Of all the challenges I thought I would encounter when I decided to relocate from Barbados to St. Vincent and the Grenadines, a volcanic eruption was not on the list.
I had considered the move to SVG an easy decision- my son had just started school there and was performing well; there were only a handful of COVID-19 cases, so no masks, no social-distancing- just vibes and I had a number of creative projects lined up that I was excited to get started on.
My 2021 vision was clear and I was squarely in the mindset of:
"What is the worst that could happen?"
Two days before 2020 was set to end, I got the answer to that question when I butt pun dis post on social media:
I immediately turned to my boyfriend: "Wait wunna volcano ackin' up?"
Now I ain't know much bout volcanoes but I know that once anything coming out of it, something gaw be off!
I looked at him, he looked at me, I looked back at him, he looked back at me and without saying a word we both dived into a frantic Google search to find the latest news on what was happening at the La Soufriere volcano.
"Ralph having a press conference at 3 pm," he informed me.
I worked in journalism long enough to know what a national address from the Prime Minister means- sain big was unfolding!
The press briefing found me standing at the front door of our apartment looking up to the sky.
Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves delivered his remarks the way he usually does: slow speech with deliberate pauses and an abundance of rhetoric. There was no alarm in his voice but still, my stomach felt sick. An expert from the UWI Seismic Research Center also gave an update at the briefing. I was surprised at how excitedly he spoke as if this potentially catastrophic event was the highlight of his career. He spent some time taking questions and explaining what was occurring at the site.
I have spent countless hours at press conferences, listening to experts deliver information on matters of national importance and I am usually able to absorb the details and make sense of it all. But this time all I heard, all I understood, all my brain was stuck on was:
ERUPTION!
I remained at the doorway, waiting for the end of the world to kick-off but the clouds remained lily-white and the sky a comforting shade of blue. The sun cast a blanket of warm, yellow light as far as I could see; the grove of trees around the area bent effortlessly to the will of the wind. If you wanted a definition of what a perfect day looked like, it was this.
I came back inside and sat next to my five-year-old son who was busy watching cartoons on his tablet. He laughed, oblivious to the precarious situation unfolding around him, while my mind was doing cartwheels trying to figure out the logistics of getting us on the first plane back to Barbados.
I would have to get us tested for COVID-19 as that is a requirement for entry into Barbados, pack all our belongings, book a flight, secure transportation to the airport, and figure out how and where we would have to quarantine. It seemed impossible to do in a short space of time.
I wondered if my partner would make the trip home with me or stay in SVG with his family; I wondered how a volcanic eruption could affect the lives of the people of SVG and most of all, I wondered if I had the courage to make it through a worst-case scenario.
I spent the rest of the afternoon pacing back and forth between the front door to watch the sky and the back porch to monitor the shoreline. We live on the southern coast of the island on a hill above the sea and the thought of a volcanic eruption made me believe that a tsunami would be next on the list of imminent disasters.
"I can't believe I leff my good, comfortable country to come cross hay to deal wid a volcano." I thought to myself.
Later that evening, after I had gotten tired of pacing back and forth, I collapsed on the bed and admitted to my partner that I was scared and I wanted to go back home. He confessed that he too was worried but he said we were on the safest side of the island if an eruption was to occur (like dat was supposed to mek me feel better).
We decided to pack an emergency bag with clothes, food and important documents for all three of us. On top of that, we made an "escape plan" if we needed to leave on short notice.
Over the next couple of days, I learned as much as I could about the history of the La Soufriere volcano, past eruptions and how the Vincies were affected. I shoulda stan offa the internet cause all de videos I watch jus mek me more frighten.
The only thing that eased my mind was when I found the Volcanic Hazard Map of SVG and saw that my home was indeed well-nested in the Green Zone of the island, the safe zone.
Just as my nervousness was settling and my mind felt prepared to deal with a possible disaster, community spread of COVID-19 hit the airwaves.
SVG had recorded eight new positive cases, mostly locals, by December 31, resulting in the cancellation of all mass events for New Year's Eve.
I stupse so hard.
"I leff Barbados to get 'way from COVID to come cross hay and gaw deal wid de same thing," I thought to myself.
Almost two weeks later, COVID-19 cases amongst locals are still on the rise.
The new dome at the volcano has grown bigger and continues to exude magma and gas.
And my 2021 vision looking real 2020-ish.
My brain is struggling with the decision: do I go home and forego a battle with this sleeping giant and the uncertainty of a pandemic? Or do I stay and fight tooth and nail to bring my vision to life?
Comments
Post a Comment