Jamaican Me Crazy (that's for you, Cam)

I have one prof who isn’t Jamaican. On Wednesdays, our lecture takes place in a room which is much too big for the 12 or so students in the class, but which is much too small for the large class that happens immediately after ours. So, about 20 minutes before the end of our lecture yesterday, about 4-5 guys walk in, who none of us have ever seen before, and sit down. A few moments later, another one opens the door, this time asking if he can just sit in until the next class, and we realize they are all trying to save seats before the rush of the next class. A little annoyed, the prof continues indulging us in World Systems Theory, until, a girl walks in, and he cries, “No, get out!” After this, a girl in our class, giggling, says, “I’ve never heard you speak that loudly before.” He, also giggling, and now back to his soft spoken self says, “I’m sorry, but there are just some things about this place that DRIVE ME CRAZY.”

All this is to say, that I feel like I can identify with Professor Talbot’s sentiments sometimes.

In my last post, I mentioned that I thought that I had my course schedule largely figured out. Wrong. That class- the one that no one showed up to- I learned this week is no longer being offered due to a lack of interest in the course. I feel like I have been to so, so many classes over the past two weeks, just trying to solidify my timetable with courses that are not too easy, but also not too hard. For example, I went to one class on Jamaican Creole that I was really excited about, until I learned that our assignments and presentation had to be done in Patois, the language that is spoken outside of classes here. But, although I’m weary to say it, I think now my schedule is mostly figured out, AND, amazingly, I think I have both Thursdays and Fridays off.

I spent all of yesterday running around trying to pay a residence fee that does not even show up on my records. This is not to say that I don’t need to pay for residence, but I was baffled that they could threaten to deregister me for not paying a fee that I couldn’t even see yet. So, it was back and forth between my residence (which is a hefty walk from main campus), and the international students' office, until finally, around 11 last night, the internet kicked back in, and I was able to pay it online.

And so I am learning to move to a different rhythm. I will admit to being frustrated by the pace and disorganization of much that happens here, but have also been able to recognize that soon this will all feel quite normal. I am continued to be amazed by the way that God is so present in my frustrations, and I am convinced that this is largely thanks to the many people who have me wrapped in their prayers. Know that they are felt, and infinitely appreciated.

I have, yes, experienced some lows since my last post. But, there have also been some lovely moments and opportunities:

Netball Tournament

On Saturday, Rex Nettleford (the name of the residence that I'm staying in, named after a Jamaican scholar) had a girls netball tournament, where each of the clusters in the hall (there's 9 all together) formed a team. So at 8 in the morning, I went down to the netball courts with two other girls from my flat to cheer on our cluster (I am learning that supporting your cluster/residence/school is highly valued here). We spent until about 2 hanging out on the courts, as I learned through observation, how to play this basketball-like sport. I don't think that I will ever venture to play it (I understand the basic idea of the game, but I do not understand all of the positions) because it is far too intense for me, and I would probably end up on the wrong part of the court (everyone wears pinnies with their position title written on it, but I have no idea what the initials stand for), or dribbling with the ball (you're not allowed to run once you have the ball in your hands), or pushing someone by accident (it's a strictly non-contact sport, and therefore the wistle is blowing almost all the time). We left during the semi-finals, because the sun was so hot, and we were all really hungry. But sadly, cluster 4 (my cluster) lost to cluster 1 in the finals.

Beauty and the Beast, Jamaican Style

It was shortly before 5 on Sunday evening, and I was wondering to myself how I would spend the last moments of my weekend, that my phone rang. On the other end was Ozzie, a Toronto exchange student here, asking me if I’d like to come to see Beauty and the Beast? I thought it was kind of odd to want to go see a Disney movie, but it is my favourite, and I was pretty much willing to do anything at that point. He corrected me, saying that it was a play that they were putting on at the theatre on campus, that it started at 5, and that I should get there as quickly as I could. I grabbed my stuff, and made it to the theatre just in time to see the opening scene. What the people around me described as an amateur attempt, was actually really, really great.

Aerobics by Sunrise

One of my flatmates goes to aerobics classes every morning at 6:15, and she invited me to come along. So on Monday morning, I joined her, with about 6 other people for an exercise class that we did outside, as the sun came up. It was a really great way to start off the day, and I’ve actually continued going with her.
On a side note: Normally, there would be no getting me out of bed that early, especially on a regular basis. But I think that this is also part of my adjusting to different rhythm. I don't think people sleep here, because usually I fall asleep to something (music, a movie playing, people talking or cheering) and I wake up to the same thing. The flatmates that don’t come along to aerobics are usually all up, and sometimes leaving, by the time that we get back. And strangely enough, I think it’s rubbing off on me.

Saltfish Fritters

The other night, as I was enjoying the company of my flatmates, the girls were asking me if I knew what different fruits or Jamaican food were. Much to their amusement, I didn’t really know much. Within that conversation, Ava told me that she would make saltfish fritters, and I assumed this meant she would make it sometime this semester. But, before the night was over, she was whipping together the batter for these things (it’s really not difficult, I even learned how to do it), and we were frying them up. So that night for dinner, I had plantains, fish, and saltfish fritters, and it was delicious. The only thing I can think to compare them to are greasy pretzels, because the saltfish makes them pretty salty. I mean, it was no delicacy, and definitely very bad for you, but delicious nonetheless.

Anyway, that’s enough for now. I have started scheming, along with some other exchange students, ways to get out and see the rest of this country, and that makes me very giddy. So, we will see happens!

Love to you.