Curse of the Golden Chain Week

Post-reunion Salisbury is in mourning. In the past week and a half two young boys have died in dangerous accidents. The first accident was during the second week of Reunion when a boy of 15 slipped to his death at a cliff named soloma (in kweyol: if you die, you die) where many young boys jump into the sea. Just hours after the boy had been buried another young man (around 23) was riding a motorbike that went out of control and ran into the house below my apartment. The boy died on the spot but ambulances in Dominica are not allowed to collect bodies of people declared dead so his body was left there for 2+ hours on Saturday night. My porch overlooks the steps the boy died on and I haven’t been able to sit on my porch since. It was the first dead person I have ever seen.


Salisbury is swarming with rumors. According to the bef (gossip) in the village the first boy to die was responsible for beating up and stealing the gold chain of a Haitian woman who attends my English Language class. The second boy who died allegedly bought the chain from the first boy. Thus the Salisbury’s “Curse of the Gold Chain” was born. The boy who bought the chain from the second boy buried it in the cemetery and a round the clock prayer circle for him has been formed.


I have many opinions about this but best (see below for grammatical problems) I do not share them with the internet. To sign up for the “Curse of the Gold Chain” mailing list email me.


Dominican Phrase Book: starting thoughts with “best”. “Best” is used in place of “Would you please…”, “I would appreciate if you…”, “I think you should…”.


Usage: Someone calls me on the phone to request that I deliver a Reunion T-shirt to them by 8 am.
Said person: Best you reach by 8 am when I make for work.
Erin: It would be better for me if you didn’t go to work today and instead passed by my home for the t-shirt.
Said person: That does sound like the best idea. You are such a good problem solver Erin!


Just kidding. I would never say that. Also I love the way “best” is used so much that when people use it I’ll jump as high as they want.


Your first Dominican recipe:
Peanut Punch:
1 bottle of cask rum (local rum that is not bottled that will burn your nose hairs off which you buy by bringing a container to someone’s home or a small shop which they fill up. Appropriate containers include: gas cans, Nalgene’s, empty rum bottles, to-go cups, etc. If you don’t live in Dominica best you use the cheapest, strongest clear rum you can find)
18 oz. of creamy peanut butter
2 cans of evaporated milk
2 cans of condensed milk
Vanilla essence
Nutmeg
Cinnamon
Water
Brown sugar


Blend whatever quantities you so desire until it is a creamy texture (like a melted milkshake) and tastes delicious. Bottle and serve over ice.


A picture of me and a guy I work with at the Oldie Goldie party (he is also a customs officer so you may see him when you reach Dominica):