I have officially been here for one week. My first week was filled with a lot of new experiences and a great deal of trying to get settled in to my new place. My apartment is pretty nice and is really close to the school (only about a 10 minute walk). It's a two story, two bedroom, two and a half bath condo and is furnished with the fine decor of an early 90's corporate apartment. If you have been to one, you know what I'm talking about. If not, I'll let your imagination run wild.
My first week was also spent doing a lot of waiting. I think the official description is "island time". But the essence is that things don't move quite as quickly as they do in the states. That's cool and all (and actually one of the things that I was looking forward to), but it may have gotten a bit excessive the first couple of days. Please don't take the following as a complaint, because I'm not complaining about living a slightly slower lifestyle, just want you all to get a feel for what "island time" is all about.
We were supposed to have mini buses (called maxi-taxis) pick us up for our first meeting at school at 9 AM Monday morning. Around 10:00, the bus picked me up. We met all the other new hires and got a tour of the school. After the tour, we went to get bank accounts set up. Someone called the bank ahead of time to make sure that they could manage all 14 of us and they said that they could. Six and a half hours later, we left the bank, accounts in hand. We went back to our apartments and about a half hour later, we were on our way to dinner. The place was pretty nice, but they were trying out a new menu, so they said that dinner was going to be half price tonight. Cool. We order. Three hours later, we get our food. The conversation all day and night was great though. We all really started bonding and got a chance to really get to know each other.
Tuesday was scheduled for an 8:30 pickup but we pushed it back to 9 since we were all a little wiped out from the previous day. I don't know why, we didn't really do anything, but we were all tired nonetheless. So around 10:30, the maxi-taxi picks me up and we head out to Maracas Beach. That place was awesome, but I'll get to that later. The last bit of waiting came at the BMV on Wednesday. Let me tell you, I don't think any country's BMV moves very quick. We were there for about 4 hours getting our licenses, and this time there were only 6 of us.
Again, this was not a complaint - just an adjustment. Really, after the bank, it was all a drop in the hat and we just rolled with it.
11 comments:
So how is the cheese in Trindad? Wide selection? This blog is really great! Patience must be a required skill to live there :).
We hope you have a great school year. We miss you at the Met. Anthony and I are jealous you are in the islands. It will be getting cold here before you know it. Mia is getting big. We were sad to go back to school and leave her, but what can you do? Well, keep us posted. Glad to hear you made it safely. Take care.
It sounds very similar to Met time without the beaches and voodoo gods. What is the exchange rate at your bank...two goats for one cow? Glad your safe! Peace
is it beautiful down there?
do they need an art teacher?
Hi Tom, it so good to here from you. sounds like your experience is a calm and slow one. I wouldn't survive since I go faster than most people here.
Can't wait to here more!
Tom - so wonderful to hear from you! I'm so glad you're keeping a blog! I can't wait to come and visit you!! Let's see - we couldn't get together in Indy, but we'll be able to get together in Trinidad! haha! Good luck! I just had a client get back from Jamaica and was "complaining" about the island time! I think you'll really get into it once you shed our America ways. We're so programmed here. Have a great time, and good luck with the start of your year!
mmmmm...Goudaaaa. I trust you've moved your skin tone to a nice hue of Red by now? Glad to hear all is off to a good albeit slow start.
do they need any roller derby announcers? or i can double as entertainment with my brand of hillbilly music... :) glad to hear from you, man. i'm glad things are going well for you so far (slow...but good all the same). keep us posted. you got alot of people here in indy that consider a good friend and a member of our crazy roller derby family. --brownie
Tom,
you dont know how bad I want to post the King Diamond video on your blog. Do they celebrate the King down there?
Ahhh, I love island time. Will definitely be back to read more later. be well, my friend.
Yesss...you have arrived! Timeframes in Trinidad sound very much like Brazil. Just remember to smile, always keep a book in your backpack and don't go anywhere without your yatzee. Can't wait to hear the rest of the details. Enjoy every moment, TK--even the ones that leave you wondering how exactly you ended up in T&T!! xoxo
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