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Elanor Nelson (in the middle), Peace Corps volunteer at the Newstead Primary School, St Mary, with some students who helped her create a pavement from soda bottle caps. Eleanor Nelson need not hoot any whistle to marshal her little troops; from marching around the community, collecting PET bottles, making art from bottle caps, to lugging suitcase loads of books as her check-in baggage, teaching music, promoting literacy - she and the students of Newstead Primary School rally to get the job done. She takes multi-tasking several notches up. Nelson is so much potency, vibrancy, and diversity packaged in a single human being - and her energy levels are on a constant crescendo. Since this Peace Corps Volunteer (PCV) literacy adviser came to this hamlet in St Mary of lush greenery and milky rivers in May 2017, she has striving, with the help of the students of Newstead Primary School, to do just that: keep the environment pristine. She went around the community to collect plasti...

Members of the 90th group of Peace Corps Volunteers in Jamaica | Photos Courtesy: Peace Corps Jamaica "How one shapes their life is always very interesting to me," says Paul Sully, country director of Peace Corps Jamaica. It is a simple yet deep-rooted statement because every one of us has as story to tell, a chapter to write, possibilities to explore, journeys to undertake - the list, and for some, the bucket list, goes on. The pertinent question here is, does volunteerism get a place in the nine yards of life? 'Perhaps', 'maybe', 'possibly', and 'I don't know' could be the plausible responses. Sully, though, who has spent majority of his life and career, as the head of an organisation that has been serving Jamaica since 1962, believes that the definition of a volunteer has to be rewritten and that perceptions need to change. "We know from our experiences that service reflects and shares values of caring, creates bonds, and...

An aerial view of Calakmul in Campeche, Mexico.   Courtesy Embassy of Mexico in Jamaica There is an air of intrigue, a sense of awe, the fear of the unknown and epics that attain mythical proportions – the imposing structures of the Mayan civilisation nestled in the forests of Mexico are the earliest ­habitats of human civilisation that have witnessed ­history and its tribulations and still stand tall. “There are seldom things that words cannot describe, and the Mayan relics in Mexico are among those chapters of history that have withstood the test of time and still, I am sure, have people in awe as they did thousands of years ago,” said Ernesto Malda, deputy head of mission, Embassy of Mexico in Jamaica. We are sure that the people of Mexico – proud of their culture and heritage – concur with Malda’s words. The Mayan artefacts, particularly, encased in a time warp, would leave visitors mesmerised, only that the megapixel cameras of the smart phones have become the...

Figurines of skulls lined up as a part of the Day of the Dead celebrations in Mexico. The tradition honours the departed souls.  Photo: Arturo Peña Romano Beyond the realms of popular culture, myths, fables, and perceived notions, customs, practices, and traditions that have their genesis in ancient civilisations, have deep rooted meanings, which personify and are key identifiers of a country or region’s belief system. The mention of Day of the Dead flashes images, often, unfortunately associated with the unleashing of the evil, sinister plots, spirits wandering in the graveyards, with wolves howling in stereophonic decibels … eerie. But, these images are far fetched from reality. Mexico, where Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) is observed, is the celebration of death and the reuniting of the living with their dead. This celebration is one of the most representative cultural expressions of the country. “It is a remembrance, a vehicle of communication and ...

It is a party atmosphere post the processions - “Las Posadas” in Coalcomán, Michoacán, México. Photo courtesy Javier Marin Quiroz and Adriana López Ruíz. December – it is called the ‘best month of the year’ – for it is at the cusp of ushering in a new year, a time for retrospection and to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. The events of December 25, leading up to Nativity, may be over 2000 years old but it’s relevance and essence are still embedded in the DNA of a small town in the highlands of Mexico, 8,000 miles away from Bethlehem. “The celebration of ‘Las Posadas’ (posada means “inn” or ‘shelter’ in Spanish) is an important Mexican Christmas tradition and especially enacted in the town of Coalcomán,” said Manuel López, second secretary, Embassy of Mexico to Jamaica. The enactment, which is a fusion of road march by people in traditional dresses, and songs – in celebration, anticipation of the blessings that are to unfold, and an occasion for the community to come toge...