I think I found my new favorite holiday!

Hey Everyone!
I just got back from my site visit yesterday. Region 5 (West Coast Berbice) is awesome. I love it and it feels like it is the right fit for me. This past week I stayed with two older ladies (sisters) named Auntie Irene and Auntie Princess. They were so sweeet and they reminded me of the sisters from "Secret Life of Bees" They were located about 15 minutes walking distance from my permanent house in Bush Lot. The house is beautiful and it looks brand new. It has 4 bedrooms (so now people can come and stay with me!!). The back yard needs a lot of work...but it's okay because Alicia (my roommate) and I have a lot of high hopes and a good work ethic! We also have a big coconut tree in our backyard that we are going to build a latter to climb up and get the coconuts. We are a little nervous though (not because the tree is so high) because we heard that possoms like to live up in the coconut trees and we don't want to get attacked! We also have a cherry tree in our back yard and also a couple of guava trees! ahh I am so excited about that! PLus another PC Volunteers has a mango and a pomogranate tree in his backyard so we are going to swap fruit! We also have a chicken coop in the yard so now we know that having chickens (layers) was meant to be. We also have a lot of plans to plant a garden. If anyone wants to send some celantro seeds down...that would be much appreciated! The avacados (they call the pears here) are so cheap and I am so anxious to make guacomole!
The school is really good too. The teachers seem to really have it together too. It seems a lot more progressive than the school that I am currently in (in region 3). The teachers understand the problem and they are working to make it better. I can tell it is going to be a lot of work trying to get the parents involved though because there is a really high illiteracy rate and a lot of parents are embarrassed. So hopefully I can work with some of the teachers and create an event where parents feel welcome. Other than that, I am going to be doing a lot of "pull out sessions" to help the teachers teach literacy to some of the weaker students. I am also working on setting up a library. The school does have some books (a lot are really old), but there is no system to check the books out...so I am going to try and organize that too.
The other PC volunteers in the area are really awesome too. We are thinking about starting an ultimate frisbee team and soccer team that battles again the other volunteers in region 6! haha that will be fun!
I already finished 3 books! only 97 more to go! I am getting addicted and there are so many books I want to read, but it is hard to find the time right now. I just read an awesome book called "Tuesday with Morrie" by Mitch Albom. This was a great book and a quick read. Check it out. I guess he was the person who wrote "5 people you meet in heaven" but i never read that one. I heard it was awesome though too!
I am still running too. I am going to try and train for a half marathon in barbados (next december). Me and a couple of other PCV also want to run too...so I better get training. Today Beth (PC neighbor) and I ran through the back dam, which is the sugar cane fields. It was completely breathtaking. There were long dirt roads with really high green sugar canes surrounding us. There were also streams and water ways right next to the road too. It was awesome.
Last but not least...I have to tell you about the Hindu holiday that i celebrated in Berbice. It was called Phagwah. Basically the holiday is a celebration of the good over evil. So anyways, my superviser (head mistress) took us to the event. I had no idea what to expect...all I knew was that it was a "colorful" event. That it was! As soon as we stepped on the compound random people would come up to you and spread colorful powder on you. I especially wore a white shit for this occassion because I heard it was messy! As the evening went on, people would trow powder everywhere and people would shoot paint out of skirt guns! By the end of the night I was COMPLETELY cover with so many different colors. It was awesome. All of this happened while dancers and singers performed on a stage. Alicia put some pictures on Facebook....so check them out! I can't wait for next years Phagwah...it was one of the most fun times everrrrrrr!!
Anyways, I hope everything is good with all of my friends and family!
Love you!