My first three days in Jamaica were greeted with torrential rain and flooding. The roads were unwalkable, causing many to miss work or school altogether. As much as they try to drill into your head that you’re going into a tropical island surrounded by water, a part of you still doesn’t want to believe that it rains a lot. When we think “island,” we think bright skies and clear blue seas, not inclement weather. Despite being from a Caribbean island myself, I was not expecting the amount of rain we saw while I was studying abroad. Even the Jamaicans there were surprised, noting that they haven’t seen this much rain in over 30 years.
We were greeted with rice and beans, curry chicken, fresh-squeezed juice that hinted of ginger, and the ripping tides just meters away. It felt like home, and despite not knowing the other 14 people on the program, we were an uncanny family, but a family nonetheless. Inclement weather also meant unreliable electricity which meant unreliable wifi which meant we had a problem. However, we turned this unfortunate circumstance into a group bonding experience, walking over to the local gas station for goodies and treats. We spent nights playing card games and never-have-I-ever, realizing we weren’t as different as we thought.
I would wake up to the alarm clock of the sea, but I don’t think I’d ever get used to waking up to the sound of the waves, realizing that I am just a stretch and flip flop away from a beach. Living at a beach side villa was absolutely surreal. It was like we were on a vacation, only with homework (which always reminded us that we were certainly not on a vacation). The villa was very homey, allowing us get comfortable very quickly. There were four rooms in the house, meaning rooms had up to five students inside. Personal space was definitely overlooked, as we were in extremely tight quarters and in a one-story home. Not to mention, most of us took our showers in the outdoors because we did not want to ask the groundskeeper to turn the water pressure on. It was like being on a survival reality show. We had to make do with the resources we had and realize that the conveniences we have in America are not guaranteed in other places.
It did not take long for us to realize that we had to go to our service sites despite the weather. Once it stopped raining enough for us to travel, we found a path to the main road through the beach. We walked on the sands of the beach to reach the main road since the real path was too flooded to walk on. I must say, that was the only downside of living near a beach. When the rain got bad, the roads turned to rivers, and it took weeks for it to completely dry out. Most Jamaican students did not even come to school because they physically could not get through the impasse of water.
Impasse or not, though, the island was still so beautiful. Bright skies, clear blue waters, and rainbows signifying newness. We were bombarded with having to deal with stormy weather, but we managed to surpass this obstacle and make it work. If only all the obstacles we faced had such a simple anecdote.