2009....

Hi everyone-

Sorry that so much time has passed since my last posting.  I've been trying to post two blogs per month, but sometimes I can't keep up with how fast the days go by.  So this will just serve as a quick update on what has happened so far in 2009, in St. Kitts.

2009 rang in quite differently for me than all my past New Years.  In St. Kitts the party does not start until after midnight.  Javin and I went to a New Years ball at one of the hotels.  All of the hotels hold balls from 10 until whenever.  It was well done and there 

was great food, decorations and music.  Being that we have are an hour ahead of you all in the NY/NJ area we could not even watch the ball drop... again an odd experience for me.  However, 

my first New Years Eve in St. Kitts was memorable.  There were many parents from my school at the celebration as well as my friend Tina & her friend John.  We all enjoyed our night and bought in 2009 without a hitch!

Carnival/J'Ourvet was a great experience.  It was a time full of street parades and colorful costumes.  I got to go to the street parades where there were children through adults dressed in great costumes.  Groups formed Carnival Troupes and marched to music in costumes specific to their troupe.  Bands played on huge flat bed trucks with 20-30 huge speakers on each making the whole town literally feel like it would bounce off its foundation.  There were Mack Jumbie, stilt walkers who towered about the crowd nearly 10 feet or more in the air.  The feeling in the air was of excitement and joy.  Everyone was there to have fun and take in the sights and sounds associated with this festive time of year here in St. Kitts.

Back at work things have been busy but good.  I find myself getting more into the routine and feeling better overall with what I'm doing.  Everything takes time and patience, so I finally feel as if I'm settling in here.  I'm running a photography club starting next week for 8 weeks meeting for 3 hours a week.  I have 6 children enrolled and I think it is going to be a blast.  We will be doing one hour a week at the school and 2 hours at a location with great vistas to practice what we are learning.  I'm really excited about it.  I'll also be taking a computer course 2 nights weekly for 5 weeks brushing up on the Microsoft Office suite.  Although the more I'm reading the more I think I could likely teach the course...lol!  

On an interesting note.  Last week we had FOUR cruise ships in port at once.  I've never seen that before.  You'll see in my photo that that there is one in the foreground. That one is at our cargo dock.  Then you'll see one in the ocean - they brought people to shore in small boats, tenders, to get onto the island. Then you'll see (if you look carefully) two ships off to the right at our actual cruise ship port, Port Zante.  It is amazing how many ships can come to this island at once, I never knew that was possible!

Well I guess that is all for now.  I do promise to write more soon.  Time moves so quickly and even with the best of intentions I don't always get to post as faithfully as I had hoped.

I hope that 2009 is treating you all well!  Please write or comment when you get a chance.  Looking forward to hearing from you all!

Love

Krista/Ms. Vics