The "halfway point" in our training ... 5 weeks: we've learned so much!

...we've completed 5 weeks of training for our Literacy assignments in Jamaica. We spent part of 4 days actually working with students in rural schools. (As we've mentioned, we choose not to say our specific location and we will not publish pictures of our actual schools or students without their parents' permission.)


"Typical" school building in Jamaica

Irene has been working with 1st and 2nd graders, and Steve with 3rd and 5th graders - we're at different schools in St. Thomas Parish. The goal is to help students, many of whom speak Patwa at home, to become competent SJE (Standard Jamaican English) speakers, readers and writers. After so many weeks of 'classroom learning', we have loved working with students - and also with the dedicated teachers and administrators in the schools.

On the weekend, we travelled to Morant Bay - a major town in St. Thomas Parish to do some shopping (...needed an internet cable because we don't have wireless right now), and also bought some clothes. We hope you enjoy the pictures.



 

Market day St. Thomas, Jamaica - delivery cart is common everywhere

Streets of the town



We have Patwa language and culture lessons every day. We took a "route taxi" (taxis that travel a particular route and pick up/drop off passengers along the way). The object is to 'small up' (squeeze in) so that a car might carry 5 (or more?) for parts of the trip. The Jamaicans we picked up laughed when I was able to tell the driver, "ya so" in Patwa - meaning "right here - or stop here"!

Beach in St. Thomas - goats are everywhere...including in dinner.

Fishing boats on the beach

We stopped into the local library - really quite complete...and they told us that they just got a grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to begin a new computer lab/internet center for the community!

St. Thomas Parish Library

We are eating well (and learning to cook Jamaican too). After we Swear-in, we will be assigned to rural communities all over the island (yes, Irene and I will live together...but we'll work in different schools). Here's a Jamaican favorite - roasted breadfruit with parrot fish!

Roasted Breadfruit and Parrot Fish

 ...and here's a shot Irene took (actually she took all of these great pix today) - Steve at the burned out courthouse where the Paul Bogel memorial once stood. He is a National Hero of Jamaica. He was a leader of the 1865 Morant Bay Protests, which agitated for justice and fair treatment for all in Jamaica and led to the Morant Bay Rebellion.