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Photo Credit: Austin Parker

Wagwan everybody, it’s Austin checking in from Jamaica.  It’s been almost three months since I left home for Kingston, and my time here has been both incredible and difficult. So what I’m doing here in Jamaica, if you’re wondering, is the United States Peace Corps. So far the process has taken me from the struggles of being a trainee to being a full fledged volunteer in the southern Parish of Clarendon. I have been an official Peace Corps Volunteer for about a month now and I have been placed with an environmental NGO called the Caribbean Coastal Area Management Fund (CCAM). This non-profit manages the largest protected area in Jamaica called the Portland Bight Protected Area, which contains critical habitat such as dry limestone forests, coral reefs, the ever important mangrove forests, seagrass beds, as well as some of the nation’s most endangered species. The area is also very rich in history and culture.

So what’s life like in Jamaica? Well, from saying good morning to literally everyone you see to fitting 25 people in a mini bus made for 12, this place has a different feel to it that is hard to describe. Where I live is truly hot. The hottest part of my day is walking the mile from my house to the road to get a route taxi into the town where I work. The mornings are hottest because the clouds and wind haven’t come yet, but the sun, of course, has. When it comes to food, I am ever grateful for the endless supply of mangoes from my backyard. The Jamaican people in my community near Lionel Town, Clarendon are friendly but apprehensive about my intentions, but I see that changing over time. Jamaican patois was so hard to understand at first, but after many language courses and plenty of roadside conversations, I can proudly say that I understand about three quarters of the people I talk to.  From being stuck in my house for a week because of the potential violence caused by the search for the gang leader called “Dudus” to jumping out the window of a burning minibus, I can say my experience has been memorable so far.

Although I will continue to post updates about my experience, feel free to contact me if you have questions or just want to chat.

Jamaica is an incredibly beautiful country and I am proud to do what I can to keep it that way.

Lyata,

Austin