Trinidad # 3 "Nicing" Up De Place

If you know anything about Trinidad culture, you will know that Christmas is the time when everyone makes that extra effort to make their homes more beautiful and/or replace existing furniture and appliances with brand new ones (thanks to all the no deposit/take it home for 3 mths credit. etc. available) This is something that most people do and in just the space of a month before and after Christmas, homes are completely transformed.

When I got home, our house was being repainted to match all the blooming flowers in the front yard and I got right into the swing of things. I am not really one for DIY but I do enjoy painting with some sing-along music to keep me distracted. We did this for the first three days I was there and it was well worth it.

Here I am all messed up with paint as well as the front of the house with all the plants. (Not that I had anything to do with the beautiful plants)

Trinidad # 2 Family History: Lost Forever?

One of the things I was hoping to accomplish while in Trinidad was to visit some relatives and try to get some information about my grandparents and great grandparents. This proved to be much more difficult than anticipated.

I visited my father's two sisters, the only ones left of his many siblings and was very disappointed with their responses. They could not give me any names of either of their grandparents and I could not help but think they could not be bothered by what is past.

I was certain at least one of them would be able to give me something to work on but I got nothing, absolutely nothing. I left their homes feeling like the day was a complete and all the family's history was lost forever. The sad part is that it is lost. If they don't want to talk about it or don't remember, then it is lost for sure and there is nothing I can do about it.

On my mother's side, there is one of her mother's sister still alive but at 75, there was little she could tell. Turns out most of the older Indians in Trinidad used only one name and children never used the proper names of their parents and grandparents. This resulted in another dead end with the other side of the family long forgotten. So much for that.

The picture is of my father's youngest sister and another of his older sister.

Trinidad # 1

Before leaving for Trinidad on Dec 19th I was way too busy with finals ans other school activities to really fell the excitement of going home but by the time I got there and stepped out of the airport, I was ready for five weeks in the sun.

I was met by my mother and sister Molly as well as my friend rakesh and his wife Anjanie and their adorable daughter Adrianna. Turns out that Adrianna's b-day is they same as mine so from my 39th, we celebrate together.

My day was spent at home eating some much needed home cooked curry and then we were off to the mall to hang out and relax.

Here are some pics from that first day. You can see all the persons I mentioned as we hung out at home and at the mall.

Trinidad to New York

After five weeks in Trinidad and Tobago I was not prepared for the cold of the NY Winter. My first day here made me want to stay in bed all wrapped up in blankets but I had to face reality and eventually leave the house.
Now that life is back to normal, that is, no warm days in the sun on the beach, I have to face my fourth semester of college as well as all the topics I want to blog about and also catching up with friends that I seem to have lost touch with in the past few weeks.
So, get ready, look out for regular updates and tons of photos from my trip back home where I spent my first Christmas in Trinidad in four years.

School Is Out! Its Vacation Time in the Sun!

Maracas Here I Come!!!! (see pic)

My Fall semester is finally over and you will not believe how relieved I am right now...or maybe you do. This has been one heck of a day and even though I was prepared (at least pretty much) my nerves ran ragged during the course of the day.

But that is all behind me now so lets talk about the future! Tomorrow morning, Wednesday, at 6 am, I will be flying home to Trinidad and Tobago for my first Christmas in four years there so I am excited but pretty tired too so not much energy for excitement.

I am glad I will be getting home during the day so I can sit and chat with everyone there and catch up which means...for the next month I will be posting from Trinidad.

Time to go now and enjoy the evening having dinner and packing so I promise to be back real soon.

Canada II: Snow, Snow and more Snow!!!

One of the highlights of the trip was seeing the most snow in my life. I first saw snow in London and then in Northern Ireland where I there was enough to build a snowman but this was real snow. It was on the trees, on the pathway and on the cars and best of all, it was not melting.

Pam and her husband Francois and his daughter Gabriela, together with Jon and me went to Gantineau Park and spend one afternoon and boy, did I have the time of my life. No more looking at movies or cards with snow in them...I was in the snow and as cold as it was, it was exhilarating as well.

Needless to say the time passed quickly and we had to head home but no before there were snow fights all around, some serious tobogganing and lots of skidding. I could have spent the entire day there just walking and playing in the snow. I have to do this again! Speacial thanks to the Seignorets' for their hospitality!

Canada Here I Come! I

Considering the fact that my sister is living in Canada for the better part of twenty years, one would think that's where I would go when I do visit Canada but that was not the case. With her blessing (which she forgot she gave) I visited my friend (of 17 years) an her husband in Ottawa.

Since I came to the US to study I always expected to visit the second largest country in the world but Ottawa was the furthest place from my mind by with some planning from my rommie and my friend I found myself at the Canadian High Commission in NY. After a series of questions, and the office being satisfied that I had no plans to get married and settle in Canada (me, settle anywhere...God forbid!) he was nice enough to grant me a visa to visit his lovely country.

The overnight trip was just that...overnight...and we had a snow white Canada awaiting us in addition to an excited best friend. You would think it was Santa arriving but arrive we did and it was a blast. We had what was supposed to be breakfast at 1pm and did not move from the table till after 5pm when the man of the house came in.

The weekend was a blast and here are some photos to it prove . Checkout Jon, Pamela and me in from of the house to begin with.