Jamaica

by Frankie Keesee, Field Trip Coordinator & Spanish Specialist Participating in the trip to Jamaica this past January was both personally and professionally fulfilling.  My grandmother was a proud Jamaican woman, born and raised in Lucea, Jamaica.  I was able to travel to Jamaica with her, visit her hometown, and learn how to cook her favorite dishes before she passed away in 2015.  Since her passing, I have been exploring ways to honor her and our Caribbean heritage, and I’m so grateful to Peace Learning Center for giving me a new way to connect with her and the island. Tim, Tiffany, Natalie, and I stayed in Jamaica for one week in January.  The members of the Rotary Club of Sav-La-Mar (Savannah-La-Mar) were excellent hosts.  We stayed with Illinois and Indiana Rotarians in a beautiful home in Whitehouse, Jamaica, we had our own quiet beach, and we were well fed and cared for by wonderful Jamaican women, Fine and Carlene.  I could not have imagined a better place to work! The 3-day workshop was truly inspiring.  Based on my experience, the conversations I’ve had with Natalie and Tiffany, and the testimony I’ve heard from the participants, I believe the workshop was a powerful event for everyone.  The days were long, but profound.  The first day was focused on self-reflection; the participants were able to reflect on their own conflict resolution styles and explore their implicit biases.  The second day was