Barbados 7

Barbados has had 170 mm of rain in October, so there hasn't been any danger of a drought. Unfortunately too many of these millimeters of moisture fell when the Y'smens club of Bridgetown had their Fish Fry last Saturday (Oct 26th). Even if it was an indoor arrangement, the attendance would have been better without this at times torrential rain.

The club members had sold ticket to friends and relatives at 15 BDS (7,50 USD), and the total number of people being served was around 150. In addition to the delicious fried fish there were also rice, macaroni pie, potato salad and green salad. It was a lot of hard work, both on the very day, but also including all the preparations. The profit is not yet known.

The Fish Fry is the main activity for the club when it comes to fund raising. They also do some cake sales. In a normal year the club contributes between 1000 and 2000 BDS to the Y ( 500 - 1000 USD).

Sunday I attended a service at the Ann Gill Memorial Methodist Church at 7.15 a.m. You get a lot out of the day if you start early! In the afternoon it was a club meeting in Moreen Hoyte's home, nine women and me. I guess some were exhausted after the Fish Fry. And being used to one meeting a month, two in two days was perhaps a bit too much? Normal meetings are held the last Saturday each month from 6.p.m. to 8 p.m. in a room in the building where Moreen works - an insurance palace. The slide projector the president had hoped to bring from the place she works, was unfortunately taken by someone else. But I had a pictorial book from my beautiful country to show them. In addition I gave my lesson on Y'sdom in Norway.

Monday started with an interview at the main newspaper - The Nation. Vasco Phillips, the YMCA gen. secretary was also there. The journalist didn't have too much knowledge about our movement, so I wonder what his article will be like. The second paper - The Advocate - is to be visited on Thursday before I go to Jamaica.

Later that day I was taken to Harrison's Cave, a fascinating network of limestone caverns. An important person in giving the public access to these caves, was the Dane , Ole Sorensen. These caves are Barbados' main tourist attraction in addition to the white beaches. It was exciting to take a trip down into the interior of the island. On Monday the sun broke through and showed everything in fresher colours.

The last part of the official programme was a "farewell" lunch with some board members of the YMCA + the club president and Vasco Phillips. (Moreen Hoyte is the board leader.) The restaurant was by the waterfront, and it was a nice location to stage the farewell. After the lunch I went to the museum which I didn't have time for on Friday. It is not pleasant, but useful to be reminded of why most people living in the Caribbean have a dark colour of skin.

Y'sly

Arne Augedal 30.10.02