By: Aquella Farr
Contributing Writer
Fifteen DU students took the university’s first-ever study abroad trip to Trinidad and Tobago in early March. The original trip was planned for the first time two years ago but was canceled due to COVID. One student, Aquella Farr wrote about her experience.
Over spring break, I had the opportunity to study abroad in Trinidad and Tobago for one week. I spent the week submerging myself in the culture. Trinidad and Tobago are beautiful twin islands in the Caribbean. They were first inhabited by the Indians, before being taken over by the Spanish, French and then the English. Just like Britain, Trinidad, and Tobago drive on the left side of the road with right sided steering wheels.
One thing you will immediately notice is the beautiful architect and landscaping. Some buildings still stand decades later. The magnificent seven are seven beautiful mansions located on Maraval Road in the St. Claire neighborhood of Trinidad. My two favorites were the White Hall (reminds me of the white house), and the Queen’s Royal Castle.
While in Tobago I was able to see how the men caught fish. They would go out on the water and drop big nets. Then they would bring them to shore and sort them into crates. However, they must watch out for the hungry birds trying to steal some fish. I tried king fish for the first time in Tobago. Living so close to the water means fresh fish all the time!
One of my favorite parts of the experience had to be the lecture we received from former University of West Indies professor Dr. Thomas. He gave us more history and background of Tobago. He then sang us a song he wrote and played the piano. At lunch we were surprised by the performance. Two women dressed in native garments performed a cultural dance. They also did limbo. I had the chance to join in the limbo. It is not as easy as you think, however I was praised for my flexibility and technique.
We also learned about the still pan, an instrument invented in Trinidad. It is played by hitting within different circles that produce different sounds. I was also able to play the chorus of Mary Had a Little Lamb.
Some interesting facts about the islands are that it takes approximately 2-3 hours to get from Trinidad to Tobago by boat. It takes about 20 minutes to fly. Trinidad’s national bird is the scarlet ibis. Tobago’s national bird is the Cucao. Cucao’s are destructive birds. They will eat your plants and crops. People in Tobago eat the Cucao bird. Some foods I got to try were crab and dumplings. It was seasoned to perfection. I also tried pineapples soaked in a lime type of juice that had several seasonings in it. It was the perfect balance of sweet and sour. I also tried some sweet potato chips, and some glazed apples that tasted like apple pie.
