I know it has been a while since I’ve written because I’ve been having some site issues that must be addressed by the Peace Corps. The first is my housing situation. Due to the rush to find housing and lack of housing in Revival, they have placed me with two men in their 40s and their “comatose” mother who is in her last stage of Alzheimer’s. Momma is not coherent at all. She does not open her eyes or move her body parts and she can’t sit up on her own. Every day around 10 am they take her out of her bed and bathe her then place her on the couch in her night gown and diapers. They prop the poor woman up with pillows as if this was a scene from Weekend at Bernie’s. I try to find humor in the situation, because there is plenty available but when it comes to writing about it, I realize how disturbing the reality is and give up on humor and rely on the cold hard facts; this just isn’t working out for me.
Problem number 2. I can’t get out of here! I live on top of a really big hill and to go shopping or just get out of revival takes a long 45 minute hike up the hill. Well how do the locals get up, you ask? Motorcycle taxi. Riding one of these death machines is simply prohibited according to Peace Corps. And I can see why! Since I’ve been here I’ve seen the results of three motorcycle accidents, one of which happened in my yard causing a guy to be put in a neck brace. The other two I did not see, but certainly heard about. In fact there was a fund raising party held to help raise money for a victim’s hospital bills.
And lastly, my final bone of contention. My counterpart is leaving. She’s moving back to Canada. Leaving me alone in a community center that hasn’t any funding, no pens or paper, no source of income, and no community participation. I don’t understand if this project was her baby why she would leave it. She says it is because she is out of money, but for crying out loud if you care so much about something and your hometown; get a job here, in Jamaica, where they can use some one with an education. It is just very disappointing. You can’t just leave a Peace Corps volunteer who is not even out of training to take over your dream. Crazy.