Grand Etang - Seven Sisters Waterfall

This is a beauty of a place in Grenada.  The waterfall is accessed by a short hike (about 30-40 minutes) in the rain forest.  But let’s back up a bit and learn a little about this part of Grenada.

Grenada was formed form volcanic eruptions many years ago.  In fact, most of the Windward Islands are volcanic.  This means that there are hills and valleys and beautiful rainforests.  Grenada has protected one area of the rain forest and has named it Grand Etang Forest Reserve.  The name for this reserve is from the French words “large pond”.  At 1740 ft above sea level, in the middle of the reserve, is a large fresh water lake in a crater from the volcano that was formed millions of years ago.  The lake is home to many species of guppies and tilapia.  You cannot swim in the lake but there are hikes that surround it. 

The reserve is home to a variety of animal species including the mona monkey, opossum, mongoose, frogs, iguanas, lizards and tree boa snakes.  When you enter the reserve and start to climb to the top of the mountain, the air quality changes and humidity drops.  It is very evident that you have entered a different eco system. 

The Seven Sisters Waterfall is one of many waterfalls on the island.  This is one of the more popular hikes because it is a medium challenge, fairly short in distance, and has a great reward at the end - the waterfall! As we entered the hike, we were fortunate to have a guide with us who stopped to explain various plants including flowers, herbs, and fruit trees.  I commented that there is no way anyone could go hungry in Grenada, since almost every tree or plant has a food source or medicinal purpose.  When you hike, you should use all your senses to enjoy the experience.  Our guide reminded us that a hike in the forest is a spiritual walk and must be respected as such.  So he encouraged us to look above and around, stop and smell and listen to the forest, and touch and taste the plants and fruits. 

The waterfall was a joy to see as we swam, and walked in the cool fresh water.  We had a lunch by the waterfall, chatted and took photos.  A family was at another part of the waterfall cooking “oil down” (recipe for oil down) over an open fire in a huge pot.  Everyone was enjoying the day. 

I didn’t get to see any animals, and I asked specifically about the tree boas.  Our guide said it would be best to find the boas at night since they are lazy and sleep most of the day in the treetops.  He suggested that I return in the evening with a flashlight and look for their iridescent eyes.  Maybe I’ll do this another time.

http://www.webcamgrenada.com/grenada-blog/206-seven-sisters-waterfall

http://www.grenadaexplorer.com/Eco-Tourism.htm

Random thoughts about the project this year

Grand Anse Beach, Grenada

Preparing for a trip is always fun, but preparing for a unique learning experience can be a combination of fun and challenges.  There are so many unknown factors.  Adaptability and flexibility are the most important skills to possess as an international learner.  Our students this year are discovering their own personal degrees of adaptability.  Heat, long days, new people, changes in food and small and narrow roads all factor as part of the challenge.  At the end of each day, we debrief about what our "onions and apples" were.  The onions are decreasing and the apples are becoming bushels.  Some of the common apples are meeting new people, learning about the culture, sharing Canadian culture with our counterparts, developing professionalism and practicing interview skills.

My learning is based from observation.  I do not have as much involvement in the day to day aspect of the project since this is a student led project.  I am there for support and logistics at this point.  Next week I will be facilitating presentations and entrepreneurship lessons.  So as I watch the students, I need to be aware of my surroundings and use all my senses.  I am listening to the interviewee stories, breathing in air that has a sweet smell (it is the isle of spice), feeling overwhelmed at times with the schedule and travelling, touching plants and insects that do not exist in Canada, and thinking about how fortunate I am in participating in this project for a second year.

Classroom 8 at TA Marryshow Community College

Personal knowledge cannot solely be gained from reading books or searching the internet.  Our behaviour is changed by what we do, not from what we know.  This project has me doing and experiencing things that will remain as part of my deeper knowledge.  The challenge is how to use this experience in my career and personal life going forward.

Cocoa and Belmont Estate

I am so excited to write about Belmont Estate.  This is a beautiful organic chocolate producer in Grenada.  Most of the processing of the cocoa pod/bean is still done by hand and nature.  The chocolate is of high quality and extremely tasty if you enjoy a dark intense flavour.  More information can be found at this website:  

Belmont Estate

However, here is my short journal entry on this experience.  This is a place that I wanted to visit last year, but time was restricted.  This year, I was fortunate to go twice.  Cocoa is a fascinating plant and of course produces one of the world's favourite seasoning - chocolate!

The tree is amazing.  The pods grow from the bark of the tree, not the branch.  Pods are ripe when they are yellow.  The photo below shows pods that are beginning to ripen.  Each pod has about 30 beans.

They pods are picked by hand and cut open, where the beans are pulled and placed into huge storage areas.  The beans are covered with banana leaves and are left to ferment.  

After fermentation, the beans are moved to large drying trays where they must be turned to ensure the drying process is even and rotting does not occur. Drying can be done in a large covered area as seen in the following photo:

Or drying can be done outside and the cocoa dancers shuffle along the trays to stir and mix the beans.  I was able to shuffle through the beans.  The feeling was like a warm massage with a heavenly scent of chocolate.  Of course, the finale of the tour of the estate included a delicious chocolate tasting and a very yummy lunch.  If you are going to Grenada, make time to visit this estate.  I had so much fun and it is a unique experience!

Invasion or Intervention?

One of the most known recent history about Grenada is the conflict that occurred in October 1983.  I was 13 years old and I vaguely remember the news broadcasts of this part of Grenada's history.  Here is a brief synopsis:

There were differing opinions on the direction of the political powers in Grenada in the late 1970's. Prime Minister Eric Gairy and his party was overthrown in 1979 by the New Jewel Movement led by by Maurice Bishop.   Bishop felt that the direction the Gairy government was corrupt and restraining the growth of the Grenada nation.  Bishop wanted to see change along with his supporters.   He had a socialist view on how Grenada should be governed and many people supported this vision.

The US government felt that the construction of a new international airport during Bishop's rule was a direct threat of communism because of the Soviet and Cuban support of the airport construction (Britain and Canada helped in the planning of the airport).  What is interesting is that the US government sent congressmen to investigate whether the airport was being constructed for military use.  Research will indicate 2 sides of the story.

On October 19, 1983, Bishop along with other members of his government were captured by Marxist supporters and taken to Fort George.

Looking towards Fort George

They were executed and many other citizens died this day.  The US government felt there was a threat and the US invasion  or intervention occurred on October 29th.

Small caption taken from the Grenada National Museum

The reason I am posting this information is that on our first day in class we had a presentation on the History of Grenada.  There were 3 revolutions of significance in Grenada.  The most recent was during the Gairy/Bishop time period.  As we sat in the classroom listening to the history, the Grenadian  faculty and students started to recount their versions and memories of the October 19 and 25th events.  It was a heartbreaking and raw account of what happened during that time. The young Grenadian students in the room, asked questions and needed to know why this part of their history is not spoken about openly in their country.  One student commented that he tries to ask his father about that time period because his father has a bullet wound/scar from October 19. There is evidence of Gairy and Bishop supporters everywhere still and graffiti still exists from that time period.  We interviewed Francis Urias Peters who wrote a play about this history.

Poster of Play

When we travel around the island and speak to people, it is clear that the invasion/intervention is still fresh and hurts.  It is still real.  If you visit Fort George, the bullet holes are still in the walls from the execution.  Tourist go to the fort to hear the history.  The airport is named after Maurice Bishop.  So this history needs to be known and whether you call it an invasion or intervention depends on who you talk to.  This is part of the culture.

https://nacla.org/blog/2012/10/22/bitter-anniversary-remembering-invasion-grenada

http://www.gov.gd/articles/october_19th.html

http://www.forts.org/index.html

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/united-states-invades-grenada

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invasion_of_Grenada

Lessons Learned - Apply Sunscreen and Visit Small Towns

The project work has begun.  NSCC Students and my colleagues arrived today.  Mr. Charles, our driver for the next 2 weeks picked me up at the hotel and we met everyone at the airport.  It was a long day of travel for the team.   I was fortunate enough to travel a few days ahead of the group so my unpacking and preparations were done over a course of a few days and I was able to go to the beach and explore.  I also had time to adjust to the heat and humidity which was nice.  What I haven't been able to do well is apply sunscreen properly.  I keep missing parts of my body and it only takes 15 minutes of direct sunlight and I will burn.  Take a look at my arm!

Here is where I took my morning walk today and this was at 9 am.  I burned my arm on this walk.  I get puzzled over how this beach remains so quiet.  Grenada is not a popular tourist destination, and the government is trying to change this for economic reasons.  Who wouldn't want to visit here if you are a beach person?

If you are not a beach person, there are so many small communities to explore.  I had a chance to do some travelling around the island on Friday and had a short visit in a small community called Gouyave.  The town is named such because it has an abundant supply of guavas ("goyave" is guava in French).  Historically, Grenada was divided into French Quartiers, but when the British arrived in the mid 1700s, the French Quartiers were renamed parishes after Saints.  The people on Gouyave accepted the Parish name of St. John, but refused to change the town's name to Charlotte Town (the British liked Queen Charlotte), so the French name Gouyave remained.  There is so much more to the historical story, but you will need to research it on your own.  Here are some good sites:
About Gouyave
Gouyave - Outdoor Life

Gouyave also has a famous athlete...Kirani James.  Everyone in Grenada knows this man.  Grenada became a well known country when this Gold Medal Olympian made history in the last olympics. There is great hope that he will repeat his win this summer in Rio.  Kirani James Bio

One more fact about Gouyave...it is know for a weekly Fish Fry which brings everyone to the community for drinking, eating, dancing and partying.  If you want to experience Grenada with a very local flair (no tourists), then the Fish Friday in Gouyave is the place to be.

I took a short video of the town as we drove through the main street:

Caribbean Travel and Preparation

Another journey has begun.  Preparing for this year has been more exciting.  I equate the anticipation to Christmas when you are a child.  Last year it was the unknown that made the Grenada trip exciting.  This year it is knowing what to expect and familiarity of the island that makes it exciting. 

I am excited to work with some of the same faculty from TAMCC as last year, 2 Grenadian students from last year and the new students from NS are extremely prepared.  The best part is that my lesson preparations were easier than last year and I had the time to think about the project over the course of the year.  Reflective practice is fabulous in this instance. 

My desk at work as I plan for the Entrepreneurship portion of the project

I even had better packing methods – less is more!  A few new pieces of clothing to add to the wardrobe was a must – linen pants and a shirt.  Easy to wear and wash in a hotel travelling situation.  Pepper still wants to join me as you can see in the photo below.  Sorry little kitty cat – I don’t think a black cat would do well in a hot climate! 

Packing Pepper is not an option

I hope you take the time to follow this blog during my journey and I will try to share some great photos as well.