This is really for the folks back home, who might not necessarily know just what it is that I do here in Jamaica.
There are two ways to answer that, and they’d both be correct.
“I do alot”. Also, “Not too much of anything, actually.”
Peace Corps Jamaica is divided into two sections, The Green Initiative (mine), and Youth As Promise, but we all do a little bit of everything.
My assignment is to the Lydford-Moneague Farmers’ Group, where I work primarily with my supervisor as an “agro-business consultant.” We bake bammy, which is a pressed cassava cake eaten with fish, and roast and pack breadfruit and yams for markets here in Jamaica and in New York. Its my job to help establish a record-keeping system, work with Janise to develop marketing strategies, and all that good stuff. We work under the umbrella of the Jamaica Network of Rural Women Producers, so I have the unique opportunity to see both the micro and macro levels of development management in Jamaica.
In addition to that, I spend a few mornings a week at the All-Age School working with 7th graders on literacy. And when I say “literacy”, I mean teaching 13 year old their ABC’s. It can be incredibly frustrating and heartbreaking, but the kids are great (mostly), and I probably learn more from them then they ever will from me.
I’m supposed to be helping with the environment club and with the agriculture class’s garden, but it hasn’t gotten off the ground yet, and I’m reluctant to barge into anything if the teachers in charge aren’t actively encouraging my participation.
And every few weeks I trek down to Ocho Rios Bay Beach and test the water for fecal coliform bacteria in conjunction with the Blue Flag International program, which certifies that these huge resort hotels actually follow the environmental protocols they claim to.
Right now, my supervisor and I, along with JNWRP are putting together a domestic violence education event for early December, and I’m working with my counter part at the school, Miss Wilmot, to give a presentation on trash disposal in her community. At some point next month I’ll be painting a mural depicting lionfish and other invasive species at the Discovery Bay Marine Lab. So there’s that.
On paper, it seems like I do alot. You should see my year plan, all “establishing compost at my primary assignment and at the school”, and “creating an after school girls’ group for empowerment and goal setting.”
These things might happen, but I’m leery of imposing my own agenda here. Yeah, I’d love to see these things happen, but I don’t want to waste money, my time, and my energy on projects that will fall apart once I go home.
That’s why I was thrilled when Miss W asked me for my help with her community, which isn’t part of Claremont, but there’s active interest in putting in trash barrels and reducing the amount of garbage burned! Interest that comes from Jamaicans, and that to me says the project has a good chance at having some staying power.
I do worry that I don’t do enough, or that I’m not a good volunteer, especially when I hear what other people are up to. My friend Sammy does a million and two amazing things, and Megan just did a beautiful job of renovating her school’s library, Daniel helped his organization put on a huge marlin tournament, and Patrick is helping a fisherman’s co-op establish a fish sanctuary.
It’s hard not to feel like my efforts pale in comparison. It’s even harder not to feel that way on weeks like this one where due to weather and my supervisor not feeling great, I have done NOTHING except work at the school.
Part of the frustration comes from the fact that Jamaica is considered by the IMF and World Bank to be a “lower-middle income” country. It is more developed (in most places) than, say, the Mongolian Steppe, and it is perceived that it is maybe possible for a Peace Corps Volunteer to accomplish more then just getting school kids to wash their hands. While this is true, it’s also nowhere nearly as “productive” as the States (at least in a way that we think of as being productive). So trying to measure effectiveness is difficult, and since we all have such incredibly diverse assignments, it’s not actually accurate to measure or compare what I do at my site with what Greg does at the Marine Lab or with what Raz is up to over in Mooretown. But still. You understand.
So that’s more or less my job description. That is what I (sort of) do. It’s hard to explain it to non-PC’s. But hopefully, you mostly get the picture?
