There and back again

The week has been one that has straddled my various lives and illustrated to me how tremendously fortunate I am. Sunday took me to the Briar's in perfect Ontario spring weather. Gloriously warm sunshine over the glistening lake, blossoms and trees bursting with new leaves of so many shades of citrus green, fresh mowed grass and an energy generatd by the freshness of reawakening and emerging. Ontario is breathtakingly beautiful on those pristine spring days!

The PART/Centre of Excellence for Children's Mental Health workshop was stimulating and it was delightful to see many old friends and make new ones. The interest and understanding about the importance of how EBPs are implemented is clearly growing, which bodes well for effectiveness of service in the future for clients. I look forward to continuing the implementation work through involvement in the Global Implementation Conference (http://www.implementationconference.org) planning groups and through new connections throughout the world. My one regret on the trip to Ontario was not catching up with a few friends I would love to have seen, but catching up would only have been meaningful through long leisurely conversations over lunch or dinner and time did not permit. So, my apologies, for some a brief email or phone call had to surfice but I anticipate with pleasure the long conversations ahead upon my return.

Returning to Jamaica meant saying a sad goodbye to Haley in Toronto, who will be working/schooling (www.shedoesthecity.com) through the summer so visiting here may not be a possibility, and hello to Tasha in Kingston. Tasha is visiting until early May for her school break as this is home whilst I am here. Visitors bring a renewed awareness of the unique qualities and struggles in this country. The warmth and friendliness of banter with everyone counterpointed with the daily murder count on the front page of the newspaper (500 in 112 days).

It was exciting to be back in the hot, humid tropical air, the noise, the bustle and to find water in the taps! The weekend had provided heavy and sustained rainfall which has helped the water situation immensely. I headed to work first thing Thursday morning and felt a tremendous sense of satisfaction at being back. The sense of being part of this city was enhanced by meeting students on the street greeting me with a warm "Good Morning Miss Jacquie" and the fruit vendor from whom I purchase fresh oranges and bananas for breakfast each day, who asked what I had been doing in the last couple of weeks. The team gave me a very warm welcome and within moments the rythm of the work here returned. The urgency about how to sustain the programme is increasing but I hope the next few weeks will allow some focussed attention on finding some creative responses.

The weekend has brought another wonderful few days in Montego Bay. Life really is full of variation here, except in the weather which is perfect almost all the time!