Tribute to: Wendy Warren, a friend I now know

Port of Spain, TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO, May 27 -- The 2006 Fulbright Enrichment Seminar has come to an end, and I have enjoyed myself on the islands of Trinidad and Tobago. The first 3 days of the trip included project presentations from the other students (on AIDS/risky behaviour, hurricanes, slave trade, dance, art/carnival, and theater) and invited guest speakers (on history of T&T, calypso music, and AIDS in the Caribbean). While our time was structured, we still enjoyed late-night chats and laughs over our meals. Bonding over our shared experiences, we laid a foundation to really let loose and have fun during the last two days in Tobago. Many of you would be proud to know I never went to sleep before 2:30 a.m. -- and that most nights' bedtime was between 3:15 and 4:15 a.m. (Wake-up was still between 6:30 and 8:30, the later times coming in Tobago). Once in Tobago, we were free to be tourists, taking in the beach, the nesting leatherback turtles, the Buccoo reef & nylon pool, a bar-b-que on "No Mans Land", and spontaneous diving off the glass-bottom boat into deep ocean water (my personal favorite segment of the trip).

Besides all the cool things we did, I really enjoyed befriending the other Fulbrighters in the region: Sarah Bergman, Eleanor Scott, Charlie Preston, and Alex Kahn from Trinidad & Tobago; Naomi Parekh from Jamaica; Dena Simmons, Malika Anand, Jamie Islar, and Danielle Pritchett from Dominican Republic; and Wendy Warren from Barbados. It's funny that I had to visit another country to get to know the Fulbrighter in my own country, but that's how it went down. So here's to Wendy, my new friend. Now when customs in Trinidad's Piarco Int'l asks me if I know her, I don't have to respond with "no, I don't". She's no longer a barely known friend.

Photos from T&T to follow. Wendy is pictured in the BWIA departures terminal at POS Int'l enjoying the free wireless internet and lunch from Church's Chicken.