Preschool Visit (and other stuff)

Yesterday we went to the preschool at the University of the West Indies!  It is very similar to BMW at SU. The children and staff were very friendly.  We met with the director of the school (Diane) who gave us a lot of information on what academics and preschools are like in Trinidad.  We have learned so much about the government and academics through our meetings with staff and students.  There are many parallels to how children learn in the US and Trinidad.
Today we sat in on an intro to psychology class.  Surprisingly, the lecture was taught in the same manner we are taught at SU.  The professor had a powerpoint set up and went through the slides and discussed them just as you would see in a class at SU.  We also met with the dean of the School of Education.  Although we didn't meet with her for long we touched on things we have talked about with other professors such as the government, education, education funds, academics, history of Trinidad & Tobago, etc.  All of these meetings have a lot of information in them so we are trying our best to soak it all in and remember as much as we can.
Of course we still can't complain about the hot and sunny weather! :-)

Maracas Bay and Bake & SHARK!!

Today we ventured out to Maracas Bay after one of the Bed and Breakfast owners recommended a driver, Laurel, for us.  Laurel was a very knowledgeable and informative about the island and the culture!  On the way to Maracas, we drove through a colorful village with many fruit vendors.  We laid on the beach, soaked up the sun, took a dip in the ocean, got a massage, and enjoyed the extremely hot weather!  Then, we went to the famous Richard's Bake and Shark where we had delicious SHARK sandwiches!  Surprisingly, the shark tasted like chicken.  There were many condiments to choose from, and the locals generally put all condiments on their sandwiches.  On the way back down from the mountain we stopped at "Trini Treats" on the side of the road where we got sugar cake, fudge, plantain chips, and other local sweets that Laurel helped us pick out!

Other than that, Tamara has been proposed to 3 times in 3 days.. We'll see what the number gets up to by the end of the trip!

Us girls are going to go lime now, catch ya tomorrow!!

Trinidad Adventures

The Bed & Breakfast we are staying in is very comforting.  We have made it our little home for the week.  Breakfast in the morning is excellent and the rooms are very nice.  I definitely can't complain about the sun shining through the window every morning at 6am!
We have had some long days adventuring here in Trinidad.  Tamara has told you about the informative UWI visit we had on Friday.  The University is a great experience.  It is very similar to the United States.  Talking to students who are from different cultures but studying the same type of major is entertaining and informative.
Today we traveled most of the island.  We went to the nature center which had some great scenery!  We saw many species of birds, plants, and interestingly enough, dogs!  We had a nice lunch in the nature center and continued our venture through the mountains after eating lunch.  We had some time to explore one of the beaches near the bottom of the mountain.  Nothing beats being in the sun, sand, and ocean!

This is the front of the Bed and Breakfast we are staying at in Trinidad!

This is a photo of the livingroom area of our Bed and Breakfast here in Trinidad!

Here is a picture of some lizard-type creature we saw at the Nature Center in the mountains!

U.W.I. St. Augustine 3.11.11

We arrived in Trinidad at 1:00am on Friday morning which would have been 12:00am on Friday back home.  Once we got our rental car, we were shocked to see that the driver sits on the opposite side of the car and drives on the opposite side of the road compared to how we drive in the U.S.  Also, we have discovered that there is no speed limit on the roads along with no stop signs at most intersections.  There are some stop lights at major intersections but on your average side street, parking lot exit/entrance, etc. there aren't any stop signs which makes for quite aggressive driving!

On Friday, we began our day with a great breakfast provided by the Bed and Breakfast that we are staying in.  Then, we headed to U.W.I St. Augustine where we took a quick tour and met with Derek, a Psychology Professor, and his graduate students.  Derek and his students were very knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the studies they are currently conducting on stigmas attached to persons with HIV/AIDS.  Later, we went to lunch with Derek and his grad students and then Monica, Casey, and I (Tamara) headed to the pool at the university to get cooled off from the 85 degree weather!

The trip and the weather have been great and exciting so far! We will keep you updated with more information and pictures as the days go on!

From warm and sunny Trinidad-
Tamara, Monica, Casey
Mary Kish
Professor Roopnarine

What to pack!!!

Two weeks and counting until we depart for Trinidad/Tobago! What to pack!! The weather will be in the 70's so we will break out the spring dresses and sandels. Dr. Roopnarine has arranged a very interesting schedule of events and visits to Early Childhood Education and Psychological service agencies. Looking forward to posting pictures and impressions of Island life. Stay tuned!!