Wednesday, August 02, 2006

Day 3 of Training.

Day 3 of Training.

Another day of training, today we covered asset based community development vs deficiency community development. The Peace Corps model and approach is asset based. The mentality is to approach the community recognizing the resources already available and then actively integrating with the community to work together in identifying and working to correct the issue. The disadvantage of the deficiency based model is that expert sources and financing are brought in to address issues that are in more of a laundry list format. After the tasks are accomplished the funding and experts leave. The community has to in a sense focus on there problems to receive the outside help to solve them which results in lack of personal responsibility and community involvement which is critical to long term change.

I am very thankful that my Peace Corps assignment does not include secondary language as a major component. If I stay in Saint Lucia I will have to learn Patois the Creole French dialect which is quite friendly and beautiful. I think I can pick it up given the time. In order to really start I need to learn how the French alphabet sounds out words. That part is really throwing me in trying to learn the language.

I would recommend that any Peace Corps volunteer bring the latest portable gaming system, it will make you an instant hit with children in your host family. Just be careful and let them know they are responsible for its safety. My DS Lite has certainly given me a LOT of mileage with Tomo.



It was fun to have Tomo and Leon waiting for me after school to walk me home. As we passed by one of their friends houses who had an enclosed garden he dropped us fruit from the garden wall he was resting on. I feasted on star fruit (5 finger fruit), it was yellow in color instead of the green we find in the grocery store. The quality of the taste was incomparable. It was so refreshing and sweet, it was strange to bite into the fruit like and apple but instead of tough skin and semi sweet core your mouth was instantly filled with sweet juice. You can eat the entire fruit. So they took me home, we dropped by the local mart and I bought them some m&m’s for being my bodyguards for the trip home. Between the two of them I think they weigh 80pds wet.

Tonight I learned how to cut Pineapple with Wanita. The pineapple was so fricken good, it was literally like eating candy it was tasty. Comparing pineapple in the US to Saint Lucian pineapple is like comparing the flavor of Kraft singles cheese to a fine Brie or aged cheese.

After we pealed the pineapple we save the skins to make a delicious juice. You boil a little water and add the pineapple peals. After it boils for a while you turn in off and blend it straning out the juice. Then you add a few generous heaps of brown sugar and some orange juice and you have the perfect tasty beverage. I cannot wait to try it with Rum.

I am very thankfull I did not bring my alarm clark when I have pefectly good one in the form of a rooster who likes to announce every new day outside of my window. I know it sounds crazy but I actually like him better then an alarm clock. The best part of all is if you get sick of your alarm clock you can have the simple satifaction of eating him.


Well that’s enough adventure writing for this week. Stay tuned for more adventure in Peace Corps aka Beach Corps in the Caribbean. Thank you US taxpayers for your continued support. 

2 comments:

Tim said...

Whoa ... is this Lee from Purdue? It's been years...

Big Country (Leo) said...

Timmy! How did you find me, how you doing dude!