Submitted by Jocelyn Juliano on the 2024 Winter CIEG program in Barbados …
After my second week in Barbados, I am definitely starting to settle in and getting used to living here. The workload has also started to pick up, but I am making sure to balance my schedule with still getting to enjoy the island and making the most of my days. My usual day here consists of getting up early for class, which is from 8-11am, and then I usually do homework for a couple of hours, and then I go to the beach, or I will go to the beach right after class and then come back in the afternoon to do homework. Either way, it has been so nice to get to go to the beach on most days while we are here. I also have enjoyed getting to experience the food in Barbados. A lot of us have been going to dinner a lot to get to try the food of the island, as well as getting to experience more of the culture here. Some of my favorite dishes have been blackened tuna at a restaurant called the SeaCat, which is across the street from where we are staying, as well as some of the local beach restaurants that have very good food for an easy dinner on the beach. I think a major part of living somewhere is getting to try the food, and I have definitely been trying a lot of new food.
Some other things that we have been doing have been going on field trips around the island. This week, we went on a field trip to the west coast of the island. We got to see a lot of the different beaches on the west coast. We are staying on the west coast, but it was really cool to see the other beaches. We also related a lot of it to coastal engineering and things that we have been learning about in class, so it was really informative and interesting. The picture I added was from one of the beaches on the west coast tour that we got to see. We also stopped at a restaurant at the end of the trip and talked to fishermen about their experience fishing here and to learn more about the coasts, and about sea level rise that has been happening on the island. Overall, I have been learning so much about the island, and I am so excited for the next few weeks here! (Submitted on January 22, 2024)
A Busy Week in Barbados
The past few weeks have been so fun and such a great learning experience in many ways, from learning more about coastal engineering and Matlab, to also learning a lot about the culture and how to live in another country. It feels like I have been here for a long time, but it is also flying by, but each day is different and exciting.
This week was very busy but a lot of fun. We had another field day, this time to the east coast of Barbados. It was so cool to see the coast line and the different beaches since they are so different from the west coast which is where we were staying. The beaches on the west coast are calm and very swimmable, but on the east coast, there are a lot of cliffs, rock formations in the water, and rough waves. I added pictures below of one of the cliffs that we got to see, as well as a popular location called Bathsheba, which is known for the large rock formations that can be seen in the pictures. We also went to a lighthouse and toured the site, which was on a cliff and had incredible views of the island. It was amazing to see and a great way to learn about the coast while also exploring the island. Another day this week, we got to go to a local school and go for a hike with the students. We first participated in a tsunami drill with them, which consisted of walking up a very steep hill towards the interior of the island, and then we went for a 3 mile hike around the island and on the beach. It was a very rewarding experience and helped me to learn a lot about the culture on the island. Other than that, we had an exam this week, and we have also been busy with school, but we definitely make time to explore the island and experience the culture, and I am really loving the island of Barbados. (Submitted on January 29, 2024)
Last Week in Barbados
I can’t believe it is already time to leave Barbados. I had such a great experience and learned so much over the past month about the culture in Barbados, and what it is like to live in another country. During the last week of our trip, we had a few fun things planned for the group. On Saturday, we went on another field day and went to Harrison’s cave, Animal Flower cave, Andromeda gardens, and a few other places around the island. Harrison’s cave was the first stop of the day, and we got to take a tour of the cave. It is a popular tourist destination in Barbados, and it was so cool to see and learn more about the cave and the island. We went to the gardens next and walked around for a while and got to see a lot of native plants and beautiful gardens. Animal Flower cave is another popular destination, and I added a picture of the cave below. The cave is in a cliff and overlooks the ocean once you are inside of it. Sometimes, you are able to swim in an area in the cave, however, the waves were too rough the day that we went. Some other things that we did this week include going to a popular farmers market, where I bought a few paintings to hang up in my room. There were a lot of local stands with paintings, jewelry, food, and other handmade pieces. We also tried out a different beach on the island which was fun to explore. Other than that, the last week consisted of doing homework, presentations, and an exam, as well as a few group dinners to spend our last few nights together with everyone. I really had the best time in Barbados and made great friendships and memories that I will never forget. I learned a lot about myself in the process too, and I am so grateful for the experience, and would definitely recommend doing study abroad! (Submitted on February 3, 2024)
