As I am quickly learning, patience is one of the most important skills a Peace Corps Volunteer can have. Unfortunately for me, patience is not one of my stronger qualities. Something I’ve been told by countless Volunteers, both here and around the world, is that things can take a few months to get started once you actually get to site. There are a lot of reasons for this – adjusting to any new job is difficult, people may be skeptical of you, people are sometimes too busy to help you out or aren’t too sure what to make of you. But no matter what the reason, it can be pretty frustrating. There’s a really fine line between being pro-active enough to ensure that you’re not bored and being pushy and turning people off. So you end up just biding your time until things start to slowly roll your way. Then, with a little initiative, some hard work and a bit of luck, you can start to get things done.
The odd thing is that I know there’s a lot for me to do. I just don’t know where to start or how to get things going. I’m definitely still in an adjustment period, and am still learning how things work here – both within my organization and in Jamaica in general. And you have to start out slowly, and start out with something you know you can do well, and finding that is hard sometimes. There seems to be a lot of projects in the works, so it’s just a matter of me figuring out where I can fit in and be most useful. Some of the things I’m excited about working on in the near future include:
- Working with coastal fishermen and hotels to create a fish sanctuary
- Sponsoring a beach clean-up day as part of the International Coastal Cleanup in September
- Starting/strengthening local school environmental clubs and school gardens
- Partnering with government ministries to alleviate the squatter problem in Ocho Rios
- Starting a bird-watching tour in the area
- Working with a particular farmer’s group in the hills on environmental education
So it’s not that there’s a lack of work for me to be doing. Just a lack of direction. And I’m still so new that I don’t feel like I even know where to start by myself. But I do feel like things will pick up a little bit soon, and I’ve talked to a few volunteers who were able to give me some solid advice on where to start and how to make sure things are successful. All in all, I’m optimistic that things will start happening, one way or the other.
And it’s not just my organization that moves so slowly. In Jamaica, as well as in many developing countries around the world, things move a little slower. Most people here have what’s called the “soon come” attitude. The phrase soon come can be used in any number of situations, and can either be a handy tool or an incredibly frustrating thing to hear depending on the context. When someone says, “I’ll soon come back,” that person could be back in 5 minutes or 5 hours. Or, when someone says “The meeting soon finish”, or “Me soon call you”, you really have no idea what time frame they are talking about. And trying to get Jamaicans to set a solid time is like trying to catch a fish with your bare hands – you might think you’re getting close, but it’s really never going to happen. Trying to get things done in a culture like this is difficult, especially from an American perspective. I’ve already sat in several meetings where it was decided that a certain action should be taken, and instead of hammering out the things that need to be done and delegating these tasks, people talk about setting up another meeting to find a good time for people to meet to talk about what needs to be done. It seems like a very inefficient system at times, but things do get done here, just a little differently then I’m used to.
I’ve had a few other things going on to keep my busy though. I moved into a new housing situation this weekend - I now have my own flat on an older couple’s property and it’s been so nice. I have my own kitchen, and there’s a bathroom, bedroom and little living room – more than enough space for me. I’m closer to work, closer to Ocho Rios, and really happy there. I’ve also been seeing other volunteers a lot lately – there was a birthday party last weekend, a 2 day Peace Corps conference this weekend, and a lot of other events coming up in the next few months. There are a lot of concerts and music festivals in Jamaica in the summer, and a lot of festivals in general. They are a great reason to travel, see more of the island and see friends in different parts of the island.
So there’s a lot to look forward to in the coming months, both with work and personal things. I’m still a little overwhelmed at the idea of living here for 2 years, but I’m trying to take it one week at a time. And I have a feeling that 2 years will be over before I know it, so I’m doing my best to enjoy it while I’m here!
