Culture Shock

My travel day began as I ran out my apartment door before I could check my suitcase for the hundredth time. I probably looked like an idiot dragging a suitcase across Hoboken. But I didn't care (okay I still cared a little bit) because it was the day I had anticipated for months: the start of the weeklong Jamaica service trip.   That adrenaline lasted me only up to that dreaded 8th street hill. That's when the wall hit, I was sweating buckets, at my lowest point thinking: I should have gotten an Uber... Thank goodenss Campus Police rolled up with Kelly in the passenger seat and offered me a ride to Howe. Hopefully, that is the first and last time I ride in the back of a police car (I know you are reading Mom and Dad).   Of course, with all of the rumored Memorial Day travel crazienss and long lines at the aiport, the meet up time was moved up an hour. This was all for nought, however, because we zoomed to JFK and for the first time ever there miraculously were not any lines for security. The longest we had to wait was for Zach to rearrange his suitcase that was 18 pounds over regular checked baggage weight.    Even after all of that, we were three hours early for our flight. This was the perfect amount of time for lunch, a last minute social media binge, and snacking on "M&M's with obstacles" (#ryancolealwaysonpoint). So far, it felt like any familiar vacation trip.  ~ Landing at Montego Bay Airport is terrifying because the runway leads right up to the water. One minute you're flying over the water and that turns right into wheels touching down. Also, contrary to popular belief, Jamaica is one hour behind of Eastern Central Time (#theayoudungoofed).    So Jamaica.    Leading up to this trip, I think I was stuck in this mindset that Jamaica is a place people go for vacation so all I envisioned to expect was the shoreline and beaches lined with resorts. And that was most of what I had to base my expectations of what I would experience in Jamaica besides the fact that myself and 14 other students were there to do service. Of course I understand the concept of underpriveleged areas and groups of people as I traveled to Nicaragua for a mission trip in the past. But for me Jamaica is this foreign land that I have yet to explore the culture of and I would understand the picture day one at the worksite.    Before Jamaica, I had little idea about where the average Jamaican citizen lives, what types of food Jamaicans eat, and how the climate/environment of Jamaica is. After a day of driving around on the bus and meeting part of the Jamaican community in Treasure Beach, some answers for my previous speciulations are appearing. It's not the American air conditioned "safe" day to day life I am accustomed to but that's okay. We are here and we are here to do work and soak up the culture. I am truly extatic to see how several students from a school in New Jersey can make such a difference miles away from home.       Xoxo, Monica Williams