Submitted by Travis Johnson on the 2024 Winter HDFS program in Barbados…
The first week in Barbados was packed with lessons, excursions and experiences that helped familiarize the group with the island and its culture. The first day primarily consisted of travel, with students arriving in Bridgetown, Barbados from Baltimore, Boston, New York and Philadelphia. Dr. Gaines-Hanks, our program director greeted us at the airport upon arrival, and coordinated a bus ride to our place of residence for the trip from there. During our ride to the hotel, the group quickly began to realize the beauty of the island, with breathtaking views of the Caribbean Sea from the crests of the country’s rolling hills, and the palm tree lined streets. We ended the first day with a group dinner, and despite everyone’s long travel days, the group was energetic and excited for experience we were about to embark upon.
Over the next two days, the group began its program introduction, classes and reflections. Our first class focused on getting all of the students introduced to each other, as the group comprises of students from many different majors. The following day, our class focused more on the Bajan and Caribbean culture. A guest speaker taught us about the different types of Caribbean music, and how many concepts in the music are seen in genres around the world, such as polyrhythms and use of call and response. After learning the components of Caribbean music, we learned two popular Bajan songs. To close out the third day, we traveled to Bridgetown to have a very nice dinner with two representatives from the US Embassy in Barbados, who welcomed us to the country, and shared stories from their careers before answering our questions and sharing dinner with us.
The first week also consisted of some excursions and activities that allowed us to experience some of the recreational opportunities the island has to offer. On the first full day, Dr. Gaines-Hanks took us for a walking tour of our local community, Holetown, stopping by various points of interest in the community such as the grocery store, popular restaurants, the beach, and an
outdoor mall. The next day, our group spent time on the beach, enjoying the calm water of the Caribbean and local foods such as fish cakes, and later spent time with members of the other UD Study Abroad group that is also in Barbados for the winter. To end our week, the group went out on a boat tour and snorkeling, seeing countless fish and turtles, and even an old
shipwreck. The first week in Barbados allowed for us to get familiar with the Island and experience its beauty, but we also learned a lot about the culture. From things like our music history lesson, to simply noticing that everyone here says hello in passing and treats your like family, we are beginning to understand the culture which we are in. As the first week comes to a close, we will begin preparing for the beginning of our teaching placements next week. (Submitted on January 9, 2024)