Brendan decided to leave the program about 2 weeks ago and started PLU for spring semester. For our Caribbean Culture and Society class we have usually 2 lectures a week with guest lecturers and short paper/reflections to turn in based on that. We also have dance class twice a week...seems more like boot camp than dance class! We are yelled at a lot for doing it wrong. We are learning two different dances to perform, one dance has to be moving to get across the stage quick enough with all the big bands now. We finished J-term and the third class with the volunteering doesn't start till after Carnival when things slow down. Below is an example of one of our schedules for the week.
We've had a few excursions on the weekends; went to Maracas Beach and had Bake 'n Shark (tasted like fish), visited some steel pan (drum) yards, went to a few more Mas costume camps, and we are going to a Calypso tent this weekend. This saturday we are hoping to join the UWI Bio club to go on a hike to a waterfall! I introduced my friends Aubrey and Giorgio and now they are dating. Classes have started at UWI; I'm taking photo and a Carnival class; Mas: History, Development, and Meaning. The Mas class is my favorite so far; we are learning about Carnival history, what the traditional costumes mean, etc. Our final is a paper on someone who works with Mas and to make a costume that we design. My sewing skills are not extensive so that will be interesting!
The internet is slower than expected; there is wifi but it's often dial up speed. I have a room at the end of the hall with two windows which is great for ventilation but not great for internet. The program isn't quite what we expected; I don't think it ever will be. Of course it gets hyped up, trying to get people to go, but sometimes I feel like it has been hyped too much. First they tell you you will have lots of free time, then they say you are always busy. In actuality it's a mix of both. When we have to go to events in the evenings or lectures it's busier, but we actually end up having a lot of free time during the week. There's not a lot to do in Tunapuna besides shopping and for a single white girl, I can't really travel without a companion. I mean, I'm sure I could, but it wouldn't be very safe.
When they say there is every culture food in Trinidad that is a lie. There is roti which is good and doubles which I could eat for every meal the rest of my life. There is Trini food which is lots of stewed chicken and pigs/chicken/ox feet/tail/random body part. We have a joke that if it moves, a Trini will eat it. They have a large Indian culture but that doesn't mean you will find Indian food like tikka masala or vegetable korma or anything. They don't have many sit down restaurants here. No Thai food either! Aubrey and I are longing for peanut sauce. At least I can cook italian food easily. Boneless skinless chicken breast is really expensive here; Trinis like their meat on the bone.
Things I miss: My family, Daniel, my cat, doughnuts, pad tai, indian food (an actual meal), stores with everything you need in one place, not sleeping with a mosquito net, italian food...mostly everyone here misses food!
Today was the first day it's been cloudy all day; it's the best! There's a cool breeze coming in my window all the time and when it rains it cools it down even more. I'd hazard it might even be 75 right now--pure heaven.
Registering at school was a mess; most people changed their classes from what they first picked so there was a ton of going back and forth to professors and trying to get signatures and registration codes for classes. We are still trying to get financial clearance so we can get our IDs, it took a week or two to even get the codes to register for classes. Everyone swears that the school system is better than it has been, but it's a far cry from PLU!
Things are slow right now, they are supposed to keep picking up as we get closer to Carnival March 3-4th.
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