On the way to work this morning:

8 Blocks. All this happened in approximately four blocks to the coffee shop on the bay front and approximately 4 blocks back to the main street, Independence Avenue, where I work and live. The blocks are approximate because the streets aren’t parallel here. A block can be a triangle, or parallelograms, or well, you get the point.


7 Street musicians or boom boxes from windows. I could name the corners, where the performers will be standing, and what buildings are blasting reggae. Stay tuned for a future blog post entitled “The Reggae is Gonna Getcha” Side note: I don’t think it should count when a guy is just sitting by a boom box- you don’t deserve money for that. Pick up some bongo drums and tap along if you want my change.


6 Inappropriate (however quazi flattering) comments from men. One friend (I use the term loosely) always says “Shorty I like your smile.” Which I can’t help but smile because I don’t wear makeup or blow dry my hair before work. However I have to question the motives the guy that invited me to go “bubbeling.” I just responded that I don’t chew gum, because it’s the truth. I don’t. And one aforementioned street musician stands in front of the bank and Chinese restaurant always tells me he loves me. Jonathan- don’t worry. I’ll never leave you for someone with no teeth. And as my friend from Croatia, Kat, and I have shared, there are always the 'vehicular pick up' attempts that back up a line of cars on a one way street just so the driver can offer you a ride.


5???? I didn’t notice or just can’t think of anything that I saw five of, so I am substituting 50 because I feel like fifty roosters follow me wherever I go. The gang was rifeling through people's garbage and I feel like this is seriously getting out of control. I’m going to mention it to the Prime Minister when I meet him and entertain Joe about changing the focus of my project. 


4: (Approximate) Drug deals. Not that I’m judging or making any accusations, because the black Land Rover with fancy rims that drives down Independence Avenue every morning and slows to a halt at stop signs and 2 teenage boys run up and exchange money for brown bags COULD be bringing in local fruits and berries from the other side of the island. However, I don’t have to make any assumptions about the kid with the pirated movies and cd’s because he offers me a dime bag of ganja when I walk on that side of the street, and said if I don’t want a whole bag he will just share with me. It’s so tempting, but I just have to keep reminding myself “Joe says no. Joe says no.” (That’s a joke Momma, I promise I am not smoking pot in Dominica, but I’ll introduce you to him when you get here in a week if you wanna give it a try!)


3: Rain showers/ sprinkles. Only one strong enough to have to get under an awning, but the other two made me glad I didn’t blow dry my hair. Not that I could have, as I blew my dryer up like a blowtorch on like, my second shower. I don’t mind the rain though; I would always prefer to be caught in the rain than someone just spraying off the side of a building or sidewalk and accidentally drench you as you walk by.


2: Police officers. I don’t really care if they are on the lookout for the Land Rover, I think the least they could do is shoo the roosters away from getting in people’s trash bags. Jake.


ALSO 2: Scuba divers from Texas in the coffee shop. And I must say, within a two minute conversation, I got the impression that they were judging ME for not experiencing enough nature on the Nature Island. Been here for a month guys, working five days a week. Don’t look down on me because I haven’t been to as many waterfalls as you have. I mean, why are American tourists so competitive? I'm practically a local these days.


1: Bible. Left open on my coworker’s desk overnight. I picked it up on the way to my desk and it was open to Galatians 2 so I want to share a verse that I love and gave me strength today “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”