Today was a good day!  With each passing day I love Jamaica more and more.  Believe it or not I am sadder at the thought of having to leave then I am home sick.  Let’s hope this feeling stays even after Kenric leaves.

Today was my first adventure on my own.  I woke up early this morning and walked to campus (about a mile).  It was a nice walk through the neighborhood… the mornings are the best here in Jamaica.  The sun shines so bright and the views are amazing and it is the coolest part of the day. So I made it to campus and was able to walk right to the History and Archaeology department.  There I met the administrators and later got to talk with Dr Monteith again (she is wonderful).  After that I went to HR where I met Ms Harris who was just as helpful today as she was before I arrived. I received the original document approving my work visa to take to the immigration office. After that I headed across campus to get the kids some patties from Juicie Beef and then to the Archaeology lab (just to make sure I can find it for my meeting there tomorrow).

I walked back home, ate lunch with the kids and then got to play with my new toy… my new washing machine. This machine is an interesting character.  On one side I have to add my own water by connecting a house to the sink in the laundry area.  I fill the tub up as much as I want then add the soap and clothes.  I set the timer for however long I want and let it wash.  After it is done washing I take the clothes out of that tub and put them in the second tub to spin.  I set the timer and the clothes spin “dry”.  After that is complete I take the clothes out and hang them on the line.  It is a task to wash a load of clothes but I am SO GRATEFUL my hubby brought this machine home last night, otherwise I would have been scrubbing clothes in a wash basin.

Our clothes line in our back yard

Right after I finished with the clothes I received an email offering that I join a group surveying a Jewish cemetery downtown. I had been in contact with the program director prior to us coming but with all of the traveling and settling in, it completely slipped my mind that the survey was today.  I called a taxi (a new driver because our driver Dennis’ car broke down) and he was here in 10 mins. 

He took me to the immigration office so that I could get a stamp in my passport to extend my stay and obtain my work permit to be able to work at UWI while I am here.  After a thirty minute wait (with only 3 people ahead of me) it was my turn.  I get to the desk and give the lady all of my paper only for her to say DENIED.  Apparently I was supposed to get a visa prior to coming to Jamaica, so now she wants me to go home get the visa then come back. WOW!  At this point I’m not sure what is going to happen. I will talk to everyone tomorrow to see what my options are.  The good thing is that my current visa is approved until April 20^th so that still gives me time to work in Jamaica.  The thing is I am supposed to be here until June 2 to assist with an archaeological field school.  Oh well!  I know it will work itself out.  One thing about being here is that there is no stress… so I will adopt that attitude as well.

Once at the cemetery I was instantly happy and excite to be in the field again.  I met with the director, Rachel, who is amazing and so knowledgeable.  She fed me lunch, a saltfish and callaloo sandwich on cocoa bread (yum!) and then gave me the tour.

Callaloo and Saltfish on Cocoa bread

The site was amazing.  After the tour Rachel let me go explore on my own and I was able to take notes and snap many pictures.  I look forward to seeing how I incorporate this site into my research here in Jamaica.

older section of the Jewish Cemetery at Orange Street

On my way home from the cemetery I was apple to get some juice from the juice man (the street vendor selling juice). I had heard how good these little bags of juice are and was so excited to try one.  Oh my goodness, I can’t even describe how good that melting frozen orange juice in that little baggie was riding through the city during rush hour in the an with no a/c.

empty baggies of delicious frozen juice

When I got home the kids were excited to see me and I them.  I saved some juice for them and they guzzled down the rest.  While I was gone a lady came to the house to talk to Kenric about watching the kids while I am at work.  It seemed to really go well and he really liked her.  She is from Jamaica but not from Kingston but she was able to educate him on all the fruit trees we have in the yard (definitely more than I thought as I was only able to identify the banana trees).  We actually have mango trees, star fruit trees and ackee fruit trees (ackee from is a popular dish here… ackee and saltfish).  We won’t be messing with the ackee fruit considering it is poisonous and has to be peeled and cooked just right.  Apparatnly it kills many people here each year.

For dinner we walked back to campus where Kenric and I ate at this great little place (the name is slipping my mind right now but it is right next to KFC) and got a “homecooked” Jamaican meal. The kids opted for KFC but begged for a piece of cake displayed in the front of the little restaurant Kenric and I ate at.  After dinner we walked back to our neighborhood and instead of heading home heading for a daily visit to the neighborhood park.  More kids were out today but we were not able to stay long.

All in all today has been a really good day.  I’m exhausted and so it’s time to go take my cold shower and curl up in the bed.  Good night all!