Long post alert! It was Peace Corps home and week. Usually in Jamaica we live with host families, for safety. It can be a great experience and or a tough one. It's always tricky to share space with someone else, especially strangers, and find your place in the home. Not to mention navigating personalities differences, boundaries, problem solving, etc. It can be an overwhelming, thrilling, horrific, or a lovely experience. I started reading this book given to me before left the States, "The Girl on the Train", and this page resonated with me soo deeply! Update: In the spirit of staying real about my experience, due to some unfortunate circumstances, I'm also getting a housing and possible site change. Don't worry, I'm ok. ๐๐พ#PeaceCorps #PeaceCorpsJamaica #Travel #wanderlust #bloggingabroad #Livingabroad #JA #Jamaica #Volunteer #PCJ #PCV #HowISeePC #PeaceCorpsWeek #PeaceCorpsHome (at Saint Thomas Parish, Jamaica)
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แแแแฃแ (Grandpa)
It was apple picking day and I was invited to the family home of my colleague Keti, in the village Uraveli.ย We drive up a modestly paved road, all packed in the car with the children and husband at the wheel. We arrive, are greeted by her parents. Keti pointsย to the majestic mountains to the south :โover there isย โTurkeyโ. I smile.ย ย
We walk all the corners ofย her smallย farm, between the fruit trees, down steep paths, past the spent tomatoes and peppers, a few still dangle for picking; not yet bit by the frost near the cabbage readied for harvest.ย We spend our afternoon picking apples and beans.ย We continue to walk, pick and talk. Her mom saysย โ the work always goes quickly with extra handsโ. .She points out the most precious spots, where the church once stood and candles are still lit; layers of wax from years. The church was destroyed in the war.
But is was on entering the family house, my heart filled, and eyes welled.Built in 1939, no longer lived in, only tended to on the weekends by her, her mother and father. It was so very care worn, yet โuntouchedโ. Images of my grandparentsโ home flashed; the smell of food, the chattering of relatives and warmth by the heater; here the pekchi.
ย This wasย her grandfatherโs house, built by hand and with his brother; every stone placed and board hand-cut. We walk in and she navigates me to โhisโ room, it was filled with his favorite books; so many, a desk, and personal effects,ย now all covered in dust. The draws and shelves were packed with his journals. She glows and tells me how smart he was, that he was in the war and had many honors he earned in his life, he was evenย mentioned in a printed book. She was so very proud of having him as grandfather. Like my memories of myย papaโs desk; with his papers, pens and diplomas.ย
She continues to what was her grandparents bedroom. Opens the armoire and brings out his jacket filled with medals.ย โmay I take a picture?โ,ย โYesโย I take a few, one is perfect.ย ย
Unable to forget the emotion as as few weeks had passed. โWould you please write me a short note about your grandpaย in Georgian?โ She said she needs to ask her father about this. Today, with tears in both our eyes remembering those who served in the war and those who are no longer with us. She passes this along to me and now I pass it to you.ย ย
แแแแแแแก แแแกแขแแแแจแแแแ - แแแกแ แแฎแแแแแแ แแแแแก แฌแแแแ แแแแแแแแแก แแแแก แฅแแ -แชแแชแฎแแก แฃแแแแจแแ แแแแ. แแ-10-แ แแแแกแแก แแแกแฌแแแแ แแงแ แ แแแแกแแช แแฏแแฎแก แแแจแ แแแฌแแแแแก แชแแแแ แแแฃแแแแ แแ แแกแแช, แแแก แกแแ แซแแแกแแแ แแ แแแ แฏแแ แแกแแแชแแ แ แแแแแจแ แฉแแแ แแชแฎแ. แแแขแแ แ แแแญแแ แแแกแ แแแแชแแ แแ แแ แแแขแแ แ แแแฅแกแแ แแแแแแชแ:
โแแแแแชแแแแแแ แแแแแแ แก แแแแ,แชแ แแแแ แฃแแ แแแแ แแแฎแฃแชแก แแแแแแแจแ.แแแกแ แแชแแแแ แแแช แแแ แแแแกแแแแแแซแแแแ แ แกแแขแงแแ, แขแแแแแ แแแแ แกแ..โ
แกแ แฃแแ แแฅแแกแ แฌแแแ แแแฐแฅแ แแแจแ, แแงแ แแฃแแแแแแ แฌแแแ แฎแแแแ, 3-แฏแแ แแแแแฃแ แฉแ แกแแแแแแแก แแซแแแแ แแแญแ แแแ, แแฃแแชแ แแแ แจแแแจแแแแก, แแแ แแแขแแฎแแก.... แแแแแแ ย แแแแ แฃแแแ 5 แแ แแแแแ, 10 แแแแแแ, 14 แแแแแแแแ แแ แแแแแแแแก แแแแแแแแ.
แแแก แจแแแแแ แแแแแแแแ แ แแ แ แฃแแแฆแแแกแ แกแแกแฌแแแแแแแแ แกแแแชแแแแแแแ แแแ แแแแแ แแ แฅแแแแ-แแแแแแแ. แจแแฅแแแ แแฏแแฎแ, แแแแแ แแ 4 แจแแแแ แแ 8 แจแแแแแจแแแแ, แ แแแแแแแแช แแ แแกแแแแก แแแแแแฌแงแแแแ แแแก แแแแกแแฎแฃแ แแแแก แแ แแฃแชแแแแแแแ แแแแแกแชแแแแ แแแก แจแแแแแแแแแแก.
This is a translated version. Some words do not translate to English correctly from this ancient language, please consider this.
Nikoloz Kostanashvili - his early years of the war entirely wind-related fire. I- 10th grader was a family when war recruiting news, and he too, his three brothers enlisted in the ranks of the soldiers. One little boy of his emotions a little poem gadmotsa: "mimatsilebda meobars mother, tears in her eyes, the old man. The dream I had of mimsdevda strong words, sweet caress .. "a full six years dahko war, was always on the front line, 3-times survived badly wounded, but not frightened, not broke .... returned from the war 5 Order, 10 medals, 14 gratitude and future plans. After the two finished a degree in Agronomy and chemistry-biologist. Married, 4 children and 8 grandchildren increased, the romelibi never forget his contribution and will hand over to his offspring.
We had a lovely dinner that evening, all gathered around the table toasting to goodness,ย life and friendships.
ย I asked first and place a few peppers in my pockets, then fill a bag of apples to bring home to my host family. No preservatives. Thanks for listening. Doe
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