SC State, Claflin students learn about Caribbean culture in excursion to Trinidad & Tobago

ORANGEBURG, S.C. – A week in the Caribbean might sound like a vacation, but for 18 students from South Carolina State University and Claflin University, the trip was a cultural immersive learning experience of a lifetime.

Starting Nov. 19 over the Thanksgiving break, the students – 10 from SC State and eight from Claflin – visited the twin-island Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. This was the first joint venture of this nature between the neighboring Orangeburg-based universities. Dr. Learie B. Luke, director of the Office of International and National Student Exchange Programs (OINSEP) at SC State, and Dr. Annette Singleton Jackson, director of Global Programs at Claflin, collaborated to plan the trip.

“The students and chaperones visited businesses, academic institutions, government agencies, historical sites and villages,” Luke said. “They also enjoyed local cuisine and music. They had an all-round cultural immersion experience, which will remain with them for the rest of their lives.”

The chaperones from SC State were Luke and Dominique Rolle, international education coordinator. Those from Claflin University were Dr. Candice Idlebird, chair of the Department of Social Sciences, and Carolyn Snell, assistant to the vice president of student affairs and director of career development.

The group was in Trinidad from Nov. 19-22. While on that island, the delegation visited the House of Angostura, which bottles the world-famous Angostura Bitters and houses a butterfly collection, museum and art exhibit. They also had a tour of the University of the Southern Caribbean, a private tertiary institution at which Luke and students made presentations about their two universities.

In Trinidad, the group also visited the following cultural sites in Siparia: The Daisy Voisin Hub, the Bingy Yard with members of the Nyabinghi Rastafarians, and Delvino Ranch, where the group baked bread in a dirt oven on an outdoor fire, did some fishing, had sugar cane, and went on a raft in a pond.

Their travels to Trinidad also took them to the WHY Farm in Siparia to see indigenous agricultural practices, and to the La Brea Pitch Lake in Brighton where most of the world’s asphalt is mined.

“One of the most memorable experiences was hearing steelpan music at the Deltones Panyard in Siparia, where both children and adults were practicing for the Panorama competition,” Luke said. “The music was out of this world.”

The excursion through Trinidad also took the Orangeburg delegation to the Museum of the Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago. At the Central Bank, they had a rare opportunity to go to the building’s16th floor where they were able to see the port at Port of Spain below and watch water taxis and ships servicing the inter-island routes dock.

In the capital, Port of Spain, the students took pictures in front of the Red House parliament building and at the National Academy for the Performing Arts. They also had coconut water around the Queens Park Savannah. With reference to heights, the team visited the Mount Saint Benedict Monastery which is perched about 4,300 feet above sea level and provides a picturesque view of the eastern and southern parts of Trinidad.

The Orangeburg delegation enjoyed Indian and Creole cuisine in Trinidad. On their first full day, they had lunch at the Indian restaurant called Juman’s Roti Shop in Curepe. They also had traditional African-based (Creole) food at the Breakfast Shed in Port of Spain. In Siparia, they had Trinidad’s traditional Corn Soup along with pizza baked in recycled oil drums, the same drums the steelpans are made from.

The group flew to Tobago on Nov. 23, and the following day, they visited the Dwight York Stadium named after the Tobagonian professional soccer player. The delegation also toured Fort King George which overlooks Scarborough, Tobago’s main town.

On Nov. 24, the group went to the coastal village of Castara. Their first stop along the way was the newly constructed Beach Volleyball Court in Black Rock. The trip to Castara is along the winding North Coast Road with many hairpin corners. It provides exhilarating views of many villages and the Caribbean Sea. While in the village of Castara, the students had one of their most memorable experiences, interacting with students from the Castara Pre-School and the Castara Primary School.

After lunch, the group left Castara for the Plymouth Tour. Their first stop was in Arnos Vale at the Adventure Farm and Nature Reserve where they saw lots of hummingbirds and other birds only 3 feet away. Then they visited the Monument to the Courlanders, the Mystery Tombstone, and Fort James, from which they had an advantageous view of Turtle, where nesting leatherback turtles come ashore each year.

The highlight of the tour of Tobago was the visit on Nov. 25 to the Buccoo Reef, the Nylon Pool, where people can stand in the middle of the ocean, and No Man’s Land. The students really enjoyed themselves at these sites and had great food on No Man’s Land and on The Avenue, a strip with many fast food and other restaurants near the airport in Crown Point.

On Nov. 26, the Orangeburg delegation left Trinidad and Tobago and headed back to the U.S. On their way to the ANR Robinson International Airport in Tobago, they detoured for a drive-by of the Village of Buccoo Point and saw the stadium where goats and crabs race at Easter time.

Sharlene Luke is a senior communications practicum student with University Relations.