January 2010
40 posts
Later '09, you were fine!
FYI…. when it turns midnight nothing spectacular will happen in the natural world! The grand celebration is a human construct. Do not get caught up….just continue to be the best you and in case you were not, aim for better! As for me, in 2010, I’ll ACT.BE.CONSERVE.
Jan 1st
December 2009
34 posts
“New Year’s eve is like every other night; there is no pause in the march...”
– ~Hamilton Wright Mabie
Dec 31st
via facebook
Tamika Francis ain’t pleased by the type of precipitation outside. It”s white, cold and reminiscent of a snow cone. And when I drove on it the vehicle swerved!!WHAT COULD THIS STRANGE THING BE??!!
Dec 31st
Dec 31st
271 notes
Early HaPpY NeW yuh hear!
Wearing my sunshine on my head!!  I got this lil head band yesterday….they are way common but it works on my big ole’ head! It has a satin band so it doesn’t ‘hurt’ my delicate hair and sensitive head. Happy new year if I dont catch yuh , unuh hear!  Alright my dears….catch when I’m in Jamaica on Saturday!! Love Tammyanka
Dec 30th
Change, my only constant
Still in Boston. It felt like a 1 degree although it was 17 degrees. My best friend is visiting from NY. I love her. But today at the mall I realized that I have grown. I have changed. I am different and the same all in one. Looking forward to the next year and the rest of my life…..
Dec 30th
monday morning in beantown
via FACEBOOK……Tamika Francis wants hair like Shingai Shoniwa’s but until then she’s meeting with her advisor to tell her about all the work she did not do this semester and show her the multiple tan lines to prove it!! 27 minutes ago · Comment · Like
Dec 28th
“Up at 12:36am deep conditioning my hair. Eggs, honey, mayo and olive oil. My...”
– Cant sleep….
Dec 28th
Mira....Old San Juan!
So I stopped in Puerto Rico on Wednesday, en route to Boston from SLU. I had 7 hours to see Old San Juan. And I surely enjoyed the rustic Spanish colnial Caribbean city. Of Course I stopped by the two World Heritage Sites…cause that’s what I do eeh. Fort El Morro and Fort San Cristobal. I love colonial history!! Love the streets of PR!! Museums, Cathedrals, Painted...
Dec 28th
Happy Holidays Blog Fam
Merry Christmas to:Tamoy.Bai.Patti.Maggie.Lier.Simon.Melissa.Amonia.Johnsbeharry.kptrendz.h-bomber.petepuss.ebonique.dajewel.lmnp.evansmo.Payal.Leslee.Tifiblogs.Sweet7.com.Other bloggers. Unknown folks. Lucians. Jamaicans. All nationalities. Brandeis folks. Random folks. Mommy. Facebook peeps.Jay. Keisha.Fyffe. You. You. and You. Thank you for keeping me. Tammyanka
Dec 25th
Merry Christmas.....from Boston(not an island)
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Dec 25th
Christmas time SLU
Off to Boston….be good
Dec 23rd
“I think I’m done Christmas shopping . The rest will be done in Puerto...”
– Tammyanka
Dec 21st
1 800- ROBBED-JEWELS
So I’m here working on my paper. The house is all is peacful since roomie went to Jamaica, my native land, for her Christmas break. Good job Jamaica Tourist Board. And because I am bored of reading and writing….. Remember the turqoiuse necklace that was broken during the burglary? Well, loose beads+ paper clips+ idle hands = new earring. Voila! Don’t you just like the...
Dec 21st
Images from home
in T-3days :(
Dec 20th
Incoherent speech...Sat'day Soup
Christmas shopping in the market in town. My friend who owns a maternity store and who is an amazing artist is designing hand made cards for me. Her friend and namesake is making me a dress…..I need to make a list of folks to get tokens for….three more days at work then home to my hun bun! I am not making dinner so I am eating out a lot since I don’t wanna purchase anymore...
Dec 20th
2 tags
Dec 19th
Dec 17th
COP15 –SMALL ISLANDS SPEAK!!
I get up earlier to watch the BBC and CNN news every morning…why are they playing with the lives of our grandchildren?! This is disheartening….but I remian optimistic…..it appears as of today, America is being the adult and brokering a deal. Come on China!! Hold on developing nations….GO SMALL ISLAND STATES! Her Excellency Dr. Dessima Williams, a Grenadian, Chair of the...
Dec 17th
“DAY 109: I go home for Christmas next week. I am being tested at work. I...”
– Thinkexist.com
Dec 17th
St. Kitts Finale - after much delay
Okay so here the rest of photos from St. Kitts Friday morning started off with a potent bush team TEA from a Rastaman! Ma new found bona fide brethen, Graeme…cool dude. Beres Hammond fan!! Visit to the Gibraltar of the Americas, a magnificent fort built during the French and British fight for the island. Brimestone Hill Fortress. I ain’t never scared. The soldier...
Dec 16th
HAPPY NATIONAL DAY SLU
December in St. Lucia is a month-long festival, revolving around National Day( the 13th) celebrations and the Christmas season. The focus on National Day is building pride in the country with sporting, cultural, religious, social, and commercial activities, such as the Festival of Lights, featuring a lantern-making competition and the decoration of towns and villages with lights. Other events...
Dec 13th
“Leaving Basseterre @6am…urgghhh. My plans to extend my stay to Sunday...”
– HAVE A GOOD WEEK END FRIENDS!!
Dec 12th
Museum trip
I was not bothered when my supervisor emailed to tell me I need to do some research on an historic former sugar plantation called Wingfield Estate. SHE MADE MY DAY….ROAD TRIP TO TOWN!!! She thought it was a task….for me it was a blessing! Still unsure on why the country goes by St. Christopher sometimes? I’ll find out and tell you. And Aguilla branched off on its own. ...
Dec 11th
WHEN THE NEIGHBORS STAND OUT
St. Kitts is 18 miles and 5 miles at it’s widest. The smallest nation in the Caribbean. SO WHATS UP WITH THIS HOTEL? THE MARRIOT ST.KITTS!! 5 floors, 375 rooms, 78 suites,3 pools(images via their site) 14 meeting rooms, 38,000 sq ft of total meeting space Casino on-site It’s beautiful…..grand. I had mojitos and sushi…..walked the property, lovely chic boutique and had...
Dec 10th
3 tags
St. Kitts(Day 2) Monkey and Pearls!!!
The Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis (also known as the Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis),[2] located in the Leeward Islands, is a federal two-island nation in the West Indies. It is the smallest sovereign nation in the Americas, in both area and population. The capital city and headquarters of government for the federated state is Basseterre on the larger island of Saint Kitts. The...
Dec 10th
3 tags
This is St. Kitts- Day 1 (Tuesday's post)
Antigua I really wanted to buy these hand printed , handmade clutches in the airport but I resisted. Clock in the Basseterre Square. Colonial architecture I was dead beat at the end of the day!! 6am SLU-ANB-SKB. Arrived in St. Kitts and went straight to work…. Dinner …conch fritters and conch chowder…yum , yum.( except the styrofoam)
Dec 10th
COP15 United Nations Climate Change Conference... →
By the time this is posted I’ll be en route to Basseterre, St. Kitts but I discovered that I can now schedule posts!! So here goes… This historic CLIMATE CHANGE conference started today, go ahead and check out the site and follow the news in the media. The outcome of the event affects us all. Again (see Garbage Talk) especially us island dwellers, yet we have little in terms of...
Dec 7th
Back on cloud nine...literally
I remain marvelled by the view from my bedroom window. I changed my bed from it’s original location to take advantage of the view. It was too low and after the ‘incident’ I was a tad bit afraid of laying by the window. Enter my hammock. Well it’s on loan. Wouldn’t you suspend yourself on a cloth between two windows for this? And at night. Oh…. Peace of...
Dec 7th
Photo Friday: GARBAGE TALK
A few weeks ago,The St. Lucia Solid Waste Management Authority coordinated an island wide garbage clean up. They provided bags, T-shirts, water and gloves for the occasion and asked organizations, schools etc to pick up trash in the vicinity of their premises. The call went out via email to ‘my’ organization. Staff of 80-100. I think. ‘My unit’ being directly charged with...
Dec 6th
Last week's banking
So. I have been having banking challenges. I didnt open a local account since I couldnt be bothered. The bank as I remembered from Kingston was long lines, awkward and coward looking or seriously armed security, a senior's line and a waste of time. I even hate banks in the US where the service, at least where I have been, is faster. But most importantly I hate that teller treat you like a robber, even when you are taking your own money.
So knowing I had 'I.D challenges', I made nice with very efficient and young teller who served 2- 3 customers for every one served by her colleagues.
After handing over my stipend cheque....
Teller: Afternoon, ID please?
Me: (Passing my ID to her with a smile) " Here you go"
Teller: What kind of ID is this?
Me: Why? It's a "Green Card" (the common name for American Resident Card)
Teller: Ohh (while fliping over the card and looking at it suspiciously). Do you have another ID?
Me: (I presented her my expired US driver's License)
Teller: This is expired.
Me: I know, but I am a visiting student working here for a few months and my passport has been with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs since September.
Teller: (looking at the line and seemingly tired to bothered to "hassle" me, she accepts.
Transaction completed , I am now excited but scared about the wad of cash I have in my possession
Teller: (Handing me back my green card) Why are you here in St. Lucia working when you have this?
Me: Because I can talk to you aad you trust and understand me, it is sunny outside and its not snowing and because I truly believe I was born to be live on an island.
Teller: (obviously surprised by my answer) Okay?! Take care.
Dec 3rd
2 tags
LPG 'dun' AGAIN!!!
For second time in 3 months my cooking gas( LPG) is done. See first time here. This time, I got home for lunch, raw (read:starving). I prepped my saltfish, okras and spices. I already had yams boiled and was planning a ‘throw down’ at midday!! Turned on the stove and NOTHING!!!!! I was so mad, I packed up my wares and headed off to town. Chinese food saved my life. Last night, I...
Dec 2nd
100 posts later
I got here I complained about work I reveled in Loo-shan culture for an entire month I joined Toastmasters, photography club, french kreyol and dance classes I bummed on the beach I roamed around the island (countless times) I pretended to run a B&B I had an encounter with a burglar and almost lost my computer and camera ………………. Many more stories to...
Dec 2nd
“Since summer I’ve been emailing back and forth with two of my bestest grad...”
– The simple pleasures in life.
Dec 1st