For those of you who are unfamiliar with the island of Grenada, this page serves as an introduction to where we are and how our experiences are a bit different here.  The country of Grenada consists of three main islands: Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique.  The islands lie approximately 100 miles north of Venezuela, around 12 degrees north latitude.  Grenada dwarfs the other two islands, coming in at an impressive 21 miles by 12 miles.  Grenada is hilly and mountainous, reaching heights of 2,750 feet above sea level.  North of us is St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and to the south are Trinidad and Tobago.

Grenada is known as "The Spice of the Carri bean" because there are said to be more spices in Grenada per square mile than anywhere else on the planet.  Nutmeg is the most abundant spice - Grenada produces a third of the world's supply - and cinnamon, ginger, and vanilla are also common.  St. George's is the capital of Grenada.  St. George's University, or SGU, is located about ten miles from the capital city.  The SGU campus occupies a hill at the end of a peninsula.  The area is gorgeous: the views are amazing, the breezes feel wonderful, and the campus itself is beautiful. 

The average temperature ranges from 75 degrees to 85 degrees.  It is often breezy, which is very pleasant.  We are currently in the rainy season.  When it rains, it does so only very briefly each time - which is similar to what we had become accustomed to in Boulder.  However, it rains often and when it rains, it pours!  The sky seems to open up and water absolutely gushes out.  Then it is clear and sunny again - it does not seem to rain for more than an hour at a time.  It is, of course, very humid, but most locations enjoy wonderful breezes.  Many homes and businesses have porches or open-air areas with roofs where people can congregate or eat, which is so wonderful. 

We understand that the tourist season begins in late fall.  Grand Anse beach is a gorgeous beach with bright white sand which seems as soft as flour.  Since it is on the leeward side of the island, there are very few waves at the beach.  The water is clear and warm, and snorkeling right off the beach reveals a wealth of fish life.  Grenada is, or was, known for its large, branching corals, but many of them were destroyed in Hurricane Ivan.  Nevertheless, the marine life is still quite abundant and interesting - from crabs that we have never seen before to eels and squid and tropical fishes. 

We have a new conscientiousness about what we eat and where.  Food items have a new category here - they are assessed particularly for crumbliness and sweetness.  No remotely crumby or sweet items are strictly   There are insects ready to take advantage of any little crumb or spill.  Careful cleaning and (horror) chemicals seem to be a must.

The Grenadians and students alike are very friendly and kind.  If you just say hello, and how are you doing, many a Grenadian will stop and exchange a brief conversation before moving on.  Over 101,000 people inhabit Grenada, including 8,000 in Carriacou and 600 on Petite Martinique.  Seventy five percent of the population is of African descent, with many of East-Indian and European roots also.  Grenada is English speaking.  However, we have found it sometimes difficult to communicate with the local Grenadians as their English can truly sound like a different language.  When they speak, it is much more melodic and pleasant sounding, but strangely hard for us to follow just yet.  Although we were told not to bring much nice clothing, the local population dresses in very nice and crisp clothing - often in long pants or skirts and button down shirts.  Children wear beautiful uniforms to school, and on Sundays, the children are a sight to behold as each one is dressed in their most stunning Sunday best.

The island of Grenada is host to many feral dogs and cats.  The campus is a haven for feral cats, as the dogs must have been driven off of campus long ago.  The feral dogs are everywhere else.  Many Grenadians have dogs, but dogs appear to occupy a very different niche here than in the states.  So far that we have seen, dogs that have homes live outdoors.  Often many dogs live at one home, four to six is not uncommon.  Most homes (with or without resident dogs) are fenced and gated - often both around the property and around one's porch.  We live in an apartment which is the lower level of a Grenadian woman's home, Christine Antoine.  She has four large dogs, two are older (over ten years old) and two are younger - one of the younger ones is a bit "gimpy," and the other, Ginger, is brown and a hurricane Ivan rescue dog from the former next door neighbor.  The dogs seem well fed (unlike the homeless dogs) and not mistreated, but they are exclusively outdoor dogs and full of fleas, not to mention that they behave a bit oddly.  They bark ferociously at any passerby and particularly at people approaching the property.  However, if you ignore them, open the gate, enter, and walk toward the house, their fearsome barks cease altogether and they keep their distance.  Despite their bark, they are very wary of people.  Only after a week was Heather able to pet one dog's head - the gimpy one.  One of the old dogs let himself be touched (barely) after about three weeks.  The local people say that they like to have dogs because the dogs alert them when other people are around.  It all seems very strange to Heather!  There is an SPCA in Grenada, and if Heather can figure out how to get there, she will likely get more involved.

The fellas.  They are much less ferocious to approaching Heathers now!

The local unit of currency is the "E.C." or Eastern Carri bean dollar.  One U.S. dollar is $2.67, which does not buy much as most goods and foods are very expensive.  Services, however, are very cheap.  Many people have maid, landscape and maintenance or childcare "helpers."