It’s raining and I’m up at 6:00 a.m. I don’t have to be anywhere until 2:00 today but this is a very exciting morning. It’s different that any morning since arriving on the island. Somewhere in this blog I mentioned that no one in Saint Lucia drinks coffee – or at least, no one I’ve met. My host family kindly bought me a jar of Nescafe which I’ve been drinking. On a typical morning, I am served a breakfast of salad and bread, or vegetables and stuffed potatoes, or salad and hot canned tuna to go along with my hot drink.
As I write this piece I ask Neena, the 24-year old daughter in my host family, if she has heard of Starbucks. She replies, “What?” She’s confused. The word means nothing to her. There is not one single Starbucks on this island! I begin to wonder, where do people meet when they want to have a quick meeting? Where is the “Nescafe” Starbucks of Saint Lucia? Starbucks aim is to become the “third place” for its customers – the other two being home and work. Is there a “third place” for Saint Lucians? There is none.
This morning is different. Since writing that piece in my blog, I’ve received a press and three pounds of Starbucks Coffee. One pound of coffee came before the press. I quickly learned how to improvise, nearly burning myself and gulping large mouthfuls of grounds…not exactly “good to the last drop” but I was learning the art of chewing my caffeine. Yesterday, I received an additional two pounds of coffee and the press when I was in Castries. I also received eight of my very favorite Balance Bars.
I could feel the softness of the nutrition bars through the wrapper. I carefully took them from the boxes and gently packed them into an extra bag I brought to the capitol that morning. It felt like Christmas and I had just scored the most extraordinary gift ever! I left the capitol and boarded a bus for the hour and a half ride back to my village, all the while smelling the aroma from the bags of coffee sitting on my lap. When I arrived home I unpacked the booty, set it on the kitchen table and contemplated the aroma along with the taste of my crispy soy based nutrition bars. I almost couldn’t wait until this morning, but knew I had to wait as the penalty would be insomnia. I put one of the nutrition bars into the refrigerator so they wouldn’t be melted in the morning. The others, I carefully stored in my room.
So, at 6:00 a.m., with nowhere to go, I shot out of bed, pushing the mosquito net aside, making my way to the kitchen to brew a fresh pot of coffee. Oh, yes! I sat on the front porch, nutrition bar in one hand and coffee in the other, saying “Bonjour” to those that passed by. I thought about what this would be like at home. Not much different. I’d be on my front porch, coffee in one hand, nutrition bar in the other saying “good morning” to those that pass by.
I sat there until early afternoon when I hopped on a bus and met another volunteer from a nearby village. Andy has been here for over a year. We walked up the steep hills of his village greeting the men and women and with each few yards we inherited another child who would follow us – it was very much like we were the pied-pipers of the village. Every few minutes someone would ask, “Is that your girlfriend?” Or, “Is that your mother?” which was far more appropriate as Andy is only 24 years old. The views in the village were breathtaking, and although the walk was intense because of the heat and the steepness of the terrain, it was well worth the effort. We stopped to buy a “bake” and a “bakery” – a sandwich and a pastry. We stopped at his house and talked for a short time. We headed to a meeting.
We walked into the day care center and started setting up chairs and clearing off the table for the meeting. I was first introduced to an older woman with no front teeth. It is through her effort that this day care center exists. Although I was just an observer they wanted to know who I am, where did I come from, what are my accomplishments, and most importantly, how do I like Saint Lucia. No matter who it is, they always smile when I tell them, “I got the best country.”
The meeting began and Andy was asked to lead us in prayer. Almost every meeting I’ve attended is opened with a prayer. Andy handled it so well. I wondered if I would ever be able to do something that is counter to whom I am and look as comfortable as Andy.
I’ll worry about that later. Right now I’m going to go and clean out my coffee press, put another nutrition bar into the refrigerator and get ready for tomorrow morning!
As I write this piece I ask Neena, the 24-year old daughter in my host family, if she has heard of Starbucks. She replies, “What?” She’s confused. The word means nothing to her. There is not one single Starbucks on this island! I begin to wonder, where do people meet when they want to have a quick meeting? Where is the “Nescafe” Starbucks of Saint Lucia? Starbucks aim is to become the “third place” for its customers – the other two being home and work. Is there a “third place” for Saint Lucians? There is none.
This morning is different. Since writing that piece in my blog, I’ve received a press and three pounds of Starbucks Coffee. One pound of coffee came before the press. I quickly learned how to improvise, nearly burning myself and gulping large mouthfuls of grounds…not exactly “good to the last drop” but I was learning the art of chewing my caffeine. Yesterday, I received an additional two pounds of coffee and the press when I was in Castries. I also received eight of my very favorite Balance Bars.
I could feel the softness of the nutrition bars through the wrapper. I carefully took them from the boxes and gently packed them into an extra bag I brought to the capitol that morning. It felt like Christmas and I had just scored the most extraordinary gift ever! I left the capitol and boarded a bus for the hour and a half ride back to my village, all the while smelling the aroma from the bags of coffee sitting on my lap. When I arrived home I unpacked the booty, set it on the kitchen table and contemplated the aroma along with the taste of my crispy soy based nutrition bars. I almost couldn’t wait until this morning, but knew I had to wait as the penalty would be insomnia. I put one of the nutrition bars into the refrigerator so they wouldn’t be melted in the morning. The others, I carefully stored in my room.
So, at 6:00 a.m., with nowhere to go, I shot out of bed, pushing the mosquito net aside, making my way to the kitchen to brew a fresh pot of coffee. Oh, yes! I sat on the front porch, nutrition bar in one hand and coffee in the other, saying “Bonjour” to those that passed by. I thought about what this would be like at home. Not much different. I’d be on my front porch, coffee in one hand, nutrition bar in the other saying “good morning” to those that pass by.
I sat there until early afternoon when I hopped on a bus and met another volunteer from a nearby village. Andy has been here for over a year. We walked up the steep hills of his village greeting the men and women and with each few yards we inherited another child who would follow us – it was very much like we were the pied-pipers of the village. Every few minutes someone would ask, “Is that your girlfriend?” Or, “Is that your mother?” which was far more appropriate as Andy is only 24 years old. The views in the village were breathtaking, and although the walk was intense because of the heat and the steepness of the terrain, it was well worth the effort. We stopped to buy a “bake” and a “bakery” – a sandwich and a pastry. We stopped at his house and talked for a short time. We headed to a meeting.
We walked into the day care center and started setting up chairs and clearing off the table for the meeting. I was first introduced to an older woman with no front teeth. It is through her effort that this day care center exists. Although I was just an observer they wanted to know who I am, where did I come from, what are my accomplishments, and most importantly, how do I like Saint Lucia. No matter who it is, they always smile when I tell them, “I got the best country.”The meeting began and Andy was asked to lead us in prayer. Almost every meeting I’ve attended is opened with a prayer. Andy handled it so well. I wondered if I would ever be able to do something that is counter to whom I am and look as comfortable as Andy.
I’ll worry about that later. Right now I’m going to go and clean out my coffee press, put another nutrition bar into the refrigerator and get ready for tomorrow morning!
1 comment:
you really appreciate the little things when you are without them for a while.
Post a Comment