Mante

The truth is, it's hard for me to compare my experience in Jamaica with anything I've ever done. I woke up to the sun shining on the mountains for two weeks straight. I was living in a place where snow in January is as absurd as no cheese curds in Wisconsin. I truly lived in paradise, and I loved it.
I traveled with a service group from my University, and didn't quite know what I was getting myself into, but I was prepared for the ride of a lifetime. The Evans family made my stay in Jamaica feel just like home. The food is exquisite, the rooms are very hospitable, and the view from Smokey Manor takes your breath away. It was truly a blessing to be able to stay with the Evans family.
The main reason why I came to Jamaica was to do service. Jamaica Volunteer Programs definitely gave me that opportunity. We worked at a primary school in the hills, at two different orphanages and at a nursing home. I was pushed hard at all of the sites that we worked at, but I loved it. The kids received us all very well and we even got to teach lessons to the kids at the school. At the orphanage it was great to be able to be a kid again, run around and play games. Working at the nursing home was mainly physical labor, but we also had time to interact with the residents, which was a time that I will never forget.
While I was there, I also had the opportunity to explore the culture. I got to go to the beach, which in itself is a wonderful endeavor. Learning about the herbs, climbing a waterfall, swimming in a river, and learning traditional Jamaica dances were all typical encounters in Jamaica. The "excursions" that we went on were wonderful, but it's the everyday Jamaican life that I think I will remember the most. The people on the street, the vendors, the sunrises, the friendly faces, the crazy rides up into the mountains; these are things that will be imprinted in my mind forever.
This trip has changed my life for the better in so many ways. The faces of the children that I met will be on my heart forever. I thought I went on this trip to change lives. Maybe that happened. Only time will tell and only God knows. But this trip changed my life and because of that I am blessed.