Week 11: Running with the Health Minister, English vs Patois & Negril Reggae Marathon!

This week I went running with the Health Minister: the Honourable Dr. Christopher Tufton, MP. We started off the day with introductions, a group stretch and went around the Mona Reservoir at 6 AM for a morning run. It was a beautiful area developed as a dam for the river and physical plant facilities. It was a great run to wake up in the morning and I met some individuals along the way who were as passionate about raising awareness about AIDs as I am. The entirety of the week was focused on events being held by J-ASL and other predominant organizations in the community. Eve for Life, an NGO focused on gender-based violence in women were selling pin, while J-ASL held a candle vigil and other events. Sometimes, in the work of non-profits, you realize how much you focus on raising awareness and fundraising. Every single day you hear about a new walk, or a new awareness day. It is important to not standardize these campaigns and ignore the messages. World AIDS Day is important because it reminds the public and government that HIV has not gone away. It is an opportunity to show support to and solidarity with the millions of people living with HIV. Thinking about the past, the prejudice that unfolded with HIV/AIDS were introduced to society was inhumane. It is the opportunity to do what is right.

This week in the office, we also discussed the parameters around the language of English. English is the most common language spoken around the world and has developed over the course of more than 1,400 years from Anglo-Saxon settlers. There are many different versions of English such as old English, modern English; all deriving from different dialects. In Jamaica, they speak Jamaican Patois (or Creole) which is a combination of English-based creole and west African based languages. It exists because it served as a medium for the slaves and their amsters to communicate during the seventeenth century to facilitate the seasoning method which slaves were forced to discard their cultural identity and mother tongue. Patois was the main form of communication on the slave plantation. This topic came up because as a non-Jamaican, I was discussing how this language is beautiful. However; Jamaicans have a belief that this language is not something that people should learn. Based off the conversations in the office, it is highly related towards the history of Jamaica. The language was developed due to slavery thus it is part of the history that many want to forget.

On a personal note- I had a very busy week! On Thursday, I went to Ocho Rios and was invited to participate on a television show called: Travel Channel Xtreme WaterParks (http://www.travelchannel.com/shows/xtreme-waterparks). Our episode is not posted yet but it was such an interesting experience! I met the producers, directors and film crew which I have never been exposed to. We participated in White River Tubing at the Chukka Tours Tubing Office. It was super fun and I was exposed to a beautiful scenery of a tourist attraction which I have not done at all since I’ve been here! We saw Spanish bridge as well where you can jump off from the trees and the bridge on a rope. The guy we saw did super cool tricks which I hope they will show on the episode! Instead of going home after, I ended up staying in St. Ann’s with the other interns because we were heading to Negril for the Reggae Marathon on December 3rd. We took the local buses and travelled for half a day at half the cost of the Knutsford Express going from Ocho Rios -> Montego Bay -> Lucille- > Negril. It was a bit crazy because everyone is yelling at you to get into their bus. I sat in the front seat of a 2 hour ride and it was nerve-wracking at times because the driver would speed and go into the opposite lane to make a pass. The scenery on the other hand- WOW. Negril is the opposite side at the end of the island from Kingston making it a scenery drive. Just green land and beauty everywhere we went. The most interesting part was when we were leaving Montego Bay, our bus almost got confiscated by the police because the license plate was expired. The driver sweet-talked the lady out of the fine and confiscation allowing us to head on our way. There was also a passenger on the bus that was super kind to us but when we asked him what his job occupation was, he had to whisper he was a police officer heading to Negril for the marathon. It dawned to me that his occupation could put him at risk on the bus due to the negative stigma of law enforcement. We finally arrived to Negril and I had my first female route taxi driver. The job field is primarily males but she was well respected by her colleagues at the taxi park. We went to the 7-mile beach which faces the west and is voted many times as one of the best in the world for its legendary dramatic sunsets, silky white sands, clear turquoise waters and the tranquility of being surrounded by the great reefs. We met a lot of Canadians along the way that were there for a destination run and I fell in heaven with the All You Can Eat Pasta Festival for dinner. I ate pumpkin callaloo lasagna, lobster pasta, pepper shrimped pasta, every single pasta you can think of- it was there. I absolutely love pasta so this was definitely a highlight! We had to call the night in early though because we had to wake up at 4 AM for the run. In order to prevent heatstroke, most races are done very early. I completed the 20km and it was an absolute challenge. This race was well coordinated but as a Canadian, the markers were confusing as they were in the miles metric. It felt that the race went on forever and I struggled at the end making a time of 2 hours and 40 minutes which is not the best of my abilities. I loved the spirit of running back though because people were singing, you could hear the reggae music throughout the entirety of the race and I was given a coconut, red stripe and ran into the ocean right after. How Jamaican can it get? After we rested, we went to Rick’s Café – a tourist attraction known as the best location to see the sunset as it is on a cliff. It is also known for cliff jumping! They range from 8 feet to 40 feet for the locals- and I did it! I was so scared at first- not known for my bravery in heights but I knew I had to do it! When I jumped, it felt like I was floating in mid-air for at least a minute!!! I am so proud of myself! The divers that work at the Café jumped from the highest peaks at 60 to 85 feet high on the trees! It is nuts!!!! On the way home I ran into a CUSO volunteer friend and got a ride back. It was a super long drive but it was still beautiful nonetheless. I am super grateful for meeting all these individuals and exposing myself to their experiences of Jamaica and life.

All in all, a well-worth excursion out of Kingston!

Tara