Last week, students and faculty from Western Carolina University visited YOU offices as part of their alternative spring break. This visit not only marked the second year in a row such a visit has taken place, but the continuation of a long relationship between WCU and Jamaica. WCU Professors Victoria Faircloth, Michael McDonald, Pam Vesley, Nancy Gryder, Erin Johnston and Rebecca Lasher and several others accompanied about a dozen students from North Carolina to do service work and meet residents of Jamaica’s inner-city communities. (WCU’s Jamaica program has been around since the 1907s and involves training Jamaican teachers and aiding them in working towards a bachelor’s degree in education).

On our final night with WCU students and faculty, YOU arranged for a casual evening of discussion, traditional Jamaican food and performances. We invited residents from Mountain View and about a dozen youth and several community leaders attended. As Erin Johnston, an assistant professor put it, this trip created “life-changing moments” for students. Johnston remarked on the kindness of Mountain View residents, who offered whatever they could to WCU students when they toured the neighbourhood, especially the ripe mangoes. “In the communities, the women are dedicated to the children and they still have hope to instill in the next generation.”

After enjoying Jamaican beef patties, fried chicken, sandwiches and fruit, everyone sat down for the discussion. In opening remarks, YOU founder Betty Ann Blaine addressed the complexities of Jamaican culture. “Jamaica is somewhat of a paradox. It is known to outsiders as an island of sun, sea and plan trees, but if you were to go deeper and look, you would see a country with tremendous poverty, and right now we are grappling with a very, very serious economic problem,” she said, adding that such events are a chance for different cultures to interact and learn from one another.

YOU Executive Director Mrs. Georgia Scott then took the floor, imploring every individual to value his or herself and to reject negative thinking. “What is your influence in your homeland and what kind of people are you going to be,” she asked students.

The evening then turned to a discussion of citizenship and the attendant rights and responsibilities, whether one is in the United States or Jamaica. WCU students said that their interactions with community members from Kingston’s inner cities showed them that some people live in conditions they had never witnessed. “When we went to the communities, I saw some people living in ways I wasn’t used to. I’m seeing I have some responsibility to tell people and educate others,” said a student named Taylor.

Another student remarked that the experience in the communities had caused her to re-evaluate her interactions with others at home. “Everyone opened their arms to us. I should be more open and kind to others and not take pity on them or assume anything,” said another student. “In the U.S., we take a lot of things for granted. We are very ungrateful and my responsibility is to show others you are fine with what you have,” said another.

Jovan, a Jamaican youth from Mountain View addressed the question of rights and responsibilities of citizenship by stating that Jamaican government has a responsibility to provide him with “opportunities.” For his part, Jovan said his responsibility as a citizen is to “focus on community development and getting less at-risk persons on the street.”

After the discussion, Mrs. Scott performed a beautiful song for the crowd to a standing ovation. Then, the Simply the Best dance crew performed their dancehall piece to rave reviews. Canadian Women’s Club President Dr. Barbara Matalon then gave some closing remarks (the CWC kindly sponsored the cost of the event), discussing her ties with WCU’s special education faculty.

After the formal proceedings of the evening, people took the opportunity to chat with one another and learn a little bit more about how one another lives in different corners of the world. Especially the WCU students, who grilled Mountain View youth on all things reggae and dancehall music. It was a fitting end to a week of inter-cultural learning and life-changing conversation.

Last night after a delicious meal at Anna Banana (despite an island-wide power outage), we headed over to the Bush Bar. The Grammy award winning Jolly Boys were playing a short set. According to fellow volunteer Erin, the Jolly Boys (they play mento-style music) were rediscovered by a Phd student who was writing a dissertation on mento music. This fellow convinced them to return to touring after years off.

Despite being in their seventies and eighties (except for two twenty-something members), the Jolly Boys delivered an amazing, energetic set. They still tour and are heading for the U.K. shortly. We were privileged to witness this show in a beautiful setting. Bush Bar is owned by Chris Blackwell of Bob Marley and Strawberry Hill fame. The hotel also includes a studio called GeeJam, where Alicia Keys and No Doubt have recorded. Last night, Florence and the Machine were recording there.

During the day, we visited the gorgeous Blue Lagoon even though it was raining. We swam in the deep pool, which is a mix of cold and hot water thanks to a mountain stream emptying into it.

We are back in Kingston now after having attended an Anglican Easter Church service this morning.

Yesterday, in between preparing for an event with Western Carolina University students, Mrs. Scott attended an event for a government employment training agency to give a motivational talk. The event was actually a formal debate about Jamaica’s Vision 2030 plan, with young students discussing the merits of document, which aims to make Jamaica the place of choice to live, work, raise families and do business.

It was hosted by Heart Trust NTA, which is an employment training agency. From their web site:

The Human Employment and Resource Training Trust, National Training Agency known to most Jamaicans simply as ‘HEART’ is a key driver on Jamaica’s road to development. Formed in 1982 and restructured by the amended HEART Act in 1991, the Organisation focuses primarily on stimulating economic growth and job creation. This can only be achieved through the creation of a highly skilled, productive and competitive workforce.

The HEART Trust/NTA operates 29 Technical and Vocational Education and Training locations which focus on providing a variety of training options to ALL Jamaicans seeking to advance their career options. With programmes geared at transforming the lives of school leavers as well as employed persons who require training and certification,  HEART Trust/NTA is active in engaging members of the society. Begin your career, gain work experience and build your business idea with the HEART Trust/NTA!

As usual, Mrs. Scott gave an extremely inspirational talk. It was aimed directly at the young people sitting in the audience, urging them to live their lives with principle and integrity. And they listened.

Stay tuned for lots more pictures from the last event with Western Carolina University students. And have a great long weekend!

Yesterday we took the WCU students and faculty to see an different view of Kingston. We drove north-west, up a hill to the City View Hotel and then up Chancery Hill, where the multi-million dollar homes are. It is always humbling to see the bustling Kingston laid out before you. So many lives going on, so much activity. Another great day with our guests. Today we will host an open discussion with community youth. And everyone will filter out of the city for the long Easter weekend. Have a great day!

Yesterday Youth Opportunities hosted students from Western Carolina University in North Carolina, U.S., who are in Kingston on an alternative spring break. The students are studying in several disciplines and see their visit to Kingston as an opportunity to do service work as well as witness ways of living that are vastly different from their own. As WCU political science professor Michael McDonald told me, he hopes the trip will provide students with a sense of global citizenship and appreciation for the challenges people face. “This was life-changing and broadened perspectives,” he said of the students who visited Kingston a year ago on the same trip. In fact, some students changed their focus of study to incorporate more service-oriented professions.

On the visit yesterday, students and McDonald (along with Professor Rebecca Lasher and high school teacher Erin Johnston) got a chance to first hear more about YOU and then tour the community of Mountain View. YOU has worked in Mountain View for several years and community leaders are always happy to see us. We received a warm welcome and were then treated to introductions of residents and students alike. Jovan, president of the Youth Club (who I wrote about the other day) performed a poem he wrote to the delight of the audience. The professors then presented soccer equipment they had collected in the U.S. for Mountain View youth.

After this short ceremony, the students visited people in their homes to talk about life in Mountain View. The community lies in the shadow of a mountain that cuts Kingston in half. And while it has been the victim of violence over the past, it has calmed down in the past couple of years. Although when I was visiting one of the homes, a woman told me her daughter and another man were stabbed two weekends ago. No one was killed fortunately. Today, we will accompany the students to the beautiful Hope Gardens and up in the mountains.

Yesterday Brianna and I competed in the Best Dressed Chicken 5k race up in Hope Gardens. It was an early start at 7 a.m. and the setting was gorgeous. The start was a bit slow and chaotic as there were 778 people trying to embark from a tiny funnel. But once I got going, I felt really fast. I finished officially in 29:01 but I think it is more like 27 minutes. Instead of chip timers, which are accurate, race officials detached a piece of paper from your bib and took your time at that point. So you had to wait in a line to do this. In addition, it took me a minute or two to pass the starting line, so I put myself at 27 minutes. In any case, I came second in my age group and 16th overall for females and 160th overall. I have never placed in a race and never run that fast. Brianna also did well, having had a month off of running and having been unaccustomed to the heat (she had been in Toronto for a month). Check out my trophy and have a pleasant Monday.

Here are some pictures, courtesy of Brianna, from the last couple nights. The other evening, fellow volunteers Rhonda, John and Ruth hosted a potluck dinner. Friday night we went to see the Reggae Boyz football team take on Panama. It was a World Cup qualifying match, and unfortunately ended in a tie.

I am now headed out to run a 5K race in Hope Gardens. Have a good Sunday.