Chris’mus breeze a come! And none too soon. Now when friends back home complain about the snow and ice, I can shiver along in agreement at the chill in the Caribbean air. It’s nippy down here. Really!

…It qualifies as sweatshirt weather when it dips below 75F. Blankets are needed at night. For real.

I remember hearing about the Christmas breeze from other volunteers and Jamaicans during my first few months of service, usually after picking the puddle that was my body up off the floor and asking (begging) did it ever get cooler? I remember chuckling when they talked of this time of year, needing warm clothing and boiling water for bucket baths. Oh how things change!

I apologize in advance if when I see you in a few weeks (yeah!) you don’t immediately recognize me. Those blankets and coats and hats and scarves are ALL needed!

I’ve been shirking my blog responsibilities lately, so several holidays, conferences, birthdays, projects, trips and meetings have passed since my last post. (oops) I’ll post separately about National Heroes Day, but here is a quick recap of what’s been happening.

RJ visited! Unfortunately he came just a few days before Hurricane Tomas, but we did have a few sunny days in there!

After hanging around Kingston for a day or so we headed out for Halloween in Accompong. Accompong is a Maroon town in the hills of St. Elizabeth Parish. It was a beautiful place!

There were a few nice things about being rained in once we got back to Portland. We had loads of time to make delicious meals! (Fried green plantain, rice, eggs, and avocado) Card playing, relaxing and catching up was nice too.

PCVs dressed up? It happened! The Errol Flynn Marina was host to a benefit ball, raising money for the Port Antonio homeless shelter. We all volunteered and got a glimpse into a very different level of society and life that exists here. Very interesting evening.

Beginning to recognize these people? Portland fam out celebrating my 24th! (Pic from Angie)

The patch of dirt that will soon be a community garden at the Fairy Hill centre.

Basic school cuties who were amused/enthralled with the machete weilding whities. (Thanks Angie and Raz for your help tearin' up the ground!)

Jerry and Kathy's sweet Christmas light/whirly gig decorated veranda. Jerry makes these little wind mills out of old soda bottles and cans.

Jerry presenting the turkey laden Thanksgiving table!

Those are the highlights. I’ve been busy cataloging the many donated books that we’ve recently gotten. Now that the library is continuing to grow and kids are coming not only after school but at lunch time as well, we’re really trying to step up with organizing and outfitting it with all that it needs to be a serious and professional place. It’s coming along! Several projects are in the making, so hopefully in a few weeks I’ll have some more success stories to share.

To get you in the holiday spirit:

Jamaica’s Chrismus Tyme
KHARL DALEY
Published Dec 1, 2003
(Kharl Daley is a columnist for www.jamaicans.com and contributor to the Jamaica Gleaner, check them out!)

It’s the day before Chrismus, houses are clean, spic and spang
Well decorated with Chrismus Cards from many Foreign Lands
Hairdresser with hot comb ina fiya, Tailor a sew lakka madman
The Barber dem so busy while Market an Supermarket dem ram

De Sidewalks dem whitewash, de Gully dem klean
Chrismus light beamed pon lightpole amid de chilly Chrismus breeze
De whole Place lok so tidy, y’u would tink we’ll be getting a visit fram de Queen

Now it’s the night before Chrismus when all through the house
The smell of sorrel, cook food and bake cakes… roamed all about
Not a child was sleeping, nar an adult asleep
Ebry Jackman waiting fe Tenkie Mastah, Santa Claus to greet
Some say him roune de korna while others say down de Chimney
But many don’t care how him come… jus as long as him reach

Aunt Dassa and Uncle Hermon did cum fram waya Inglan
We get a hole heap a tings, fe nice up we Chrismus man
Rubecca, Tathlin an Icilda, what a joyful lickle band
Dem lef fram waya country, ina dem horse drawn wagon
By mid day dem wi reach yah, but by den Santa noh cum an gane
Yet Nyamings dem we ketch, faar a lot deya fe Nyam.

Now its Chrismus mawnin, excitement deya galore
Ebryone a ask wey dem Chrismus
Like dem hear me bruck gift store.
Hear dey! Hear dey! Feefe a blow an clapas a bus
Pickney a race fe open dem present fus
Johnkoonoo an Harsehead masquerading in de street
While Pickini a run ana bawl… ana hide anda dem Mooma feet.

Old Mas Tom dung yandah wid wan piece a mea-rengae-reng
A soso rum drinking him ina straight back to New Years Evening
So everyone havin a good time, far Jamaica Chrismus is realy sinting fe true
Radio a play carols an a announce Chrismus wishes too
Greetings fram weya a Merica and even from down a Mucko too
A Jolly Chrismus to all and a Happy New Year to you.