Submitted by Jasmine Anthony on the 2015 winter session program in Barbados sponsored by the Department of Human Development and Family Studies and the Department of Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional Management…
To say that my first week was incredible is doing a great injustice to my experience. Barbados, in such a short period of time, has come to feel like my home. The factor responsible for this sentiment is the people of Barbados or the “Bajans” as they call themselves. From our tour guide Mr. Ian to the people we meet while exploring the island, everyone has treated us so kindly. Mr. Ian in particular has made this week uniquely enriching and enjoyable. Mr. Ian served as our tour guide on Tuesday. He organized the most amazing tour I have ever been on in my life.
We traveled through the entire island which is only 21 miles long and 14 miles wide. Although we saw a variety of historical and cultural landmarks, the two sites that impacted me the most were the Sunbury Plantation and the Codrington College. The history of the Sunbury Plantation stretches as far back as the 17th century as the British began to colonize the island. This plantation was one of the largest on the island and produced several different crops including yams, vegetables, and most importantly, sugar cane.
The Sunbury Plantation made an impression on me because of the portion of history no one likes to talk about, slavery. As an African American, visiting a plantation stirred mixed emotions inside me. The fact I am now able to visit a plantation shows that my people have overcome this form of oppression. Simultaneously, the dark history associated with the plantation disturbed me.
Conversely, the Codrington College visit put me at peace. Located in the parish of Saint John, this Anglican theology school trained some of Barbados most famous religious leaders including Alfred Pakenham Berkeley, who became the Bishop of Barbados. The college now serves as a historic landmark. The site is very quiet, but not in an eerie way. It is a very calming quiet, one of stillness and tranquility. The sensation of peace that so gently washed over me as I walked through the college was unlike anything I have ever felt. Mr. Ian said that people often come to Codrington to mediate and relax. After visiting it, I wholeheartedly understand why. I must return before I leave!
Overall, my first week has been phenomenal. I do not remember the last time I had this much fun learning about another culture. I hope as the program progresses that I can fully immerse myself into the Bajan way of life and allow the experience to help me grow as an individual.