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Hi, it's all about the adventure... ((*_*)) 
Apr 13, 2009 02:00 PM The Finale
Happy Tobago Day.
Like most states that rule over have more than one country there are always a little squabble about independence and how they can run their own affairs. Once in a while this surface in Trinidad and Tobago; on one said occasion they came up with celebrating the uniqueness of Tobago and came up with Tobago Day which celebrated on Easter Tuesday.
Each area celebrates Tobago Day in their own way, but on this side of the island, in the neighbouring village of Buccoo, they have the harvest. As explained previously, the concept of harvest here means that people can just wander up to your door and ask for a plate of food and you share what you have. But in Buccoo as with Carnbee yesterday, they also put on a day of fun and enjoyment. They have the traditional goat and crab races, plus some other favourite games like catch the wild pig or climb the greasy pole. But as school is out, it is usually a great family day out and the even gets really good turnout.
This has been one incredible weekend and apart from travelling over the Easter, this is the best place to send it, as there are so many things to get involved in, it really is a fun filled weekend, I think tomorrow deserves a trip to the beach.
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Apr 12, 2009 02:00 PM Carnbee/Mount Pleasant's Harvest
This evening, my normally quite street was turned into a parking lot. I really didn't know there were that many cars on the island [I jest], but it was really busy. It started around lunch time with the various goat races - which are really just a little bit of fun. And then it moves on to the crab race. There were so many people, mostly families, but as the evening wore on and darkness fell, it was the adults who stayed around to party.
We started cooking for the harvest just after breakfast, and owing to the amount, decided to use that traditional way, lighting a fire outside - well a something old and something new.
As the first set of people started to walk up the drive way, I joked we should just close the door and pretend we weren't home, as we hadn't finished cooking. But instead we greeted them and just handed them a beer. We cooked stew turkey, pork and a local delicacy iguana; and offered the next arrivals. Once they had come and gone, I started to experience that feeling when you give to people and it felt really nice.
Then we have some friends and family come over, they stayed much longer and we were able to chat. But as we wanted to head down to the goat race, we weren't able to serve many peoples - so it looks like we will have food for the next two weeks - oh well.
Tomorrow we have to Buccoo for their harvest as well as another goat race, but this time there are more events do it should be a really lovely day.
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Apr 11, 2009 02:00 PM Happy Easter
Hello fellow members,
A happy Easter to all. Wishing you and yours the blessings of God in this season.
Amanda
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Apr 11, 2009 02:00 PM Bethel's Harvest
Each village has chosen a day that they will celebrate harvest. This goes back many years ago when it was customary to give the first produce from the land. So throughout Tobago this is now a major outing and some people go from village to village to experience this.
Today is Bethel's harvest; and what this means is that nearly every house in the village will cook some food and invite as well as entertain passer-by during the whole day. I think there aren't many places in the world where you could walk up to someone's door and say, 'can I have some food' and they will provide you with a hearty meal and drink including beer and spirits.
I still feel a little coy about this, so I will only go to friends, friends of friends and family, but it really is wonderful to see the hospitality.
I had a wonderful time 'liming' (hanging out) at a friend’s house this afternoon. He provided more beers, or in my case shandys then I could drink, and then he gave me a wonderful plate of local food. It consisted of boiled green banana, dasheen, sweet potato, yam with flat dumplings and stew pork. And because curried crab is one of my favourite dishes he gave me some to take home. I was stuffed when I left his house. Somehow I like harvest and tomorrow it's our turn.
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Apr 10, 2009 02:00 PM Hot car show
Today sees to start of a really busy weekend on the island. Boats and ferries are coming across full and even extra services have been put on. Yet still there are a few people who will be disappointed. Whether they have to wait on standby to get a flight or a sit on the sea cat, or they can't get accommodation when they get here.
Tourism on the island, especially in this economic climate is predominantly around the bank holidays, so this is when they make their money.
Today is the car show and it adds a little diversity then just going to the beach. We have these really keen 'dudes' who sup' up their cars with fancy lights, huge stereos and adds patterns and prints to the outside etc.
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Apr 09, 2009 02:00 PM Good Friday!
Usually every year I will abstain for something during Lent, usually it is chocolate, but it could really be anything that I have a dependency on. One of my friends gave up watching TV – I just can’t conceive that…. But this year as I was away from home, I just forgot about doing something, so today I thought I would do some thing small. Today I will refrain from drinking soft drinks. I think ordinarily this would be easy as I mostly drink water, but since being here I have grown to love an ice cold soft drink to quench the thirst of a hot day. So today it is back to the watering can.
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Apr 02, 2009 02:00 PM Finally, it's over
I shouldn't say it like that, this has been a thoroughly enjoyable term, when waking up on a Monday morning and I'm still looking forward to the day, going in and seeing the children.
Today we are heading to the nature park or as they say a mini zoo. For me it was more like someone's personal collection, but who am I to burst anyone's bubble.
It was really nice seeing the children enjoy themselves, even being afraid of some of the animals; there were wild pigs, macaws, alligators, agoutis, turtles and some parrots amount some domestic animals like chickens, rabbits and a dog called Buffy.
After spending an hour or so at the nature park (mainly because of the children) we headed to Fort Grandy for lunch.
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Apr 02, 2009 02:00 PM A visit to Genesis Nature Park
The park has been in existence for over ten years and they classify themselves as mini zoo. The owner Michael Spencer has a passion for wild life and wants to share his knowledge with the general public.
We were amazed by the parrots who greeted us with a good morning – the children couldn’t get enough of that. We saw buggies, macaws, agouties, wild pigs an alligator, turtles, rabbits plus dog named Buffy.
We also saw many flowers like the balisier, wedding bouquet and many others. The children learnt about the various animals and how to care for them and were taken aback by the boa who had shed its skin the night before.
He also had some historic items on display like an iron that used to be on a stove and a water filtration stone ‘pot’ that dated back to 1912 and a sugar mill wheel that was over 200 years old.
We were also treated to some of the owner’s personal art collection which included some wonderful paintings of downtown Scarborough as well as some wood carvings.
The day ended with a lunch time picnic at Fort Grandy. Fort Grandy is located in the former capital of the island which was called George Town. The fort was built by the English and later used by the French when they occupied the island. But after the capital was moved to Scarborough Fort Grandy was left desolate.
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Apr 01, 2009 02:00 PM July's Newsletter
So I've decided to ensure a newsletter goes out at the end of the term that I will do it myself. I'm going to write three articles, one about my experience working at the school over the last six months, another on the visit to the natures park and the final article about the head teacher/Acting Principal who will be leaving the school. And if I'm really lucky but the end of the first term of the next academic year I should be able to do that one as well; as I'm hoping to be here for Christmas.
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Mar 31, 2009 02:00 PM Pinch, punch, the first day of the month
Today was meant to be the last day at school for this term. But as it happens the date of the trip to the nature park has been changed. So I spent most of the day editing and printing of the newsletter.
I didn't have any classes today as we had some student nurses visiting the school; they wanted to get some experience with children with disabilities and they found the day quite stimulating.
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