Today the group visited Pomme’s place.  Pomme is a 62 year old man who has spent the last 35 years of his life living entirely off the land of Dominica.  The hike we made to get to his home took well over an hour.  This path is the only way to and from Pomme’s home, meaning he has to make this journey on foot in order to get anywhere.  Pomme lived among the rest of civilization up until 35 years ago, when he started living his current lifestyle due to his religious beliefs.  Pomme told us how he felt living in the developing world.  He explained how to him it seems the more technology we develop and the more doctors we train, the more the world struggles and the more sicknesses spread throughout the population.  He feels the world needs to return to Eden, referencing the Bible and the Garden of Eden.  That is why he decided 35 years ago to “return to Eden.” 

          Approaching Pomme’s place after our long hike, I was struck by the beauty of his land.  The house he made on his own sits in a large, open valley, surrounded by mountains and streams.  Pomme’s garden stretches in all directions, full of colorful plants, herbs, and trees.  Pomme took us around his garden, showing us the various plants and telling us their uses.  Most were plants I had never even heard of outside of Dominica!  After our tour, Pomme’s wife served us a delicious Vegan meal prepared using some of the vegetables and herbs from the garden.  Even the bowls our stew was served in were made using calabash from the garden. 

          Pomme’s place was an amazing retreat for all of us.  His lifestyle is very different from our own, and gave us an entirely new perspective on life.  I understand and respect his views on the modern world and his reasons for living this way.  I also can’t help but ponder the concept of giving back to the community and to those around us.  Pomme’s lifestyle is one we could debate endlessly, but getting this perspective was an experience I know none of us will forget!

Kelsey