Again, I have been kindly reminded that one entry per month does not make for a decent blog. I’m back on board, but trust me, it takes strong discipline to choose computer-time over river-time or country-time!
I find it difficult to explain this Dominican adventure in words because it really is a place to experience. Because of this, I thought perhaps for this entry I’d try to appeal to your senses as best I can in a virtual world. Trust me, I can’t do justice to taste: the pineapples here are the sweeter than Skittles, the ‘bakes’ (sort of a local version of grilled cheese) made by the charming ladies in the shops are a gastronomic addiction, and the hot sauce (called pepper here) is…hot! I have to admit that in terms of smell, it’s a mixed bag: jogging behind diesel trucks and often beside burning grass intentionally lit to clear roadsides is absolutely lethal, but the smell of BBQ on Fridays on every street corner and shop, despite being a vegetarian, can tempt anyone to at least grab a drink and join in for the Friday tradition. In terms of appealing to your visual sense, I know a few still shots will be much more effective than any description I can give. So finally, I’m left with sound, and my month summed up in sounds seems to me to be a fun challenge. As I flip through my notebooks, I realize that I’ve jotted down my reaction to many sounds and certainly as I become more and more accustomed to Dominica, I’ve learned from farmers how to move with the rhythms of nature in the countryside, and in the city, I’ve learned to ‘jump’ to the Caribbean beats (YA RIGHT! I know you’re all laughing here… especially my Dominican friends…I’m a true disgrace when it comes to dancing compared to the Dominicans).
1. Footsteps:
Of course I have to start with my favourite: the sound of our footsteps, his dragging dressed in rubber boots and mine soft in sneakers. I know that if there is only one memory I keep from Dominica, it will be the mornings I spend with farmers on their land, mainly helping with weeding and planting. Most farmers don’t live on their land so they walk very early to their gardens—sometimes for several hours before they reach—to be most productive before the heat of the midday. The morning walk to the land is always a very quiet part of the day, with no road traffic but many farmers walking the hills along the paved and dirt roads. Small greetings are exchanged, and sometimes I’m lucky to get a cup of cocoa tea (sort of similar to hot chocolate back home but with more spice and tang) to sip on the way. The beat of our footsteps is such a calming sound as the forest quiets with the rising sun and heat of the day.
2. Laughter:
In this case, it started with me laughing first, then attracting almost a whole block of people to laugh with me… I mean,
at me. The rainy season has begun in Dominica, and although I saw much more rain during my inaugural week, we’ve had a few storms and strong showers within the past week. In terms of raingear, I came prepared to Dominica with a rain jacket. I thought this most appropriate because umbrellas seem tricky to manipulate with the strong winds. Nonsense! I have yet to see a Dominican in a rain jacket because they are far too hot to wear in the tropical heat! It’s better to just get wet from the rain than to wear the silly jacket because the moisture from your sweat is comparable to the shower falling from the sky! I learned my lesson, and purchased an umbrella (a much more ‘local’ style of rain gear) in town about a week ago. I felt well prepared in my flip flops and umbrella as I walked down the steep hill from my apartment to a meeting in town. Despite the fact that I thought I was doing a fine job directing the umbrella against the wind, I was the ONLY one to have my umbrella invert over 3 times within a one block span. I was such a disaster-scene that 2 men even offered to help me re-vert my umbrella. Don’t worry, it gets better. As soon as I feel slightly more confident, one fowl gust of wind rips the whole piece of material from the umbrella spokes, leaving me with nothing but an umbrella stem. Soaked within a few seconds, I had no choice but to continue on to my meeting. I had some Dominicans laughing at me at this stage, but the real crowd didn’t form until get this, my flip flop broke! I had to walk through town, barefoot, with both broken shoes and a sad- excuse for an umbrella in my hand. To make matters worse, a cruise ship was docked at shore, so town was filled with cruisers seemingly handling their umbrellas and Dominica’s rain shower with grace and style. My ego: deflated. Some of the laughers still refer to me by this experience.
3. The roar of the Atlantic:
5 friends and I took a hike to Glasse Point to see the ocean (pictures to follow). This is my new favourite site in Dominica. The rocks are tall and rugged, the ocean seems rough and powerful, but the feeling was serene. We sat with a rasta man and his son fishing by a long line and without uttering a word, I think we were all humbled by the power of the waves crashing on the rocks. After this, we walked up to the highest and longest waterfall in Dominica. It felt like such a rush to make it to pool, both because of the feeling of fast crashing water but also because I did the whole thing in barefoot!! Walking with 2 rasta men, I was convinced that if they could do it, I would as well. Perhaps Canadian feet aren’t as tough as I thought… I think it’s a matter of eating more of the flowers and leaves we tasted on the way. The rastas knew without question which ones were edible and tasty, and could even tell me the health/dietary benefits of each.
4. Reggae rhythms live in a living room overlooking the ocean:
…hmm… does it get better than this?! After a morning snorkeling (…still haven’t found Nemo), we stopped by a house along the way home. The man I was with told me it was his friend’s place and that we would drop in for a visit. Turns out, it’s the house of the most famous reggae artist from Dominica, back on island after recording and performing several tours in the US! For 3 hours, we sat in his living room while he played some tunes with his eyes shut and his locks to the floor! I left with an autographed CD and an invite to his organic garden!
Despite the fact that I don’t talk much about my research itself, it is my favourite part of being here (thank goodness, because that’s how I spend most of my time!). Farmers and extension officers from the Ministry of Agriculture continue to be so kind, with free hugs and pineapples from the market in town to river baths and home-cooked lunches. I feel so spoiled to be in such good company and I have each one of them to thank for my research and my experience in Dominica. I hope, at least in some small way, I am giving back through my behind-the-scenes legwork with DOAM (Dominica’s Organic Agriculture Movement), and by providing advice/insight to a consultancy on Dominica’s Sustainable Land Use and Management project. I continue to be motivated by the entrepreneurial spirit of many older farmers who are so proud of their soil, and the dedication of some of the extension officers who treat their job as more than just a means to a livelihood and the farmers as their best friends.
