"Merry Christmas" from Grenada

Just wanted to wish you all a Very Merry Christmas!  2 more sleeps before Santa arrives and 2 more days of shopping left.  I have to admit it doesn't quite feel like Christmas.  Lots of tinsel and ribbons but very few Christmas lights (perhaps at resorts?) as electricity is super expensive.  People dress up with Santa hats and there's plenty of Christmas music blaring from huge (and I mean HUGE) speakers just about anywhere.  In fact, there are open-back trucks with 6-8 musicians on them that go up and down the streets singing Christmas songs a la reggae style... like "I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas" or "Let it Shine, let it shine, let it shine" (not snow)!?  Too funny.  Here's a picture of a little girl just outside the house on her last day of school.  We live next door to the school...

"Hand-Over" to the Community

An active week for MAREP - they had 2 "Hand-Over" ceremonies in different Parishes (total 15 Parishes in Grenada).  MAREP provided grants to build 2 rural roads to provide farmers easier access to transport their goods.  This was handing over the road to the community so that as one resident said; "it will save them 2 pairs of shoes each time it rains when they have to haul their products down the steep hill in mud".  This is a pic of the new road in St. Patricks Parish and the ceremony with the head of MAREP (Mr. Campbell) speaking. 

 

 

Went back to Sauteurs for the 3rd time this week (Fri) for a year-end Beach social with MAREP staff.  Setting was beautiful where the Caribbean and Atlantic ocean meet - so the water is rough and crashes against the cliffs. (see pic below).  Picnic on the beach includes bringing these HUGE pots where they cook up all kinds of root vegetables (ie. edo, yam, cassava, plantain, breadfruit), dumplings, & ALL parts of the chicken over a fire for a couple of hours. 

 

After lunch, we had a mandatory hike over the steep ridge (see above pic) through the bush, climbing over rock and jumping across streams - I did this in my sandals - crazy!  When we reached the next beach on the other side... some of the staff were elated and so was I, except my thighs felt like jelly.

 

Gotta Love Public Transit

It's been a busy week - had to travel to MAREP's H.O. (north side of island) twice in the past 4 days.  Got up early (5am) to catch a bus & got a 'Pound the Road' one... ok, they drive crazy fast.  Then transferred to another bus & during rush hour they sure pack them in.  A bus has 15 seats & at one point, there were 22 people - some sitting on others.  This doesn't include the 30lt petro can that was filled I must add that was squeezed in too.  Thank goodness the lady with a box of chickens couldn't fit in!  Very interesting to see how the conductor shuffles passengers and re-packs at every bus stop.  It took 2 hours to reach Sauteurs just in time for my meeting and Christmas lunch.  Here's pictures of the team I work with (my boss Afzal is 2nd from right) - we went to Petit Anse Hotel.

Lending a Hand

Ten years ago, Hurricane Ivan devastated Grenada & to this day, you can still see the effects.  One building that never got restored was the old Public Library - it still stands closed.  My room-mate Linda befriended a local writer/author who has taken the initiative to open a small library where children and the community can borrow books or simply sit down in a comfy room to read.  Oonya is an incredible person who opened this library on top of a store a few months ago & already has over 400 members.  To help spruce up the little library, I joined in to help paint it.  Here's pictures of me, Oonya (on ladder) and, Linda painting away this past Saturday (PS... there's no air conditioning!)

To complete this weekend... I joined my room-mates & their colleagues on a Sunday afternoon catamaran trip - a nice way to see the island from a distance. 

 

First week at work & a warm welcome from MAREP

Survived the ride to Sauteurs (pronounce Saw-tez) on my 1st day of work - a beautiful 90 minute ride along the coast &... held on tight!  Ocean on one side - mountain on the other and many small French named towns along the way.  Here's pics of Sauteurs just across from the office and, the MAREP office building next to the bus terminal.  It's a cute small town with lots of stray dogs!

The balance of the week, I have been working out of St. Georges.  This is me outside of the Financial Building where Sabrina and I have an office (desks). It's raining yet it's sunny - they call this trick rain.  I am mentoring Sabrina on Marketing Research practices so she can carry on the project - that's Sabrina at the Nutmeg Bar & Grill restaurant.

Slow Down

After a week of being here, I am learning to slow down.  And even when I slow down, I find myself still passing the locals on those narrow sidewalk (if they have any!).  The funny thing is that when you get into a conversation with a Grenadian... they talk so 'fast' - I can only understand 50% of what they're saying (and it's English!).  These paradoxes seem to abound.  It's Sunday and VERY quiet in Grenada (no stores are open) so I went to the beach to chill and escape the heat & mosquitos.  See picture below...

Tomorrow is my 1st day at work in Sauteurs - pronounced Sawtez which is at the north end of the island opposite to where I am.  I will use the public transit & have been told to take the 'regular' bus NOT the 'pound the road' (express bus in N.A. terms except they pick up anyone along the way).  This is a picture (below) of the Financial Complex where my office will be in St. Georges.  It's the building on the left with the palm tress out front.

Stunning & Shocking

First impressions of Grenada... stunningly lush, mountainous, friendly & small.  This is Day 4 & I have learned to always carry an umbrella (tail-end of the rainy season).  I must say that the rain can be a refreshing relief from the heat.  Have only seen & walked around St. George's (capital) area & am shocked each time with the steepness of the streets - the legs are getting a good work-out.  (see 2 pics). 

I am sharing a 3 bedroom house with 2 Canadians (Linda & Myriam) who moved in the day before I arrived.  They provided a nice welcome & now we're adjusting to this new place.  Easier for the 2 of them who have been here for 6 months & have integrated incredibly well.  For me... it's been a shock to see goats, chickens, roosters, stray dogs outside the house and to live no hot water, air conditioning although I constantly thank the Canadians for buying 3 fans for our rooms.  (see 3 pics of the Cdns at the house - Linda in yellow top, Myriam on the scooter to go to work). 

This week is about orientating myself before starting work with Marep on Monday (8th).  My 1st day will be at their office in Sauteurs which is on the north side of the island and I'm in the south.  So my commute I have been told will be 90 minutes via the 'public bus' one way (wow sounds like Toronto) but suspect it will be a hair-raising ride along the rugged coast.  This is definitely a lifestyle adjustment so I think I will go to the beach now and rest up for what will come next.