US Elections, Jounen Creole, etc.

US ELECTIONS
It has been very interesting following the US election from abroad. It can be quite the topic of conversation, and some people seem to follow it more closely than their own local elections. Even though I obviously knew that events in the USA have an impact on other countries, since living down here I have become much more aware of that influence and of perceptions others hold toward the US political system. Even though I’m an American and follow the election coverage via US cable TV, I feel as though I have been viewing it through a different lens. In seeing that certain people from other countries follow it just as closely as people in the States (if not closer), it not only puts the election on a grander scale but also conveys the reality that it truly is a global matter. In turn, I sense that my perspective has been broadened which has caused me to more seriously consider the voice of the wider world when casting my vote. I obviously didn’t cast my vote for a particular candidate merely because the world wanted that person in office, but at the same time I did consider the important role that our next president plays in working with other world leaders to progress forward collectively.

Everyone I have talked to down here supports Obama. I’m sure that some support him for his stance on political issues, but I definitely have heard, and I quote, “we need a black brother in that white house,” as well as other equally amusing comments. Some even have t-shirts, hats, and other paraphernalia to show their support for Obama. At times I wonder whether I missed a memo that St. Lucians somehow attained the right to vote in the US election.

I’ve been writing this post over the last couple of days and last night was the election. I enjoyed celebrating the historic victory while eating homemade cocoa tea (10x better than hot chocolate) and bakes (fried deliciousness) with a good St. Lucian friend. It seems as though most everyone stayed up until 2 or 3 to follow the election through to its finish. The principal of the school and a few staff members came this morning celebrating and wearing their Obama t-shirts. I am glad to have been able to have had the chance to follow the election from the outside looking in.

JOUNEN KWEYOL
St. Lucia recently celebrated its annual Jounen Kweyol (Creole Day), which is a day specifically set aside to uphold traditional Creole customs and practices of past. The event is held in 4 communities around St. Lucia, where traditional Creole food is sold, folk songs are sung, and traditional dances performed. Even though the event is aimed at celebrating the past, unfortunately in some instances people focus on its financial benefits, and thus certain aspects can be compromised to capitalize on this opportunity. Many of my St. Lucian friends and I noticed that largely Soca and Zoug (more contemporary music) was being played instead of the traditional folk songs, as it’s more popular and keeps the crowd engaged. In addition, in one of the communities pizza was being sold along with lots of little cheap plastic toys for kids. It was disheartening to see such compromises being made, but at least such things didn’t go unnoticed.

The Fond St. Jacques Primary School had a Soiree (night activity) the day after Jounen Creole to raise money for the school. Even though the government provides funds, schools largely have to round up their own resources. The event was really successful. The kids put on different skits, sang songs, jumped rope, etc. Domino tables were set up to engage the older men, I played a few folk songs on my violin, and lots of drinks and food were sold.

SEVERE WEATHER
So a couple weeks ago it rained…a lot. I think it rained every day for about a week and a half. We had a few landslides in my community that completely blocked parts of the road. As a result of Hurricane Omar passing just north of us, the sea was really rough, and the waves caused flooding in Soufriere (closest town to me). Fortunately, however, we haven’t been directly hit by any major storm system so far this hurricane season.

MY SPIRITUAL LIFE IN ST. LUCIA
One of the challenging aspects of service down here has been difficulty in finding a group of Christians to fellowship with. While I enjoy playing my violin with the worship team at the Catholic church, I don’t find it to really be a place of real spiritual nourishment for me. I think this is partly because I’m not Catholic, but also because of the language barrier. Even though I am feeling more and more confident about my ability to dabble a bit in speaking Creole, it’s still challenging for me to pick up everything that is spoken, especially when the person isn’t speaking directly to me. I’ll understand bits and pieces of what the priest says, but not quite enough to put together some kind of cohesive message. I also feel that for some here being Catholic is somewhat cultural, and doesn’t always inform lifestyle. Because of these things, and having just come from college, where I was fortunate to be in the company of a very supportive and spiritually encouraging fellowship, I have felt a bit isolated in my faith here. I think experiencing this has strengthened my faith in that it has forced me to rely on God and not people. On the other hand, being able to share in fellowship with others of the same faith certainly is important and encouraging. Fortunately, a St. Lucian friend of mine and I have started a bible study together a few nights a week. I’ve really enjoyed the opportunity to discuss different topics with him and regain fellowship, however small it may be.