Hey, my name is Kira, I’m from Germany, and currently I am living in Saint Vincent – trying my best to become as Vincy as possible.
In November I joined the Climate Compliance Program of RVA, where we were able to learn a lot about Climate Change, Agriculture, and of course and essentially about St. Vincent, including its culture and history, its nature, and its people.
Now we are in the second period of our program, where we are living in one the communities itself for two months. That means that we live here in Troumaca, next to people who have been living here their whole lives, real Vincentians, who have so many stories to tell and to share.
In the past weeks I’ve been definitely learning so much about this country and its people, just in the way how daily life goes. And I think that that’s one of the most important things, that this period was not about experiencing a lot of extraordinary and special things – but about finding the uniqueness and the beauty in the basic life. Experience what a normal day looks like for someone, who’s living in Troumaca.
But if we’re talking about my most favourite part of the community period, I will definitely mention the schools we were working together with – or more specific, the kids and teenagers. And when I tell you my whole heart belongs to them, really.
Working together with the schools essentially means for us to give lessons to the students. That can be about climate change, farming or nutrition, the topics are wide.
We pour a lot of time and love into preparing these lessons, understanding the more theoretical parts and being able to explain them – and then finding ways to teach the students in an interesting way. We prepared countless activities, working often until late in the night. And of course, we sometimes think about if all of this is even worth it – but that question just dissolves into the air when you see the faces of the kids when they see us. Running up to us, hugging us, giving high fives, screaming “you’re backkk!” and “I love youuu!”.
This country has a lot of problems, and these kids don’t have it easy all the time for sure. I would say that the poverty isn’t visible on the surface. Most people are wearing normal clothes, they eat enough and have homes. But if you look under the surface, they are handling hard conditions. Having not enough money or land to afford or plant healthy food, having no jobs, wearing clothes even with holes. Living in a small space cramped together, living in houses that got their roofs taken away by hurricanes.
If you don’t take a closer look, you won’t notice their poverty. The people living here are handling it. The kids are handling it. And that is because these people might be physically poor, but mentally? Mentally they are rich.
If you’d ask Vincentians if they’re poor, I guarantee you most people would say no. And not because they don’t want to admit it or anything, it’s because in their mind they simply aren’t. Why would you be poor if you can go to the beach every day? If you have something to eat and clothes to wear, why would you be poor? These people are rich in their hearts, because they are happy. They are thankful. Even when they shout a lot, they love their kids and know all their neighbours by name, they help each other when someone needs it and always have one eye on the road. If you have a problem in Vincy, you won’t be left alone.
So, one thing living here has taught me is to be thankful.
For what we have, no matter how much or little it is. We are living someone else’s dream. Your life is what someone else longs for his whole life.
So why not use this one life we have to help where we can.
Saint Vincent will welcome you with open hearts and so much kindness.
