SpiceMas 2022 ~ “D Return”

August 25, 2022 by Candi Licence 2 Comments

After no carnival for the past two years due to COVID, SpiceMas, Grenada’s carnival extravaganza, took center stage this August – a triumphant return of culture, pageantry, and partying. Labeled “D Return,” it embodied Grenadian’s passion, excitement, and relief that our premier cultural event would take place.

At the start of 2022, everyone was equally hopeful and hesitant – wondering if SpiceMas would be canceled for the third year. In early spring, with COVID numbers under control, the Government tentatively decided to bring back Carnival with a looming caveat that, if COVID cases increased significantly, they could call it off at any time.

SpoiceMas 2022 event schedule — *The jam-packed schedule, starting with the launch on April 29th and events accelerating through to the ‘Au Revoir’ closing on August 13th (Photo credit SpiceMas Corporation)*

No one cared about the potential uncertainty. In Grenadian’s minds, SpiceMas was happening, and I’m reasonably confident that if it were canceled last minute for health issues, everyone would ignore the ban and party anyway. In that worst-case scenario, the pent-up demand for fun was way too high for a reasonable response.

*A Moko-Jumbie struts down the street. (Photo credit Brian Samuel)*

Excitement brewed instantly, and everyone madly started preparing. So much goes on behind the scenes to make this huge celebration successful, including securing all the event spaces and staff, creating elaborate costume designs for all the masqueraders, organizing multiple local and national contests to determine who will compete in the final battles of talent for The National Carnival Queen, Groovy and Power SOCA Monarchs, Junior and Senior Calypso, Panorama (The Steel Pan Orchestra competition), and, of course, the numerous parties that surround the event.

Traditionally, weekend parties start in April, right after the kickoff event, and run every weekend through August. The parties began later this year as groups ramped up their themes and secured their preferred locations and dates. All events surrounding SpiceMas need approval from the carnival committee to take place.

If you are unfamiliar with Grenada’s raucous carnival party scene, events tend to start on Saturday evenings around 11 PM and run way past dawn. It is not unusual to see folks staggering out of venues around 10 AM the following day, hoping to sleep off the fun before returning to work on Monday. Many events advertise 10 to 10, a mostly accurate representation of the timeframe. No one arrives on time, and few leave before the final gasp at 10 AM.

Masquerader dancing on top of speakers — *A jubilant Masquerader dancing on top of the towering speakers of a Band Truck (Photo Credit Janetta Noel)*

For this year’s Carnival, organizers spaced out the key events over a couple of weeks, giving people breathing room between activities. Usually, the following year’s Carnival planning begins in September, just weeks after the last Carnival ends. Because of the late start for preparations, many people having less money to spend after two years of reduced or nonexistent wages, and due to health concerns, events were smaller and less extravagant this year.

But that did not matter! SpiceMas was happening, and people were ready to play Mas.

Dickon Mitchell as Jab Jab — *A highlight of this year’s carnival was seeing Dickon Mitchell, our newly elected Prime Minister, strutting his stuff during J’Ouvert (Photo taken from Facebook)*

As always, the final competitions were fierce. Scholar took the Senior Calypso crown, Cryave won Groovy Monarch and Terra D. Governor was crowned Power Soca Monarch.

Reesa McIntosh sitting on her throne — A radiant Reesa McIntosh enjoying the adulation of her fans. (Photo credit SpiceMas)

Other key results included Reesa McIntosh, Miss St. George, being crowned the 2022 National Carnival Queen, 8-year-old Christian “Mothy” Niles winning the Junior Calypso Monarch title, and the dynamic Commancheros winning Panorama.

Christian Niles singing Calypso — 8-year-old Christian “Mothy” Niles singing his way to victory in the Junior Calypso Monarch competition (Photo credit SpiceMas)

Overall, SpiceMas 2022 was exhilarating. It brought so much hope and joy to locals and visitors alike. And possibly the best news is that there hasn’t been a huge outbreak of new COVID cases as a result of days of close partying.

the Commancheros Steel Orchestra — The dynamic 70-plus Commancheros energy was exhilarating (Photo Credit Straley Photography)

If you would like to see more images and videos from SpiceMas 2022, check out the SpiceMas Facebook page.

See you next year at an even bigger and better SpiceMas 2023!

Shipping Barrels and Extreme Friendship ~ COVID-19 in Grenada

December 16, 2020 by Candi Licence 9 Comments

Before the pandemic, I traveled back to the US four times a year to visit my disabled sister, Sharon. While I was in the states, I packed barrels to ship home to Grenada. I filled the barrels with everything and anything from medication to quality olive oil, plant pots, electronics, camera equipment, or clothing. Items ran the complete gamut – anything we either can’t get in Grenada, is exorbitantly expensive here, or the quality is poor. (It seems many of the inferior goods that Americans won’t buy end up in developing countries.)

*Barrels getting ready to be loaded at Compass Shipping*

*Diane, the beachy beauty, sporting plats created by Nadica.*

My wonderful friend, Diane, graciously allows me to send everything to her house about a week or two before I arrive. Then I drive to her home in Connecticut after visiting with my sister on Long Island. Diane and I go on a two-day shopping spree – to Trader Joe’s for $500 worth of nuts, berries, and sauces, home goods stores for sheets, towels, rugs, etc., and anything that I can’t buy from Amazon or other online retailers without seeing the product first.

Diane fills her extra bedroom to the ceiling with boxes (… and her porch, … and her shed). We spend a full day (or two!) unboxing everything to get rid of all the packing material and then repack the empty boxes, so I can drive everything to Brooklyn to ship via a freighter bound for Grenada. After the packing is competed, I grab a hotel room, dinner and then I fly back home from JFK airport early the next morning so there is always pressure for everything to go perfectly. Fingers crossed, everything has worked well each time. Back in Grenada, Michael is always shaking his head because he always adds extra time to deal with any potential problems. This is the smart thing to do, but it would mean one less day to spend with Diane, so I just cross my fingers and run around like a crazy woman.

I organize everything according to how it will pack best in the barrels. All the soft things go together to either pad the barrel’s bottom or cushion delicate items. I group all the big stuff, so it is easy to see and ensure everything will fit in the barrels. Then there’s all the small stuff – toothbrushes, soaps, batteries, etc. that slip down the sides and fill in small crevices.

I always rent a Chrysler Town and Country van (now called a Pacifica) because all the seats fold down into a flat floor – perfect for transporting a ton of things. I fill the car in sections – oversized heavy items in the back left, soft things in the back right, and then all the smaller items in front. I head off to Brooklyn around 9:00 AM, so I miss the Connecticut commuter traffic, and I arrive right around lunchtime.

My favorite shipper is Compass Shipping. It’s a Grenadian company, and I love hearing the familiar Caribbean accent as I arrive. And, true to form, everyone is friendly and helpful.

*Compass Shipping is located in Brooklyn, NY and ships all over the Caribbean, but mostly to Grenada*

Early on, I met Jimmy, the lead forklift operator, and packer. He’s consistently taken great care of me. I pull up with my overloaded car. He takes a glance and immediately decides how many barrels or boxes we’ll need based on the size and shape of the largest items. He’s never been wrong. Within an hour to an hour and a half, we get everything unpacked – again – and fill the barrels. Jimmy is fast and meticulous, making sure anything liquid is standing upright, tops sealed with tape, secured so it wouldn’t fall over, and cushioned to avoid breakage. Jimmy has the touch – everything packed densely, no movement but not packed too tightly, so everything arrives in one piece, with nothing broken.

*Jimmy fills the barrel so it is overstuffed by about 3 inches and then jumps on top to squish everything down and seals it up.*

(One time when Compass was out of barrels, I went to a competitor, and the packer kept jamming things into the barrel with me repeatedly pleading to be more careful. All our Shout laundry cleaner containers split during shipping and covered the bottom of the barrel with liquid. It was heartbreaking throwing away hundreds of dollars of food I’d just purchased because it was covered in soap. Not to mention the hours washing everything else. Lesson learned, stick with the pro!)

As with so much this year, COVID changed my travel plans. I haven’t been back to the US since last February. I planned to travel in May and then tentatively in September. In a normal year, I’d make one extended trip in November to celebrate Thanksgiving and Christmas with my sister. Finally, it was apparent that I would not be traveling at all in 2020, but we were out of all our favorite US-based products and needed the everyday items we purchase from time to time.

Try to imagine if you could shop only four times a year. Michael and I literally begin a new list as soon as the barrels arrive and then wait 4-5 months before getting the next shipment. It’s a lesson in planning and patience. There’s no running to the store to pick up that little item that will make whatever easier or nicer. Oh, I forgot to buy material to cover a cushion? Guess that will wait until the next season!

When I determined I wasn’t going to get to the US this year, Diane, being the incredible friend she is, offered to 1) allow us to send another ton of boxes to her house, 2) do all the local shopping, like Trader Joes’, by herself, and 3) drive six-plus hours to and from Brooklyn, NY to deliver the goods and help pack barrels.

*My wonderful friend, Diane, visiting in Grenada. Note the temporary shark tattoo symbolizing conservation of this important animal.*

I call this extreme friendship. Diane and I have been best friends for a long time. We both have always said we would do anything for each other, and she passed this test with flying colors.

Diane is talking about moving to Tennessee, so this might be the last time I can impose on her generosity. Although she said she is still willing to receive boxes at her new home, unpack and repack everything, rent a van, pack it to the ceiling, and drive across five states to NY to meet me, I think this is a fantasy – and beyond reasonable – so I will have to figure out an alternative.

Michael and I waited and coordinated our Amazon shopping trip to coincide with Amazon Prime Day to see if we could score some extra savings, but only a few items of the items we needed went on sale. We ordered everything on that day, and as an avalanche of packages arrived at Diane’s house, so did new pending COVID lockdown orders for Connecticut.

*The avalanche of packages. This was a single day’s deliveries.*

Diane squeaked the trip in on the very last day before the lockdown started. I had my fingers crossed that the trip would be uneventful, and fortunately, it was. We kept in contact throughout the day, and everything ran smoothly.

Three weeks later, the barrels arrived. As I unpacked, thrilled with our bounty, I realized how much I missed seeing Diane. The few days we get to be together to laugh and catch up while we shop, pack, and enjoy each other’s company multiple times each year is the sweetest gift of friendship. I know I’ll figure out some way to get barrels to Grenada, but I don’t know how to replace the laughter, love, and fun I have with Diane.

Hats off to Diane and extreme friendship.

Trying to Patch our Virus Free Bubble ~ COVID-19 in Grenada

November 22, 2020 by Candi Licence 4 Comments

After having only 23 active cases of COVID-19 and no deaths, Grenada became COVID free in mid-June. The Ministry of Health reported the welcome statistics, and all Grenadians sighed with relief. Protocols remained in place, people followed the protocols, but tensions reduced, and people began cautiously resuming a more typical lifestyle – with stores, restaurants, and businesses slowly reopening. Of course, the Government still enforced wearing masks, hand sanitizing, and social distancing everywhere, but we saw a glimmer of hope for health and normality.

*Grenada became COVID free in June and remained COVID free until mid October.*

Grenada remained COVID free during July, August, and September. People started feeling safer, and we only read about new cases happening elsewhere. Although Grenadians were getting lax about wearing masks at all times, we still donned them when coming close to others plus hand sanitizing when entering any store, restaurant, or business. It was so pleasant living in the COVID free bubble. People were cautious but felt safe.

Local schools began their fall semester online-only, and St. George’s University campus remained closed for students, conducting classes online. After a month, the local schools started to partially open with students going to classes on staggered days – 1 to 2 days per week. Now, local schools are back in session for everyone every day.

Finally, the airport opened to UK and European flights and then US flights one month later. Grenadians have mixed feelings about this. We rely heavily on tourism for jobs and business revenue, but with the airport opening, we expose the population to imported cases COVID.

Overall, due to robust travel protocols, and a requirement to stay in mandatory quarantine until receiving a negative PCR test, cases are identified while people are in quarantine, and there has been little community spread. The most significant issue has been people who breached quarantine before their test results came back, and those results were positive. Breaching quarantine creates a massive problem for the country and unsuspecting individuals who come in close contact with infected individuals.

One person who breached quarantine immediately went to several parties. As a result, 77 people who came into close contact with him needed to quarantine. A second breach (by a US doctor who definitely should have known better) resulted in 40 additional people being quarantined. People who breach quarantine are fined $3,000 EC (about $1,100 US), which seems like a paltry amount given the potential community spread, the disruption to businesses and innocent individuals who then have to quarantine for a minimum of 5-7 days.

In both breaches, the virus spread to others in close contact, but in each instance, those people were already in quarantine when they tested positive for the virus, so overall, the virus has been well contained.

We also had a young man who couldn’t wait to see his girlfriend. He broke into her quarantine location, and when he thought he was going to be caught, he jumped out a second-story window and broke his leg. All for love!

Grenada has been designated as a “Low Risk” country for COVID-19, one of only a handful of countries worldwide. Here in Grenada, with our bubble being burst, people feel less safe and have become more vigilant.

St. George’s University (SGU) announced that their January semester will be held online. They will continue to monitor the situation before announcing if the April term will be held in person. This announcement has an enormous impact on Grenada. SGU accounts for 25% of the country’s total revenue, and the lack of international Medical and Veterinary students trickles down into everything from buses to restaurants and grocery stores. Since last spring, we haven’t had full grocery shelves, and some products disappeared completely when the students vacated the island in March.

As of November 20^th, we have eleven active cases of COVID-19, 30 cases have been cleared, and we’ve had no deaths. These are impressive statistics, and everyone should be proud of our response to this deadly virus. Unfortunately, we’ve lost over 100 Grenadians to COVID living elsewhere – primarily in the US and UK.

All eleven active cases, and the known contacts of people who breached quarantine, are asymptomatic, remain in quarantine, are awaiting testing and medical clearance. Because of the stringent protocols, we’ve stayed mostly safe. The biggest problem has been people breaking quarantine. One hundred seventeen people had to quarantine because three reckless individuals could not remain in place for a week. What a sad and selfish situation.

The Ministry of Health has done a fabulous job protecting Grenadians and keeping everyone informed. Frontline workers have kept the country running as close to normal as possible and were especially valued during our stringent lockdown earlier this year. The Grenadian people also need to be commended for following protocols and making an enormous impact on keeping everyone safe. We may grumble about mask-wearing in our heat and humidity, but people do it because it is the right thing to do to keep everyone safe.

Because of the increased numbers of imported cases reported in the last week, The Ministry of Health has altered our protocols. Travelers need to complete a Pure Grenada Travel Authorization Certificate, including a negative PCR test within 72 hours of flying that must be approved before arriving. (Travelers initially needed a negative PCR test seven days before travel, but so many people have tested positive after arriving in Grenada that the timeline has been tightened.)

The specifics of each case are detailed below. When looking at the US and UK’s daily infection rates, it is astonishing that we have had so few new cases since opening our borders.

October 12^th – we recorded our first case in 3 months. A returning national breached quarantine before being released, and because of this, 77 people had to be placed in quarantine to prevent community spread.

NOTE: This person was identified as Case 25 and was listed as the first new case in 3 months, but I could find nothing about Case 24. This discrepancy may be from an early case where a man illegally fled the island before his test results were processed – he was positive. He flew from Grenada to Canada and then onto the UK at the beginning of the outbreak before Grenada shut our borders.

October 17^th – The Ministry of Health announced Cases 26 and 27. One person had been in close contact with the man who breached quarantine. The second case was unrelated. The person also returned to Grenada via airplane, tested positive during quarantine, and remained in quarantine until cleared.

October 24^th – Another person returning to Grenada tested positive, Case 28, and went into quarantine.

November 2^nd – Case 29, a person returning to Grenada tested positive and quarantined.

November 4^th – A new arrival to Grenada became Case 30 and quarantined. Other passengers on the same flight were closely watched, but no one else contracted the virus.

November 8^th – An American doctor and his wife who have a home in Grenada, broke their home quarantine, and visited four restaurants before their tests came back positive and became Case 31 and 32. As a result, another 40 people had to quarantine to prevent community spread and one restaurant had to shut down.

November 14^th – The 33^rd case was identified. She was in close contact with the couple who breached their home quarantine and had been quarantined through contact tracing. All 40 people near Cases 31 and 32 and are in quarantine will be retested shortly.

November 18^th – Three new cases announced – Case 34 arrived in Grenada from the USA, was PCR tested, and remains quarantined. Cases 35 and 36 arrived at the Carriacou Marina (a sister island to mainland Grenada) and are quarantining on their yacht with two others.

November 19^th – One new case, Case 37, arrived in Grenada from the USA, was PCR tested and remains quarantined.

November 20^th – Four new cases announced – Case 38 arrived in Grenada from the USA on November 15th, and has been quarantined since. Cases 39 and 40 are the two other people who have been quarantined on the yacht off the coast of Carriacou with Cases 35 and 36. Case 41 is the son of Case 33, who was a close contact of Cases 31 and 32.

With continued vigilance and a bit of luck, Grenada will continue to be a low-risk country for COVID-19. As Grenadians like to say – “For now, we are safe, please God.”

The COVID protocols will have a big impact on our holiday party. Last year we had 65 guests. This year it will be less than 20. Sad, but it is important to be safe.

Reunited ~ And It Feels So Good! ~COVID-19 in Grenada

July 13, 2020 by Candi Licence 10 Comments

The government closed our airport on March 23^rdto protect the country from imported cases of COVID-19. Michael, along with lots of other Grenadians who were either visiting or living in the US and wanted to be somewhere safer, had been locked out of the country for months. People were desperate to come home. When the airport continued to be shuttered to commercial flights with no reopen date, the Grenadian Embassy assisted with a charter flight for Grenadian citizens.

The BIG question for the government: How to bring home Grenadian Nationals AND keep the country safe?

On Friday, June 19^th, Michael arrived in Grenada on a jetBlue charter flight. After landing in Grenada and getting a Rapid test at the airport, he immediately was transported to a government-approved quarantine facility. You can read about dance to get him back in Grenada here (The Corona Tango).

Initially, we thought Michael would be in government quarantine for 2 days. Soon after, the Ministry of Health announced that the government quarantine would last four days because everyone hadn’t been able to get testing before boarding the flight. Then, they decided to keep everyone in mandatory government quarantine for 10 days.

It was confusing and disheartening as the protocols changed almost daily. Michael was finally home in Grenada, but I could only wave to him from a field behind his apartment balcony. It was lovely to see him for the first time in 3 months, but as the reality of us reuniting got closer, time seemed to stop. As each potential release day came and went, I got more and more frustrated.

After all the time apart, you’d think a few more days would be ‘nothing’ but the hours stretched into forever. Finally, when only 2 days remained, I felt like I could finally breathe and started looking forward to our reunion.

I had been living in Grenada, and the island had been COVID free for over a month. People were wearing masks and social distancing, but there was no actual fear of contracting the virus. It felt safe, and people resumed most of their daily activities. I started taking yoga classes three times a week.

*This is the Johns Hopkins COVID map for Florida. New cases really started surging in June to thousands per day. (on 7/12, Florida reported a staggering15,300 new cases)*

Michael came in from Florida, a state where COVID cases were surging – with thousands of new cases every day. People were not wearing masks or social distancing. Florida definitely was not safe. Michael self-quarantined and isolated for three months in a rental – with nothing familiar except for his computer. To get to Grenada, he also had to travel from Florida to New York, stay overnight in a hotel, and then fly home. Every step was a potential exposure point for contracting the virus.

The people on the plane were all supposed to be COVID free. At the last minute, the Grenadian government decided that any Grenadian National could board the flight since so many could not get access to testing. This was an additional exposure risk. Upon arrival, Michael spent 10 days in a stylish, but a minuscule cramped apartment. He didn’t interact with anyone except for people passing food to him at his doorway once a day.

I picked up Michael at 6:00 PM on Sunday, June 28^th. I was extremely mindful that we were approaching this reunion from two distinct places and perspectives. I literally got to his hotel at 5:40 on the off chance he might get released early and was ready to jump into his arms. I also knew that this greeting might overwhelm him, even if it was welcomed somewhere in his mind. I decided to let Michael take the lead on how he wanted to be greeted.

When I saw Michael walk out of the hotel, my heart swelled, but I stood still and let him come to me. One sweet kiss and we walked hand in hand to the car. It was enough. We were together again, finally. On the way home, Michael peppered me with questions trying to wrap his head around Grenada’s situation compared to his experience in the US. I did my best to tell him what to expect.

Nadica and Sheila wanted to have a big all-day party on Monday to welcome Michael home. After talking with Michael, we scaled it back to an afternoon party. Nadica and Sheila spent the morning making the national dish of Grenada, Oil Down and we had a lovely lunch with great conversation.

Nadica has just scooped out all the ingredients of the oil down into separate bowls so she can serve everyone. Sheila is smiling in the background.

*Oil Down is a delicious stew of salt fish, chicken, pigtail, yams, callaloo, carrots, and coconut milk boiled down into oil.*

*Finally, Michael is home. He is sitting on our patio, getting ready to enjoy the oil down that Nadica and Sheila made in his honor. Check out that smile!*

Lots of Michael’s friends also wanted to come over and welcome him home. I asked them to call to say Hi and give Michael a week to adjust to his new reality before we began inviting friends into our house.

First, we needed to get home so Michael could relax and see Red Dog. Michael worried that Red Dog might have forgotten him. I was sure this wasn’t the case because about a week before Michael came home, I got his car inspected. As I drove Michael’s car up the driveway, Red Dog raced out of the house and down the driveway. I opened the car door and he leaped over me to see if Michael was in the passenger seat. That being empty, he then jumped into the back seat and then the way back in case Michael was hiding somewhere. I had NO question that Red Dog would be beside himself with joy when Michael arrived.

We pulled in the driveway in my car, and Red Dog raced to see Michael. He knows he’s not supposed to jump, and you could see his dilemma of wanting to be in Michael’s arms and be a ‘good boy.’ Red Dog resorted to a few jumps and running in circles, unable to contain all his joy and love. Everyone had said they wondered what this reunion would be like, so we videoed this joyous reunion.

We walked the property in the late afternoon light, looking at the flowers, veggies, and finally, the orchids as Michael re-acclimated. Since the rainy season has started, everything was looking green and lush. We lost some orchids to disease and water damage when the plastic ripped off the orchid house a few days before Michael got home, but overall, they were in good enough shape.

We then sat on our lovely patio and gazed at each other, marveling that we were together. Gin and Tonic in hand, Michael could finally breathe in the reality of being home. We had a quiet, delicious dinner and went to bed early. Michael was finally in his own bed, and I finally had my man next to me once again. We both slept better than we had in months, and each day just gets better.

I can see Michael gradually decompressing every day. On Tuesday, we both went to yoga. I could see his friends itching to give him hugs but respecting his space and maintaining social distancing. The smiles and greetings warmed my heart and melted Michael’s. I can see him visibly relax more and more as he settles in. Michael has set up some photo shoots at the house, which is probably the best therapy of all, getting back into his groove.

We’re reunited. And IT FEELS SO GOOD!

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The Corona Tango ~ One Step Forward, Two Steps Back ~ COVID-19 in Grenada

June 27, 2020 by Candi Licence 4 Comments

Michael and I planned to fly to Florida on March 23^rd, 2020, so Michael could receive a necessary medical procedure that was not available in Grenada. Our trip was expected to last 10 days. By mid-March, we heard that our airport was expected to shut down any day, and borders would close to protect the country from COVID-19, so we changed our plans. Michael flew out on March 20^th. I stayed home.

On March 23^rd, the last commercial flight left Grenada. Shortly after that, the dance to try and get Michael back to Grenada began. Michael’s original return date of April 1^st came and went with no information on when the borders and airport might reopen.

The Corona Tango began with No steps forward, two steps back.

On March 20^th, there were 560 cases of COVID-19 in Florida, with 9 deaths. I watched the statistics carefully, thankful that we chose Florida for treatment instead of New York, where cases were surging. On April 10^th, just 20 days later, the total in Florida was an astounding 17,531 cases.

In early April, I started checking Sarasota’s statistics, specifically because that is where Michael was staying and getting treatment. Only 2 cases were reported on April 2^nd, but that number also surged to 208 by April 10^th with 10 deaths in Sarasota. After that, it became a morbid task to track the numbers and watch them increase in Sarasota and across Florida. By June 17^th, there were 82,719 cases in Florida. 803 of those cases were in Sarasota, and a shocking 92 people had died in Sarasota alone.

Michael sheltered in place as much as possible, only venturing out for food, medicine, or doctor’s visits. When Michael went out, almost no one was wearing masks or social distancing. They weren’t even providing sanitizer at the doctor’s offices, and masks were not a requirement. This seemed crazy to me, given the statistics that were escalating daily. In April, the rate of cases in Florida was jumping by about 1,000 a day. By May, an average of 2,000 new cases was reported each day. And now, in June, 4,000 new cases daily are not unusual, and recently, they had close to 8,000 new cases in a single day.

When the airport closed initially, I thought about what was happening around the world plus what it would take to reopen our borders. I came to the chilling conclusion that Michael might not get home before the end of July. UGH. Our 45^th wedding anniversary is August 9^th, and I was praying that we would be together to celebrate.

American Airlines started booking flights from Miami to Grenada in early June in anticipation of the airport reopening. I booked Michael on a June 9^th flight. We thought it would be best not to fly in on the first flights, and we sprang for a business class seat to give him more room to distance himself from other passengers. Sadly, the airport did not reopen.

One step forward, two steps back.

The schedule for July flights opened, and I moved Michael to a July 9^th flight and crossed my fingers. Grenada was working diligently to contain the virus and was trying to figure out how to safely reopen the borders. They were in the tough position of wanting to be sympathetic to citizens desperate to come home and maintaining protocols to keep the nation safe. Grenadian health officials said they would not open the borders before June 30^th but could not commit to a specific date. They were still developing protocols for the airport, hotels, and businesses as well as making sure there were enough tests, contact tracers, etc. to manage commercial flights.

The Honorable Nickolas Steele, Minister of Health, has done a fantastic job keeping Grenadians safe and informed.

I was listening to the almost daily updates of the protocols that the Ministry of Health was putting in place, checking our number of cases, and speaking with the Grenadian Embassy in the US for information about a repatriation flight for Grenadian citizens. We signed up for a database that would provide information to people stranded in the US.

Dr. Francis Martin, Chief Medical Officer, interacted with both Michael and me with professionalism and compassion.

I was also signed up to the US Embassy database for Grenada. I was getting alerts of charter flights coming to Grenada to repatriate Americans back to the US. Unfortunately, these planes were coming in empty. The crew wasn’t even allowed to disembark when they landed. The plane essentially landed, refueled, passengers boarded, and it took off again. I understood this but was disappointed as I saw flight after flight arrive from the US empty.

Finally, we heard about a repatriation flight scheduled from JFK in New York to Grenada for Tuesday, June 16^th. We both wanted Michael to be home, but we weren’t sure it was the best option for Michael. He’d have to drive from Sarasota to an airport that had a direct flight to New York to limit his airport exposure. He’d fly to New York, stay overnight in a hotel, and board the flight to Grenada. Everyone was required to get a PCR test within 4 days of the flight. Michael decided to get the test, and then we would make a final decision as the date got closer.

Getting a COVID PCR test in the Sarasota area was much more complicated than we expected. Michael went to multiple locations and was repeatedly turned away because of the required timing he needed. He tried getting a rapid test, but the only way to get that was to go to the hospital while displaying acute symptoms. People were sympathetic but unyielding in their decision. Michael had one more place to try, and then he was going to ask friends in other parts of the state to search for a testing site. Fortunately, he was able to get a PCR test at the last location. BUT they couldn’t promise the test results would be ready before the flight left.

One step forward, two steps back?

*Her Excellency Yolande Smith, Ambassador of Grenada was a delight to work with. She spoke to Michael and me multiple times as we tried to get Michael home. Thank you, your Excellency!*

Then on Friday, June 12^th, we were notified that the flight was delayed – with no new departure date. A conference call with the Embassy was scheduled for Tuesday, June 16^th. The Ambassador reviewed the testing requirement to purchase a ticket and announced that the plane would fly on Friday, June 19th. She explained that passengers would be quarantined at their expense upon arriving in Grenada. Both the Ambassadors to the US and Canada strongly encouraged people to take advantage of the repatriation flight. During an interview, the Minister of Health said the airport would be open on July 30^th. Was this an error or the real opening date? I never got a definitive answer – most likely because people just didn’t know.

We decided Michael would take the flight based on this information, not knowing when regular commercial flights would resume, and the fact that Michael had already been gone almost 3 months. If he had waited to take the July 9^th flight and it was canceled, I think we both would have had a meltdown. Our biggest concern was Michael’s PCR test would now be older than 4 days. The Embassy notified us that the test would be accepted. We felt comfortable because everyone on the flight would have a negative PCR test. We uploaded the test results to the Embassy website and began making plans.

One step forward!

The TWA hotel is literally 14 steps from jetBlue baggage claim. This was a shot from November when we both stayed there. Great hotel!

I immediately started making plans based on previous research. I found a mid-afternoon direct flight from Orlando to JFK on jetBlue. I booked Michael into the TWA hotel, which is located at JFK right beside the jetBlue terminal. And finally, I booked him on the jetBlue flight to Grenada, leaving early the next morning. Michael was seated in the window seat of the 2^nd row to again limit exposure to others traveling. I was pleased with this itinerary. Michael would have minimal exposure staying confined to one terminal for both the incoming and outgoing flight, and the hotel stay. Because the Orlando flight was mid-afternoon, he wouldn’t need a hotel before his Florida flight. And, there was a later flight available in case of any issues. Michael worked with the rental car agency to return his car to Orlando instead of Miami. The plan felt solid and realistic.

One step forward!

On Thursday morning, just one day before the flight, potential passengers were frantically contacting the Embassy, saying they couldn’t get either a PCR or rapid test. The Embassy offered to write a letter to provide the test site, but people were still having issues. Finally, the testing requirement was dropped – Grenadians were desperate to get home, and there still was no known opening date for commercial flights to arrive. While I agreed with this thinking, it placed Michael at higher risk.

In addition to blocking all the middle seats, jetBlue boarded the flight from the back to front, so passengers would not pass by each other. Upon arrival, our airport staff recreated the seating pattern and had passengers deplane and sit in the same configuration in the terminal. This way, passengers would continue to be close to the same people as on the plane – again to limit exposure.

No step forward, no step back.

Grenadian TV cameras filmed people arriving home. Michael was the first person off the plane and gave a short interview, thanking the Grenadian Government and saying how happy he was to be home.

Huge step forward!

https://www.facebook.com/GISgrenada/videos/190014205724965/

The Government announced that no one could meet the plane. Upon arrival, passengers would pass through a tent that misted them and their carry-on luggage, and then they would sit in their assigned seat while testing was done. Everyone received a rapid test. If someone tested positive on the rapid test, they were also given a PCR test.

Now, everyone boarded a bus to be taken to a Government controlled quarantine location. Passengers had a choice of 3 places. Initially, the plan was to have people stay in Government quarantine for 2 days and then get a PCR test. If they tested negative, the person could go home for the remaining 12 days of quarantine. Anyone living in the house would also have to quarantine. This was fine with me, and I was approaching it like a second honeymoon. Then, the Ministry of Health changed the Government quarantine to a minimum of 4 days because now people were entering the country without a negative PCR test.

No step forward, one step back.

Ok, so I’d have to wait two more days to see Michael. It wasn’t a huge amount of additional time, but both Michael and I were getting frustrated and antsy. I’d seen Michael’s apartment when I dropped off his “I love you” welcome basket before he arrived.

*This “Basket of Love” was the closest I could get to Michael to show him my love and how happy I was that he was home.*

*If I had been thinking, I would have dressed up a little better for this impromptu picture!*

It was a nicely furnished space but tiny and cramped. If it didn’t have a small balcony, I think quarantine would have been incredibly hard. I was able to “see” Michael on Monday. He was on his second-story balcony; Red Dog and I walked in a small field behind the hotel. We could wave at each other, but I didn’t dare call out to him because if Red Dog recognized him, I thought mayhem would follow.

It made my heart happy to see him in person. It had been 91 days since I waved goodbye in March. Three more days, and we’d be together. EXCEPT, a new announcement was made. The bad news, the government quarantine had been extended to 10 days. The good news was that after 10 days, the quarantine would be over, and we wouldn’t need to wait the full 14 days to resume our regular lives. We now had to wait another 6 days before we would be together.

It felt like No step forward, SIX steps back.

We were both sad and frustrated. I know the Government was doing the best they could. They were adjusting based on a changing situation, but it was so upsetting. Michael was supposed to have 3 meals a day delivered to him. The food service was sketchy (they didn’t show up for the first 2 meals), so I took over, making sure he had good nourishing food to keep him in good spirits. I leaned on our good chef friends – Rain (Rain’s Kitchen) for roti and garlic pork, Nirvanna (Nirvanna’s Pasta Paradise) for lasagna, tortelloni and tagliatelle, and Karen (Patrick’s Homestyle Cooking) for curried goat, gingered pork, and another roti. I added fresh fruits, lots of salad fixings, and supplemented the welcome basket with more mango ice cream, more homemade bagels, and other delights.

Michael is scheduled to come home on Sunday, June 28^th. We’re still not sure of the time. Originally, they said after 7 PM, but the hotel workers were concerned they couldn’t get everyone checked out and for them to get home by 9 PM – the national curfew. We now expect him to be released at 6 PM.

Michael and I discussed paying for an extra night and just having him leave at the earliest possible moment. We’d then go back the next day to pick up luggage and everything else I’d dropped off to make his stay comfortable. That way, he wouldn’t be jostling with a crowd of about 40 people trying to check out, move their belongings via a single elevator, and the chaos of families reuniting. I picture him running down the stairs and out the door, finally free.

This feels like a huge step forward.

At this point, we are waiting with our fingers crossed and our breath held, that everything will work to plan, and we will come to the end of the Corona Tango, with our arms around each other.

This was a rollercoaster dance that I don’t care to repeat. Ever!