August 4, 2024 - Week 28

It was a short week leading up to the Admin staff school break. Everyone seemed excited as the holidays drew close, especially as it has been humid and hot - sapping our strength and will to work. Even an Air Conditioner gave up working this week, leaving us with one struggling AC to cool down the staff room. Some staff members have been lying down on a couch to cool down or take a morning nap, as I churned away on my accounting manual.

Over the Emancipation long weekend, I took the chance to visit the beach to cool down - I checked off Negril's Seven Mile Beach and Columbus Cove. It was enlightening to be in a nation where emancipation occurred, so far I have not lived in a country where slavery was prominent and people had to fight for their freedom (Sam Sharpe et al). The economic, social and psychological impact of slavery are still ingrained in current Jamaica; slavery cannot be erased. However, this year descendants of slave owners apologized including an in-person apology from two sisters from New Zealand who are descendants of slave owners in St Ann.

As the Jamaicans note, the Olympics doesn't really start until track and field. Unfortunately, our queens of the track Pocket Rocket Shelly-Ann Fraser Pryce and Shericka Jackson both had to pull out due to injuries; meanwhile, Kishane Thompson saw gold slip by 0.005 seconds. The Jamaicans are disappointed understandably. However this is also a very humbling experience for all - no matter how experienced, how prepared or how desperately the Olympians or the entire Nation wanted Gold Medals, life happens and hard decisions have to be made.