Resort Life

This Saturday we treated ourselves to one night at the Bay Gardens Beach Resort (the resort we always steal pool time at). We found a deal on Jetsetter for a very inexpensive night in a “deluxe garden view room” (the cheapest room). We expected to have a room in the back, which was fine because we planned on spending our time at the beach, and by the pool.

Thanks Bay Gardens!

We arrived at the hotel around 10:30 and were greeted with complimentary rum and punches. Not a bad way to start off the day! The bellhop showed us to our room and when he opened the door we could not contain our excitement. A “deluxe garden view room,” in fact, means a beautifully decorated room with a lanai that looks out over the ocean. In the folds of the towels, pillows, and toilet paper fresh flowers were placed. The shower had two heads, as well as two jets.

View from the Lanai

Tigers in the Shower

As much as we were in love with the room, we headed down to sit by the pool. We much prefer the comfortable lawn chairs by the pool opposed to the painful ones on the beach. And in this day and age we feel more comfortable keeping our ‘much needed’ electronics out of the sand.

1. kindles
2. ipods
3. cameras


However when it comes to cooling off, you’ll bet we are in the sea. As we swam around we noticed two of the neon polo boys were also in the water- thankfully they left the shirts at home. They were obviously trying to throw their ball just a little too far into our swimming zone, and after a while of watching this interesting human ritual… we took the hint and fetched one of their “overthrows.” After talking to them we learned they were of similar age and in St. Lucia for two weeks partying and playing cricket. There are 21 of them and they are all from Sheffield “Uni” as they call it.

Obviously, enthralled by their british accents we left it at “maybe we’ll see you out tonight.”

2 for 1!

We decided we wanted to enjoy the sunset with a fruity-girly beverage. Elektra ordered a piano colada and Maddie a mango margarita. Although, when they brought the drinks out there was a total of four! Little did we know that at Happy Hour you got two for the price of one! Yippee! And for future reference we noted that they DO NOT take down your room number when ordering

Sunset

NOM NOM dinner

After evading the ever-present beach rasta-men (who we even had to avoid later in the night) we took a rest on our comfortable mattresses in our air conditioned room. For dinner we walked to the “Jerk Pit” which is a St. Lucian version of a taco truck. We shared some jerk chicken, fried chicken and fries. Don’t hate- we eat healthy all week!


We spent the night at Delirious… our new discovery. The scene includes what we think are St. Lucian “hipsters,” foreigners, and a dabble of beach Rasta’s. Of course we immediately ran into the cricket players and spent the night learning random things about England and shaping up our cricket knowledge (none).

Did you know there are two different English accents from the north and south? Apparently, if you are from the south you are more “Posh.”

Shout out to Tom/Ollie… thanks for the beverages.

At the end of the night we entered our beloved hotel and went to sleep remembering fondly of the night.

Sunday morning we woke up to blasting music from the garden area. We decided we needed some coffee and pancakes, and went down to the hotel restaurant and got a decently priced and very delicious meal.

Comfy beds!

We were sad to check out of luxury but they allowed us to keep our bags behind the counter while we hit the beach for the day. We hung out under the shade of an umbrella and read. Maddie is currently reading ‘The Girl who Played with Fire’ and Elektra, after just finishing ‘The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo’, is reading Tina Fey’s ‘Bossypants’ and has occasional outbursts of laughing- so far, we haven’t had any strange looks.

We had a very relaxing day, and got home and went to sleep very early.

Jump Up! - Gros Islet

Gros Islet on a Friday night!

On Friday evening (very late evening) we attended "jump up," a street dance party in the nearby town of Gros Islet. Similar to Fish Friday at Anse La Ray, there is always a lot of food and energy. This event happens year round except during Lent (St. Lucia is a majority Catholic). Our tour guides for the evening were Jenny's nephew, Claude, and his friend, Francois. It was great going with them because we didn't have to use public transportation and they were gentlemen, making sure we were safe and having a good time.

We arrived around 11 and danced for about two hours. It was an interesting mix of people...tourists and locals. Looking around there were a couple of interesting scenes. All around us, we could spot older foreign women romancing with younger St. Lucian men...cougars, anyone?There were St. Lucian women dancing aggressively to the beat that reminded us of what we experience at college parties. Finally, there was a group of British boys wearing extremely bright lime green polos. On the back of these polos each young man had a humorous sexual innuendo such as Thrush, MILF, and Harpoon. We later saw the fronts of the polos and discovered that they were an English university cricket team.

The background to this interesting scenery included a lot of Soca (e.g., http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVmjuklcM3M&feature=related, and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTDTmccChEA), which is a genre of Caribbean music that builds upon Calypso and more contemporary main-stream music. It was fun to dance to the Caribbean rhythms and relax after a long week of working. The DJ also played a number of American tracks which drew a lot of enthusiasm from the crowd.

We ended up leaving around 1 a.m., but we couldn't leave without purchasing a bake (pictured on left), the delicious donut-esque treat we had discovered in Anse La Ray. Except, we do have to note that the quality was not as high as in Anse La Ray. We look forward to attending this Friday night dance party again!

Three Day Weekend!

Elektra Sporting our Orange Towels

This weekend we spent a lot of time at the beach and the resort. We started the weekend with the "ultimate scam." In need of more towels (one towel is not sufficient for beach and shower use) we headed into town with Jenny were she showed us a place to buy cheap towels. While browsing the selection, Maddie spotted bright orange towels, the same color that they use at the resort! Since then, we have been enjoying the lovely poolside lawn chairs.

It's been very nice. The sea has been exceptional. The perfect temperature where it's not too warm, but cold enough so that jumping in is refreshing. Maddie spotted some cool sea creatures, and Elektra saw a couple of fish.

Maddie water jogging around the pool

Saturday night we ventured into the Rodney Bay area to test out the night-life. It was a good test run for future endeavors. Not wanting to walk/take the bus late at night we left the house around 7:30. Unfortunately it had gotten dark and was a creepy walk to the bus stop. We encountered a pack of dogs… but they were all bark and no bite. We found some bars to hang out at while watching the NBA finals and will return next weekend. The night life starts late here, and we headed in before it really began.  People eat late and the clubs start opening until midnight or later. We called Kusbert, trusted CEHI employee for a taxi ride home.. it was filled with good laughter and jokes.

Monday was a national holiday and we didn't have work! Woo-hoo! We slept in, did some cleaning, and moped around the house in the HOT HOT heat. We watched "No Strings Attached," before heading to bed for a long day at work.

Anse la Raye Fish Friday!!!!

On Friday night we got to attend the "Anse La Raye Fish Friday" festival. Anse La Raye is a small fishing town on the northwest part of the island. Every Friday they close down the street directly next to the water and locals set up make shift "restaurants" and stalls with delicious seafood options. We were able to charter a mini-bus taxi with others from the conference because otherwise the 40-minute trip would have been impossible without access to a car.

When we got there, we could not believe the options. The aromas were absolutely intoxicating. We wandered down the short strip and eyed the selection. At the end of the street there were massive speakers blasting music: at first it was american pop, but as the night progressed it switched to Caribbean.

When it came to choosing our food we decided to have the snapper(highly recommended by Jim). The snapper is cooked in a pot first, then placed in foil on a grill with an oil based garlic sauce. For side dished we ate fried marlin with Irish potatoes, stuffed crab, and a fish/flour/fried concoction. Not only was it delicious but VERY cheap. We spent about 33 EC which is about 6 USD each! 

The Snapper

Not completely full, we sampled a few other options such as sweet plantain and fried dough, which is similar to a donut but with less sugar, needless to say, we could not believe how tasty it was. Maddie also purchased a small fried fish that she named Frank. "He" was very delicious too.

Frank cost $.92 USD... YUM

We loved Anse La Raye and are hoping to return soon, we just need to figure out how! 

Meet Our Dogs!

Meet our two friendly dogs that belong to Jenny (our land lady)!


This is Gunster, she was given to Jenny to watch while her friend went on vacation. The friend never came back, and Jenny gained a new friend!

This is Pepsi, she is Gunster's daughter!

Pepsi contemplating life

We bought them treats!

There is a larger dog that is tied up in the back... The true "Guard Dog." He isn't very nice and hasn't been neutered. Consequently, he tries to seduce Gunster but she refuses him (he doesn't like that)... so Gunster has a limp and only three working legs due to big dogs attack :( She is still sweeter than ever and tries to keep up with Pepsi. Pepsi is rather skittish, and until we showed her some love was afraid to be pet.

"Treats?"

Pepsi struttin' her stuff

Our greeting when we get through the gate

SURPRISE SUNSET CRUISE!!

One of our first pictures together!

Before the conference discussions began yesterday, attendee Jim announced to everyone that he would be taking everyone on a sunset ride on his yachts (yes, plural). And, yes, we had a minor freak out of excitement. A boat ride was something we wanted to do while on St. Lucia. There was limited room on the bus, so we didn't know if we would be able to go as interns. After the conference we approached Jim and he was more than happy to take us along!

We drove to beautiful Marigot bay where the group split in half and boarded two boats. Because we had no prior knowledge of going, we went in our work clothes.

This was the first time we felt that we were truly in paradise.

Marigot Bay

The sunset was amazing, the company was great. We sailed up towards Rodney Bay Marina, lying on our backs under the moonlight looking at the stars.

As we pulled into Rodney Bay Marina we passed the most incredible homes. They were massive with docks for their equally massive boats. When we got back to the hotel area, Jim kindly drove us home so that we didn't have to take the bus and walk at night.

Thank you Jim for an amazing adventure!

More photos:

(Princeton) Tigers in St. Lucia

Yes, Princeton Tigers... our school mascot. We are not a younger version of a Cougar, or "an elderly woman who pursues younger men."


Apologies for the confusion.


-M

Water Information Systems Experts: Planning and Development Workshop

This week, we were given the opportunity to attend a workshop for water information system experts that was organized by CEHI. The workshop is being held at the Coco Palm Hotel in Rodney Bay. Elektra was planning to attend just on Friday, but yesterday Sharon decided that we should go since the office was practically empty! Sitting in on the workshop we heard a variety of presentations about different experiences with water management and reporting obligations. As there are many different programs and methods for water management there is a need to determine the most effective model. Attending the workshop has been great because we have been given the opportunity to talk to really interesting people from different Caribbean islands and organizations.

We were a little nervous when we first got to the conference since it was a sort of unexpected part of day. But, we quickly adapted and seriously enjoyed the A.C. We got to view a few presentations before lunch.

At lunch (which was delicious), we sat with Mary Beth Sutton and a local St. Lucian high school senior, Keiwa. Mary Beth is an American who runs a non-profit called Caribbean SEA (http://caribbean-sea.dreamhosters.com/) which aims to work with island agencies to teach children about their relationship to the environment and teach them to be leaders in protecting and restoring their environment. Children are given the opportunity to go out and do water sampling themselves discovering what is in the water they are drinking. It places and emphasis on community involvement. When a community is aware of an issue, especially younger members of the community, there is a sense of ownership and responsibility for a problem. This is an effective way to address environmental health problems because community members become consciously aware of the source of health issues.

Keiwa is one of Mary Beth's student leaders, an example of this community involvement. She will be studying environmental science and marine biology at university in Jamaica. Later in the day we exchanged information with the both of them! Hopefully we can help Mary Beth's organization and hang out with Keiwa during the rest of our time on St. Lucia.

Later in the day we heard Mary Beth's exciting presentation as well as a presentation on Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping. The specific program allows institutes to look at maps with data and also download documents with background information about certain projects/conditions.

We were very tired at the end of the day, and ate such a large and delicious lunch that we curled up on the couches with books and didn't prepare a full dinner.

Today, we have returned to the conference and are looking forward to another day listening in on the inter-island discussion on their approaches to water management.

Maddie's Arrival

After 16 long hours of traveling I finally arrived in St. Lucia! The “large” airport located at the very south of the island is not very “large” at all.  Although, it is larger than the very tiny airport for small planes in Castries. Getting off the plane you walk down what the woman next to me called the “presidential stairs.” I refrained from waving to the imagined crowd.

The Presidential Stairs

A short walk away, there is a very small terminal where I went through customs, received my bag and went outside where CEHI’s driver Kusbert picked me up.

Although I was extremely tired and wanted to pass out, I stayed awake. Our house is at the very north end of the island so driving from the airport is like a tour of the island.

First view of a beach!

Elektra kept you up to date with our weekend activities, so here are some random things I’ve noticed/learned while being in St. Lucia:

1.     There are lots of horses tied up along the highways
2.     “Private” beaches aren’t legally private, lucky us!
3.     If you boil the drinking water, it tastes great!
4.     You’re a fool to buy American brands at the grocery store $$$
5.     Always be prepared for random bursts of rain
6.     Lots of people tend to litter :(
7.     The drinking age is 18
8.     The water is refreshing, and not freezing cold
9.      ALWAYS look three times before crossing the street, people drive CRAZY

Shout out to the honeymooning couple on my plane— sorry that there is all this rain!

A Rainy Weekend and Monday

Maddie arrived on Saturday. We shortly after went grocery shopping in Rodney Bay with CEHI's H.R./our caretaker, Sharon. She is quite the character; very snappy and lively. We spent our first evening cooking and getting to know each other.

The next day, we decided to go to Reduit beach for a relaxing day in the sun. However, Mother Nature had other plans. We managed to fit in a brief swim in the Caribbean Sea, as well as a little lounging before the torrential downpours began. We were lucky enough to find shelter in front of one of the beach resorts. We camped out there till the rain finally stopped.

Before heading back to the main mall area, we decided to explore the resort we took shelter in. It was very nice, and we hope to return soon. We spent a little more time in the Rodney Bay area, having a coffee and hiding from the rain again. When we got home we cooked a great meal with our newly purchased St. Lucian hot sauce. Very delicious.

Today, we woke up early and went for a run. It was a nice cool morning, very much appreciated after the days of sweat-inducing heat. We were also lucky because after we got to work, it started raining for the rest of the morning. Work was a bit long today as there are important workshops being held this week, so CEHI is frantically putting the finishing touches on these events. We also sadly found out that we won't be going into the field tomorrow, however we will be going out next week and getting to see the south of the island.

Maddie met a lot of the employees and received helpful tips about living in St. Lucia, so we are very well-informed. Had a slight scare when we got home, because I (Elektra) had left my clothing out to dry and discovered they were missing! Turns out, Jenny, our landlady, kindly took them out of the rain and is drying them for me. We're gonna have a relaxing evening and we can't wait for the rest of the week!

Elektra's 1st Week

I arrived a week before Maddie and certainly had a few adventures on my own. The island is beautiful and I think one of the best adjectives for it would be lush. Everywhere there is an immense amount of vegetation. There are mountains covered in rich green.

I wasn’t able to move into our house till Monday (I arrived Saturday), so I stayed at a hotel in the Rodney Bay area for two nights where I was able to catch up on sleep and lounge by a pool. I managed to venture out into the surrounding area too. Rodney Bay features a mall that has two grocery stores, a pharmacy, many bars and restaurants, resorts, as well as a famous beach, Reduit Beach (pictured above).

Work started Monday at CEHI. To get to CEHI we have to take two buses. The first stop is about a 10 minute walk from our home in Corinth. We take the 1-D to the center of Castries, the capital of St. Lucia. From there we take a second bus, the 5-F, which takes up rolling hills to CEHI, which is located near the open-campus of the University of West Indies. It takes about 40-50 minutes depending on traffic.

Buses are an interesting experience as they are not what might be typically expected. Buses here are vans that have been converted to seat many people. There are usually 4 rows in the back that seat 2-3 people, as well as foldable chairs as extensions. Two people can also sit in the front with the driver. There are also no seat belts.Everyone squeezes in, meaning that when someone needs to get off, it is inevitable that part of the bus needs to get out and make room. When one wants to the bus to stop one must yell a variety of “Bus stop!” Though the bus routine might feel a little tight and uncomfortable at times, what is nice is how when many St. Lucians get on the bus they greet the other passengers and driver with a “good morning,” “good afternoon,” or “good evening,” depending on the time of day. Riding the bus is a truly St. Lucian experience due to the fact that it is the popular method of transportation among natives.

At CEHI, I’m going to be working on various projects. My main project during this internship consists of going through CEHI’s archives of past projects and converting each lengthy project report into a 1 page synopsis. So far, this has been a somewhat slow and long process. But, I’m hoping that I have gotten through the worse. I've been given creative license to edit the template being used and provide my own suggestions to how to make a user-friendly database.

A very interesting of our internship is our opportunity to go out into the field. We are provided with the opportunity to see other parts of the island while collecting data for specific projects. Last Tuesday I helped take water samples in Dennery, an area of St. Lucia known for its less than superb water quality. It was an interesting experience as I got to see the lab technicians at work and see how many locals live. We also visited a state penitentiary and I saw many open machetes (something I had yet to see). I learned that a reason why water quality has generally suffered in St. Lucia is due to last year's Hurricane Thomas. Other than water, roads and bridges have also been destroyed which has resulted in temporary bypasses that take deep dips in the already windy roads.

During my day in the field I also experienced my very first St. Lucian meal! It was a very hearty meal costing about 12 EC (1 USD = about 2.5 EC). I had stewed lamb, beans, rice, mixed vegetables and green bananas, cold vegetables, two large dumplings, and a plantain. It was delicious but overwhelming in quantity.

Each day, after commuting to and from work I mostly just hung out at the house. I wasn’t really ready to cook by myself, especially after our toaster caught fire, so I prepared lots of salads and a pre-cooked chicken I got at the grocery store.

Our house has two bedrooms, 1 bathroom, a full kitchen, a living room/dining area, and a washing machine. We are on the bottom floor of our landlady, Mrs. Johnson’s (though she prefers Jenny) home. Jenny is very sweet and always willing to help. I had a termite problem one night and she very willingly came down to help me spray and attack the invading insects. Speaking of insects, the mosquitoes are quite sneaky meaning that bug spray is a necessity. It also turns out that where we live, Corinth, used to be a marsh, explaining the immense amount of insects.

Well, that's all for now. Maddie and I will update about our experiences soon!

CEHI Headquarter at The Morne!