Study Abroad 2019: ASU Around the Globe

 

 

Upon graduation, I plan to start a career with the Department of Children and Family services. I wanted to study abroad to become more open minded and culturally aware and sensitive.  I have the privilege to study abroad with my professor and five other amazing ladies. I have had some amazing experiences during my time here in Trinidad and Tobago. I would like to provide a glimpse of my week.

June 10, 2019

Today was our first service learning day of the week. We were able to visit an IT agency with the psychologist from Families in Action. The session talked about work-life balance. The session was very interactive and mentioned a lot of information related to how to manage real life and work. Although the session was mainly about work, I was still able to take some pointers as a student balancing school, work, and a social life.  The psychologist, Justin, taught me a lot of leadership skills when leading a session that I believe will help me in my professional life.

June 11, 2019

Today, Dr. Matthews led a class where we learned about the various types of music and how they were brought to Trinidad. We were each given a musician to present. We talked about their background and their contributions to Trinidad and Tobago. Dr. Matthews also introduced us to Carnival. We learned about the different eras and their meaning to Trinidad. We had the chance to make a Carnival mas. We also presented our mas headpieces and gave them a name. I named mine Queen because it reminded me of royalty. I loved this class session because we learned so much about the culture of Trinidad. Dr. Matthews is very passionate about her country which makes it even easier to learn from her.

June 12, 2019

Today, we visited the Embassy. The embassy was very exclusive. We could not enter with any recording devices. We learned about the visas that the citizens of Trinidad need to enter the U.S. We learned about how they’re accepted or denied for a visa. We discussed the safety precautions for U.S. citizens if something were to happen. It truly made me thankful for the U.S. in many ways. Overall, it was an informative day.

June 13, 2019

Today was an amazing service learning day. We visited the domestic violence center. It was the day that stuck out to me the most. It is a secret location just like in the U.S. We heard some disappointing stories about how domestic violence is seen and handled in Trinidad. However, it was so inspiring to see how the domestic violence employees are working so hard to change the way domestic violence is seen in Trinidad. One of the employees decided to share her own domestic violence experience. To know that her abuser is still reaching out to her and threatening her is so frightening. I’ve never experienced domestic violence myself, but I have been in a situation where I was around and could have been physically hurt. Meeting the employee humbled me because she helped me understand that the decision to leave is not an easy one. She also helped me understand that it is a long process. Because of her, I have vowed to be more understanding and supportive. We often hear stories from those who survive, but to hear a story from a survivor who is still somewhat going through it was something different and more touching. I continue to pray for her safety and that God gives her a sense of peace.

June 14, 2019

Today, we shadowed Justin again at the same IT company. However, today’s session talked about mental health. It was interesting because mental health is taboo in Trinidad and Tobago. At the beginning of the session, the workers admitted that when hearing mental health, they associated it with mental illness. However, by the end of the session, everyone left with the understanding that mental wellbeing and mental illness are two different things. This session was more of a round table with dialogue, which seemed more intimate and real to me. It made me want to talk about mental health with the people close to me because it so important and like Trinidad it can be taboo in certain cultures in the U.S. I want to change that.

June 15, 2019

Today, we went zip lining. I was extremely afraid, but I overcame my fear, along with a lot of screaming. However, I was glad that I faced that fear because once the beginning was over, the rest was a breeze. After zip lining, we ate at a restaurant called Jaxx and it reminded me so much of home. Later that night, we attended the St. James parade, and I enjoyed that because we were able to see the real Trinidad. We were able to experience Trinidad outside of the agencies and the school. I was so humbled by their community because they genuinely love to have fun and enjoy each other’s company. It made me think of my own home town community and wonder why it cannot be the same and what can be done to change that.

June 16, 2019

Today, we visited Dr. Matthews church and it was truly a blessing to be in a different country and find people that love God the same as I do. The church welcomed us openly and I was appreciative. To see the kind of order and praise that I see at my church truly made me feel at home. I was humbled by their hospitality, and it made me feel really good. Dr. Matthews fed us well. I really enjoyed the food and dessert that she provided us with, and I was so thankful for her inviting us into her home.

Day One – Day one was simple, a lot of traveling and naps. We went to the grocery store shortly after we arrived in Trinidad. On the ride to the house, I noticed a sign advertising a Pizza Hut family box for $299! I had to remind myself that a United States dollar was worth more than a TT (that’s what they call their dollars in Trinidad). Going to the grocery store helped us in understanding the conversions. Things like juices and chips cost $35. I found some mayonnaise for $12 and some small Oreo cookies for $1.59. My roommate and I decided to go half on whatever we needed, but when the total came out to be $268, we were about to put everything back! But the cashier explained to us how each one U.S. dollar is worth six TTs – so it came out to around $45.

Day Two - Most of our day was spent on the UWI (University of West Indies) campus and it was so informative. Our Tour Guides Andrew and Lauren were students at the university and made the tour exciting. They showed us each building on campus and told us the history. For example, after continuously commenting on the beautiful flowers we were seeing on campus, Lauren informed us that the University used to be a slave plantation. She explained that the plants we were admiring were originally planted by slaves, and that surprised us as a group. Dr. Decaires’ lecture was my favorite part of the day because she let us try a variety of mangoes, and I liked them all. This was surprising to me because back home, I never eat mangoes.

Day Three – Today, we had the chance to visit each service learning agency, and I loved it. I’m excited to see what I can learn from St. Dominic’s, an orphanage dedicated to children whose families are no longer able to provide for them. Families in Action and the Center for Strategic Learning also caught my attention. What I loved most about Families in Action was that they tapped into different areas of social work such as mental health, substance abuse, domestic violence, and school social work. They provide a variety of services. The Center for Strategic Learning touched me because I know it takes dedicated, genuine people to care for those with disabilities, especially children. Being there today, I could really feel the sincerity from the staff. The children were beautiful and so, so happy!

The graduates made me cry Even though I didn’t know them, I felt so proud of them. After learning what the Center is about, I know that the graduates really had to prove themselves. Some of them have been working toward graduation since they were as young as three.          

Day Four - We had class with Dr. Gibson this morning. We went over the syllabus for each class and went over a few self-reflecting activities. With such a mixture of ethnicities found here in Trinidad, it is amazing how they ensure the celebration of everyone’s special days and holidays. I truly admire that. So today nothing was really open except a few pharmacy stores, due to the Islamic celebration of Eid- el fitr. This is how Muslims celebrate the ending of their fasting period called Ramadan. Coming to Trinidad a few days before Eid and eating curry makes me reflect on my childhood. I remember being at the Mosque, waking up at the crack of dawn to force myself to eat oatmeal, so I could fast alongside my father. As for the trip, so far, so good. I’m super excited for the excursions we have planned this weekend.

Day Five - The word I would use to describe my first day at St. Dominic’s would be “calm.” There were four of us volunteering at the orphanage today, and when we first got there, we had to come up with a confidentiality agreement to sign. After the agreements were printed out and signed, we were able to see some case files.

Day Six - Today, we went to a restaurant called “Wings” for lunch and ate authentic Indian cuisine. I ordered the curry chicken with rice, curry mango, pumpkin and chickpeas. It was delicious! After lunch, we had our first history class with Dr. Matthews. I was nervous about being in class for 3 hours, but she made it fun. The class was to teach us about the history of Trinidad and Tobago and its origin. We learned about the first people to settle here (the Tainos and Kalinagros), and even their colonizers. Dr. Matthews taught us about the different characters in the Carnival festival, and how to do the “Bongo Bele” dance.

Day Seven We had a jam-packed day today. Our excursions included a visit to Pitch Lake, Temple in the Sea and a boat tour to see the Caroni Bird Sanctuary. I enjoyed being on a boat for a few hours. I’m not really into nature but I love the water, so it was very relaxing to sit in the boat in the swamp and watch the birds flying. The story behind the Temple in the Sea is very inspiring. It is a Hindu Temple in the Caribbean Sea, built by Sewdass Sadhu. Sewdass was an immigrant who came to Trinidad and Tobago from India.

My first week in Trinidad and Tobago was quite eventful, yet informative. On Monday, we had a campus tour at the University of the West Indies (UWI). The tour was 90 minutes and it was worth it. The first thing I noticed was the beauty of the campus. There were pretty flowers everywhere and it made the campus look more appealing. We discovered that the campus was once a slave plantation. The slaves’ job was to plant, which is where all the pretty flowers came from. This is where our lectures are held during our stay in Trinidad.

On June 4, we visited all the service learning agencies where we will be placed for the 30-day stay here in Trinidad. We visited St. Dominic Children’s Home, Families in Action, and Strategic Learning Institute for Special Needs. First, St. Dominic Children’s Home is similar to the Department of Family and Children Services. They gave us a tour of their home and every child was protected and safe. The view from the St. Dominic Children’s Home was breathtaking. At the Strategic Learning Institute, a five year old named Bradley caught my attention. He is diagnosed with autism and he is brilliant. He was so impressive. We also met the young men who have been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and are expected to graduate from the Learning Institute to enter high school. They were taking their graduation pictures and they were excited. I was placed at Families in Action.

Thursday was our first day at our agencies! Families in Action addresses issues that impact families including domestic violence, substance use, addiction, employee assistance programs, school youth and more. I visited a school for ages 8-10, St. Peter’s Roman Catholic Primary School in Point Cumana.  We had a group session with the kids to discuss the importance of managing conflict and they loved us immediately. The first question they asked was “what country are you from” and they said “I can tell by your accent!” They were so interested because we were from America. The children warmed my heart! My passion for school social work definitely gave me confirmation for my future.

On June 7, we visited the University of West Indies Library. We met with a distinguished retired history lecturer, Dr. Brinsley Samaroo. His first name is considered Christian and his last name is considered Hindu. After the lecture, Dr. Gibson treated us to lunch at Wings which serves Indian Cuisine. I ordered curry chicken, dhal and rice. It was worth every penny. Then, we had the History and Culture of Trinidad and Tobago class after lunch with Dr. Matthews. We learned about the First People of Trinidad and Tobago: Tainos and Kalinagos. We also learned about the Bele Dance, Tobago Heritage Festival, the French, the Indian, the Africans, etc. We also made a booklet about the history of Trinidad. Class was so fun and informative.

Saturday was excursion day. This day was long, informative, eventful and fun! We went to the Pitch Lake, it is a natural asphalt lake. We went to the Temple in the Sea, and we also witnessed a Hindu burial. It amazed me seeing that they put the body in fire and dump the ashes in the sea. We also visited the Hindu Temple. We ended our day at the Caroni Swamp tour and bird sanctuary. We were on the boat for at least two and a half hours. I must say, I was exhausted. I am not a fan of nature but it was cool to see. We saw different kinds of birds, snakes, anteaters, crabs, oysters and flamingos, but the red birds (the Scarlet Ibis) were my favorite. They were beautiful! After a long day of viewing historical sites, I was ready to call it a day.

Sunday was beach day at Maracas Bay. As we were on the way to the beach, our bus driver Sam stopped so we could capture some amazing views of the Caribbean Sea. It was quite breathtaking and it was stunning! We finally arrived to the beach. We tackled waves, swam in the rain, and ate Bake and Shark! I have enjoyed my time here in Trinidad and Tobago. I know I have much more to see and more missions accomplish, but I can say, this week could not have been better. Thank you Dr. Gibson for everything. I am so thankful for this experience.

In the wee hours of the morning on June 2, 2019, six amazing students accompanied by me embarked upon a life-changing journey of experiencing 30 days in another country. After months of planning, mountain high and valley low experiences, financial woes and other seen and unforeseen barriers, they made it! This year’s group consists of six undergraduate students (one nursing/psychology major and five social work majors). For at least one of them, the flight across the Atlantic was her second time ever experiencing an airplane ride. For others, this is the first time that they have ever ventured outside of their comfort zone, the U.S.A. For all of them, they are fulfilling a dream come true and conquering their fears and doubts, personally, professionally and socially. The lens through which they view the world, themselves and others will never be the same.

Since arriving, their schedule has already been packed with orientations by the University of the West Indies (UWI), visits to the service learning agencies and educational experiences and lectures.  For the next 4 weeks, the world and the culture of sweet T and T will be their classroom and you will read about it, sense, feel and experience their personal transformations and exposure to this amazing twin island nation that is full of diversity and opportunities for global consciousness, civic responsibility and self-awareness.  Trinidad and Tobago comprises a unique mix of races and cultures that can be traced back to Africa, India, Europe, the Middle East and China. The influences of the Native Americans are also prominent features of the local culture.

The islands' diversity is reflected in the different religions which also exist. Mosques, churches and Hindu temples stand peacefully side by side in Trinidad and Tobago. The largest religious groups are Christians, Hindus and Muslims. From the present through July 1, you are encouraged to follow the reflections of each student and to take advantage of this up close and personal real world introduction to life in Trinidad and Tobago, “a melting pot of cultures.”