My First Funeral

I arrived in my village to the sounds of a funeral procession.  My host-niece and I walked with the black and white dressed Vincentians down to the graveyard for the prayers and songs. It was both a sad event and a celebration.  While I could understand the songs and prayers, the people spoke amongst themselves in their local dialect.  They loved the opportunity to congregate and spend time with eachother- I knew I would love this village.

My host mom, Auntie Yvette, has housed two Peace Corps volunteers and she is a good teacher, practicing patience when I am unable to understand the local dialect and accent.  She has already taught me how to cook breadfruit, rice and beans, and bush tea. Her niece, Tash, just walked in one evening with a branch and we tore off leaves from the guinea plant and put it in hot water.  I love this tea and I hope that my own house will have a guinea bush in the backyard.  The farming village’s main produce is green bananas, plantains, and yams.  Auntie Yvette also has a guava tree, orange tree, and plantain trees at her house.  I have 4 guavas a day and I can definitely get used to the produce (:

Her house is near the center of the village and her sisters and brothers live in the same area.  Everyone is out playing games, chatting, or bringing in the local produce.  This morning a donkey walked right by my front porch.  She also has 5 cats and 4 dogs, including a puppy named Bill.  The village is always busy and people sit on their porches talking with neighbors until the early evening.

Tonight, I may be sleeping over at the local church and helping out with arts and crafts and games.  Aunti Yvette wants me to join the choir.  I told her that I am tone deaf. It’s sad but kinda true.

PS:  Bill Clinton did an infomercial on the radio this morning urging people and their families to get tested for HIV/AIDS

PPS: Lucky Dube was on the radio.  That’s when I knew that everything was right.

Take care and keep in touch,

Julie