no way to flashback through the last couple of months...so I will do my best to post pictures to tell the story. Mind you, there are no pictures of me doing school work, which has been a majority of the last 2.5 months of my life. And...I went to St. Kitts for a week, which was the absolute highlight, and deserves its own blog post...so stay tuned.
I had my first interaction with the Rotary Clubs of Barbados (there are 3 of them) as well as the UWI Rotaract Club at their Cricket Fundraiser. The match went on for hours and hours, and I only made it for about one of those hours. Here I am with Matt from South Carolina, the other Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar in Barbados, also studying at UWI. The cricket field behind us is on campus!
Barbados experienced some serious fires this year, worse than in years past. This is a fire in our neighborhood, looking out from my apartment window (just above the roof line). Ash was raining on our apartment, and we were afraid to leave for class...but it wasn't so bad. Luckily, very few of the fires across the island damaged homes or people, and most of it was contained to cane fields. No rain for 2 months made for a very dry Barbados.
Sorry to say, but I have only been to the beach about 4 times in the last 2.5 months. I really need to work on this aspect of my life. The surf has been a bit heavy, and its no activity to do on your own. I just bought my roommate a noodle, so I'm hoping for some more swimming in May. This is a scene from the beach in Holetown, one of my favorite spots for fish cakes! Surfside is the winner so far.
The real highlight of my life (other than the sunsets) are the National Trust Hikes! They take place every Sunday, and only cost a donation. There are usually over 100 people in attendance, and they start from new locations every week. I found a hiking buddy on Couchsurfing.com, and we have enjoyed the pain and gain of seeing some of the most remote and beautiful spots around the island. The guides are wonderful, explaining the sites and telling stories of the islands history. I just absolutely love it, and can't wait to get back on the schedule...at the end of this month.
Here are some more pictures from the hike that left from the Wildlife Reserve.
This is George, the main leader, who has obviously been doing this for years. He starts every hike by gathering everyone in close, tells a brief story, and then shouts - "On with the HIKE!" And boy does George move quick. Its not always a hike....usually more of a walk, or a speed walk, I should say. You have to keep up, or you will be left at the back of the pack, and be hiking in the dark. Allison and I learned that the hard way the first time out!
This Church is built with Coral Stone, like many of the buildings around the island.
Old Mill ruins are a common site around the island.
Another breathtaking view over the Scottish District. Its these moments that make the effort all worth it :)
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I have enjoyed getting to know more of the Rotarians on the island. I did a presentation at Rotary Club of Barbados South, and really got a kick out of how friendly and fun the club was - much like my wonderful club in Canton. I will be visiting the other two clubs...when I have an ounce of free time again - which would be MAY. My Rotary counselor here, Roger Smith has been a great help, and invited me over to his lovely home to enjoy a Sunday lunch (which is about a 6 hour affair here!) with his family and friends. Good food, great company, and the perfect opportunity to just relax and enjoy. When you are away from home for this long, the opportunity to be in a home, and with a family is priceless. Something about it just warms my soul :)
Rotarian David Edwards must have had an inkling that I had been staring over my laptop screen at the big blue sea for days. When he called to invite me out on his boat for the day, I simply could not resist. He and his wife have taken good care of me. We had a lovely ride, lunch, and of course a long, long swim. It was really neat to see the coast from the sea side. I was able to navigate along, checking out all of the spots I have been, and taking notes of the ones I have not yet enjoyed. I was also able to pin point my house up on the hill! There were several other Rotarians who joined us, and I enjoyed learning a bit more about the politics and gossip of this small island. I also have to thank them for introducing me to Bacon-wrapped-Plantains! Wow, I will be attempting to make those soon :)
The Barbados Flag: Blue = Sea, Yellow = Sun :)
As we came back to the dock, just before the sun set, one of the cruise ships was departing. We got pretty close. Those things are HUGE!
That's all for now. As mentioned, stay tuned for a more in depth report about my incredible research trip to St. Kitts.
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