"remind me when I'm in America...."

I wrote the following blog post on my other blog (Kelsey Inspired, that I sadly, but seriously, do not have time to maintain.  Instagram has replaced my blogging b/c I do find about 10 minutes a day to snap some pictures of things I'd normally blog about, but such is life) 

ANYWAY, I wrote this almost 2 years ago and thought it was funny to look back on all these "things" I was looking forward to being back in the US.
I can whole heartedly say I'd trade it all in the blink of an eye to be in Grenada.
My longing for that little island in the Caribbean hasn't faded one iota.
The words in orange are what I wrote while still living in Grenada... 

 
In December I will be moving back to the States (Ohio temporarily and then on to somewhere else) 
I want to remember all the things I wanted and wanted to do but couldn't because I was in Grenada.
I also want to remind myself how I longed for things in America.... and to not be sad about leaving Grenada... but I know I will be.

1. remember how gross it feels to be hot and sweaty 24/7 - I would LOVE to be hot and sweaty about now... 
2. remember how badly I wanted to wear boots, sweaters, and scarves. - yep, OVER it. I do love my boots and tights.... but I'd love to be in my shorts today... 
3. remember how I wanted to wear skinny jeans, but sweated too much for comfort. - ok. So I do love, love, love my skinny jeans and have about 8 pair now!? haha  
4. a black globe - my sweet Lee got me one for our anniversary!! My globe collection has GROWN this year for sure :)
5. GOODWILL SHOPPING SPREE - uh, this happens about weekly now days.... I should stop.  But you know what we don't have nearby where we live? an actual Goodwill.  I've become a Salvation Armier and Value World pro.
6. Target - haha, still love Target and now I have one just a couple miles from my house! yay! It's just as great as I thought it would be when I was in Grenada. 
7. high heels. every. single. day. - most days I do! I do NOT miss the crappy flip flops I wore daily in Grenada.  
8. remember how I missed my parents so much. - Thankfully I'm only a 6 hour car ride away now! MUCH better in this regard... and I get to see my nieces grow up. so awesome. 
9. get the book - In The Pink: Dorothy Draper - nope, but I'd still like it! hint hint 
10.  a white Christmas! - CHECK! we've had a white 3 months truthfully... 
11. Little Debbie's - hahaha can you believe I missed these so much to blog about it? I haven't bought them in probably 6 months.  The list of ingredients was too long for healthy Kelsey. 
12. hand painted shoes - haven't found the time for this yet.. it'd be more of a summer thing anyway, right? I still plan on trying it! 
13.  stores being open 24/7 - this is great, but living in Detroit I think I've only been on a 24/7 store once and that was at 6am when I was sick for medicine, I never go anywhere by myself at midnight like I thought I would, or I did in college.  I guess I'm old and am in bed at that time too! 
14. public library - I've lived here for almost a year and have yet to go to the library. I really want to go to the Detroit public library too, it's in a really cool old building! To get a card at the Grosse Pointe Library though I need a Michigan drivers licsence, and I'm avoiding that process, so to get a card as an out of state person it would cost $200?!!?!?! haha sooooooooo maybe I'll go one day and read their magazines. 
15. magazines not costing $10us - speaking of which, I do have my subscription to Glamour magazine that I started about 8 years ago and that's about the old magazine I buy myself, and then my friends Kristen, Michelle, and Kayla keep me well stocked with the magazines they've already read!  Thanks friends! 
16. Wendy's Crispy Chicken Sandwich for .99cents - my fast food weakness, in Ohio they're .99 and in Michigan they're $1.29?! what the? lol



ps. My blogs have been getting MAJORLY spammed lately! I had to change my settings to add the word verification.  Yesterday I literally got over 300 comments, all spam. ugh. stop it!!   Please let me know if I ever "spam comment" on your blogs... I got one from a reader that I am hoping is spam and not something they actually were saying to me.................................................. 

Coming home...

I'm here!
I'm home!!!!
I'm in my beloved Grenada!!!!!!!!!!!!

My husband loves me so much and finally realized after 9 months of begging that the Grenada bug was not going away.... so I asked for a week off work and bough the ticket and I'M HERE!!!!!!

I feel like singing.



I'll do a real post soon, for reallllllls. promise.

I just wanted to let everyone know that it is sill the same beautiful, perfect paradise it was when I left... and the Grenada bug is now apart of my DNA... etched in my heart forever.

Please help me win a trip to Grenada!!

Hi friends... this is me literally begging.
I'm on my hands and knees.... please click this link and vote for me to win a trip to Grenada!!!
The trip is advertised to encourage people to say why they want to stay in a certain hotel, eat at fancy restaurants, and go on adventures.......... but all I want to do is hug those sweet babies!!!
Please please help me make my dream come true and vote for me!!

To vote you have to like the facebook fan page of Discover Grenada  - here
And then click this link to vote for me!!
and while you're at it vote for my friend Amber too!! If she wins she's taking me and vice versa!! :)

Please please please take a couple minutes and vote, you have no idea how much this would mean to me!

<3

it was all a dream

found this video Lee and I took on our last day in Grenada....
I took it because I wanted to always be able to watch it and remember what it felt like to sit on that perfect beach and feel the sun, sand, and water.
care free living.
but it's starting to slip away....
that life seems like a dream.

Isn't there a cheesy quote somewhere like "don't be sad it's over, be happy it happened"
humph.




I showed it to Lee and he said "you're going to make yourself sick"
and I said why, because of all the moving water??
and he said no.... "homesick"

:( wwwwwwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

40 Reasons I want to go to Grenada March 31st - April 8th

1.  I will be on spring break that week

2.  Lee will be finished with the USMLE and will not be busy and he deserves a vacation!

3.  I miss Grenada so much it makes me want to cry

4.  Limes After School Program

5.  Jade

6.  The beach

7.  Queen Elizabeth Home

8.  BelAir Home

9.  Easter in Grenada is one of the most perfect times of the year weather wise

10.  The kites the kids fly on Easter

11.  Rainbows

12.  Mango trees over flowing with fruit (I don't like Mangoes, but they are pretty)

13.  BJ

14.  Shanika

15.  CSA Easter choir and baptism on black sand beach

16.  Sunshine!

17.  Briana

18.  I want to see the new Limes structure

19.  Ezra

20.  Snorkeling

21.  Kevon

22.  Stephanie Scurlock

23.  The Carenage

24.  The beautiful colors of the flowers

25.  Cantelope smoothie

26.  The gorgeous sunsets

27.  Miguel

28.  Waterfalls

29.  Jivona

30.  Laura Conley

31.  Jada

32.  I miss those sweet little accents

33.  I want to hear "bus bus bus bus bus!?"

34.  Jessie Leath

35.  Kyla

36.  Laura Lackey

37.  I want to hear the little ones say "Miss Kelsey"

38.  When will we EVER have a more perfect time to go?  no work, no school, no kids, etc.

39.   I want to see Deana's new eye!

40.  I want to sit in the Limes field and be smothered in hugs :)

Why I will be sitting in Pedro, Ohio March 31st - April 8th.... plane tickets cost an arm AND a leg and Lee and I are poor kids. 

boo :(

I am however selling vintage items in my Etsy store to earn some money towards a plane ticket someday :)

Why didn't God make Grenada and Ohio closer?  or at least within driving distance?

Grenada on my mind

Some days I seriously ask myself why I am not in Grenada.
I love being home, I love my job, I love my family and friends....
but there is something missing  (and it's not just my husband currently)
I just want to be there so bad.

I get phone calls from the kids asking me to come back and it breaks my heart. 

I want to save up a bunch of money (ha!) move to Grenada and open some sort of community center where kids can hang out, read, do homework, and play.
I want to have workshops and classes for parents on how to save money and parent and be productive in the community.
I want to have church on Sunday mornings and free lunch for everyone who attends.
I want to have movie nights on Fridays and go to the beach on Saturdays.


I want to adopt about 50 Grenadian babies and I can if I live there.

I think I will spend the rest of my life trying to convince Lee that Grenada is our home and where we belong.

Little Deanna

My friends and I in Grenada have gotten to know this sweet little family - the Coutains through the Limes After School program.  You've probably seen lots of pictures of them on this blog.
Deanna is a 1 year old (2yrs in May) who was born without an eye and is in need of an operation to fill the exposed space and soft tissue.
You can read all about the situation and what this little girl needs on this website my friend Amber has set up.
http://deannacoutain.blogspot.com
She has a FAQ section with lots of great information.

Amber has also set up a donation site for anyone who would be interesting in helping this little girl travel to America for the operation.  Any amount would help drastically change this little one's life.
https://wepay.com/donations/deannacoutain
Please search your heart and check out these websites and pray for this family.
Thank you to everyone who has already donated and has this little girl on your heart!

I'll be doing an update on my life soon, promise :)

Limes T-shirts!

I haven't posted pictures of Limes in forever. what is wrong with me?

We had one of the BEST afternoons a couple weeks ago! We gave all of our Limes kids a bright lime green t-shirt that says Limes After School Program!!
I had the idea for ever that I'd love to get shirts or make shirts with the kids... so Stephanie and I just went for it, googled a company, found an awesome one - Custom Ink. and Steph designed an adorable little shirt!!
We had them shipped to Amber's house and she thankfully brought down 80 shirts in her suitcase!!

All of the volunteers wore one and we handed them out to the kids according to age groups.
One of the sweet little girls asked for "a baby jersey" it was sooooooooo stinking cute. (here)

I'll let the pictures do the talking.
Love these kids so much!  Lee and I even got a little family portrait done :)

 Thank you Thank you Thank you to everyone who helped!!!  I am so thankful we were able to do this while I was still in Grenada to see all these sweet smiles :)

chasing waterfalls

I'm suddenly so sad that Lisa Lefteye Lopez died.
It was in the Caribbean wasn't it??
anyway. enough sadness around here.

I went with Amber and Stephanie to Annandale Falls last week.  Amber had never been! crazy!
It is so beautiful.  I wish I had taken my mom there now... (ugh regrets)
This was the day we hated played with the monkey too.

We were hanging out swimming in the water when one of the guys starts throwing some food in and we see like 100 fairly large fish popping up eating it. gross.  I did NOT know there were fish in that water. haha.
But I still continued to swim.
It was a beautiful day and I'm so happy I got to spend with my two beautiful bestest Grenada friends.

I like this picture because it was freezing and Stephanie is so short!!! haha.  This picture exaggerated it I'm sure... but why are ALL my friends so short?  

no love for the monkeys

I've found out that I really don't like monkeys.
Every time I've been around them here in Grenada I'm squirming. 
They are freaking weird.
I decided that since this is my last few weeks in Grenada I'd let one climb on my head... and he was a teeny tiny baby named Jack.  How bad could it be?

 This bad.

I managed to force out a smile for the camera... but I may have said something like "I'm going to puke!! get it off of me!"

But check out Amber & Stephanie:

They LOVED him!
eesh. thankfully this one thing I can check off the bucket list and never re-live.

Reggae Bus Routes

I have looked all over the internet for a proper list of where the Reggae buses in Grenada go to no avail.... so I took matters into my own hands and compiled a list myself!

Downtown St. George's there is a large bus terminal where you can catch a bus to pretty much anywhere on the island except for the north eastern side.  If you want to go north of Grenville and east of Sauteurs you'll need to take a #2 or #6 to Grenville and catch a bus from the bus terminal in Grenville. 
Now some buses of the same number go different places, so you'll have to read the top right corner of the bus to be sure.

1. St. George's - Grand Anse - Calliste
2. Grenville via Westerhall -or- Springs, Woburn
3. Richmond Hill, Morne Jaloux,
4. St. Paul's, Perdmontemps, Beaton, Vincennes
5. Grand Roy, Gouyave, Victoria
6. Grenville via Grand Etang
7. River Road, Tempe, Mt. Parnassus -or- River Road, Mt. Gay, La Mode -or- River Road, Beaulieu, Boca, Vendomme -or- Annandale, New Hampshire, Willis (#7 goes everywhere!)
8. Cherry Hill, Fontenoy, Happy Hill

in 15 years...

Today I picked up some donations for REACH Grenada from a former professor at SGU.  She taught here when the school opened in 1977.  Can you imagine the leap of faith it took to move to such a place.  The unknown?  I thought moving here in 2010 was crazy.
She told me some great stories about when the school was mostly located on Grand Anse Beach and the lecture hall was an open air pavilion and locals would randomly stop by to listen.  There was only one TV and her kids and about 100 others would gather around it to watch videos friends from home sent down taped off American TV.  Saturday Night Live was a favorite.
She talked about how there was no Subway, KFC, Ace Hardware, or IGA.

She said that while life was simpler and much less "Americanized" the poverty was even greater.  Things have improved in recent years and the quality of life in Grenada is improving.
I found that to be very encouraging.  Things are getting better.  When I come back to visit in 30 years I hope I can say the same.


On Friday WIM held their bi-annual luncheon for the students at PAM, the Programme for Adolescent Mothers, and they talked a lot about goals and where you see yourself in the next 5,10,15 years.
Here is my picture I drew to share with my group about my next 15 years -

I just remembered that I have a web-cam the other day!
It may be the worst camera in the history of cameras, but I have one!

 In 15 years I hope that Lee is a doctor finally.  I will be a social worker or working with children, families, or those living in poverty in some capacity.  We still have a wonderful happy marriage.  We have maybe 1 or 2 biological children and if we are earning enough money to provide for our family and are able I would love to adopt several children.  I want to adopt children in America {or Grenada ;)} I think it's great that people are adopting more and more, but there are sooooooo many kids in America right now sitting in foster care that need a family to love.  I  made the mistake started following Bethany Christian Adoption Services on Facebook and every single day my heart is being pulled towards these precious children. 
I also drew a globe and put a star over Grenada.  I want to travel all over the world and I know there are many places in greater need than Grenada... but I love it here and it does hold a special place in my heart and I hope to return often to this island and bring back supplies to future volunteers and continue to be a part of the lives of those I know now.  My wish is to be able to send all these Limes kids to college.  Wouldn't that be awesome?  I tell them that too.  I say, someday when you want to go to college remember Miss Kelsey and let me know and I will help you.... because hopefully in 10ish years I will have some money to do such things. and college is cheap here. as long as they don't want to go to medical school...... haha.
The issue is just staying connected.  That is why I must return.  Every year!  That is my goal. 
It will be hard, especially in the next couple years when we have 0 dollars, but I'll figure that out. 

Midterm Social - Fall 2011

Saturday was my 4th and last midterm social!  Weird!
We had our party on Grand Anse Beach with water sports!  I got to ride the banana boat twice... and it was..... tame. haha.  I didn't get a chance to ride the tube which I heard was a bit more thrilling of a ride.
We had 80 people there all wanting rides, quite a switch from last term when I got to ride the tube 5 times huh?
Good job SO board for planning and executing a great party!

One time in a Grenadian Police Station...

it's almost been a week.
my bad.

lots happened this week though.

for starters Tuesday was my friend Stephanie's Birthday!! Yay!
What better way to celebrate than a little road trip to the northern end of the island to Bathway and Levera Beach?
We had the most amazing morning and afternoon relaxing on the beautiful beaches and taking in the sites.
You can see/read about my trip to those beaches this summer here and here.... because I am unable to show you any real pictures from our day... because. my.camera.was.stolen!

here's the story.
Around 1:30 we decided to leave Bathway and go up to Levera for a change of scenery and it is such a gorgeous location.  From Levera you can see the island north of Grenada and it is beautiful.  I recommend everyone in Grenada get to visit both Bathway and Levera... but read on before you plan your trip.

We arrived on Levera and there weren't many people around.  A few locals celebrating Thanksgiving in the parking lot but basically no one on the beach.  We walked down to an area away from people and in view of the other islands to the north, the perfect spot, or so I thought.
We hung out in the warm, clear water for a while making random trips back and forth  from our towels to take pictures and have a drink.
Our towels were spread out probably about 10-15 feet from the water's edge.  Behind our towels the beach backed into a mangrove area, a crawling vine-like plant, and then behind that was a wooded area, basically a jungle since this is Grenada we're talking about.

Well after an hour and half or so we decided it was time to start heading home because we had a Birthday dinner to be at that night for Steph.  We walked out of the water to our towels and realized that our bags were gone. The entire bags. 3 of them!
Steph said something about her car keys were in her bag and my first thought was that someone was stealing her car!  So I took off running down the beach to make sure the car was still there, thankfully it was, and I began telling the story to some of the local men there.  One man was there on the beach playing with his children, he looked nice enough to me and sure enough he was the one to help (the situation was later debated about whether or not he may have been in on it).  He went to his car, got his machete and set off through the mangroves.  I followed him for a bit to show him where our belongings were on the beach & we found a trail leading from our stuff, through the mangroves and into the woods.  The thief crawled through weeds to our stuff.
We were 10 ft away and didn't notice!
The sickening feeling was that he had to of been in the woods watching us waiting for the right moment.
ugh. I still haven't quite shaken that feeling.

The man said he was going to follow the trail up through the woods and about 10 minutes later he returned with our bags.  They had been dumped out and  toss aside.  Our money, cameras, and my friends' phones were gone, but thankfully Steph's car keys, our credit cards, IDs, and other various items were still there.
As soon as we found out that we had they keys we had to go inform all the men standing around Steph's car that their assistance with a break in and hot wire wouldn't be needed.  They seemed a little over eager for the job anyway.
They instructed us to go make a report at the police station in Sauteurs and tell the cops that Bollo was in on it.  This probably did us no good, but makes for an interesting story.  Steph spent her 26th Birthday in a police station in a 3rd world country!
They took down our individual accounts of the incident and said they'd call if anything turned up (fat chance).

While there I saw a man pick up two pistols, a magazine put them in an IGA grocery sack, tie it up, and go walking down the street with it. haha. strange.
I also heard one man take a call over the phone and say "What?! A white man?  It was a white man?"

It was probably the longest day in history and we arrived an hour late to Stephanie's dinner party... but it is an interesting story!
Someday once I'm not as sad about losing the camera and the pictures I'll be able to look back on this and laugh...

As for now... if anyone sees Bollo tell him I took a self defense class this week and I'm ready for him!

{see pictures I made on picnik on what the pictures from the day might have looked like on my other blog}

Caribs Leap

As part of the island tour we stopped by Caribs Leap in Sauteurs for a few minutes.  It doesn't take long to see the sites here, so it was a nice break from the crazy bus ride and a chance to stretch for those of us squeezed in the back seat of the bus!
I've blogged about Caribs Leap before when I made Lee go with me as part of our reggae bus island tour.  I have the best memories from that trip, it was so fun to just be out without actually knowing where we were going or where we'd end up.  I highly recommend such an adventure to others!  No matter where you are in Grenada, eventually a reggae bus will drive by and pick you up so you won't be left stranded :)

This day at Caribs Leap was pretty hazy and it was difficult to see the other island to the north, which in my opinion is one of the best parts.
I did get the chance to meet a couple of cuties that crawled under the fence to come see the mass of white girls taking pictures by their house.  They didn't have pants on and their teeth were almost completely rotten, but they were full of smiles and as usual loved my sunglasses and camera :)

Fish Friday take 4.

Last week Lee and I went to Fish Friday with CSA for the 4th time.  It was maybe 3 times too many.
Don't get me wrong Fish Friday is great and we had fun... but once you been, you've been.
This time I actually enjoyed the fish though!  Fish cakes for $1ec!  I'm not even certain that there was fish in the little deep fried concoctions, but it was delicious.  And deep fried bread. yum-o!
The drummers sang one of my favorite songs - 3 little birds... it was a good note to leave my final Fish Friday on.

Fresh Goat Cheese

A part of the island tour was a visit to Belmont Estate.  The plantation is known for their chocolate, but they've also recently started a goat cheese project and I LOVE it!
Maybe I'll be a goat farmer someday :)

Frederick, Matthew, and Alice

Friday the SOs went on an around the island tour and our first stop was Fort Frederick.  You may remember Lee and I visiting there this summer.  It was worth a 2nd trip, the view from the top is so incredible!

The group of SOs on the trip!
SO much fun ;)

I got sick to my stomach when I learned that in 1983 the US bombed Fort Matthew thinking Grenadian soldiers were there when really it was a center for mental patients.
why they felt the need to bomb anything in Grenada is beyond me....

The bar they've made in the fort now! 

I need one of these chairs!! 

Our tour guide for Fort Frederick was Alice.  She called herself Alice in Wonderland and I promised I'd blog about her and  tell all my friends all over the world to come to Grenada and visit her at the fort.
She said that 80% (or something) of the island depended on tourism for income.  
Come visit us and buy some spices!!!!

Here is Alice talking about her experience during Hurricane Ivan in 2004.  A hurricane that devastated 85% of the island.
It's a little hard to hear because of all the wind, but turn up the volume, it's a cool story!

Royal Mt. Carmel Falls

I made what may be my last trip (in the near future) to Mt. Carmel falls last Friday.
I went out on a high note, sliding down the falls without injury!

Read more a more detailed post about my first visit to Mt. Carmel here.

Jump! on the on the front back!

Last week the SOs were busy traipsing around Grenada.  We went to a few of my favorite places, with a few of my favorite people, it was a good week.

La Sagesse Beach never disappoints. It is one of the most beautiful and peaceful places I've ever been.  I need to squeeze in about 10 more trips there before we leave.
We spent the morning lounging around, scouring the beach for shells and other things (cricket bat anyone?) and ended the afternoon with some impromptu jumping and silliness.

A few of the lovely SOs there that day.
I am so thankful for the SO organization and all these great women here in Grenada!!

ps. 69 days left.
AND if you don't already know... you can read all about Lee and I's love story over at Newlyweds Bliss today! :)