Last One Standing

Dave is leaving tomorrow which means I'm the last Fulbrighter left in Trinidad. I think a new crop of them should be coming about a month before I leave, so I'll be the expert I guess. That's kinda weird! Although I think I really do know my way around pretty well now and have some people now, so maybe I won't be the expert but I can certainly help! I'm sad Dave is leaving, but luckily we had a good farewell for him up in La Laja...that's really what the rest of this is about.

So La Laja is up in the mountains on the Northern Coast, up literally where cars can barely reach. We had a regular car, not a 4-wheel drive jeep or van, so we had to walk about 15 minutes to get from the road to the house. The walk was almost completely done in a light misting rain, which was actually really nice because it kept us cool on the practically straight uphill climbs. We each had our overnight bags and then 2 or 3 grocery sacks with food for the weekend weighing us down. Oleo, Dave and I started the trek happily, excited but Alister and Olivia were more serious, knowing the torture to come. The hills were numerous and relentless, slippery and muddy. We had to stop 3 times to breath and poor Oleo, with his recent asthma attacks, was close to going into cardiac arrest. But when we turned the corner, seeing the house and the view, every step was worth it. The house's water supply is supplied by a nearby natural spring and there were trees with oranges, grapefruits, plums, breadfruit and much more, flowers of all colors and types dotted the landscape.

Our weekend pretty much consisted of three things: cooking, eating and relaxing. We'd prepare a meal all together, eat and clean it up and then sit around and talk, read, walk around the grounds taking in the sights. The house had a tin roof and the rain tinged on it throughout the weekend. You could hear the rain coming in the distance, a low roar that would creep closer and closer. Finally the rain would reach us and the crash it made on the roof almost drowned out all other sound. It was a cozy feeling, listening to the rain, book in hand, smells wafting in from the kitchen.











So that's La Laja...it was really great! Since then I just have one day left with the Blood Transfusion Service. I spent a week at the center in Port of Spain and then a day in the Point Fortin and San Fernando centers (both in the southern part of the country). Tomorrow it is off to Sangre Grande (east side) and then a weekend to relax! Actually I probably better do some work since my time here is quickly dwindling! Dave leaving made me realize how little time I have left to finish the project and how much work I have left to do! Guess I better stop writing and start doing something huh...