Here’s an idea... Let’s invite 7 random strangers to a Caribbean island, send them out to the middle of the bush, make them learn a new language, and build compost piles and plant things with each other. If you think this sounds like an upcoming reality TV show on FOX network’s fall line up, you are wrong. This, my friends, is PCJ Green Initiative. The inevitable adventures, challenges, hardships, and successes that comes with such a scenario is starting to yield friendships that will surely last a lifetime. Such is the story in the Blue Mountain farming community of Woodford as seven Peace Corps trainees have bonded together in environmental friendship and unity. It gives me great pleasure to introduce my readers to my new friends. We almost love each other as much as we love the trees around us.
First there’s Val. Val is great. She comes for New Hampshire and emulates some of the Peace Corps stereotypes to the T. She is ummm... peaceful, down to earth, and has a nurturing ora about her. In her spare time, Val loves making her own deodorant and shampoo, reading the latest in compost techniques, laying in human piles, and beekeeping. She is also a flash mob specialist, which allows her to channel environmental awareness through interpretive dance, poetry, music and art. Let’s say, hypothetically I really wanted to hug this tree, but try as I might, I just couldn’t wrap my arms all the way around it. I would put in a call to Val and she would be there ASAP to help me out.
Next we have Brie Burd. She is tight, brah. She comes from Hawaii and therefore is automatically super chill. She jams to some ultra rad music and I might venture to say she likes to attend shin digs, social gatherings, and “get-to-gethers”. I enjoy her laugh. She also knows some things about organic farming so she brings a lot to the table. There is a 99.7% chance that she will marry a Rasta farmer and stay here forever. I can’t wait to come back for the wedding. Brie, you want to go grab a beer after class?
Then we have Jenny. Jenny is a hipster but claims she didn’t really realize it until she got to the island. I’m not sure why because it’s pretty obvious. She wears tight fitting black jeans, has a star tattoo on her wrist, wears thick rimmed yellow glasses, and reads underground existential poetry. No, not kierkegaard, kierkegaard. was too mainstream in his time and therefore, by hipster law, cannot be truly appreciated. The irony kills me. Jenny is also an archeologist. She is straight nasty with a shovel.
Moving to the gentlemen we have John Eddy. Mr Eddy is 77 years old and therefore brings a lot of wisdom to the group. He can’t hear and is blind in one eye so while his contributions may not always be consistent with the topic on hand, they are ALWAYS funny and very valuable given the appropriate context. Mr. Eddy always begins his presentations with a sex joke because he claims the increased endorphins allow for better learning and comprehension. I think he’s on to something... I did learn a lot about fertilizer that day. After class, he entertains the rest of the group with stories as we hike up the mountain.
Second to lastly theres Kyle K. Kyle fits in the doesnt-have-a stereotype, stereotype. He’s from the midwest, likes fish and the outdoors. My favorite thing about Kyle is that when I need a hit of testosterone we can chat about the latest in NFL news (testosterone is seriously hard to come by in PCJ group 82. Of the 29 left, 6 of us are men).
Hmmmmm... who’s left? Oh yea, Sarah Marshall. Let me tell you a little something about Sarah Marshall. She is a redneck from Kentucky and therefore is the only person in Jamaica that not only owns flannel, but wears it on a regular basis. You would think that this fact alone would make Sarah Marshall very easy to spot in a crowd but the truth is you can actually hear her before you’d be able to see her. Sarah Marshall loves to talk... loudly. I remember vividly within the first week of us living in Woodford some of the locals asking me about other members of the group. An older gentlemen asked “who’s di loud girl dat lives pon di hill with Auntie Peggy?” Who else could it be? “Sarah Marshall” I replied.
Sarah Marshall’s obsession isn’t what it seems. As perfect as she is, Sarah Marshall used to smoke cigarettes :( As we were attending a behavior change workshop early on in our training, Sarah Marshall got up and explained to the whole group the challenges she had kicking the bad habit. In vivid detail, complete with hand motions, Sarah explained that the behavior she needed to change had nothing to do with the addiction to nicotine, it was actually a problem stemming from her oral fixation. The constant need of having things in and around her mouth eventually resulted in the surgical removal of her uvula... it was a tragic incident...
Sarah Marshall is very intelligent. She has two degrees: A BS and a MA in Agriculture Education. She was actually the student body president for the college of agriculture at the University of Kentucky. She was so popular and good at everything she did that she was asked to speak at her college graduation. She has a recording of it on her external hard drive if you’d ever like to see it. Anyway, in the heat of her graduation speech she was speaking so passionately that her uvula actually tore in half. Don’t worry though, Sarah Marshall, in true Sarah Marshall fashion, finished the speech without anyone knowing of her discomfort. After the closing line of the speech, Sarah was rushed to the UK medical center where the emergency room doctor was forced to amputate.
One would think that that this rare type of surgery would actually hinder one’s ability to communicate. Believe it or not, the absence of the uvula increases the spacial volume under the soft palate, thus allowing vocal waves to reverberate at an increased level of 17%. It’s amazing, and you literally have to see it to believe it.
As if it doesn’t get any better, Sarah Marshall has a tattoo of Kentucky on her wrist, is a 4H expert and is Strengths Quest certified. Strengths Quest is a contemporary personality analysis program. As if you couldn’t already guess, Sarah Marshall’s top strengths are communication, empathy, leadership, and facilitating. This is Sarah Marshall laying pipe, another favorite pastime of hers.
Sarah Marshall and I are great friends. We kick it on the reg and as a result much of the community of Woodford actually believes we share mangoes. This however, is not true. She is the closest thing to a frat bro that I have on this island, and for that I am incredibly grateful.
As you can see, the Green Initiative group is close. And not close like that good friend you had in high school type of close. Close like the there is no room in our relationships for discomfort as we talk about our digestive irregularities type of close. Close like the tell me about the love you did (or did not) leave in the states type of close. Or close like the lets be best friends for the next two years because we have no choice, type of close.
Love you guys...
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