Classes Have Started. (Eek!)

This past week was an almost normal week for me, finally. None of us Americans were allowed to leave the house on Monday because of the Jamaican General Elections. In these elections, held every five years, Jamaicans vote for their area representative in Parliament. In the General Election all 60 seats were up. It is very important for a part to win a majority because the head of the party becomes Prime Minister. So, the people don't actually vote directly for their Head of State, though I guess technically we don't either (darn electoral college). There are two main parties in Jamaica: the Jamaican Labour Party (JLP) and the Peoples' National Party (PNP). It has been a very hotly contested election and it looks like the JLP won. The PNP have been in power for 18 years or so, and I guess people were ready for a change. Oddly there isn't a whole lot of difference philosophically between the two parties so it is hard for me to understand who one would choose. It goes a lot by area here, there are strong JLP and strong PNP areas. There can be a lot of violence on election day which is why we had to stay inside. There were some rumors of gun fire, but nothing too major. Since the election a recount was demanded and now there have been reports of people winning that may actually not be legally able to hold a seat. So, I'll keep you posted on that.

I was finally able to go to my agency, Jamaicans for Justice (JFJ), on Tuesday. I didn't really have a whole lot to do since people were still recovering from the election. I did learn a bit more about the agency. One of JFJ's major areas of focus is in trying to fight police brutality and corruption. The staff lawyer has represented a lot of families that have lost family members due to police violence. They also take phone calls from people that have been victimized and get a lot of info out to the media. JFJ has recently moved into the area of Community Organizing and are going around to very poor towns and teaching people about their Human Rights and how to organize and gain more community resources. It looks like I might get to go to court with the lawyer during some of these cases, and/or go on some of the town meetings. It seems like it will be a good way for me to get out and really see Jamaica, though I am a little worried that it will make me want to go to law school. (That noise you just heard was Kymberly crying out in pain)

The one thing I did get to do on Tuesday was some research on a case that is in the appeals process. Four people were murdered in Crawl (or Kraal, I saw it spelled both ways) Clarendon (which is parish here). It seems as if the police came in, shot these people, and then planted evidence to make it look like these people got killed in a shoot out. And the police won the first time! So, I read some court documents and press clippings. I read a statement from another police officer talking about how he saw others plant this evidence. The legal system is in dire need here. Apparently they want me to also read the court transcript, summarize it, and give my opinion. To be honest that intimidates me a little bit, but it will def. get me involved in the process.

I also had a full set of classes this week. I am taking a lot of classes dealing with Jamaica (the history of Jamaica, the literature of Jamaica, Contemporary Jamaica) and so far they have been very interesting. I have class with only three other people so it is very small and intimate and you have to participate. Though, it isn't like I have a hard time talking. It seems like I will have a lot of papers to write. I suppose this is graduate school.

I have put with this blog some pictures of the little guest house that I live in. It is the front door, the porch, and the back "yard." The house of the family that I live with is about 5 feet from my front door, so we are just a hop, skip, OR a jump away if we need them.

I think that is all for this week. I will update again soon. Keep up the emails or comments, I enjoy them and it gives me a little taste of home.

Missing you.
-Sara