Sometimes I feel like throwing my hands up in the air

I completed my regular morning routine at the ungodly hour of 3am today. The only difference was that it was a Sunday and instead of going to work my dad drove me to the airport. I met the other Seneca Alumni who also chose to go on the trip. In total there are eight of us, Jo, Marijanna, Karli, Kelty, Ashley, Tia and myself. Our plane ride here was a short four hours, aka two almost two full episodes of The Wire (before my laptop crapped out) and then a quick snack and nap. We met some of the 2^nd year students who are will be staying in Kingston for the two weeks. My friend Steph Witherspoon was amongst them. I am excited for her to come and visit us here in Boston Bay.

We boarded a small coach bus and took a three-ish hour bus ride to Great Huts in Boston Bay. We asked the driver to pull over so that we could get patties and beer. Well no veggie patties (is this foreshadowing for my entire diet here?) but there was beer. So I doubled fisted some beer and got back on the bus. This may not be the smartest way to start a three hour bus ride because as you would expect, about an hour into the trip I had to ask the bus driver to pull over, which he did, into a police station. I could just imagine worker in this police station and having five white women coming into the station asking to use the bathroom. How could you say no? Thank god he didn’t! When I was waiting in line to pee I could hear arguments from “prisoners” (as they called them) coming from rooms next to us. Interesting. The police were very friendly and asked us what brought us here and wished us a good time. And on we went!

By the time we got here I am exhausted. Ashley and I go to our hut and start unpacking our stuff. Tia comes to our room and says that everyone is down at the beach and wants to know if we want to come, we say okay but in a few minutes we need to finish unpacking. About 15 minutes pass and Jenny comes to our door asking us if we want to come out and get drinks at some local chop bar down the street. I go, and then soon realize it was a mistake. I forgot that I am a white woman in a developing country with no man to walk by my side. As soon as the local men see this flock of white ladies coming all you can hear is “pisstt” “pisst” over and over again. I walked with the girls to get the beer and when they wanted to continue I was not having it and turned down the beach with Ashley and Marijanna. We slowly made our way back to GH.

We hung out for dinner, which was delicious, we made plans for our first day at work tomorrow and that is that. On my way back to my hut I got to meet one of the workers at the shelter, Loyta. I’ll be meeting her at the shelter tomorrow morning. Shucks am I nervous!