We're Back!! (page 4)

SanFranciscoJim

Read "Don't Stop the Carnival," an old book by Herman Wouk (supposedly set in Hotel on the Cay in St. Croix, BTW).

Nina, Herman Wouk used to live near me on St. Thomas (I lived in Estate Bordeaux on the far western tip of the island and had to drive past his home every night). Althouugh his book is supposedly "fiction" and supposedly set on St. Croix, those of us who lived on St. Thomas back in the 60s & 70s know that it was written all about St. Thomas, and most of us can put a real name to each of the characters in the book.

You have absolutely no idea how many things can go wrong in an instant and take a millenium to fix.... Someday I'll start a thread and SFJ and I can swap stories . . . .

We had a saying about WAPA (the Water and Power Authority, and their frequent power outages) on St. Thomas which I'm sure will bring back memories:

"Da Lord say 'Let dere be light', but WAPA say 'ain't nuttin t'all go so!'"

Look now, dred! ya got me chattin' Calypso again m'son, like i'se bahn heh! Me not in dis frig wit ah you!

SanFranciscoJim

....wonder what it was like going in service there. hehe, did anyone ever do that??

Yes, I used to go out in field service on St. Thomas. I was one of only two caucasian members of my congregation. Because of that, I was considered something of a "prize" to have as a field service partner when working some of the more affluent territories. Since 99% of the JW membership on St. Thomas was black, mostly native West Indian, they felt that having a caucasian "Continental" with them led some credibility to their message somehow.

There were two territories I was forbidden to go into, however, (Hospital Ground and Savan) because of the high crime rate and prejudices against caucasians. They simply felt it was too dangerous for me to go into those territories, even if escorted by a group of West Indian JWs.

In my experience, the local West Indian householders were very courteous and often took the magazines, although they rarely wanted to hold a conversation about the JW message. The transplanted "Continental" population there (about 10% of the island's total population) were the same as in the U.S. mainland, and I usually got the typical "I'm not interested".

One thing I did enjoy about field service there was that it gave me the opportunity to see parts of the island I would have otherwise not gotten to see, since many homes are way back in the jungles off the main roads.

SheilaM

WOW beautiful Joy <SIGH> just beautiful

Joyzabel

LOL!

sfw.....One thing I did enjoy about field service there was that it gave me the opportunity to see parts of the island I would have otherwise not gotten to see, since many homes are way back in the jungles off the main roads.

I told my hubby lets play like JW's and go up to some of the doors in St Thomas just to see the views they have at their front doors! hehe, we didn't though.

cruzanheart

And every time something went wrong on St. Croix we said it was the fault of the Jumbies. Not, of course, the overpaid lazybones who fell asleep at the switch (we had an electric company full of Homer Simpsons). The power would periodically go out during an evening meeting, and everyone would count to 10 (sometimes out loud). If it didn't come on after that, we philosophically got out the candles and flashlights and finished that way.

I always enjoyed Saturday morning service in downtown Frederiksted -- the old houses were built around courtyards with a community water spigot and everyone would be in the courtyard washing clothes, having a haircut, eating breakfast and, sometimes, doing a little sponge bath. The ladies would be plaiting their children's hair, and I was so fascinated by corn rows and wanted my hair to look like that. (And, no, I would look NOTHING like Bo Derek with my hair in cornrows.) The smells were interesting and not always pleasant, but I could tell who was cooking goat stew and who was frying chicken. Sewage and flies abounded, as did chickens and goats, but it was fascinating in its own way.

And the first time I EVER met a basset hound, we were up in the hills of Frederiksted, at one of the big old churches, and boldly knocked on the pastor's door. I heard this cacophony of deep barks and braced myself to meet, at the very least, an Irish wolfhound. The door opened . . . and I looked down at two cheerful, long-eared, slobbery faces. The pastor was very nice -- not interested in my Bible message, of course, but more than willing to discuss basset hounds, which was fine with me!

Now that was a cool place to grow up.

Nina (who be goin' back to work by-and-by, me son)

Swan

Welcome Back Joy and Jst2Laws!

Joyzabel

LOL

thanks Swan, but I think our hearing is just fine!

SanFranciscoJim

And every time something went wrong on St. Croix we said it was the fault of the Jumbies.

Since most people reading this thread won't know what "Jumbies" are, here's a photo:

Joyzabel

Kewl Jumbies!!!

Beans

Nice pics! I was in St. Thomas on a cruise (same place as the picture) I would have to say they had the best prices on watches I have ever seen and some awesome Dutch beer as well! Not to mention some fine scenery!

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