By Kimmy Lennon:
It’s a week today since I’ve arrived in the beautiful island of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. I received a warm welcome from everyone at the Olympic Committee and look forward to working with them for the next few months. My mom came for the first week to help me settle in and we were fortunate enough to see a lot of the island during her stay. Members of the committee took us out for breakfast the first day we arrived, and then brought us into town to show me where the grocery store is located, the bank and immigration department. Most if not all of the services I need during my stay are located on the main street downtown, which is very convenient. One of the more shocking things I witnessed since arriving is the cost of everything, especially food. The groceries and everyday amenities are very costly which makes me question how anyone can afford to live here. I strongly recommend to whoever will be coming here next that you bring as many personal items as you can from Canada!
St. Vincent and the Grenadines is made up of thirty-two islands, including the main land, which is where I will be staying. The committee arranged for my mom and I to visit the second largest island of the Grenadines named Bequai, which is located approximately 15 kilometers from the nations capital, Kingstown. We took a ferry from downtown Kingstown and arrived 40 minutes later. We were greeted by a man named Gideon, who took us all over the island to visit various historical sites and beaches. The following day, I was invited to join members of the Olympic committee at a swimming event that is run through the Junior Olympians Program. It’s main objective is focused on teaching Olympic values to youth in the community. From what I understand, it is a program that is run every Saturday and rotates between physical literacy activities and visual arts. For example, this past Saturday, the children were driven to a nearby pool for swimming lessons. Every other week, the children are introduced to a different sport so that they may experience different activities and then pursue one more competitively in the future. On Sunday, my mom and I decided to visit the Botanical Gardens, which was very enjoyable, and only a short walk from my house. My place couldn’t be better situated, it is a short walk from downtown, a five-minute walk to the Olympic office and it is next door to the Grenadines House hotel. The management at the hotel is very nice and agreed to let me use the pool whenever I like. The beach isn’t far away either, but having a pool next door is just perfect. I look forward to seeing what new adventures I will embark on during my time on the island.
Until next time,
Kimmy