A Final Reflection

 Saying Good Bye to Dominica is sad. It was so hard for me to put into words the past few months in my own journal what I loved about our life here, what I was so afraid to lose. Then my mother in law loned a book to me recently called A Gift from the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh (1975) which I felt spoke directly to the very feelings I have about island life:

"The geographical boundaries, the physical limitations, the restrictions on communication, have enforced a natural selectivity. There are not too many activities or things or people, and each one, I find, is significant, set apart in the frame of sufficient time and space. Here there is time; time to be quiet; time to work without pressure; timme to think; time to watch the heron; watching with frozen patience for his prey. Time to look at the stars or to study a shell; time to see friends, to gossip, to laugh, to talk. Time, even, not to talk..."

"Simplicity of living, as much as possible, to retain a true awareness of life. Balance of phsyical, intellectual, and spiritual life. Work without pressure. Space for significance and beauty. Time for solitude and sharing. Closeness to nature to strengthen understanding and faith in the intermettency of life; life of the spirit, creative life, and hte life of human relationshis. A few shells.. I must remember to see with island eyes."

After the LAST FINAL in Dominica

There no need to try and explain how excited the boys were when they finished their last big exam... and now that we now they all passed with flying colors, I am happy to post the evidence of their victory swim on PBH beach on our last night in Dominica!

 boys will be boys :)

 Emmet, Meg, Kyle Adams, Kyle Phillips, Taylor, Carlo

 literally jumping for joy (ok Taylor and I coaxed them into it...)

last beach day together on the isle...

 and after sad good-byes with all of our close friends-above Emily and Nathan Shelman (Heidi, your good bye hug definitely made me tear up!)

 The sun literally set on our time abroad living in the Caribbean <3

And it was quite a sunset to remember

Dedicated to Rosemary

When we moved into our apartment, we found out that with our rent we get a housekeeping service that comes on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays every week. A housekeeper? How snobby of us? How did we swing this one? And here she is, our housekeeper, my girl, my friend of 16 months, Rosemary.


When I first met Rosemary, she was very shy and almost standoffish. The only thing I could get out of her was a "Hey Baby" or an "OK Baby" which she would use in almost every situation:

 "Good morning Rosemary. How was your weekend?"
"Okay baby"

"Have a good day Rosemary. Enjoy your afternoon"
"Okay baby"

Emmet would lovingly call her "the refrigerator" or "our linebacker" because she was so strong and and was built like one sturdy lady. As time went on and Rosemary and I spent some mornings in my apartment together before I worked, I started to break down her shell.Most of our talks were short and sweet and focused on what she loved-her eight children and five grandchildren and barbecued ribs.

My top two Rosemary moments will make me laugh for the rest of my life. The first one happened during second semester. I was home making pumpkin soup and she came in at 9 am as usual. I had on the AMC channel as there is always a lack of good day time television on so I tuned in to "Little House on the Prairie" for fun. After about a half hour, I looked up from the stove and Rosemary was standing there with her mop teary eyed looking at the TV in a daze. It was a scene where Michael Landon was bringing his blind daughter Mary a birthday present.

"Mary be blind" she said sniffling. "You love dis show?"
"Yes," I do.
"Good show. I watch at home all de time."

Who knew? Rosemary was a complete softy. From that day on, we were buddies. Rosemary always came in to check on me everyday even if she wasn't cleaning our place and always had to give me a nice sweaty bear hug.

The next instance was after I told Rosemary I was pregnant.

"Rosemary, I have something great to tell you. Emmet and I are having a baby."
"You making baby? You making baby! Oh dat's nice. Dat's so nice" (Add sweaty bear hug)

Two months later, she came in unexpectedly when I was in my underwear and a tank top. She asked, "How's de baby?" and she came over and lifted up my tank top to feel my belly.

"Sure as de sun will rise, it's gonna be a boy. Rosemary always know. Emmet gonna be happy man." And she walked out smiling.

We shall see if she's right... I promised I would call her and let her know. She wrote down her cell on our computer desk.

Rosemary has been crying everytime we see her for the last two weeks. "You be leaving me..." she says. Rosemary, we will miss you dearly. You are one in a million. We will never have another housekeeper who loves us as much as you do.

An April Shower to Remember

Sunday I was at home packing feeling sad and kind of like a hermit. It seemed like I had been packing for hours and I still had things I needed to get rid of, Emmet had a huge test on his mind and was studying at the Annex, and I felt bittersweet about leaving our wonderland here on the rock. The girls had planned a "last drink at sunset" down on Portsmouth Harbor at a little bar called "Cabrits," but I was thinking I would just stay in and relax. However, being the good friends they were, the girls gently coaxed me into joining them anyway.When I got out of the transport and walked toward the water...

SURPRISE! There was a beautiful baby shower set up, just for me. I can't even describe how I felt, but there were definitely more than a few tears shed under my sunglasses. I had NO IDEA this was all going on. I wanted to share a few pictures on my blog for my memoirs and to show all of you the island shower I was a part of. I stole all of these pictures from Emily- she gets all the credit.

Now I can't begin to depict the creativity and craftiness that went into the makings of this shower, but let me provide a few examples. Reminder that we have no stores in this country. Everything was hand done, homemade, and from the heart.This is a pin that was handmade and pinned on me as soon as I arrived!

I have to admit these shoes are my favorite thing in the whole world right now-a better gift I could not have dreamed up. They are the very first present I have gotten for our child and for some reason holding a concrete little pair of sear sucker baby shoes made becoming a mother all seem so real. I can't get over Emily's talent in being able to hand create these little wonders, but I will keep them forever. Emmet loves the sear sucker and has matching pants. They must have known we were a New England family....

The girls cooked all of the food themselves. I was in awe of the beautiful buffet. There were homemade honey rolls with barbecued chicken, bow tie pasta salad, chips and snacks and the most delicious cupcakes topped off with little individual "baby" toothpick signs in them. It all tasted fabulous.

 The attention to detail impressed me to no end...

Couldn't ask for a more beautiful seaside venue

 Had to play some shower games... Scattergories, and questions about babies with answers from Emmet were the highlight

The sweetest girls in the world- Thank you with all my heart. Check out the homemade sign by Emily and Heidi in the background! You guys need to go into business...

Love this photo. Unforgettable day. Unforgettable women. Unforgettable shower. Can't wait to tell Baby Ferriter all about it some day...

Last Feast at Pete's Ribs

 Mural on Peter's Grocery store right outside the grill. Classic.

Pete's Ribs is perhaps the best discovery we ever made here in Portsmouth, Dominica. As with most hidden gems on the island, someone as to tip you off to it and I'm sure it was an upperclassman who did. As a passerby during the day, Peter's Grocery Store could very easily be mistaken for any other store in town. But, oh, it is so much more.


On Friday nights, Peter opens up his huge Caribbean grill right alongside his grandmother's store and starts to fire up delicious ribs and chicken for all to share. What kind of ribs are they?( first timers always ask). The veterans no better than to question- who knows, who cares? The sauce is fantastic so just saddle up and hope for the best. The most widely believed rumor is that they are goat ribs, which, to be honest makes sense. Goats are everywhere. Other meaty animals...not so much.


Well, if it is goat, we love it. Pete's Ribs is a treasure-nothing fancy about the operation. Walk up to a wooden slab piece of plywood separating you and the grill, jot down your name on a notepad and then write down your order. An hour later, boom, it comes right to you with a mispronunciation of your name that is different every time. Three picnic tables, rarely a tablecloth, wooden stools, open air- where else would you rather be on a Friday night? Music bumping from the bar behind the store, crazy locals swinging by to ask for change, and good times had by all. Pictures are worth a thousand words, I suppose, so check out some shots of our last night at our favorite local food joint.

 The gang patiently awaiting their name. Kubuli and Cheeze-Its tide us over...mmm

 I LOVE this lady. Behind every Caribbean grocery is a strong woman. This is the mother of "Pete" in "Pete's Ribs" and this is her granddaughter "Kylee". They are there every week, without fail, selling beers and snacks from the grocery refrigerator and greeting everyone with a smile.

 Check out the spread...lots of dirty hands in the air. We all try to bring antibacterial gel... we are with med students after all :)

Going to miss this crew... Kyle and Heidi, Emily and Nathan, Taylor and Kyle, Olivia and of course there's my man Emmet chowing down on his favorite treat-ribs and fries.

Last Day of work at Ross University Elementary School

I am 100% a kid at heart. If I could pick an age to stay at forever, it would definitely be 6 or 7 years old, and that's probably why I couldn't dodge the inevitability of becoming an elementary school teacher.


I just love the atmosphere in an elementary school. Every holiday is a celebration, even if it's as insignificant as Groundhog Day and every day is a chance for learning and fun. I love the camaraderie of the teachers and the staff and most of all, of course, I love to teach the children. And so, when I came to Dominica, the elementary school on campus became an immediate way for me to keep busy and get involved.


Initially, I volunteered in Ms. Frederick's first grade class, teaching art and giving extra reading help to students three days a week. Then, in February, I was offered a job to work one on one with a little boy named Jack with autism who was in the kindergarten class, which I have had the pleasure of doing ever since.


After my last day with Mrs.Cool's kindergarten class yesterday, I couldn't help but reflect on what a blessing it has been to have had a job here and to have met so many wonderful teachers and students. RUPS has such a unique environment with the constant changing of children every semester and the yearly teacher rotation that you constantly need to meet new people and adjust to a new dynamic. I found this to be both challenging and exciting.

Here they are...future leaders of the world! Gabby, Negin, Jack, Ben, Kernael, Charlie and Manuela. Missing from photo is my girl, Torrie and Mrs. Cools who had a conference.

I have been tracking Jack's progress over the last 6 months on a blog called "Following a Special Boy." Feel free to check it out at www.jackgrogan.blogspot.com.

 My favorite local teachers, Mr. Theo, the PE instructor and Ms. Frederick, first grade. This was at Field Day last summer. My other top memories from the Prep school include the Christmas play we put on this past December and Creole day in October. I will miss everyone very much.

The Lovely Ladies of Dominica

Here's a look back at some of the smiling faces that kept me happy on the isle this past year and a half...

 All the girsl at Red Rock.. .2nd semester

Back row (Heidi, Anna, Jen Miller, Tiffany, Me, Taylor, Chelsea, Margot)

Front row (Erin, Stef, Nina)

 Dancing like queens at Sam's wedding...2nd semester
Erin, Me, Elise and Lauren

The original three after Mini 1 at PBH beach... I love you guys. 
Me, Heidi, Taylor

 Taylor, Me, and Kelsey on my 27th birthday at Pete's Ribs

 Emily and I are World Creole Festival... third semester

 3rd semester banquet... Emily, Erin, Me Brandi, Katie, Tracy

Third semester at In Light In... Emily, myself and Anna

 Drinks at DeChamp...4th semester- Heidi, Taylor, Em, Meg and Me

 Red Rock 4th Semester: Katie Emily, Meg, Taylor, Heidi, Tracy, Brandi, Clare, Me

 Down on Portsmouth Harbor at Cabritz- ladies with local Michael Jackson impressionist (4th)

 My own 4th semester Farewell Banquet -at Dechamps 

 Red, white and blue- how symbolic. We Really do LOVE America :) 16 months of friendship with these blondies

Taylor and Emily, looking all done up :)


I've been to three Farewell Banquets put on by the Ross Spouse Organization, all of them that were not my own, and each time I have wished it was me ready to move on to the next step. It seemed that my banquet would never come, until this past Saturday when it was finally my turn... a bittersweet moment indeed. A wonderful memory- all of the girls dressed to the nines and and full of smiles. Taylor made a wonderful slide show, which certainly drew a tear or two looking back on all the good times and inspired me to make my own on this blog post. 

And as I reflect on the women here, who aside from Emmet have literally been the legs I stand on, I am convinced that there is just something very special about the girls who choose to come down here and live with their husbands for 16 months. Each woman I have befriended though the spouse organization since the day I have arrived has been genuine, loving, talented and adventurous in her own way, and I have learned so much from every one of them. 


Of all the things I thought I might find in Dominica when I arrived, I never anticipated the bond that I would form with the girls here and the sadness I would feel when thinking that I might not be able to stop by and see them whenever I please in the future. With no shopping malls, no grocery stores, no social calendar and no men most of the time, it was just us, and we had the time of our lives. You really taught me what it means to be there for each other and I will never forget you ladies. So here's to you, my Dominica girls. May nothing but good things come your way, always. Never forget the simple life we once knew:)