Hello parents and family members of LearnServe Abroad’s 2017 Group to Jamaica, this is Daniel, and welcome to Day 5’s blog!
We departed the Blue Mountains for Kingston this morning. Living in the Blue Mountains was an absolutely mind-blowing experience. We met wonderful, welcoming, and friendly people there such as: Euton, the leader of the Blue Mountain Project; Ron, our Blue Mountain Peak Hike tour guide; and all our host families and the other members of the community. Everyone there was very hospitable. They were all doing things such as passing by with a friendly “Hello” and a smile on their faces. They were always eager to talk with us each day. The sense of community between the people there was very strong. They gave their time and effort to immerse us into their community and allow us to experience a new lifestyle in one of the most beautiful and scenic places the world. They made me feel very at home, welcome, and I sincerely appreciate the presence and actions of everyone there.
Living in the Blue Mountains gave us the opportunity to see a variety of family raised animals like goats and chickens, as well as experience very fresh and clean air. The animals wandering and making noises around the grassy fields and dirt roads and provided a farm like scene. The openness allowed us to interact with some of the animals. The adventures and opportunities bestowed upon us were truly once in a lifetime chances. From visiting Euton’s family run coffee farm, teaching 3-6 year olds at the Penlyne Basic school, hiking to the top of the Blue Mountain Peak, and living with the host families, I am very grateful to have this chance given to me. Of course, each adventure provides its own challenges, with walking up and down the mountain being one of the main obstacles for many people in the group, but the sense of achievement after going through the stress and difficulties the challenges threw at us made the final achievement worth a lot more for me. I knew I put forth my best foot to achieve a goal, and the more challenges I completed, the more I could see, learn, and mature through the expericence.
The most meaningful events for me in the Blue Mountains was the visit to Euton’s Coffee Farm and the Blue Mountain Hike. The coffee farm visit gave me the chance to learn so much about the process of how to make great Jamaican coffee. The hike really challenged my mindset and it allowed me to test the physical and mental limits. I am extremely grateful for everyone in the Blue Mountains for taking care of us these days. I left the Blue Mountains with a feeling of sadness and joy because of the relations I formed with the people there. Kingston is a very busy, yet beautiful city. The beauty of the city’s environment, such as the trees and the plants, and even traditional architecture, really make the city stand out. No matter the age of the buildings, they all have a similar design to keep things as traditional as possible. The diversity of the people there also makes the city very great. But then again, I was expecting to see different faces in the capital city. The college campus we are staying at is rather big and cozy, and the buildings are built with a simple layout. Although it’s simple, the campus environment is filled with grass, plants, and trees, and it makes it a very comfortable living environment. I hope to see what more Kingston has to offer in upcoming days!
Daniel M., Georgetown Day School