The first few nights as I was trying to fall asleep, there were these constant sirens going off outside. I thought maybe it was Caribbean car alarms (not the DEEE DOOO DEEE DOOO BRRRIIIIP BRRRIIIIP WAAAA WAAAA WAAAA WAAAA alarm that we are so accustomed to but more like a bunch of repetitive tweets). I asked my neighbor Charlie (he and Ginger - his girlfriend, are also new teachers and they live just a couple of apartments down from me) and he said that he didn't hear anything and didn't quite know what I was talking about. A couple nights later, we were out and I could hear it as we were driving home. I kept trying to point it out to him but he couldn't hear it over the roar of the maxi-taxi. So when we finally got back to our apartment complex, I pointed it out to him and he said that he thought they were Trinidadian crickets or locusts or something.
So the week passes and I'm getting used to the crickets (or locusts or whatever they are) and we're over at Nick and Gina's apartment for cocktails and sodas (also new teachers from Vancouver, BC, Canada with their two daughters, Sienna who is 6 and Savanna who is 4). As we leave, I mentioned something about the crickets to Gina and she said that she believed that they were some type of tree frogs. So as Charlie, Ginger and I are walking home (we live only a couple blocks away from Nick and Gina) I'm scoping the trees to see if I can actually pick out a frog from the street lights or moon light, but to no avail.
However, when I get home, I see in the darkness by my front door, a little shape. My eyes start to get adjusted and I realized that it was this little guy...
So instinctively I said "Hello" and asked him how his night was going. He didn't say much so I told him to wait there, at which point I went and got my camera. It was very dark and I had a hard time getting him in the frame but he didn't budge one iota when I took the picture even though the flash was pretty bright. Of course in the back of my head I envisioned him leaping, with exposed fangs, for my jugular and ending my stay in Trinidad with a horrific, bloody scene on my doorstep.
But instead, he just sat there with that "what up" look on his face. (This one was for you Ms. Pearson).
8 comments:
Trinidadian crickets, locusts and tree frogs. I'll take that over barking dogs, a wannabe DJ and a busted up ice cream truck rolling down the street at 11pm anyday!
Glad you found someone to replace poopers.
Hey man, no one can replace poopers.
I did see another frog stuck to the wall by my door tonight after I got home from running. They may be taking over.
Quelish! Ahhh, feels good to be able to reference Leonard Part 6. Should be coming out on the big screen any day now down there!
Hi Tom...Shawn from the good ole MET days....lol...hey I have started my quest to teach internationally as well and would love any advice you have. T and T sounds good BUT so do soooo many other spots. I am focusing on Latin America for my first placement...not so far "feeling" for my kids to adjust to initially. But I plan to do this forever so the world is my playground after that! Glad you beat me to it-now I can learn from your experiences. PS-I am certified in middle grades math now!!...leave it to Georgia to rope me into that one.
Trinidad and Tobago: Our frogs are cuter than your dogs.
I want that frog.
I can hear your, "Why, hello there?!?!" in my head when I see that frog.
I think we should introduce your frog to my sloth. What a pair they'd be. Classic photo. Funny...today I was walking home from a race and was attacked by a secada--they are loud, obnoxious, and they PEE on you when you walk under the trees! Beware!
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