Alive, Well, And Back To The Land Of The Blogging...

Wow! I feel like I've been out of the lock community wayyyy too long. My trip to Trinidad was a success! The surgeries all went well and to date all of the patients are recovering nicely. It was pure joy to see the kids again and give them all of their toys. They were stunned, politely browsing the toys and books etc, not quite sure what to think When I explained that everything was for them, they realized that they could touch things and open the boxes. They smiled and said, "CHEEEEESE" to me when I held up my video camera. I felt like a real life Santa Claus!!

The flip side of the trip was that the country was getting ready for Carnival. If you're not familiar, Carnival is Trinidad & Tobago's version of Mardi Gras on steroids! For several weeks before Carnival (Feb. 4th & 5th), there are festivals (or fetes as they call them) galore. While I was there, the steel pan band competition was going on. There are huge bands and the sound of all of these steel pans together was amazing. The bands have what they call "pan yards" which basically look like old scrap yards where they rehearse and put the finishing touches on their songs while people watch and drink beer.

Trinidad reminds me of the saying people sometimes give to different universities when they call them "party schools". Trinidad is most definitely a party country! Between all of the music, beer, and rum, I'm amazed that anybody gets any work done! I told my friends there that I'm slowly becoming a Trini because I've got my Sisterlocks now and I'm learning all of the different expressions they use and absolutely loving all of the foods and drinks that you get there that aren't available here......and I've become obsessed with the beats of the steel pan and the soca music. Soca is a combination of soul and calypso. I got to go to a private party and some of Trini's legends were there. My favorites were Mighty Sparrow, whose songs are more like funny stories, Black Stalin, and Denyse Plummer whose song Woman Is Boss is one that every man should hear! Ha ha

I spent a couple of days in Tobago relaxing on the beach, and trying to improve my skills driving on the wrong side of the road. I think I'm really starting to get the hang of it now. It's not so hard to remember to drive on the left, it's trying to remember that all of your controls, windshield washers, lights, turn signals, radio, everything is on the opposite side of what you're used to.

One of the funny things that I find when I'm in Trinidad is that whenever I open my mouth people look at me funny and ask me where I'm from. To them, I have an accent so I tell them that I'm from the States. What I found out later is that most Trinis are used to tourists being white so when they hear this weird accent from another black person it throws them for a loop. The most hilarious instance of this was from the mouth of one of the kids. I'm hanging out and talking to the kids after their school day was done when one kid says, "Miss, where are you from?" One of the other kids tells him that I'm from America and his response is, "How is it that you're from America and you're not white??" I laughed so hard!!! I guess it's true that kids do say the darndest things!

Here’s how some of the other conversations with them went… A kid comes up to me and says, “Miss, you got any money on you?” I say no and ask what he needs money for and he says, “An iPod!” So another kid chimes in and says, “All of these Americans are walking around with iPods. I want an iPod but they’re too damn expensive!!!” I told the kids that I live in California where Disneyland is and one boy says, “DISNEYLAND, THEY MAKE ALL YOUR WISHES COME TRUE!!! So if I want a motorbike, I can get one there because THEY MAKE ALL YOUR WISHES COME TRUE!!”

Yes, I wanted to adopt them all and bring them home with me. When I came in for surgery in the morning, the children were all lined up and getting ready for school. I gave hi-fives to all of the boys, and kissed all of the girls on their foreheads. Later in the day, I found myself sitting on the floor surrounded by wheelchairs, with one little boy curled up on the floor with me under my arm. We were chatting, playing games, and singing songs when one little girl comes up to me, gives me a kiss on my forehead and a hug. I put her in my lap and felt what it must be like to be a parent, feeling the love of their own child.

It was such a rewarding experience and I pray that God will continue to allow me to return over and over again. I was reminded by friends there that they each have a place where I am welcome to stay and open invitation to come down for a visit whenever I want. I think I just might have to take them up on that. Carnival 2009 definitely sounds like a great idea!!

Children make you want to start life over. ~Muhammad Ali

While we try to teach our children all about life, our children teach us what life is all about. ~Angela Schwindt

Childhood is the most beautiful of all life's seasons. ~Author Unknown

These pictures are from one of the trucks on the side of the road where you can buy fresh coconuts. The guy chops off the top and gives you a straw so you can drink coconut water from directly inside. Then if you want to eat the meat, he will chop the rest of the outer coconut away.

The pictures further above are of Black Stalin performing.