I’m saddened to think that a whole month has already slipped by but I am feeling blessed by the strength of the friendships that warm my heart and the adventures that keep my feet running daily. It still only feels like yesterday that I landed in Dominica, but looking back, I realize how much has changed both for me and around me. Again, I can’t hope to cover everything but I’ll divide this entry into the Zen head-heart-and-hand to highlight some of my favourite memories this past month.
Head: thoughts and inspirations
Here, they call it Montagne Souffle which translated from Creole to English means the Whistling Mountains. It refers to the time early in the morning and just before sunset when the mountains explode in sounds from the birds, bugs and reptiles. I’ve had the pleasure of spending several hours in the countryside with strangers-become-friends, and learning from their experiences in the whistling forest. The farmers say that there is gold in their soil, and it’s not hard to believe. Fruits rot on the ground because the trees bear too much to harvest, and yet the majority of young Dominicans hope to live a life in the city or off-island because that’s where they see a future of prosperity. Unless the mentality towards a life in farming changes here, the aging farming community is concerned that more and more lands will become idle and that the food import bill will continue to grow. Farmers talk about changing consumer tastes in the city, and one quote that will stick with me for a long time was a friend who referred to KFC—the biggest landmark in town— as Killing Fields and Children. The farmers are so proud to be farmers, but thoughts about the future sustainability of the ag sector in Dominica troubles many who have invested their lives in the productive sector. Although agriculture has been the backbone of this country’s economy in the past, the development of tourism seems to be stifling development of the agricultural sector. I gain some hope about the future of the ag sector from a handful of strong grassroots movements and farm-community leaders that believe in strengthening the productive sector, but I know they are fighting a tough uphill battle. Weekly text messages are sent out to every cell phone in Dominica that read “Tourism is everybody’s business. Do your part in island development”. Sometimes, there are up to 5 cruise ships docked at port in Dominica. I have a nice birds-eye view of town and the bay front from my apartment porch up the mountainside, and although it is hard to understand the scale short of seeing it, the length and breadth of one cruise ship is by size comparable to the whole capital city! One cruise ship that docks every week is called “Carnival Victory”, and I question what the “victory” really is. I shutter to think that it’s over Dominica…
Heart: touching moments
Even before leaving, I knew one of the most important parts of this trip would be to feel, at least in part, integrated into Dominican society. Although I know I’m not there yet, subtle daily changes make me realize that slowly, I am getting closer. I don’t think I will ever forget the day that a group of boys in a pick-up stopped along the side of the road to give me a ride to the next village. Trust me, riding in the back of pick-ups—called vans here—is an acquired skill! The boys tell me that a bruised bum from dips in an out of potholes and sore forearms from hanging on too tight around the bends is something they all experienced when they were 9 and first allowed to sit in the back of rides. They laugh and tell me by the end of the summer, I should be used to it…I’m not so sure yet. Hitching is very common here, so the ride itself was not the highlight. As we pulled up to my stop, I thanked them for the lift and
One more short anecdote that really touched my heart last Thursday. I was travelling around with an extension officer to some farms. We stopped at a farm deep in the bush where an older man raises rabbits and chickens for meat and grows vegetables for the local market. He had been on national television last year for his success in production. When we arrived, after a quick introduction, he lit up in anger about how he still had not received the government assistance that he had been promised 6 months earlier to extend his production. Almost in tears, he explained that he could no longer make profit on his farm and every week, he was losing money because of higher production costs. He told us that he didn’t care about being rich, that all he wanted was $50/week to fill his truck with fuel to bring him to and from his farm. As he is telling us about his struggle, he cuts off several broccoli heads for each of us to bring home. The next day, at the market in town, I realize that the amount of broccoli he gave us could have at least filled half his gas tank for the week. His generosity, in the face of such challenge, has been one of the most touching parts of my experience here. Although this day stands out in my mind, his kindness is shared by most in the countryside: on almost all my farm visits, I have been treated to lunch, glasses of wine poured from bottles saved for ‘special occasions’, bags of produce to take home, and invitations for week-end stays.
Hand: actions and activities
I feel so lucky that my research takes me through hidden havens in the countryside. For the most part, I have been tagging along with extension officers from the Ministry of Agriculture on farm visits and attending some interesting ag project meetings. Despite its small size, it’s very tricky to get around in Dominica reliably so I have spent some nights sleeping in the countryside (often with no electricity or running water, just great company, amazing food, and lots of mosquitos!). I don’t have any kind of daily routine but some of the highlights:
-helping with farm work. I have learned so much about the technical side of tropical agriculture from these experiences. Sometimes I am so clueless, which makes for very good laughs in their gardens… For instance, I was trying to harvest some mangoes from a tree and ended up in the river. Clumsy for life I think. I have a few friends that joke that they need to always stand behind me, ready to catch me on my fall, because of the amount of times I’ve tripped in the bush. I swear, it’s not my fault: the views are too pretty to be always looking down at my feet.
-Trafalgar Falls. It’s one of the most famous tourist sites here but going with Dominicans made for a very ‘off-the-beaten-track’ experience. They led me on a scramble over a landslide that fell about 5 years ago. Once across, we got to enjoy a swim in the pool at the bottom of the waterfall. The swim was refreshing, but the picture was perfect. At the base of the waterfall forms a circular rainbow! I stood right in the middle and knew I had found Dominica’s treasure chest! I will add the pic as soon as I get it off a friend’s camera.
-Hot sulphur springs. These are a big hang out spot for the Dominicans. Afternoon and night, I’ve spent very relaxing hours in these hot pools in the rainforest. Good friends and great stories, and apparently the minerals in the pools are good for health too.
-River baths! This is generally my favourite part of the day! Although I don’t get the chance every day, often when we are out in the countryside, we stop by a river for a quick dip. Dominicans say that you can spend every day of the year in a different river (the island boasts that it has 365 rivers).
-Local music. My friends have taken me out to a few bars and shows for amazing Dominican shows. From Calypso to Soca to Reggae, I love it all.
I will have to leave it at that for today with apologies for the lack of details and the poor writing. My friends are taking me to Canefest now for more live music and good food through the afternoon and night! Next week is filled with more interviews in the countryside…
I hope this finds everyone back home in good health and happiness. Hoping you all keep in touch, and I will do a better job here on in with updates. No excuses but moving apartments was no easy feat and nights in the countryside are often without power and internet. Big hugs all around, Irie (directly translated to ‘awesome’ in Dominica, but often used as a goodbye).
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