Tapas and Sangria

Tuesday-Tuscany hillside, Leaning Tower of Pisa, and welcoming Hola on a Spanish Airline.

In Madrid today. They just announced the sentencing for the Madrid 2004 attack. Strange to actually be here while watching it on the news.

I´m traveling with a friend from KC for a few days during my European Holiday. We are now in Madrid taking it all in and again being a newcomer to a foreign land. Today, we are on our way to the Prado Museum that has some of Spain's most famous works of art.

In Paris, we will do the usual Paris highlights-trying to nail down a hotel there at the moment. Let me tell you, I am seeing my Peace Corps readjustment allowance vanish before my eyes in an instant!

I fly on to Shannon, Ireland on Monday and meet Becky from Tennessee and also from Bequai in the Peace Corps. She now resides in Dublin. We will cruise around the west coast of Ireland and then go to Dublin and I will fly to Chicago on the 9th. Becky has a car so that will be a nice way to travel. The budget airlines that I am traveling with charge an arm and a leg for luggage that goes over their small carry on limit. So, I´m chucking things left and right. I will wear about 10 layers of clothes and my pockets with be stuffed with my heaviest articles!

I think the count down of these posts are on. I could possibly see one more being produced and then this website will be nullified. Of course I will have to create a hard copy so I can read it when I am 80 and think of how crazy I once was.

Madrid today. Paris tomorrow. Ireland soon, and Stateside within reach.

Megan

Io Italia Casa

Sorry, some are a bit blurry. I donàt know why. I think the lighting wasnàt the best. I live in a cute cute one bedroom apartment inside the ancient city walls of Siena. I just love it! Youàll notice the TV- everything is in Italiano or dubbed in Italiano except CNN. Itàs a weird CNN too. Itàs not US CNN nor is it International CNN that Iàve seen before. Itàs like CNN international-in Enligsh so a little more US and England coverage and all the anchors speak English with a different accent.

Ciao,

Megan

Out and about in Toscone

Bonne Serra-

(well, for me, for you I should say Bonjourno as it is morning still in your world I think)

I donàt always know the order in which the photos will appear, so I will give the description and you will have to figure it out. Me with 2 hair stylists after the cut my hair-it was fun attempting to communicate what I wanted. I was even able to tell them that I will soon donate my hair to make a wig with my little Italiano and their little Inglese.

Other photos- in a winery cellar. Family reunion/harvest photos- grapes I was clipping and the the family.

Gianni in the stain glass workshop.

Soufriere Ciao Ciao

Here are a few last pictures of St. Lucia. I had a nice good-bye party with fellow volunteers, PC staff, and Soufriere friends. And then also a few little get togethers with friends.

Other pictures are obviously no where near St. Lucia. I exprerienced a big culture shock during my Italia transition, but I was ready and willing! Here are photos of the main piazza in Siena-Piazza del Campo. That tall tower is the Campo. In one of the photos, Iàm on top of the Campo and the Duomo is in the background. In the summertime there are 2 huge horse races (The Paolo) in this Piazza and people fill the perimeter to watch the big event.

Bonjourno

Ciao-



This Kansas Caribbean traveller now has another adjective to include in her title.... Kansas Caribbean Italanio Traveller. Iàm now in Italia-hence the funny characters in typing. I decided to do learn something new and have a little fun before I go back to the good ole US of A to earn my keep.



The Peace Corps gives all volunteers a readjustment allowance to be used to get settled again in the States. It corresponds with the number of months served. Itàs not a heap of money, but it is enough to buy some new clothes, pay a months rent, get settled a bit....or it is just about enough to blow in Italy for 6 weeks. I chose the latter. I promise I am responsible with money...but, Iàve been known to know how to spend it too. (Thanks Jerry)



So, instead of dodging cows, sweating profusely, being yelled out and called femm blanc (white girl). I am now dodging vespas and miniature cars, dealing with the dry cool air, and pointed at during an Italiano reunion and called 'Americano!'



Itàs quite a nice culture shock.



I met the owners of the stain glass studio in St. Kitts and dreamed about coming to Italia and taking the apprenticeship. Now, I am here living that dream out. It will probably just be a hobby, but who knows, maybe I will be the next famous Stain Glass Crafter in the Midwest. (Who the first one was...I donàt know)

Iàm living in an old (old in the US is not the same as old in Italy!) second floor apartment right inside the city walls. All the streets in Siena are stone and there are walls on each side at least 3 stories high (with businesses or apartments) . They are skinny, curvy and hilly and filled with cars, motor bikes and walkers.

My apprenticeship is wonderful. I am the only student and my teachers are Gianni and Massimo-they are brothers who own the studio. They have big commissions for homes and stain glass windows in churches as well as fuse small pieces (jewelry and platters, etc) to sell to tourists in Siena. I am now working on putting lead in between a lot of stain glass pieces and then we will sauter them. I donàt know how that word is spelled-but, we will use heat and melts the sauter onto the lead joints. We are working on 3 big windows for a home in the States somewhere. Of course, Iàm also working on small pieces like Christmas ornaments, jewelry. and small dishes to sell in the studio.

Last weekend the owners took me to their family reunion which bordered on Toscone (you would say Tuscony) and Lazvia. I felt like I was dropped smack dab into something similar to My Big Fat Greek Wedding. They all pointed and said 'Americano.' That was followed by lots of hugging and kissing on both cheeks as well as words followed by 'ialliolo, bolo, elli, ono, chiannelli, finelle,' etc) I think they thought that as the day progressed, I would somehow absorb the Italiano language because they kept talking to me. I just smiled and said 'no capisca.' Then, they would smile and say 'Americana' followed by touching my cheek or hair and smiling fondly.

OK, enough about the familia reunion. I will follow this post with some pictures sooner or later. I have some lovely photos of Siena, the reunion, and...oh, the reunion. I forgot to mention... It was the fall harvest. We picked grapes, hauled grapes, and dumped grapes. It was at an old farm house in the country built in the 1800s. Amazing. We sat at the table at ate for over 2 hours with many different courses. Fresh mozzarella cheese, olives, homemade salami, pasta with red bacon sauce, fresh salad, seasoned lamb, chicken, beef, roasted potatoes, many different kinds of desserts from different parts of Italia, and of course espresso at the end. Oh, and definitely vino throughout the meal which was made from that vineyard. It was terrible wine, but homemade. I learned that there is always a family disagreement on the number of days to boil the wine.

This is turning into a book. Well, I hope this satisfied Roxanne in Wellington....I heard you were having a hard time getting through the day now as you were starting to have Megan Show withdrawal symptoms. I am paying for Internet these days as ancient Italy still is not very up to speed with the wireless situation. I'll try to post photos soon.

Ciao,

Meganna (previously known as Mee-gone)

History

There is always something political going on here in St. Lucia.

Our Prime Minister passed away last week after a decline in health following a stroke in April which occured during politcal heated issues. The nation is observing 2 weeks of mourning. His funeral is the 22nd. He was the Premier before St. Lucia gained her independence- then was the first PM of the independant country- in 1979. He also was The cabinet has already elected a new PM and now they will re-shuffle the ministries.

For example...the Minister of Education- might now be the Minister or Sports and Culture. St. Lucia has been in a constant state of flux it seems like. Hopefully the changes will be few over the next couple years.

Because we are in mourning, Peace Corps has recommended that we down play my close of service party. So, we are trying to work it out. It will be Friday the 21st.

Today I completed my final dental exam. Looks like an all clear. I asked the dentist to pull my front 2 top teeth and all on the bottom except one in the middle so it could fit nice in the gap. I just want to try to really fit in here in St. Lucia. It will also help me remember things here. He pleasantly agreed and gave me a couple swigs of rum and then went to town.

Next, goodbye to the school in Vieux Fort on Wednesday, then doctor on Thursday. Next week, swearing in ceremony of the EC 77 group in Castries, my farewell party, the a couple exit interviews the following week.

I'm in pretty good spirits. I'll work on getting rid of a few things this week and show the new Peace Corps girl around a bit. She will live in my place when I move out. She loves my house- which made me feel good. I know she'll take care of it.

Cheers,

Megan

Countdown Smountdown

I'm trying to figure out how to include a countdown timer on this blog- but, I'm a little challenged in the technology field. So, I'll just write it in this post. 4 weeks and 2 days. I'm making all of my end of service appointments: Doctor, Dentist, PC Nurse, Country Director, Associate Peace Corps Director, Farewell Goodbye party, etc.

I have a few more tasks to do, such as facilitate one more training session for the newbies, follow up on the Fond Benier Park, and pass another project on to another PCV.

I'm looking ahead and trying to plan for my upcoming travels to Italia. I will have 4 flights, a train, and a car ride to my next place of residence (for a month that is). Then, on to Kansas for Thanksgiving, find a car to buy, move in to Julie's house, and start back with Quantum.

Things in Soufriere are starting to change a bit. I've talked so much about me leaving...it's getting time to just get it over. I think leaving here will be just as hard as leaving the States to come here. Maybe harder. At least then, I knew I would come back to Kansas. I don't know what my future relationship with St. Lucia will look like. I will be back...but it won't be the same as it is now. Such is life. Close chapters and start new ones.

I'm distancing myself from Soufriere life and closing some relationships. It is strange. People are starting to ask "where are you hiding, Megan, I thought you were leaving already, Megan, you are so scarce these days." I'm giving things away to friends and neighborhood children. My belongings are dwindling. I'm organizing photos and writing thank you notes to people. On my last week, I think I will have a small get together at my house and fix all kinds of funny things to clear out my cupboards.

That's all for today. I may go to the beach later. Tomorrow I'm going up to Rodney Bay to celebrate a birthday.

Take Care,

Megan

Hurricane Jerry Dean

**Pictures- **Waterfront on the Caribbean Side - coconuts, other trees, and rocks/black sand from the Sea all over the road. ** The water in the forefront, shouldn't be there. It's a road. Water was gushing down the drain. The Caribbean Sea is usually flat and very calm. But, angry Dean stirred it up. **Soufriere River. You can usually see the rocks of the bottom of the river. **Ninja- my neighbor using a chisel to fix my door- it swelled from all the water and wouldn't shut after I pushed it open. **Waterfront again. The jetty had some damage- the woods planks burst. Luckily most fishing boats were taken out of the water before the storm.

Hurricane Dean came and went sparing St. Lucia major damage. Lost power, lost several coconut and banana trees, and some fishing boats. Some damage to buildings up north. I heard the north and east were hit the hardest. Some of the buildings that were damaged, looked like they might blow over if you sneezed on them anyway.

Soufriere Town had their Town Disaster Meeting at 5pm Thursday. I saw the storm coming online since Tuesday at least. On Wednesday, Peace Corps informed us that we will consolidate Thursday at 5pm. The first major rain, wind, and electricity problems happend around 6pm- yes, when Soufriere Town was having their meeting. Gotta love it. I heard that people just went and complained and everyone had different ideas for the Disaster Plan. I just love the timing!

I don't want to downplay the storm at all. It was an angry storm- but it wasn't nearly as bad as it could have been- at least when it was over St. Lucia. The eye past right between St. Lucia and Martinique. Now, it is headed toward Jamaica and is a level 4.

Three other Peace Corps Volunteers stayed with me during the storm. Peace Corps makes us consolidate during disasters. Everyone has to pack their passport, 3 days worth of clothes, and be prepared to never see their house again. My house is a "safe house" so, people in my area came to my home. My house is stocked with canned food, flashlights, radio that doesn't work, sleeping bags, etc.

Thanks to everyone that called or texted. I couldn't respond to everyone as I would have been broke broke. My phone bill is already going to be high this month.

Cheers for now,

Megan

Tropical...What?

Good morning.

I've been following Tropical Storm Dean in the Atlantic Ocean. I haven't seemed to hear about it at all here in St. Lucia except with chatting with a few friends. When I watch on the US news (currently we are getting south Florida), they talk about it and show the path. The interesting thing is that they talk about it upgrading to a Hurricane over the Lesser Antilles, but also say that there is no concern for it to hit land until next week sometime. What do they think the Lesser Antilles is??? A figment of land?? We are land and people live on this land and I think Dean is going to hit this land.

Here is a fairly good map. Of course it doesn't point out the names of the islands. http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/refresh/graphics_at4+shtml/083540.shtml?3day

My house is a safe house, so that means that I'm stocked with water, tools, canned food, paper goods, etc. That also means that 3 other Peace Corps Volunteers come bunk with me if needed. Julie flies in Thursday evening. This could be interesting for her. In the next 24 hours I think we should have a better idea of where the storm is going.

I've included pictures of the Canaries Art Camp that was a few weeks ago. Shannon and I had our group paint the mural and make little "Books About Me." It was pretty fun. I learned a lot with the mural. We painted their school motto, Let Us Work And Pray, and then painted a waterfall- Canaries has a nice waterfall.

I only have about 6 weeks left. I'm starting to give things away, and mentally wrap things up. I'm doing less in my community to kind of phase out. I've also packed a bag for Julie to take back. That will be a huge help! People are starting to tell me that I'm "scarce." Just meaning they don't see me much anymore. In a few weeks, I'll be very scarce. I'm not sure how I feel. I'm focusing on the future and trying to think about all the positives. That way, I don't get as sad when thinking about leaving.

I am really looking forward to milk. Good ole cold milk from a carton, kept in a cooler at the grocery store. My days of powder, canned, boxed, or soy milk are coming to a close. I'm also looking forward to covering up with something when I sleep. I don't really like sweating when sleeping. Being more efficient and independent is another positive. Once I have a car, I won't have to depend on people for outings. I am excited for grocery stores in general- who knows, maybe I will miss the option of buying chicken parts, pig snout, and fish that just sits on the shelf- no needed for cooling. Perhaps.

Of course, I realize that I may be frustrated with the American lifestyle at times as well as feel overwhelmed. I'm certain that I will miss St. Lucia frequently. However, I refuse the believe that this is my last contact with St. Lucia. I have a strong inclination that I will be a Lucian girl for the rest of my life. It remains to be seen just how that will come to play.

For the time being, I'm ready to enjoy my last few weeks here, ready for my Italian adventure and definately ready to come home to Kansas.

Mwey La,

Megan