A weekend in Santo Domingo

About two weeks ago I met a nice Ecuadorian boy who along with having a house on the beach and being a very good cook, invites me to visit different parts of Ecuador with him. I’m not one to turn down travel adventures with good-looking men so I took him up on his offer. Yesterday we left Quito during the sunrise to go to Santo Domingo, a small city about three hours outside of Quito and about 10,000 feet lower. The drive alone was a little nerve-racking but beautiful as we drove through the deep green mountains. We were going for a surprise trip to visit his aunt and cousins and when we showed up unexpected at their door we were

greeted with shrieks and hugs. We spent the rest of the day drinking Pilsener, eating good food, dancing, and playing cards. The family was big and happy, full of love for one another and welcoming to me as if I was part of the family. They live humbly and were so down to earth and fun to be around I was so happy that I had decided to go on the trip. Today we lounged around, played more cards and explored downtown Santo Domingo a little bit before it was time to head back to Quito. It was so nice to get away from the city, see a different part of Ecuador, and spend time with some great people. Coming back to Quito was a little bit of a shock to the body as I immediately felt the altitude again and it was about 15 degrees colder. But at the same time, it feels good to be home.

Plumbing Fun

Today unfortunately our toilet stopped working properly, it actually just wouldn’t even make an effort to flush which was a real issue with 4 people sharing one bathroom. When I got home after some errands today, Monica was in the bathroom, with a wrench and water spraying helplessly everywhere. I would have no idea where to start when it comes to anything to do with plumbing or handiwork so I was impressed with her professional attitude towards the fussy pipe. For about an hour she was at it, water flowing and stopping randomly, finally asking Byron for help so there were two people in a tiny bathroom with buckets and water spraying everywhere. As much as I wanted to help I felt that my presence as a third person who didn’t really know what they’re doing in a small bathroom would be more destructive than helpful. A couple hours of labor and grunting and “chuta madres” later and we have a dry and functioning bathroom. And all the time they were laughing and joking and brainstorming. I guess instead of being a nuisance a leaky toilet is an opportunity for a fun family challenge.

This week has been a whirlwind of fun and great people, dancing, creepsters, delicious food, and the most adorable kids you will ever meet. I am sad that it is over because most of the great people that I met and became friends with this week are leaving and I feel like they are my friends that go way back and I will miss them so much. I have found that the friends I have met while traveling become fast friends and stay in your life for a long time. I hope that the latter is true for these chicos because they are great. I feel like every week here will be completely different and never knowing what will happen or who I will meet. We have met some crazy cool Ecuadorians and some chill gringos who are living and working here.
The other day we even met a guy who pretended to be Ecuadorian for half and hour, talking in a horrible English Ecuatorian accent until he said he studied in boston, NU to be exact and then confessed that he is actually from Philly and putting on the accent. Who does that? Oh the people we have met. I hope it never ends. On top of that, the number of creepers probably outweighs the number of normal men at least that I have encountered. I know that there is a chunk of it that is cultural but there is a line I draw between the two and these men continually seem to cross it.

We worked hard every day with the kids, teaching English and playing with them in the markets. It is so wonderful to work with them because they are so gracious and loving and beautiful. Some of them are incredibly smart too and pick up on new things really fast. We play games and color and read and dance and sing and have a good time before its time for them to go back to work. I know that by the end of six months with these munchkins I will surely be attached and wanting to stuff them all in my suitcase. But until then I am just trying to figure out what I am doing. I am going to be on my own to some extent at times and need ideas on lesson plans and games and songs. I am hoping that I pick it up as I go but it will be a challenge.

Every night after work we went out to celebrate the final days in Quito for some of my friends. Every night brought different craziness and stories and laughter and fun. We discovered some fun bars and cool clubs and danced our butts off to all sorts of music. We also watched the World Cup final games of course, down in the plaza in Mariscal with all the other fans. It was crazy and a lot of fun. Viva Espana!

Today I finally had my official orientation, although after spending the weekend partying with the staff and listening to the volunteer stories I felt pretty informed. But we went over the specifics of the projects and what I would be doing as well as some background on the organization. Hearing more about it and seeing videos of what is done made me really excited to start working. I know it is going to be tiring, but it will be so rewarding. The program works with the child laborers who work in the markets with their parents to make ends meet, starting at the age of two. They grow up that way and have no time to be kids and have fun, learn, and not worry about their responsibilities. This program gives them a chance, even if for only an hour or two a week. The goal of the organization is to get kids to enroll in school and stay there to study and to build up their self image and self esteem and to know their worth. The goals and execution of the program are really great, from my perspective now. I am interested to get started and see it and meet the kids. Hopefully I will be able to get more involved with the organization while I am here to create a more comprehensive information system for the volunteers who come to work and the people in Ecuador who they work with so that people know what they do and will want to help.
In the afternoon, me and some of the girls had an adventure to the mercado artesano (artisan market) near the center of Quito. I had been there many a time in my last trip, perusing the aisles of brightly colored jewelry and clothing and art in my spare time. Today started off sunny and warm but by the time we were ready to head out, the skies looke unhappy and the loud cracks of thunder warned us of what was to come. Sure enough, as soon as we wanted to head out, the rain came down in buckets, to the point where the hilly streets were running rivers. After waiting a few minutes we decided to book it and ran down the hill to the trolley station through puddles and rivers, arriving at the bottom soaked through and freezing. But we made it to the market where we eagerly looked at all the goodies and indulged in some gifts for ourselves and others. I was so happy to spend $20 on a big white wool sweater that will surely keep me warm in the house on cool days, which seems to be everyday.
When we were shopped out, we decided that nothing would be more satisfying than an English pub and headed over to the Queen Victoria Pub which was ranked by Newsweek as one of the best meeting spots in the world. And it was pretty perfect for us today. Warm and cozy with a fireplace and typical pub décor,  it was just what we needed. We ordered some drinks and some fish and chips to share and warmed up while having some good conversation. We almost didn’t want to leave but we had to get back to cook up some ceviche with Monica so we decided that a cab would be the best route. We were oh so wrong. Never have I been in such a slow, annoying cab ride. The driver was kind of a jerk and wanted to charge us way to much to go home and although accepted our price he drove the longest possible way home, through the center of the city during rush hour and a route that none of us had taken before at the slowest pace possible and then decided when we got there that we should pay him more. Worst 5 bucks spent.

Gozando en Quito

I have only been here for three days but I feel like it has been a month. It has been a great way to start off the trip. Friday I went to the end of year presentation for one of my host family’s daughter. She goes to an all girls Catholic school and the girls all dressed up as animals to sing and dance for their parents. It was adorable and nice to spend some time with the family. Friday night we had a family dinner and we all helped cook delicious food. We made a dish that was made with green plantains and mahi mahi and it was yummy. We all talked, laughed and danced while we cooked and ate all together. It was a lot of fun to get to know everyone a little bit more. Afterwards, the volunteers all went out to Gringolandia to a couple of clubs and danced the night away. Yesterday we recovered from the night before and had a low-key day until we got ready to go out for the night.

We went first to this place that reminded me of the Leaky Cauldron to meet up with some of my  friends from EF. It has one thing on the menu: canelazo. Canelazo is like warm orange candy that gives you that warm fuzzy buzz. From there we ventured to a discoteca to meet up with our host family and their friends. We danced the night away. Apparently it is law to close the bars at 2, no one can sell alcohol after that but this bar closes the outside but keeps the party going inside all night long until 10 in the morning. It was crazy. There was also a male stripper which was fantastic in a that only Latin male strippers could be. We stayed until 4 and then got some more drinks and some music going back home until the sun came up, talking about spirituality, life, the words of Ricardo Arjona, and funny drinking stories. What better way to welcome a Sunday morning? It’s only been three days but I feel at home here and feel so lucky to be with such great people.
If you want to check out the organization I'm working with, here's the link: www.ubeci.org

Fin del Ano Escolar

Second Impressions

Yay for Wifi! Now yall can stay updated with me as long as I have the time and willpower to update everyone. But that’s my goal anyways. The flight was long and very bumpy but I occupied myself with some good chick flicks and arrived in Quito last night. I thought back to last time I arrived in Quito and how nervous I was and how alone I felt. It felt so weird to be alone in another country. This time however, I couldn’t stop smiling. At this point it feels normal to me to be somewhere I’m not completely familiar with and here now there’s at least some familiarity and all I could think was, I can’t believe I’m back! I had a warm feeling walking by the window where families wait for their loved ones and I was excited to meet whoever was waiting for me. And I was even more excited when I met them. Monica and Edwin were waiting for me and they are wonderful. They were so welcoming and friendly and cheery. We waited a couple of hours for another guy to arrive on a flight that ended up being having to land in Guayaquil, but in the meantime Monica and I chatted about lots of stuff. We talked about important social issues going on in Ecuador now having to do with the immigration of Cubans, Colombians, and Peruvians to the country and the impact that is having as well as internal social inequalities and other issues. I can’t wait to learn more about all of it. She also mentioned that we could talk about possibly doing a mini project that would have to do with anthropology which would be awesome.
Driving to the place I will be living, I felt like no time had passed since my last visit. In the dark, everything looked the same. I am staying in a different area of Quito, a part I had never visited before. Apparently where I stayed last time was the “preppy” area. The house is mismatched and cozy, I have my own room and neighboring bathroom that I share. There is another floor and a roof deck upstairs and the program coordinators live in the apartment next door. Right now there are four other girls here but they leave next week and more will be coming on and off throughout my time here. It will be fun to meet the people who come and go and I am looking forward to getting to know Byron and Monica and everyone while I’m here. All in all, a successful first night and hopefully many more to come!

Ecuador: Round 2

Two years ago I studied Spanish in Ecuador for three weeks with EF. I loved the country, the people, and the culture and knew I wanted to go back. When I left two years ago, I wrote this entry in my journal:
5/31/08 11:30 pm
    So here is what I learned on this amazing trip, well, some of what I learned…

• You don’t need a lot of material things to be happy. Sometimes the less you have the happier you are. The essentials are friends, family, and a roof over your head.
• Family is important.
• Scary situations can sometimes be the most rewarding.
• It can be difficult to adjust to a new culture, but it will happen.
• Cuy (guinea pig) is considered sacred by the native people and is eaten as a delicacy.
• Here, monogamy doesn’t hold much importance, but romance does.
• Belly button piercing hurt like hell.
• In life you should take risks, be open to new people and things because they just might change your life for the better, love fully, and try not to judge.
• How to dance merengue and salsa
• Sometimes you get lucky and everything works out just the way you wanted, and sometimes you don’t.
• You can get virtually anywhere in Ecuador by bus
• South America speaks to my soul
• I want to and will return.

And, well, here I am, about to board a plane, destination: Quito, EC. I am excited to go back, excited to catch up with people I haven’t seen for awhile, and to connect once again with a great country. I know this experience will be different in many ways and I know my eyes will see things differently and I can’t wait to see how Ecuador has changed and how I have changed since we last met. This time I will be there for six months, teaching English with International Volunteer Headquarters. This is counting as my second co-op so I get credits and get to live abroad, pretty cool huh?
So I don’t know that many details of what my job entails or where I am staying or what my schedule is yet but I have a few days to adjust to the altitude and everything else and figure it all out before I start on Monday. Also don’t know the internet situation but there will be updates, I will make sure of it. Until then, besos y abrazos!

Reflections

The trip is over, we are no longer in Trinidad and I no longer sleep in a kitchen or see that wonderful group of people everyday. I just wanted to give some final reflections on the trip before I embark on my new one. This trip meant a lot to me and changed me in a way I hadn’t expected but wouldn’t change for a thing. On this trip, I learned so much about myself and what matters to me and what I believe in. It was very spiritual for me both externally and internally. I feel like I finally understand what spirituality means to me and now I can explore it. That alone is a huge gift from a trip such as this, a result that I wasn’t expecting from this type of trip, but every day, every moment, and every person we met gave me something that I took away and put it together all at the end to give me a piece of what I hope to discover about myself and life. The most important part of this for me has been how it made me feel about myself. The combination of sun, ocean, mountains, beauty, inspiring people, friends, music, and an unvisited place made me look in on myself, what matters to me, and what is just shit that I can let go of. It felt so good to get rid of stuff that I didn’t need weighing me down and to become more comfortable with the me I am already and the me I hope to be. The trip also meant a lot because of the people who I loved and hope to stay close with. We all got along so well and every time we were all together we had fun and enjoyed each other’s company. I had more fun going out with the whole group than I have had in awhile. Everyone was so much fun and we couldn’t help but be happy to be where we were, soaking in the music and dancing in Trinidad.
I am sad the trip is over, I feel that I could have stayed in Trinidad for much longer, furthering the strong connections that we made with the people there, learning more about the culture and traditions, maybe learning more about the aspects of culture I didn’t focus on including mas, carnival, calypso, rapso, soca, the Indian traditions, etc. There is so much I hope to learn about T&T in the future because it is a fascinating country with so much to offer. I was impressed by T&T and I fell in love a little bit, unsurprisingly. I hope to go back, I hope to see more, and I hope to take what I have learned during this trip and carry it with me forever, building upon it, returning back to it, and evolving it as I go through my own evolution.

The Final Presentation

After many hours, inspiring  interviews, stressful moments, mini-aggravations, breakthroughs, and discoveries, our research came together today in our final presentation of our work. It was the day we had all been both dreading and waiting for. From the beginning we had our challenges and setbacks, but we also had our “Aha!” moments and strategic meetings that led to successful results. We had worked hard as a whole group and in our individual groups and I was excited to see the outcomes of the other groups and to see how my group did. I was also really nervous because the presentation was the part of the project that I felt the least ready for. I had less idea of what the expectations were as there had been fewer guidelines and my group had pulled together at the last minute our decision of what to do for the presentation. It was a hard process because we wanted to portray the Orisha faith in some way that would incorporate the music and how powerful it has been within the spirituality and its influences on Trinidadian culture. We originally wanted to learn how to play the drums or chants or maybe have someone else perform, but it was clear that it would be difficult in our time frame. We had a couple other ideas but we settled on personal reflections on our experience with spirituality and our research and what we had learned from everything. The idea felt the most natural to us and although we struggled with the idea that maybe we wouldn’t be technical enough, we decided that it was our best shot. And we pulled it off. As nervous as I myself was, as soon as I started talking about my own experiences, the words came to me easier than I thought they would and I really meant and felt what I was saying. It felt good to be giving a presentation and feeling comfortable with it. The rest of the group did their own part and each part was different and it was a great way to give it a more well-rounded reflection. We ended it by playing a video of the trip that we had made which was a hit and then gathering in a circle to hold hands and give thanks for everything accompanied by the four blessings of Ifa. It was a really nice way to end everything and everyone enjoyed watching the movie and gathering together. The other two groups were also really impressive and it was so fun to watch them perform. The mas group had put together a nice documentary and then actually played their own mas which was so cool. We got out own mini-carnival and the Lloyd Best Institute. The kaiso group wrote their own calypso about the professors that was hilarious and had us all singing. My favorite part was when Brittany scatted just like Dr. B. Priceless.

Making Music and Memories at the Legacy House

Tonight was a night full of good energy. We spent tonight at Leroy Clarke’s house with some wonderful people including our professors, Sunity Best, Earl Lovelace, Leroy Clarke, Muhammad Muwakil, Sean Thomas, Rubadiri Victor, and other guests. It felt so good to be back at the Legacy House once again and based off of our first experience, I knew that the night would bring big things. And it did. Dr. P, Dr. B, Sean, Muhammad, and Rubadiri got their groove on and the music that was happened was magical. Everything fell together so smoothly and everyone could feel the joy that it created. While we jammed to the music we ate up the homemade snacks from Sunity, sipped on Mr. Clarke’s favorite beverage, and enjoyed the company. At one point, while admiring Leroy’s works in progress, he let us make our mark on his masterpieces. Almost all of us got to pick up a brush and add some dots or dashes where he directed us. It was an honor to know that Leroy Clarke trusted and respected all of us enough to paint on his work. And we did a mighty fine job I might add.
During one of the songs, “I Remember”, the song we picked up from the Women in Calypso night and sang everyday during classes, all of us joined in to sing the song. Normally at 8:30 am when we sang that song in class it was mediocre; no one was fully awake and some of us maybe didn’t feel like singing some of the days, but it was a different story tonight. Everyone was into it and I knew because I could feel it, I could feel the effort that everyone put into singing the song and we all had our own moments with the song and it came out better than it had ever sounded, hands down. It was
after that song, during the following song that was totally vibing that I had a long moment in which I was overwhelmed by the desire to have that night go on forever, to stay in Trinidad with the amazing people we had met and with each other. I looked around the room to everyone and for every person I felt a warm feeling of affection, even the guests who I didn’t know well or even at all. But for the people I knew, it made me realize how amazing it has been to spend this time with them and share everything that we have experienced during the trip. I also watched the professors in their zone, in the music, and I saw a side I hadn’t seen before really and it made me appreciate them in a different way. It was a great moment and I know that it will stick with me for a long time. I left the Legacy House tonight feeling so satisfied in a way that only good people, good music, and good times can leave you and I know that I left a part of me in the Legacy House, all of us did. We were all a part of a legacy tonight, that of Leroy Clarke’s and our own.

Bring Down the Power

Miss Ella Andall is a famous calypso singer in Trinidad, characterized by her beautiful voice and her devotion to the Orisha spirituality. But our group got to meet her on Tuesday and we found out she is so much more than that. We were all excited to meet her and I wasn’t sure what to expect because you never know with famous people how they are going to be, down to earth? Demanding? Distant? Friendly? I was just hoping that I would learn something from her. As soon as she walked in, her presence was undeniable. She wore a long black brown tie-dye dress and a golden hair wrap for her long locks. She greeted us all and we welcomed her, not sure yet exactly what to say or do. With a brief introduction from Dr. B she broke out into an Orisha chant calling the ancestral spirits to our meeting so that it would be a successful meeting. It was beautiful and she immediately demanded our attention. She talked about each of us having our own rhythm and that we have to learn to be comfortable in our own rhythm and step so that we can guide our lives by what we want to do and what we are comfortable with instead of walking to someone else’s rhythm. She then had us up and singing and making music and then the Dr. P got on the piano and Dr. B on his sax and all of us singing and grooving and just getting lost in a beautiful moment of music and togetherness and letting go of everything else. She was warm, caring, lovely, and it was such a good day to be in her presence and learn from her and that she, even as such a big name, wanted to learn from us and engage us as much as she did. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHEyzL1g3w8&feature=related
    In the afternoon, my group went to an Orishas shrine up in the mountains. I wasn’t sure what to expect as the only Yoruba religion shrines I had seen were in Cuba and I knew this could potentially be completely different. It did end up being different, but I still felt comfortable and familiar with what I saw and I felt instantly happy being in that location with the people we met. It had a really great energy. The shrine was in a small white building that seemed to be a lot bigger on the inside, full of rooms for people to stay or live. Along the outside white walls there were murals of each of the most important orishas. Everyone was busy preparing for this weekend’s rain festival and Orisha conference. We met a Venezuelan Babalawo from Florida, a Babalawo visiting from Nigeria, and others involved with putting together the conference. After a long talk with the Venezuelan Babalawo, I learned more about this renaissance that is going on within the Yoruba religion outside of Africa. Cuba, Trinidad, even Venezuela, Southern U.S., and even Mexico are “going back to Africa” both literally and in the sense of bringing the original traditions back to the religion outside of Africa.

Asa Wright Nature Centre

Yesterday we were reminded again of the beauty of this country. Tired and slightly hungover from a fun night the night before, we all piled into Ivan’s maxi taxi for the trip up into the rainforest. An hour’s drive through little neighborhoods along the mountainside and through the tall trees led us to a tiny narrow windy road down to the Nature Reserve. We walked up to a big white house that looked exactly what I would picture a grand home in the rainforest from the early 1900’s to look like. It was beautiful with high ceilings, tall shuttered doors, and a porch that overlooked miles of rain forested mountains covered in distant fog. Another mini paradise that I got to experience in this trip. We have been told that Trinidad is known for having the largest number of different birds species and yesterday we got to see at least some of them. I have never been much of a bird
watcher but I have never seen so many birds and all so different with bright colors and songs like I have never heard before. I saw four different types of hummingbirds within ten minutes. We went for a tour into the rainforest where we learned about the different trees and vines and flowers and birds. We heard a bird that sounds like a hammer hitting a metal pole or maybe a digeridoo and one that sounds like the sound effect when you die on Pac Man. Awesome. It felt wonderful to be out in the forest again, in nature and enjoying the smells and sounds and moisture and sights. So yummy.
Back at the ranch we relaxed, dozed off in big comfy chairs, and caught up with the Ghana vs. Serbia game. We caught word of a water hole and of course had to check it out so we walked up the road to a little path down to yet another mini paradise. Shaded by a circle of trees, there was a deep round clearwater pool and a small waterfall. We stripped down to our undies and dove in. I felt so refreshed and relaxed and rejuvenated. It’s was such a beautiful day and it refreshed me for the tough week of work we have coming. I think that our little trips that we have taken throughout our time here have helped to keep everyone sane and stress-free. Every time we are out in the forest or at the beach or out in the towns interviewing people, I feel like I get in touch with myself a little bit more and always learn something. I will miss these places, these mini paradises.
But I guess I’m just going to have to find some wherever I find myself.

Kaiso and Steel Pan is the Culture of Trinidad

15 pans, 15 Americans, 1 week, 5 lessons, 1 groovy steel pan band. This week went by super fast and it was a lot of fun and a lot of work. We had steel pan lessons everyday for 3 hours with Mr. Harold Headley. We started slow with a couple scales and slowly worked our way up to knowing three little tunes. We each had to hold our own and help each other remember the parts and where the notes were. And we messed up a lot. But when it all came together, we rocked it. The sound of the steel pan is so beautiful and relaxing and versatile. We played a waltz, a bossa nova, and “Love Me Tender”, and we have heard the pan used for hip-hop, jazz, calypso, and Orisha songs. I’m so glad we got a chance to learn the national instrument and get involved in the rich culture of Trinidad. It was an awesome part of this whole experience.

Other than that, this week has been full of interviews, group meetings, planning, researching and writing. We have definitely had some progress but this project is a challenge for sure. We have our outline put together and have delegated parts of the paper and now we just need to organize and write. This weekend and next week we have some important interviews including two with Ella Andall the famous calypsonian and her son who is an Orisha drummer. It will be great to meet with them and get their take on calypso and the Orisha influences and African retentions. After that we pretty much have to pump out the paper and start planning our final project and preparing for Tobago. I can’t believe that it has already been almost four weeks and that we leave so soon. Interestingly, I am not too depressed to leave but I know that when I get home I will miss every last thing about this place. I guess I am mostly ready for this project to be finished since it has had its frustrations. I don’t want to make it seem that I haven’t enjoyed doing it though. I have learned so much and met so many cool people through this research and had some really valuable practice doing fieldwork. I know that we will all be satisfied when we have our end result after all the hard work.

All this week has been We Beat festival, a music festival in St. James, nearby. Last night we all went to vintage kaiso night which is like old school calypso. It was a long night but it was full of well-known loved performers from back in the day. Listening to calypso is like listening to the news or social commentary because it is very narrative and talks about what is or was going on in Trinidad and the world. It was entertaining, comedic, serious, and all to a good beat. There was also an eight year old boy who is the “Junior Monarch” of kaiso who rocked the concert and I was completely impressed.

Update on the dreads…they are looking good and I love them more everyday. I also love the reaction they get here instead of what I’m assuming I’ll be getting in the states. Not that anyone will really care but I also bought a cool wrap and it makes the dreads look even cooler. Woo!

Bang yuh drum!

So today we started steel pan lessons. How freakin cool is that? It was so much fun. We first got a history of the steel pan, the origin and the use and how it has evolved. It started after emancipation in 1884 when the slaves had been using drums to communicate and the British therefore banned the drum. When this happened, they started using bamboo and started bands called tamboo bamboo (tamboo comes from the French word for drum). When the British picked up on this and that it was being used for the same reasons, they banned the bamboo as well. So the slaves had to look for other ways to make music and found the drums used for oil and cut them to different lengths to make different tones and you end up with what we now know as the steel pan. We all got our drums, of different tones. There are tenors which usually have the melody and the highest pitches. Then there are guitar pans, bass, cello, and more. When we got the feel for where the notes all are located and proper instruction on how to hold and use the mallets, we got to start learning a tune. Putting it together piece by piece was so satisfying because each part and pan is so important and it sounded awesome when it was all put together. Tomorrow we go back for more. We’re gonna be pro by the end of this week.

Paradise

This weekend I found a piece of paradise at Las Cuevas Bay. We tried out a different beach a little further down the windy road along the coast. I was already in love with Maracas but this was even better. It is located in a cove that cuts into the mountainous green jungle, lined with glimmering palm trees and soft white sand. There weren’t that many people on the beach and those who were there played some football on the beach or frolicked in the huge waves. It was so chill and happy. I walked down the beach and after about 200 ft there were no people just the sand and waves and a beautiful view. Around the loop of the cove I found the caves and a mini cove that looked as if it could have been untouched by man. The sun shone through the leaves, the insects sounded like buzz saws, and the holes in the small cliffs gulped down the sea water. I sat there for awhile, thinking, taking it all in. I felt pure happiness to be taking in such beauty. I felt almost guilty. I wished I had my camera but I know there was no way I could have captured the ethereality of the light, the air, the sky, the mist. But I will remember it. (Photo credit: Michelle Bilodeau)

Dreadhead

So here’s an interesting news flash to those who didn’t know…I now have dreads. Everytime I look in the mirror I am kinda shocked. I just finished making them after a 3 day process of about 2 or 3 hours each, backcombing and palm rolling, and can’t believe I actually did it. Before this trip I never really considered giving myself dreads. I don’t know if it is because I see them so often here and I love them or if I feel like at this point in my life they might suit me, or maybe because I was sick of having unruly frizzy hair everyday in this heat. I guess a combination of all of those reasons brought me to watch a ton of youtube videos, ask for a lot of opinions, and finally take a comb to my hair. Whatever my reasoning, I guess it was the right decision since that’s the one I made. I also think it will be a fun experiment. Being in Trinidad, I half assumed that going into any hair salon or hair supply store might know something about dreadlocks or have some products, but every time I asked about it I got funny looks and crazy attitudes or just a blank stare. I guess that reaction could be for a variety of reasons, but it did get me thinking as to how this decision of a hairstyle will dictate my interactions with people from here on out. Will they judge me for my hairstyle either for good or bad? What about people who already know me, will they change their opinion of me? I’m not sure what will happen but I’ll keep you updated. So far so good. I have some nice bonding moments with the rastas walking down the street here when they nod and compliment my dreads or just say “rasta” as I walk by. I’m not rasta, but it’s still better than getting a “hey tourist” or kissing noises.

Make your life art

Trinidad is good for my soul. Every day I have an experience that I feel like will change me in some way.
The other night we all headed over to the creative arts center at the University of the West Indies for an event called Women of Calypso. It is a project that is headed by Americans who came to Trinidad and recruited three powerful women as their leads. It featured Singing Sandra, one of the top Calypsonians in Trinidad, Kizzie Ruiz, and Shereen Caesar who all had amazing voices and great stage presence. They sang Orisa chants, sang about slavery and emancipation, identity, gender issues, and covered some popular older calypso songs. The whole performance gave me goosebumps because I could feel their energy and emotion and I was so happy to be there experiencing their music and talent. At the end of the show we all got up to dance and reciprocate the energy.
The other day I had another moment where I felt so happy to be exactly where I was in that moment and again I felt like that was exactly where I was meant to be. As a group we made the trek to a hilly suburb of Port-of-Spain to meet with LeRoy Clarke, the “master artist” of Trinidad. We knew a little bit about his work and stature in Trinidad before we got there and I had heard from a Trini friend who is close to him that meeting him would be unlike anyone else I have ever met and that he is a force of nature. It was quite the introduction and I had no idea what was going to happen but I knew it would be a crazy experience for sure. And a crazy experience it was. LeRoy Clarke really is like no one I have ever met and I don’t think I’ll ever meet anyone like him. He talked to us for hours about life, society, knowing yourself, and letting all the “shit” in your life go. He was not only wise but he was sassy and a little bit vulgar. I enjoyed his perspective on things and the way that he voiced it to us. We passed the afternoon in his Legacy house full of his artwork and books and with a surreal view and there was a positive energy in the house coming from all of us who were touched in some way by his words. It felt so good to be welcomed into the home of such a talented and well-respected person and for him to share his works and some of his wisdom with us. I know that I took away a lot from his talk and his energy and I hope to one day be able to have such a view on life. (Photo Credit: http://latino.si.edu/rainbow/pages/Clarke.html, http://artsocietytt.org/clarkeL.htm)

Enlightenment

Ever since arriving and even before we got here, I have felt like this whole experience was meant to happen to me. The past couple of days have made me feel this way even more. The group of people I am here with, including the professors, and the people we have met so far are really great and there is such a great energy going on between all of us. I don’t know how things will unravel in our time here but I believe that no matter what, across whatever misunderstandings or issues that might come up, we will work through them and become closer by the end. Being in an unfamiliar setting with new people makes me more introspective in general which is something I think I really needed at this point in my life. So much happens at college and when I’m caught up in the fast pace of college and city life and its nice to slow down, step back, and be alone in a new environment to see how I react. It helps me get back in touch with myself and what really matters to me, as I talked a little bit about in a previous post. Being out in the jungle furthered that feeling and being on the beach yesterday was a cleansing experience and today we all went through what felt like some sort of enlightening or at least a spiritual experience in which we looked in upon ourselves.
Sunity Best, who I introduced as our program manager, is more like a resource, mentor, and teacher. She welcomed us into her home that day to cook with her and to open up to us about her life. Today, in class, she helped us open up to ourselves. We had a session called Feeling Human in which she talked to us about looking in on ourselves and asking the question, “Who am I?” and to find out that answer before you end up in a midlife crisis wondering why you made decisions that didn’t lead to your own happiness. She talked about identifying others as fellow human beings and focusing on our similarities instead of superficial differences and from there to turn the spotlight on yourself and find out who you are and what makes you different. She then talked about owning your decisions and owning your life, not living for other people. We all have voices in our heads telling us what we should do and what is right and we need to either listen to those voices and make them our own or find our voice in the crowd and follow it. One thing she said which I loved was, “A problem won’t kill you, it’s what makes life interesting. Give me a problem, I’ve never seen one I didn’t like.” And her point was that in life its not about what happens to you and hoping that bad things don’t happen to you because good and bad things happen to everyone. Its all about how you choose to deal with it. She also talked about how you should give yourself permission to happiness and to invest in your passions because if you follow your passions and make an investment in them, you will be happy and they will pay off. I can’t possibly write everything that she brought up and made us think about because it was overwhelming in its scope and depth, but it was a powerful experience. I felt like even though she was talking to the whole group, she was talking directly to me because everything hit so close to how I have been feeling recently. After talking about it with the whole group, everyone felt the same way and hearing people talk about their reactions and experiences that led to those reactions brought all of us closer. After her talk I have such a positive outlook on this trip and other experiences that will help me start to figure out the answer to Sunity’s question. And now let me ask you: Who are you?

Bake N' Shark

So this food phenomenon deserves its own blog post. Also featured on Andrew Zimmern’s Bizarre foods and recommended to me by every Trini I talk to, bake n’ shark was top of my list of foods to try. After today it is top of my list of foods ever. At Maracas Beach there is a place called Richard’s which is the best place to get the specialty apparently. Our driver, Ivan, drove Andrew Zimmern to the place for the tv show and we heard from others that it was the best place hands down. I’m one to trust the locals’ suggestions so we hit it up. I ordered one bake n’ shark and the man behind the counter sliced open a fresh roll, plopped two pieces of fried shark into the sandwich and handed it to me. To complete the sandwich, there was a whole table full of condiments and after observing those before me I realized it was typical to put a couple dollops of everything. Cilantro sauce, hot garlic sauce, ketchup, mustard, mayo, cucumber, lettuce, cabbage, tomato, hot sauce, mango sauce, and pineapple. Quite a combo, but let me tell you, it all comes together in a concoction of pure deliciousness. I now understand why this is always recommended and I plan on eating many more while I am here. YUM.
Here's the clip from Andrew Zimmern's Bizarre Food to give you a better idea: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zh9CWFcps1w

Bush Trekking and Beach Bumming

When we asked a past Trinity student about Christo Adonis and what he was like she just gave us a smirk and said, “I’ll let you guys find out for yourselves”. That was a slightly unsettling and intriguing way to go into a day of bush trekking in the jungle. We had no idea what to expect. In my mind I imagined a grueling hike into the mountains, being dehydrated and in pain all day and being led by an intense guy with no tolerance for weakness. But my expectations were pleasantly inaccurate.

The day started with a bus ride through the mountains lined with tall green trees and vines and flowers with stops along the way to pick a cocoa plant or a couple of mangos. Our guides were Christo Adonis, a great character, and his son Kevin. Christo is a mixed indigenous Trinidadian and has stayed connected to their traditional customs and culture. He is a shaman for the indigenous spirituality and mentors students in their spiritual healings and rituals. His connection to the indigenous movement and his status as a shaman have made him a well-known name in the region so it was really cool to spend the day with him. He entertained us with good humor and information on everything we wanted to know about the jungle and what we saw and did. His son Kevin is a Rastafarian and knew everything about the jungle and was so at home there. They were both so close to nature and interesting that it made the trip such a good experience. At the top of the mountain we started our hike along a river to the most beautiful waterfall I have ever seen.
The sun shone through the tall canopy, the blue butterflies flew around, the birds chirped and the crystal clear water cascaded down. It was completely unreal. True paradise. I felt so happy the whole day, feeling my feet in the water and in the dirt, feeling the sun and the waterfall crashing down, hearing the birds, sweating and getting dirty, it felt so good to be out in nature and away from everything. I felt so at peace.
Today we headed to the beach for the first time. It was breathtakingly gorgeous. We drove through the mountains to get there and the views were amazing of the cliffs down to the Caribbean sea. The beach was chill, people limin’ on the beach and in the water, families playing ball in the waves, blasting music from their cars and grooving, and just sitting around having a good time. Once again I felt disbelief at the fact that I am here in reality. Listening to reggae playing from the cars and sitting on a beach I just feel like I have been here many times before in my day dreams but now I am actually here and it is amazing. The vibe of the culture is so warm and easy and intoxicating. I find myself longing to live in a place like this, just as I felt in Cuba, where the pace is slower, people are warmer, music permeates every part of you, and the country is beautiful. One day....

Today's Menu: Bust up Shut Roti

My new favorite thing: fresh mango. And roti. And fresh grapefruit juice. And Stag beer. Even though apparently that is the man’s beer, I like to break the confines of genderized drinking categories. I love how fresh everything is. It makes a huge difference eating fresh vegetables and fruit straight from the market for good prices and then cooking it up fresh. Today we did just that and learned how to cook proper roti up on the hill in Tunapuna with Sunity at her house. As the eggplant, chicken, and chickpeas cooked and the chutney was being mixed, we lounged on the hammock on the porch, climbed the mango trees out front and indulged in the juicy yellow flesh, and chatted about whatever came to mind. We made a feast of bust up shut roti and the other kind of roti and boiled tomatoes and chickpeas and curried chicken and potatoes and eggplant. It was delicious. I can’t even tell you. Although maybe I will learn and be able to show you sometime.
Moving slowly with our satisfied full stomachs, we embarked upon the journey home which although not far would prove to seem farther in the heat of the high afternoon. We stopped into a little book store owned by one of the scholars we will be working with, Rawle Gibbons. He apparently is an important guy around here and will be teaching us a lot about Afro-Caribbean music and the Orishas religion. As we were leaving, another man walked in who introduced himself as Desmond Waite (sp?) who is a well-known calypso composer in Trinidad.
The long morning had brought us to the market full of rich colors, smells and flavors, had led us up the hill to a welcoming home and happiness through a meal, good company, and sweet mangos, and had introduced us to new people who although new to us now could soon become our close mentors and the characters of our research.
After the long walk home, dripping with sweat and almost unable to stand, we all crashed for a full-afternoon nap after which we awoke to attend our nightly meeting. We reflected on our brief time here so far in which so much has happened already. All of us are enjoying ourselves so far and everyone seems excited about everything that we are doing and everything we have planned. We mostly have had similar reactions to what we have experienced so far. We all have to adjust to the new surroundings. It is difficult to be in a place where you stick out like a sore thumb no matter where you go or what you do. If you don’t say hi sometimes people will call you out on it, something that would never happen in Boston where people rarely even make eye contact. There is also a lot of attention and cat-calling from the men but at least for me and my experience with that in Cuba, it doesn’t really phase me much but can take getting used to. It is also really intimidating to hear from almost everyone how dangerous it is here for us. Because we are so clearly foreign and don’t know the area and don’t know the people, it is super easy to be taken advantage of or to get into trouble with the wrong people. I’m always on guard in Boston but I feel completely safe and here my sensors of what is safe and unsafe and who to trust and who not to trust are completely off because the circumstances and boundaries are totally different. But the difficulties that we have along the way will only teach us more and I’m looking forward to the challenge that I feel we are being given.

Tomorrow it’s off to the bush bright and early!

Trinidad: First Impressions

I am back in the Caribbean warmth and I am already in love with this new island. The sun is hot, the people are warm, the music flows through the streets; as soon as I stepped off the plane I felt at home. The pace is welcoming and completely welcomed by me. I feel like I can slow down, not worry and just enjoy everything as it comes.
Since we arrived, I have been speechless by the beauty of the country. The city is lazy but busy, the streets lined with small shops, cafes, and homes. The narrow streets are decorated with blooming tropical flowers and mango trees and behind all of it is a backdrop of the dark green mountains. I can’t believe this is my home for the next five weeks. The whole group is pumped about the area, the people we have met so far, the music, and our projects.
The energy of the town is also really strong right now because of next week’s general elections. Next week on Monday the new prime minister will be decided so the spirits are high and the competition fierce between the political parties. We are so lucky to be here to experience it. More on this topic later because I still have much to learn about the different parties and the details about what is really going on.
So far we have met the people who will be taking care of us here in Curepe. We are staying at a place that is usually occupied by Trinity College students who have been coming here for 10 years to study abroad at the University of the West Indies (UWI). Sunity is the woman who takes care of us. Tomorrow we are going to the market with her to buy food and then back to her house to have a cooking class, Rotis: 101. We also have two chauffeurs, Ivan and Tony who drive us wherever we want to go whenever we want to get there. It is a little intimidating because we have to be super careful about safety, not walking anywhere at night, even around our neighborhood. A little different than Havana where it is safe to walk almost anywhere, day or night, even alone. It doesn’t seem too bad but I think it will take awhile for us to get used to.
Our mini-excursions to get acquainted with the area have led us to the nearby Hi-Lo supermarket, the bank, a music stand where I loaded up on local music, our first doubles experience, and our first taste of rotis. So I’m going to give you my first impression/description of these two staples, but since I know they are going to be somewhat inaccurate I might give a better description later. Doubles is a snack you can pick up at any of the little doubles stands on the side of the road. You ask for Doubles slight, medium, or pepper. We were warned that ordering a doubles pepper might land us in the nearest E.R. So I went with slight. The woman behind the counter plopped two round slices of what is kind of like the dough used for fried dough, a little thick and a little sweet but soft like naan, onto a piece of wax paper. She then spooned a chick pea mixture onto the two pieces of bread followed by a dollop of a dark substance, a dollop of a yellow mixture, a dollop of something else and then rolled it up and handed the warm roll to me. We all dug in as if it were a burrito of some sort and in the process made a mess. It wasn’t until later a new friend Gerald taught us the proper way to eat the doubles, more like you would eat Indian food with naan. The flavor was completely different than anything I had expected or have tried. It was spicy, sweet, and curry all at once. Once it hit my tongue I couldn’t get enough. So then today we decided to take a stab at roti. I had no idea what to expect from this experience so I just ordered a goat roti and a Big Red Fanta and dug in. It was amazing. The roti consisted of a Styrofoam container with a scoop of a brown sweet mixture, a scoop of mashed chickpeas, and a sweetish orange mixture of something. Then curried goat and the roti which is a large piece of a thin naan type-bread with spices in the center. You use the bread to eat the different mixtures and you end up with a delicious blend of flavors and textures. I am excited to try the different versions of these dishes and to eat them everyday.
Since I’m tired but still want to get stuff posted here’s a sum up of the other things I have liked or noticed about Trinidad: Men are persistent, people are extremely friendly, it is hot, there is nothing like fresh mango or fresh fruit juice, Carib and Stag beers are the beers to drink while in Trinidad, watch out while walking on the streets that you don’t get run over or fall into the gaping drain ditches along the side of the road, music is necessary at all times.

Just a flight away from the Caribbean heat

My bags are packed; full to the brim of tank tops, flip-flops, sunscreen, and dancing shoes. I am ready. It has only been a few months since my last international adventure and while this semester has been a blast including a 21st birthday and plenty of adventures around Boston, I am ready for something new and exciting. The bug is pulling at my backpack straps and seducing me with its thoughts of new people, warm weather, a chance to immerse myself in a new music and culture, and a new challenge to learn about myself.
For those who don't know, I am doing a Dialogue of Civilizations (a faculty-led summer semester abroad) in Trinidad. The trip is an Afro-Caribbean Music Research Project in which we will learn about ethno-musicology, Trinidadian culture, African influences on Caribbean music, and how it all comes together. The end result is a research project in which we will put together findings from our own fieldwork, interviews, and research.
As the early morning flight to Port-of-Spain creeps closer, I am thinking back to past travels, mostly on Cuba as it feels so similar to the feeling I had over a year ago when I was about to embark on that journey with a different group of people. After spending a weekend with the majority of those amazing people, I am excited to experience this group and how our dynamics will be and what our interactions will be like. I have hope that it will be great and that we all become really close. So far, I feel like everyone is really cool and that we will have a lot of fun in the next 5 weeks.
I also look back upon how much my Cuban experience changed my life in so many ways. It changed who I am, how I see myself, how I see others, and the world. I know this trip will also have an effect on me and I am curious to see how.
But since I can't see into the future I guess I will just step aboard that flight at 5:30 am Wednesday morning, step off into the 95 degree/ 95% humidity sauna, and let it all happen.

Por fin: Memories of my December trip to CUBA

So as many of you know, I returned to Cuba a third time this past December for winter break. I had the full intention of blogging about it and kept a journal, but I found that when I came back, my experience had honestly been more emotional and personal then interesting blogging material. It was an amazing trip but it was mostly hanging out and enjoying the time with everyone and trying to figure out my life. The long days consisted of different eating establishments and my best memories of the trip revolve around our meals and where we ate and the events that surrounded the meal such as the time that I split my finger open when I attempted to pull in a chair that was not actually nailed together at 7Mares our fave seafood restaurant. Or when we went to El Caramelo and the fried chicken that looked heavenly on the outside was raw on the inside and we both basically crawled home to bed with horrible stomachaches. Or when we walked 20 minutes in cold rain past the John Lennon statue to Jose’s favorite street pizza joint which needless to say was not really worth the cold walk but I loved every bite of that pizza. Or when we cooked whatever we could find and afford in the kitchen at Jose’s house, using a rock to mince the marinade and tenderize the beef, a piece of tin to grate the weird-tasting cheese, and rusty scissors to open a bottle of Soroa  to accompany the meal.
When we weren’t eating or planning where to eat, we danced, went on random photo adventures to different parts of the city, sat on the Malecon and talked or daydreamed, talked to random people on the street, or chilled at a friends house enjoying the company, good music, and some drinks. Every day crawled by lazily and even though the temperatures were at record lows, I feel those days now with warmth. My connections grew stronger, I fell more in love, I learned about people, I learned about myself. It was a brave trip I think and I didn’t really realize that when I booked it. It was daring of me to go back, to see Jose again despite everything that had gone on throughout the year and all the things I didn’t know. I maybe was crazy to go by myself and spend all that money just to be with Jose and try to make things work. But I did it. And I don’t regret anything. Although I took those trips back to Cuba so soon because I had Jose as an excuse, I was there for myself. Even with the confusion that Cuba relentlessly provides, the occasional heartbreak, the cold bucket showers, and missing toilet seats, I have never been as happy as I feel when I am there. And I can’t explain it. Even if you gave me hours and days to explain. I couldn’t. Because I don’t even understand.

Adventures with a Cuban boy: Ya se acabo

The "Adventures with a Cuban boy" string of posts have come to an end since Jose and I decided to end things, but I have a feeling that the actual adventures will never be completely over and even if they are, they will always stay with me because of the things that I learned from him and because of him. While on the subject of Cuban men, I want to address the issue of dating them. I have been optimistic about Cuban men despite all the warnings that people drilled into me, all the stories I heard, and I want to stay that way but stereotypes exist for a reason. Cubans are known for being manipulatively charming, attractive, and mostly chilling with a gringa for money or a ticket out. Although of course not all Cuban men are like that but think about it... If you already knew everyone in your neighborhood and most of the city, were in a dead end job that didn’t pay enough to buy food, and had no chance of leaving the place where you have always lived and never really changed, wouldn’t you want to spend time with the tourists or students who visit? They are usually willing to take you out so they can have a good time with the locals, bringing you to places you can't afford to go by yourself, and they have stories about the outside world that aren’t being fed to you by socialized media. I mean, I would. I'm not trying to justify using people but I also don’t blame them and I don’t judge them. But it gets complicated when a relationship actually begins. I have been judged and gotten weird looks for admitting that I was with a Cuban for so long, "Don't you know he just wants a ticket out?", "Be careful", etc...But I knew the situation I was getting into and I let myself, partly for the naive thought that he was different. And maybe he is. Either way, I feel like it is best to not trust them, even if they may actually be genuine. Then at least you are covering your ass for better or worse. I don't however think that Cuban men should be avoided or scrutinized. After all, relationships are never easy and bad things happen in relationships no matter where the people are from. Just be aware and understanding instead of critical because if you find someone you love, it's worth it to know them and at least try, no matter the circumstances. I knew all of that before I got involved and I knew it during and I know it now. I knew what was coming, I knew what was going on, I knew what would happen. But at the same time I didn’t know and I still don’t and probably never will. Does that make sense? Probably not but there ya go. Asi es la vida…and I wouldn’t take any of it back.