Monthly Archives: October 2015

Exploring the Rainforest

Technically, it’s not a rainforest. Technically, it is considered highlands. This is what I remember from my natural geography class in college. Whatever the botanists call it, it still looks and feels a lot like a rainforest! There are even rumors of monkeys high in hills. We didn’t see any on our hike, but we did see a lot of butterflies and many points of interest! Come join us on our hike to Pic Paradise at Loterie Farm on the isle of Saint-Martin.

IMG_0405
You can see three countries from here: Netherlands (Sint Maarten) on the left, France (Saint-Martin) in the middle, and England (Anguilla), the long island on the right.

Loterie Farm is east of Marigot on the French side of Saint Marten. It is definitely a place you should go when visiting the island. It has a pool, a crazy zipline, dining, and (of course) hiking trails. The cost of hiking is five dollars or five euros. The money is more than worth it, I promise.

The entrance to Loterie Farm
The entrance to Loterie Farm
harnasses for ziplineing loterie farm saint martin
Harnesses for the zip-lines

I and my friends decided to take the long hike with the scenic view at the top. It took a couple hours to complete, but we were glad we did it! This hike is now on my list of favorite hikes, up there with the glacial lake in Red River Valley, Badlands, and Kenya’s Great African Rift.

We grabbed hiking sticks, consulted our map, and hit the trail.

IMG_0623

IMG_0653

The first thing that we noticed were the obstacle courses and zip-lines in the trees above us. I felt like I was walking in Tarzan’s tree house!

IMG_2996

There are several points of interest on the map. The first one we came to was the natural spring.

IMG_3006

Once we arrived at the spring, the trail began to climb steeply uphill. It was a little slippery on the mossy rocks, but the climb was worth it once we made it to Chewbacca View Point.

IMG_0643

We could see for miles from the viewpoint! Of course, most of that was just ocean water. The view gave us perspective to see how small Saint Martin really is. But what a beautiful watery wilderness the Caribbean Sea is! We could see three different territories from our lookout point. We could also see the ruins of an old fort.

IMG_0408

The next stop on our trek was the old well.

IMG_0435

IMG_0431

By this time, we were all getting a little nervous about the ant armies that covered the trails. Stacey kept us safe by spraying our shoes with OFF.

IMG_0438

Fortunately, the bugs are our biggest problem. There are no snakes on Saint Martin. European colonists imported mongooses to catch and kill the snake population.

Now we just have a mongoose problem.

Beyond the well are ruins of the old sucrerie. Ruins are my favorite hiking gems, so I was pretty thrilled to see them.

IMG_0480

IMG_0463

We pressed on as the trail continued uphill. We discovered such things as curious creepy crawlies,

IMG_0655

IMG_2989

What Aquila called the Sexy Tree (I guess it is just that gorgeous),

IMG_0449

Interesting plants,

IMG_0536

IMG_0656

And this odd statue of a double-jointed man in distress. Naturally, Kayla decided to empathize with him. Social workers are very good at that.

IMG_0657

We finally reached the lookout point at the top of the mountain!

IMG_0489

You can even see some ghostly islands in the distance. I believe they belong to Saint Bart’s. I expected to see a pirate ship sail out of the mist at any second, but all we saw was a cheerful little sailboat.

IMG_0485

To get to the lookout, we had to walk down a narrow path through tall grass. It made some of us itchy, but it was nice to have a break from the tree cover and feel the ocean breeze. It was also a great place for taking photos.

IMG_0654

Kalie was kind enough to pose for me.

IMG_0494

The trail seemed to go out into the middle of nowhere, so we eventually turned around and headed back to the mapped trail.

IMG_0534

On our way back, we found something attention-grabbing that was not on the map–graves! Or at least gravestones. Some of them were broken, so we weren’t sure if they were even in the right place. They were about 150 years old.

IMG_0529

The entire hike, we were surrounded by clouds of butterflies. They’re hard to catch on camera, but I did my best! There were hundreds of white butterflies and the occasional yellow one or orange monarch.

IMG_0519

IMG_0588

We arrived back at the base camp tired, sweaty, and dirty, but happy and refreshed! What a wonderful way to spend a sunny morning in the Caribbean. We will be back.

IMG_3004

Photo credit: Breana Johnson, Stacey C, and Kalie L

Caribbean Cooking: Macaroni Pie

Meet my friend Aqiyla! Today she is going to teach us to make a yummy Caribbean dish called macaroni pie. Aqiyla hails from Canada, but her family is actually originally from the Caribbean. This is a meal that her grandparents brought from these sunny islands years ago.

IMG_0283

First, gather your ingredients:

-Elbow macaroni

-2 or 3 eggs

-1 1/2 cup condensed milk

-Cheese to your liking

-Oil or nonstick spray

-Salt and pepper

IMG_0257

Next, boil, your macaroni. You want it to be al dente at this stage, so don’t let it get soggy!

IMG_0258

While the macaroni is boiling, crack 2 to 3 eggs in a bowl and beat them. We used three eggs, but you may only need two. I bought the baby eggs because they are literally half the price of jumbo eggs at our neighborhood Asian market.

IMG_0260

When your macaroni is done boiling, drain it and mix in the egg. Make sure to stir it in quickly, so that you don’t end up with giant chunks of scrambled egg as they cook in your hot noodles!

Also, preheat your oven to 350* F or 170* C.

IMG_0261

After the egg, mix in your condensed milk. Make sure you have enough enough to thoroughly coat your noodles with a thin film of milk left at the bottom of the bowl. This means you’ll need to stir it in a bit at a time and fold it into your noodles somewhat slowly.

IMG_0268

Next, salt and pepper to taste.

IMG_0278

Now, your macaroni is ready to go into the baking dish! Grease your dish and pour in the macaroni.

I used a pot because I don’t own baking dish.

That’s how it goes when you sell everything and start over.

Once you pour it into the dish, sprinkle cheese generously, according to your preference. Yum.

IMG_0281

Put the macaroni in the oven. Let it bake for 30-45 min. When it the cheese looks dark, crispy, and bubbly, it is done!

IMG_0285

Serve and enjoy!

This was a win at our house. It’s simple to make and a good break from the pasta dishes I routinely make for dinner. We’ll be adding this to the recipe box for sure!

IMG_0288

Arab Cooking: Manakish Za’atar

If I’ve learned anything about cooking Caribbean, it’s that Caribbean food is extremely diverse. The people who make up Sint Maarten are from every corner of the world. We come from Haiti, Curacao, the United States, India, Brazil, Serbia, Tanzania, and Syria… we are from across the globe, and we are Sint Maarten.

That being said, this dish is not traditionally Caribbean. It’s Lebanese. Our friend Soubhi introduced it to us about a week ago at a potluck.  I asked him for the recipe, and here it is!

IMG_0060

You need:

  • Naan
  • Za’atar
    • Sumac
    • Thyme
    • Sesame seeds
    • Marjoram
    • Oregano
  • Olive Oil

First, preheat your oven to 250*F (120* C) and prepare your naan. You can buy it, or you can make it yourself.

Second, mix your spices to create za’atar. Rule of thumb is to add them in equal parts and then adjust according to taste. Adding more sumac, for example, will make the mix a bit tangier.

IMG_0059 (1)

Mix the spice blend with enough oil to make it spreadable.

Spread the za’atar onto the naan.

Oil a baking sheet and place naan on it. Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Cut into fourths.

Enjoy the deliciousness!

IMG_0063

Catch a Wave and You’re Sitting on Top of the World

Normally, getting my face slammed into gritty sand and then dragged for a few feet isn’t my idea of fun. But sometimes, the pain is worth the ride.

I think that’s how life is.

FullSizeRender (11)

You see a big wall of water coming at you, and you feel your heart leap into your mouth. You can choose to duck your head and swim under the wave….

…or you can put yourself right in front of the wave for the chance to be lifted high and ride, exhilarated to the shore.

And then you’re so pumped you go do it again.

IMG_0157

Isn’t that why we do the hard things we do? We do them because they give us a sense of purpose, they make us stronger, they diminish our fears, and they make life a ride worth living. What would life be if every time we found an opportunity, we just ducked our heads and swam under it? We’d never make a difference in the world. We’d never follow God’s purpose for our lives. Sure, if we avoided the wave, we’d never have them drag us under and smash us into the ground, but then we’d never learn how to get back up and keep going. And we’d never find what it’s like to (as the Beach Boys put it) catch a wave and sit on top of the world!

FullSizeRender (12)

That’s why Neil Armstrong went to the moon. That’s why Martin Luther took a stand for Biblical truth. That’s why Irena Sendler smuggled 2,500 Jewish babies out of harm’s way. That’s why Harriet Tubman risked everything to work the underground railroad. That’s why we’re going to medical school and living on this tiny little island in the middle of the ocean.

We have to take those opportunities, we have to follow our calling. We have to ride those waves to get where we need to be. Otherwise, we’re just floating in the ocean.

What’s your wave?

FullSizeRender (10)

Community Action Day at American University of the Caribbean

What do you get when you combine packed buses, hundreds of purple t-shirts, smiling faces, and a giant rain storm? No, not the first day of your third-grade church camp– but good guess. You get American University of the Caribbean’s 2015 Community Action Day!

cad
An AUC Student Tutors in Reading

I love organized service projects. Our undergrad university put on a day of outreach each spring, and all the students got a day off classes to do yard work for the elderly, paint over graffiti, etc. I was happy to find out that AUC does essentially the same thing, although a day off school is not an option here. The event organizers offered about two dozen different CAD activities, and students and campus groups could sign up for whatever they choose. Ben and I decided to go help with the Little League Player Development Program, since I already volunteer with this organization.

cad5
Coach Tom Shows Us the Science Room

We met our group at AUC and took a bus over to the baseball field. Not too many kids had arrived before us, so Coach Tom gave us a tour of the team’s clubhouse. The clubhouse is a wonderful place. It’s made up of three shipping containers– one filled with science stuff, one dedicated to reading, and one full of exercise equipment. Every week day and Saturday, the kids come to the clubhouse for tutoring and baseball practice. Coach Tom and his wife, Lisa, along with whoever shows up to volunteer, help the kids with math and reading. This kids are rewarded with baseball cards and time to play with toy trains and the science projects.

cad3
Ben and His Classmates Tutor Kids

About 25 kids showed up on Saturday, and all the volunteers sat down with a child or two to help with reading. As they finished, kids and AUC students moved to the field to practice baseball.

cad9
A Beautiful Day for Baseball

In the Caribbean, storms rise up out of nowhere and drench the earth with driving rain. It’s rainy season now, so it was not really a surprise when the heavens opened and poured the waters of all the seven seas upon us! We all congregated under tarps and into the containers to wait out the rain.

cad6
Even AUC Professors get Involved

When the rain let up a little bit, Lisa drove Ben and I next door to the local university, where the Migratory Bird Festival was being held. She went back for a few kids at a time when the weather finally cleared. We colored some pictures of birds, learned about their feeding habits, and adopted a Gaiac tree to raise. Since Sint Maarten has been in a drought this year, there was an exhibit on drought and how it affects the birds–ironically, it was partially damaged by the rain and had to be moved inside!

IMG_0046 (1)
Raising and Planting A Gaiac Tree Helps the Ecosystem Thrive
IMG_0043 (1)
One of the Kids Discovers Pond Life

At noon, we walked the kids back to the baseball field. Most of the other volunteers were playing catch with the kids. We said goodbye to everyone from the team and piled into the bus to head back to Cupecoy. It had been a great morning.

cad8

Most photos courtesy of Tom and Lisa Burnett

Sharpie Mugs and Good Friends

What’s better than a god cup of tea? A good cup of tea to enjoy with a friend. One thing I love about American University of the Caribbean is the people I have met! The spouses organization provides constant opportunities for the significant others of students to spend time together and build relationships. Last week’s activity was decorating sharpie mugs and sugar cookies! Every single mug was absolutely adorable. If you’ve never made a sharpie mug before, you should try it! They are cheap, easy, and leave plenty of room for creativity.

IMG_0024 (1)

First, gather your materials. You will need sharpies, a white mug (cheaper ones are better because the glaze melts easier in the oven), and rubbing alcohol.

IMG_9972Second, find inspiration! I posted several photos here to give ideas, and Pinterest has hundreds more.

cup 2
Designed by Emily! Visit her blog here

Third, wipe your entire cup with the alcohol. Try not to touch your cup too much because of the oils your fingers leave.

IMG_9963Design away! The alcohol can remove any unwanted marks.

IMG_9968Allow the sharpie to dry overnight

IMG_9967Bake at 350* F (175* C). Put the cups in the oven before you turn it on and leave them in until the oven is entirely cool. Otherwise the mugs will crack.

IMG_0022 (1)Repeat step previous step.

cup

Enjoy! Be careful with your cup. Do not wash in the dishwasher and be gentle when you wash it by hand.

IMG_9966