Category: Caribbean

Submitted by Alexa Craig on the 2019 winter session program in Barbados sponsored by the Department of Human Development and Family Sciences and the Department of Hospitality Business Management…

My first week here was amazing! We toured the whole island, which is possible because it’s so small. However, it seemed so much bigger during our tour! We were able to visit all of the coast and 9 out of the 11 parishes. The island itself is absolutely beautiful. We had a traditional meal which include mac pie, local fish and other common food eaten on the island. Lunch was amazing. I enjoy tasting all of the different local fishes. The photo was taken on the east coast of the island which is the side connected to the Atlantic Ocean. This spot was filled with tourists viewing the large boulders and locals selling different trinkets such as necklaces, bracelets, cover ups (pictured in the back) and country flags.

Submitted by Mallory Davis on the 2019 winter session program in Dominica sponsored by the Department of Geography…

January 20^th marks our third week on the beautiful island of Dominica. Today, we had a very early start to our day to make our way to the boat where we would begin our day of ocean experiences. For our first excursion, we headed out to sea to Champagne Beach; a small beach that gets its name from the bubbles that rise from the ocean’s surface due to the island’s volcanic activity. Off the shore of Champagne Beach are multiple reefs, where we could snorkel and see some aquatic life. Some of the aquatic life included fire coral, sea urchins, puffer fish, parrot fish, and several blue tang fish. After exploring the reefs for a couple of hours, we headed out on the boat again and headed farther out to sea for a whale watching experience. Our guides explained all the different kinds of sea life that we could potentially see; sperm whales, orca whales, humpback whales, some smaller whale species, and multiple different dolphin species. While our guides made it very clear that they couldn’t promise we’d see any whales, we were lucky enough to see a total of five sperm whales at the surface of the water. We could watch them socialize with one another, watch a calf feed from its mother and dive deep into the water and flash us their tails. The excursion took a little over three hours, but we were fortunate to learn so much about these majestic creatures in such a short amount of time.

We had a lot of time to rest the next couple of days and get ready for our next excursion, Morne Diablotin (Devil Mountain) which is the tallest peak in Dominica and the second tallest in the Lesser Antilles. It is located in the northern interior of the island, about 15 miles north of Dominica’s capital (and our home for a month) Roseau. Once we arrived at the mountain’s trail entrance, we soon realized that it was unable to be hiked due to over growth of vegetation and parts of the trail being damaged by Hurricane Maria. Instead, we took the Waitukubuli National Trail, which was about a four hour hike. We saw an abundance of vegetation, fallen trees, and many different animals. I spotted my first stick bugs, who were mating on a leaf, saw multiple parrots fly over our heads, caught a small snake, and watched a 5-foot boa constrictor slither its way into the woods. The first half of the trail was easy and was cleared enough to where you could easily navigate a trail. It wasn’t until the second half of the hike when it became a lot more difficult. It was all downhill and very slippery from the rain that was consistently pouring down on us. It was very important to watch where you stepped as there were mudslides everywhere and tree roots sticking out of the ground that were easy to trip on. That being said, one boy in the group lost his balance, fell, and landed his hand on a stick. Luckily, I had a first aid kit and could wrap up his hand. He had to be escorted down the mountain by two very selfless group members, who risked their lives to make sure he felt safe. We finally made it down the mountain after about 4four hours. While there were some very challenging aspects of the hike, it was very rewarding to finish and prepared us for the next hikes to come.

Submitted by Alexa Craig on the 2019 winter session program in Barbados sponsored by the Department of Human Development and Family Sciences and the Department of Hospitality Business Management…

This week we spent a lot of time between the primary school classrooms and the beach. The school I’m in is absolutely amazing! I love the children and the teacher that I was placed with. The kids here are so smart and well behaved. My teacher was super welcoming, offering me places to eat and advising me on things to do to make my experience more memorable. The schools are different from home as they are very open in structure. The buildings are designed so that a nice breeze flows through during the day.

I’ve found that the locals here are very welcoming and helpful as we make our way around the island. Many of them have answered our questions and shown us tip and tricks for the island. It’s very exciting to experience such a welcoming culture.

Submitted by Meghan Bennett on the 2019 winter session program in Bermuda sponsored by the School of Marine Science & Policy…

One of my favorite places I visited during my time in Bermuda was Glass Beach. I had heard of Glass Beach on some travel websites and decided to check it out during my last weekend there. The story behind Glass Beach is that back when the Royal Navy controlled the Dockyards in Bermuda they would use the site as a dumping ground for glass. Today, the beach is absolutely covered in sea glass. There was so much sea glass that there wasn’t even enough open sand to put a beach towel down. The beach is mostly covered in green and brown sea glass, but if you looked hard enough you could find some blue, yellow, and even purple pieces. I have always loved collecting sea glass and shells and could have spent all day sifting through the glass looking for the best pieces.

While this was easily the most unique beach I had ever been to, I noticed it had something in common with every other beach we had been to in Bermuda: trash. With every handful of sea glass I picked up, there was at least a few small pieces of plastic mixed in. The trash on these beaches was not like the trash we find on the beaches on the East Coast. In the United States, it’s mostly large pieces of trash such as entire water bottles, or plastic bags that had just been dumped. In Bermuda, the beaches are littered with small bits of plastic. The plastic in Bermuda is not all coming from its residents. It’s plastic from all over the world that gets trapped in the Sargasso Sea and ends up on these beautiful beaches.

Seeing all of these beaches littered with the world’s trash has made me a lot more aware of my contributions to the growing plastic problem. It made me realize that the plastic we use here can end up anywhere. Since I have been home, I have taken steps to reduce my use of single use plastics and have encouraged my family and friends to do the same.

Submitted by Rachel King on the 2019 winter session program in Dominica sponsored by the Department of Geography…

Monday January 21st, 2019 – (Feeling like a Local)

It’s Martin Luther King Day, so we had the day off and we all decided it would be best to be spent at Mero Beach. Before we left, we all went out into the city to find lunch and snacks to bring to the beach to save us some money. As we were walking around town some of the locals who have seen us for two weeks now, asked us how we we’re doing and didn’t lump us in with the tourists from the cruise ship which felt great. As a result of the cruise ship and another ship being docked, Mero was much more crowded than the last time we were there and they were charging to use chairs and the cabanas (shade). Luckily, the lady who runs the beach restaurant and chairs recognized us and knew we weren’t there for just the day, so she cut us a deal; instead of paying $5USD for shade she only charged us $5EC which is a big difference. Throughout the day, it kept happening that once the locals realized we were students that have been here for a while and staying for a few more weeks, they stopped trying to sell us fruit or souvenirs and instead asked how we were enjoying our stay and what we’ve done. A lot of them also would try and tell us other things that they enjoy doing or their favorite restaurants. There was a volleyball net set up on the beach and we played a game as well, while we were playing, there were various people watching us, probably all laughing as we burned our feet on the gray sand. As we left the beach, a student from the Alpha Center recognized some of us and came running over and gave us hugs. Schamil was so excited to see us, especially Justin, and asked if we were going to come back to the school to volunteer again. It’s moments like that, that are making this study abroad such an once in a life time experience, to have such an impact on the people here and the impact they are having on us. Even at dinner, we ran into another local, JD, who we’ve encountered a few times. He  came out to the port and watched the sunset with us as we ate dinner. Although we may not have class today, it was apparent to me that we’re learning here regardless of where we are or what we are doing.

Thursday January 24th, 2019 – (Frogs, Lizards, & Iguanas)

Today was packed full of new experiences, friends, and animals. We started off the morning with a guest lecture from Machel Sulton and Jeanelle Brisbane who work for Dominica’s Forestry and Wildlife Division and WildDomique (local NGO). They went into depth about the major invasive species on the island; the Cuban tree frog and the green iguana (stripped iguana). In class, they actually took out two green iguanas and let us hold them and showed us how to identify them compared to the local iguana. One of the iguanas was caught earlier in the week and the write up hadn’t been done yet so Jeanelle and Machel let us help out in the process. We were able to take body measurements, pictures, identify sex, and take blood samples. I had never experienced anything like that before and was extremely excited to be a part of it and was eager to volunteer that night to catch the Cuban Tree Frogs in Portsmouth. In Portsmouth, we all got headlights or flashlights and were taught how to differentiate between the native tree frog and the Cuban tree frog. It was a blast walking around being able to hear the frogs, but not always being able to find them. Not only did we see frogs, but we were able to find other insects and lizards; we even spotted an iguana and a goat. That night, we ended up capturing over 60 frogs and many of us want to go back next week to volunteer again. On the ride back to Roseau (hour long) we exchanged stories, sang songs together, and they told us how hard our hike was going to be the next day. Overall, it was a day to remember and made me realize how many opportunities we are getting to enjoy in our time here in Dominica.

Friday January 25th, 2019 – (Conquering Challenges)

Waking up at 6:00am after getting home late from volunteering catching Cuban frogs the night before, all of us were slightly worried about our hike at Morne Diablotin. An hour car ride later, we arrived at the trail, but Dr. Seraphin says the trail isn’t cleared, so instead we’re hiking the Syndicate Trail, segment 11 of the Waitukubuli National Trail. We’re only walking one way whereas Colombo, our driver, is going to walk from the opposite side and meet us somewhere on the trail. The first hour was a nice walk, along a neatly cleaned trail; there was some mud, rocks, and fallen trees to navigate, but not as difficult as we were all thinking. We spent a lot of time looking at the different plants and looking at the various wildlife. We were able to see two sisserou parrots, a small snake, stick bugs, moths, a black crab, lizards, snails, frogs, and even a boa constrictor! The next portion of the hike got a little bit harder, the path narrowed, it became steeper and more covered with roots and rocks. A slight rain had started to pick up making the ground muddy and slippery.  A fellow student was  climbing down over a fallen down tree trunk and slipped and fell to the ground. As they fell, they reached their hand out to catch themselves and a small stick ended up making a small cut in their hand. Most of the group was ahead and they just heard a weird noise and didn’t know what it was until another student called out “does anyone have a Band-Aid?”. That got everyone’s attention.  We all rushed back as quickly, but as safely as we could. Of course the rain decides to pick up and come down hard on us at this time, as two people wrap up and clean the hand, a few of us get a rain jacket and hold it over their heads to try and keep the area dry and the rain off them. Fifteen minutes later we’re back up and walking slowly down the trail allowing ample time for the hurt student to get their footing, but with one hand wrapped, it was difficult for them to keep their balance and they kept on slipping. Myself and another peer worked together holding onto hands and arms carefully picking a path down the mountain. There were sections of the trail where we had to stop and strategy the best path to take because the injured student was still in shock and couldn’t manage the descent by themselves. Some of the hardest parts was when there were ropes that we had to hold on to as we went down, one of us went first to find the most sturdy path and the other held on with one hand and had a hand on their back for support. There were also sections that were just downhill mud with a few roots and rocks sticking out for footholds, but even those were rough to use, because they were coated in mud. During these times I lead, going backward down the mountain and holding their hand. After two hours of teamwork, some sliding, numerous steady hands and a few almost trips, we made it down the mountain. It was one of the more difficult things I’ve ever had to do. Not only did I myself have to physically make it through the hike, but I also became responsible for making sure someone else made it down, too. By the time we made it to Colombo and back to the van, I was mentally drained and ready for lunch and a long nap. I’m glad to say that I am able to complete a hike that is considered difficult without issues and we were able to see how we all came together when someone needed help.

Saturday January 26th, 2019

Fort Shirley is located on the north west portion of the island, where it sits above a small bay where many ships and boats harbor.  Here we learned about how this location was used for many years as a sort of base for military operations protecting the island from intruders. Mr. Churchill gave us a tour of the grounds and was extremely insightful about the progress of restoration and how things were used back in the day versus what they’re used for now. It’s also amazing that Mr. Churchill was the one who started the motion of restoring Fort Shirley instead of letting it continue to crumble to ruins. While we were walking around, we were able to find various shells shots, lead balls, and other artifacts left over from the days of cannons and rifles. We also got an up close look at some adapted trees and plants where the leaves and trunks were covered in spikes, this is to try to deter and stop creatures from crawling up and eating the fruit and seeds. After the tour, we stopped at Turtle Beach, a small bay dotted with ships and a shelf that extended over 20 feet out.

Submitted by Jessica Bergbauer on the 2019 winter session program in Barbados sponsored by the Department of Human Development and Family Sciences and the Department of Hospitality Business Management…

It was another great week here in Barbados. I am spending my time interning at the nation’s HIV/AIDS Commission where I follow a social worker to learn more about the ins and outs of the field, as well as gain a hands-on experience. Earlier this week, we were privileged to partner with the Youth Affairs Department and go out into the field. We went to different “blocks” on the island to register youth on the streets and direct them towards employment or educational programs. I engaged with the locals and learned about the historic roots of the Rastafarian lifestyle. This wonderful opportunity continued when we were invited to share our experiences on the local broadcasting network here in Barbados, CBC (Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation).

It was very humbling to interact with the impoverished areas of Barbados to learn more about much of the citizen’s reality. Despite the hardships, I am consistently amazed by the Bajan people’s dedication to support and care for all people. The kindness and welcoming environments I have encountered have been entirely shocking, yet comforting to humanity as a whole.

Each day when I eagerly enter my internship, I am always astounded by the schedule of events and opportunities that are prepared and organized by our social worker, Cecilia.

I cannot believe it has already been two weeks! While I feel as if I have adapted to the culture, there is still much to learn, enjoy and do. I am stoked to soak up the sun during these remaining days in beautiful Barbados!

Submitted by Melissa Rosales on the 2019 winter session program in Barbados sponsored by the Department of Human Development and Family Sciences and the Department of Hospitality Business Management…

From placements in the primary schools, I have learned to be more patient and accepting. I have discovered that the school system and structure here in Barbados is very different from the one in the United States. One aspect of that difference has to do with how heavily the schools are influenced by religion here. I have also learned to get out of my comfort zone, as I am not used to being an aid for teachers, or speaking with large groups of children at one time. I have learned to assert myself in situations in which children are not following directions. I have also gained an understanding of Bajan culture within the schools and materials they use for learning.

This experience has helped me better understand Bajan culture and the influence the culture has on Barbadian education. For example, the workbooks they use in class are titled “Caribbean” versions of workbooks, so the math problems they have are relatable to the culture. For example, there is a math problem which asks children to count how many fish they are buying at the fish market. Fish markets are common here and so a question like this would be relatable to many children. Another thing that has helped me better understand the culture here, is witnessing the prayers that happen throughout the day. Seeing this happen, made me realize how much faith both the children and faculty have in God, and their religion. It is interesting to see this in public primary schools, since this would not be considered appropriate in the United States.

Submitted by Grace McKenna on the 2019 winter session study abroad program in Martinique sponsored by the Department of Languages, Literatures & Cultures…

This week, we had our mini-internships at various locations, and we hiked the volcano on the island, Mount Pelée. I don’t know which one was tougher. Everything, of course, was a lot of fun, but they had various challenges in their own ways. The first day of the internship, I arrived at the elementary school with the other eight students who were doing their internship at the school, and I was just overwhelmed and scared by all of the things that were going on. Children were stopping to stare at us, and teachers were asking us why we were there. It wasn’t until the headmistress came out that everybody knew what was going on.

We then picked classrooms to help in, and we were told we could group up. However, my roommate was taken from me to participate in the music class, because she has a really good singing voice. I don’t know if it was me, or if I just had the shyest group of third graders that have ever existed, but after she left, it was pretty quiet and uncomfortable in the class. When they finally warmed up to me, I had to leave for the day.

The second day, all the children wanted to do was braid my hair. We were surrounded by little girls everywhere, all of them asking in rapid French “comment t’appelle?” (what’s your name?) over and over again. I started thinking that these children don’t tell each other anything, because so many asked my name. Then I realized that it’s just because “Grace” is one of the hardest names to pronounce, in English or in French. Nobody names their child “Grace” in France, that’s a word that’s reserved for speaking about the Bible and God. So, it was just weird for them, and they didn’t know what to call me, until they all finally resorted to calling me “Grease”.

For the Mount Pelée hike, if I’m being entirely honest, I’m glad it was thunderstorming on the top of the mountain that day. I don’t think I could’ve made it that far, no matter how badly I wanted to. We hiked as far as we were allowed, to the point where we could see the crater at the top. It was foggy, windy, and rainier than anything I’d ever felt, so pictures were out of the question. My thighs, arms, back, feet, basically my whole body is sore. But at the end of the day, everything this past week has put me through, has been worth it. I wouldn’t want to learn about French children’s games in any other way, and I don’t think I would be pleased with myself if I had missed out on hiking a volcano. Throughout this whole program, I am learning about myself in ways I never could have imagined. I learned that I love hiking, no matter how hard it is, and that I love swimming in the clear blue waters. Working with children is an amazing experience, and I can’t wait to see what this final week has in store for me.

Submitted by Lindsey Auerbach on the 2019 winter session program in Barbados sponsored by the Department of Human Development and Family Sciences and the Department of Hospitality Business Management…

Our first cultural excursion was a historical tour of the island. Joanne and Dr. Gaines-Hanks said we would be driving around the island and to the countryside. I thought to myself, how “country” of a countryside could Barbados actually be?” We got to this one stop, Cherry Tree Hill. No picture can do this place justice. I’m mesmerized. When you think of Barbados, you think of beaches and rum and clubs, but Cherry Tree Hill is the exact opposite. I stood on a hill overlooking a huge part of the island. There was a nice breeze, and the view made me feel at peace. I realized there is always more to something than what you initially think. Even though, we had only been in Barbados for a few days at this point, this overlook gave me a calm feeling which allowed me to reflect on what has happened so far in my journey to Barbados. This country is beautiful and in order to really know the life and culture of the Bajan people, you need to experience every part of it and the countryside is one of them.