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Hi, it's all about the adventure... ((*_*)) 
Apr 21, 2009 02:00 PM Wrapping things up
Oh no, plans have changed; tomorrow I have to take off so I want to complete the news letter today. I’ve been given the final articles but I’m a little unhappy with some of them. I think I need to take some time to go through them; but just I was about to do that, two students wanted to have a lesson and I just couldn’t refuse. It is so nice when children are keen to learn.
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Apr 20, 2009 02:00 PM So many things to do so little time
I'm wrapping up things at the school this week. I've got two major projects to complete. I have to complete the July Newsletter and the a few reports.
Today we took a photo of the entire school which will serve as a keepsake. I really feel like I will be missed.
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Apr 19, 2009 02:00 PM Let’s go round again!
This is the beginning of my last teaching week and I’ve been looking forward to seeing the children again.
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Apr 18, 2009 02:00 PM Same ole, same ole
Early Sunday morning I decided to watch a bit of tennis and see the finals of the Monte Carlo Masters, but was completely bored after the first set. I know Rafal Nadal is great but it is a foregone conclusion that he is going to win so I need not waste my time watching it.
As I started surfing, I stopped on a local channel which was highlighting the Heads of Government Meeting taking place at the Diplomatic Centre in St Anns, Port of Spain; this is the official residence of the Prime Minister. I watched as PM Manning arrived, I could only wonder if he lives there where did he sleep last night? I also watched as the left handed US President arrived, in the ‘Beast’, from the opposite direction the only head of state to do this.
As far as I’m aware, I believe this will also be the venue where the official photo will be taken as well as the ‘Declaration of Commitment of Port of Spain’ will be signed later today, but the news reports suggest that a few nations will not sign it on the grounds of Cuba’s omission. But we will see!
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Apr 18, 2009 02:00 PM Back to normalcy
At twenty to three, the a huge grey, what looked like a military plane, took of from Crown point; as it passed low over my house, I should have been able to read the inscription but couldn’t quite make it out. That was the signal to say that the summit was over. The way I figure it only takes about 10-15 minutes to fly to Trinidad so this could have been the president’s escort….
But from then on quite a few aeroplanes took off, I expect a few tourists were held on the island a few more days than anticipated as I believe no other crafts were allowed to land or take off during the summit.
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Apr 17, 2009 02:00 PM Air Force One
On Friday night a friend captured a video clip of what he described as ‘Air Force One’ land at Crown Point. I suppose it was probably the aircraft, but to my knowledge it is only Air Force One when the president is on board and we know that he was at the Hyatt for the opening ceremony of the summit. But nonetheless I joked that Michelle was coming over here to top up her tan, but I found out that the spouse of the heads of state was taken to the Wild Fowl Trust and the only man to accompany them was the husband of the Argentinean President, so it probably wasn’t her at all. But isn’t nice to make up theories.
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Apr 16, 2009 02:00 PM Fifth Summit of the Americas
I was quite keen to see the opening ceremony of the summit, although I’m not really sure why. But as I watched from my living room I was impressed. It felt a bit like a scaled down version of the Olympics, I mean really scaled down. But nonetheless, the cultural display was great; as they charted the birth of a nation and influences on the culture of TNT. If it is one thing Trinidadians know how to do and that is to organise a party and have a good time.
The summit was opened by the President of Argentina, followed by the President of Nicaragua whom the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago referred to as ‘Daniel My Brother’ – I’m sure this was a reference to the Elton John song. He also mentioned that he had to wait in the airport for three hours, but I suppose this is just because there is a pecking order for the dignitaries. He went on forever, kind of soap boxing, but he did raise two key issues; one I didn’t even know was an issue (colonial ownership of Puerto Rico) and the other was off course very topical – the exclusion of Cuba from the summit and the western hemisphere nations.
This was followed by Dean Barrow the President of Belize; as a traveller who wanted to go to Belize I shouldn’t say that I was surprised that he spoke fluent English and the country is at least bilingual – see how much I know. He is also the Chairman of Caricom which is the Caribbean Community and organisation of that is some 36 years old and the oldest of its kind in the region. This was followed by the US President who said that ‘we should not dwell on the past’ and more or less preached of a new beginning and building better relations; and in closing Patrick Manning spoke on behalf of TNT. He tried to be funny, which only seemed funny to the locals in the audience and what I presumed wasn’t that funny at all but was obviously lost in translation.
The 34 member states are here to discuss – Securing our Citizens’ future by promoting human prosperity, energy security and environmental sustainability, but the biggest take-aways from the opening 5 leader’s comments was discussing the global economic financial situation and global warming.
The main talks start tomorrow morning!
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Apr 16, 2009 02:00 PM This here town is a Ghost Town!
The reports coming out of Port of Spain is that the streets are deserted. All the shops opened but there just wasn’t anyone there to buy so by lunch time most of them closed up shop for the day. I suspect the same will occur until the end of the summit. But at the Hyatt Regency it is an incredible hive of activity, with Heads of States arriving in since mid day. The international security teams sprang into action from the time the aeroplanes landed but the local defence force just looked lost. What excitement on this tiny island!
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Apr 15, 2009 02:00 PM We have Obama…
On the morning that Obama won the elections, I remember going to work and seeing a woman in the middle of the road waving an US flag and saying ‘we’ve got Obama’. Well it seems now this statement is being realised, as Trinidad and Tobago will be hosting the Fifth Summit of the Americas and after a layover in Mexico President Barrack Obama will be coming to these shores.
It’s funny but at any other time, the whole country would have been strongly behind this summit; but with the economic situation there have been a lot of controversy about the amount that will be spent, with the segmenting of the city into different zones where people have to apply for permits to be allow entry, etc. With people being sent home from their jobs, how can the government be spending billions on ‘entertaining’.
I feel this is a little shortsighted and moving forward the country will benefit from all the exposure that it receives.
I hope, wholeheartedly, that everyone is now behind the event, as I think it is very exciting times. I suspect all of the dignitaries are already here and I can’t wait for the television news this evening, as the excitement is building…
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Apr 14, 2009 02:00 PM A day of rest
I know it isn’t Sunday, but it has been such a busy bank holiday. So much has happened and I’ve met up with so many people that today should be a day of rest. Unfortunately it isn’t now is the time to start cleaning and after cooking on a open fire, all those pots with soot at the bottom now needs to be transformed back to kitchen wear.
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