The Funny Thing About Grenada

"What are you going to be for Halloween?" This is a common question which I hear a lot back home. These questions begin around mid-September and especially once October begins. Grenada is a bit of a funny country because it seems to me they really don't celebrate a whole lot of Holidays. There is Carnival, Independence day, Thankgiving, Christmas. I might be missing out one or two more but it seems in America there is a holiday almost every month. Grocery stores are always decorated a different flavor each month to reflect the major holiday for that month. We even have Columbus day! (Which I think they should bring back so we can get out of school and work.) I have been in Grenada so long now that I forget that holidays are upon us. I even don't get that Thanksgiving/Christmas feeling at this time of year because everything is still so hot and the trees still have leaves. I didn't even know it was Halloween until I saw Halloween yogurt at the store. I thought, "Oh yeah its Halloween today!" It will be fun to return home so I can get back into the holidays I grew up with.

My Apartment

Today I had James (the apartment manager) come over with 3 students to look at my apartment today. I opened the door and James said, "coming down to the wire eh?". I still have about 8 weeks left in Grenada but I think today was the day I really realized that my time in Grenada actually is starting to wind down. With that comes relief, and disbelief. I can't believe it has almost been two years already. I remember my first Sunday dinner with the Weirs like it was yesterday. I was also filled with a sense of gratitude. I never bothered to decorate my apartment and make it more like home but it really has been a great place to live. It has central air and ceiling fans to give me refuge from the Caribbean heat. I had a nice gas range oven so I could bake an cook, big fridge, free internet (ok well towards the end it was free) and everything I ever could have needed. I remember when I first called about the apartment. I thought I would be on a waiting list for a year then I could move in for my last term. I was lucky and there was a spot open right away! I have been here since the start of 2nd term and I have never regretted it despite the price being more expensive than other places here. I don't know if I will really miss my apartment but it has been a good friend and I will always remember it with good memories.

Meet...

I would like to introduce you to my son/daughter. Kuulei is about 12 weeks along. We want to name him Ezekiel or name her Alette. I am really excited to be a new dad. I don't know anything about babies other than I know how to make them smile at me. I suppose that is what matters most, the rest I will pick up as I go along. I have always wanted to be a dad and I am happy that finally I can be. Our little angel coming soon has made Kuulei really sick though. She has had to go back to Utah without me in order to have better medical care. It is ok though, Kuulei can always use that as a guilt trip when our kid becomes a teen. The world has a lot of scary things that I know my child will be exposed to. I worry about that and wonder what sort of things I could do to help. At the same time, I know a lot of good things will happen too. What sort of things will my child accomplish, what sort of person will he/she become? What will he/she look like!? I bet he/she will have Kuulei's eyes. I think Forrest Gump said it best, "Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you are gonna get." With all the anxiety and wonder that I am starting to experience I think a good idea is to just enjoy the chocolate for what it is despite it's flavors. I am just looking forward to finding out if he/she will be a he or she so I won't have to say he/she anymore!