I’ve been here almost two months now. And although my days are never routine, thankfully, I have started to feel comfortable. One thing that is still taking some getting used to is attracting attention. Wherever I go, no matter the time or place, as someone ‘farrin’, this is the case. Most attention comes when I am running in the form of encouragement or amusement. Or someone just trying to be helpful: the other day, an elderly man saw me running and yelled to me about a five km race in a neighbouring town the next day. Just today, I had several encounters, all before 9am.

The first was at Emancipation Park. There are some regulars I’ve now noticed, including an elderly fellow who looks like a real runner. This morning he flagged me down. He was seated beside an old Rasta who had just finished walking. They asked me where I was from after guessing that I was from England. Then they told me they are musicians. Then he offered me his CD, which he got from his car. And then, the ask- he wanted $1,000JMD for it. As I was running, I had no cash on me, of course. But he gave it to me anyway. I will see him again, I’m sure. I must look like I have a lot of contacts in the music industry, I guess?

Then, I was on the coaster to work and a woman asked me where I was from. She told me her husband is from Manitoba and that he has a speech impediment. She is trying to go and visit him soon. And then there is the man who sells candy on the road on my walk to work who wants to grasp my hand and wish me a good day every morning. The other evening in the grocery store, a young fellow was convinced I was German and then when I told him I was Canadian, he started going on about how much he loves Canada. This morning a couple of guys guessed I was English. This is a popular comment: people will call out to you the nationality they think you are. There are countless other encounters that are becoming regular now that are most enjoyable.

On a more boring, bureaucratic note, I now am almost official! In order to be a volunteer here, one must secure a work permit waiver. I got the letter allowing me to do so, so yesterday I made my way to the Passport, Immigration and Citizenship Agency. It is a busy place, full of people attempting to do business related to their status in the country. There are lineups upon lineups, under a tent, in an office, etc. For my project, I had to go to one office upstairs, which is around the corner in an alley of the building, go back out and around to pay, go back up to give my receipt and then return in three days between 2:30 and 4:30. Some of this activity seems mystifying, but it seems to be working at some level.