Ah yes, Trinidad.
I can probably say this has been the most relaxing time I had in one full year. Considering I have been in University for the first time abroad from my family and working like a dog at school, this was needed.
My father has four sister that live in Trinidad and each one is more like a mother than the other. My trip to Trinidad lasted seven days, and I felt like a king for each of those seven days. Everyone was trying their best to make me feel at home. Offering food, drinks and money to spend, and most of the time, if I declined the offer, I was forced to accept. An old arab tradition, keep offering until they accept, and they made sure they followed tradition… The kisses, hugs, respect and kiness was great. I gaurantee I put on at least 10 pounds. The first few days was spent seeing family and extended family who also treated me as if I was their own flesh and blood. On the third day, I we travelled on my uncle’s boat to a small island off of Trinidad where my uncle has a massive house on the sea where I spent the night. The next morning at six, my uncle and I along with another extended uncle went ten miles out into the sea and fished. At first it was the most boring thing ever… I felt nausiated and sick from the swaling waters and the current moving the boat. The anchor was have a hard time batteling the waters as it pulled the ship with its mighty currents. I began to get a headache from the blazing sun beating down on my head and I felt like vomitting from the rocking of the boat. Just as my sickness peaked, I heard “I caught a f***er”. Haha, my good old Uncle Charlie hooked a red fish… I do not know if my sickness was brought on my share bordom or if it was physcological, but it instantly went away. Within the next hour, the currents and swales died and water became as smooth as ice. At this point, fishing became fun. We pulled one in after the other and began a competition in which Uncle Joe took the lead. He kept saying “bajan, you better catch up so you can tell your friends back in Barbados about the 10 pound fish you caught”. Haha, we all were begging to catch a fish of that weight, but the closest was 4 pounds. I also met this girl my last night in Trinidad that reminded me of the first girl I loved… Her face, her accent, the way she looked at me. When I entered Zen night club, I walked around with my cousin for a while and drank a couple of drinks. As I glanced over the dance floor, I spotted this girl, and just as I saw her, she looked directly at me and our eyes locked. I smiled and she smiled. We did this several times for the next ten minutes, then finally I waved and she waved back. Then my cousin invited me to take a walk around the club with him, which I did and when I returned, she called me to come by her. She was sitting on the bar table and with an innocent look on her face. As I got by her, we introduced ourselves and within minutes, we were dancing. Four hours past, and we still danced. It was probably the best dance I have ever had in my life. Azaria was the name of the girl. It almost seemed like I knew this girl my whole life. I was comfortable with her. It was too soon before she had to go. I ensured she knew my full name before she left, and I implored her to add me on facebook. When she left, I wondered to myself if her name was really Azaria, or if she was some girl just looking to have a good night. Luckily for me, when I logged onto facebook today, there it was, an invitation from Azaria… She does exist and hopefully, I will see this girl again and dance the night away one more time.
My dad’s sisters are the best in the world. No one can compare to the love they show me. However, right now, I am on a plane heading back to Barbados. I just watched my two aunts and my cousin cry as I walked through the airport security check gates. I tried my best to hold back the tears, and almost succeeded until I reached inside. My dad’s sisters and their families are a true definition of what family love should be like. I was crying, but wasn’t really that sad because I knew I going to return to Trinidad soon. Then… Shit hit the fan. When I got to the next check point where they scan your carry on luggage and check you for weapons, I got treated like shit. My carry on luggage had a bottle of shaving cream and shampoo; in the officer’s eyes, those were “liquids”. Thanks to terrorist and their plots to blow up everything that moves, liquids are no longer allowed to be taken as carry on… Normally, I wouldn’t give two shits about the shampoo and shaving cream, but my favorite aunt bought it for me. I was asked to throw it away. What choice did I have? Run mouth and try to argue and then get stuck in Trinidad, or allow the officer to throw away the liquids and allow me on the flight.. I went with the more intelligent decision. Thanks for making me feel like shit officer.
This brings me to my first blog about what “grinds my gears”…
Terrorist…
How can war bring peace? Why kill and take lives of innocent people because you are fighting for a cause? Many men have succeeded great things with their tongues, can you not follow by example? Idiots…
Anyway, my flight is about to take off, laptop turnoff time. I will try to blog more, but Barbados seems to pull me away from my computer more than anything.