Pedicure... Jamaican Style

*special thanks to caroline s. for the title*
One thing I've learned to get used to is being a minority. Being a white person in a primarily black environment, speaking only English in a Patwa culture, and so fourth. Being a minority means lots of misunderstandings/awkward moments. Luckily the more you travel, the more you become able to deal with these moments-- you learn to laugh at yourself very quickly. Last night was proudly my first in Jamaica.

So the previous night I went to church for the 3rd time since being here. I've honestly gone to more Church in Jamaica than I've ever gone to Temple in my life. Last night was one of the more interesting church experiences to say the least....

I get home from ultimate frisbee after training, and am introduced to the current volunteer who stayed at this homestay before me. She arrived to spend Easter weekend with us and I was excited to meet her. We hug, briefly discuss experiences and laughs, and are hurried off to church. Normally at church I follow along, at times sing, and just try to stay generally quiet and not fall asleep. However, this church night was a bit more interactive...

Half way through the service the PCV and a church member behind us ask me if I want to get my feet washed. I look at her with complete confusion and immediately look down at my feet and think, wow my feet must smell so bad people are talking about it! I then try inconspicuously to take a whiff of my feet. The strange thing was they didn't really smell or look that dirty. Realizing the look of disgust and confusion on my face she starts laughing and I explain that I don't want to wash my feet. I am returned to my thoughts, wondering just what the hell is going on.  A few minutes later chairs are put out on the alter and people are starting to line up and sit on the chairs. I await the happenings and notice one empty chair left. Before I can even guess, I  am soon caught in eye contact with the man who was previously sitting behind us. He is now on the alter dressed in a traditional robe and pointing at me to get into the chair. I look behind me, he must be looking for someone else. I point to myself and mouth the words, 'me?' I look again behind me, nope he really is talking to me. Oh god, I'm supposed to get up there and do god knows what. I nervously walk up to the alter and sit in the last remaining chair. Here I am, the Jew in church on good friday awaiting my feet washing. I sit in the chair trying not to laugh, thinking about my family and how hilarious they'd think this was.

I am reminded of a childhood memory when my mother forgot to pick me up, and as a result I went to church with my best friend and her family. I remember lining up, (because hey, that's what all the other people were doing) and being feed something extremely bland to eat followed by some grape juice. When my mother finally came to pick me up, she asked me what went on in. I explained that I went to church and had a snack. I will never forget my mother laughing and explaining that I had eaten Jesus (man you would think jesus would taste waaayyy better!) and I remember immediately worrying if I was no longer a Jew.

I am brought back to reality as the preacher comes into view. I watch him poor water on the woman before me and rub her feet. Sweet a free pedicure! It is then my turn.  I take a deep breathe and put my right foot out in front of the preacher. He pours water on my feet, rubs my foot, and towels it off. I nervously smile. If he had just given me a pedicure, I would be thanking and paying him at this point. I follow the others and put my shoes back on and walk back to my seat with a pretty zen'd out feeling-- maybe it was the foot rub?  I was pretty happy to have my rite-of-passage into Jamaica completed.

p.s.- just wanted to update yall and say were in our new homestays in stonyhill. mine is baller, an awesome sister my age, a grandma, and HOT WATER/INTERNET! sweeet. Also this monday we started job-specific training so we've been getting a lot more youth education as well as HIV info... a lot of the children here are up against a lot: bad parenting, poor sex education, young mothers, gangs, etc... so we have our work cut out for us!