Two years ago

Exactly two years ago I was in the middle of 90* Jamaica on a theology/medical service project through my college. What a fantastice, eye-opening experience. This was a turning point in my life for many reasons. But the most relevant reason was that following this trip I officially decided to apply to the JET Program. I met two Americans from Kentucky there who were teaching at a Catholic school for a year. Talking with them and hearing about the highs and lows of their teaching experience made me realize, "Hey, I could totally do this same kind of thing." This was also the first time I felt like a minority for an extended period of time. If anyone has ever been to Jamaica (especially the inaka Jamaica) you know what I am talking about. As we were driving to our work site, countless times a Jamaican male would scream "Whities!" Others would too often make obscene sexual gestures. On our last evening, after we finished building a house for a woman who had been living in a one-room shack with her boyfriend and son for 14 years, we ate dinner at a local outdoor restaurant. As the server was placing the fish on my plate he asked if I wanted to go down by the river for a "true Jamaican experience." My friend next to me was trying to be smart back and said, "She doesn't like rivers," to which he replied, "The ocean will do." Oh my. At least I didn't get asked directly, "Wanna f*%k?" like one female in our group was asked. Talk about forward males. I appreciate the Japanese shyness after times like that.