predencia

Monday 2^nd December 2013

The weekend went by in a blur. The week of preparation and mini celebrations culminated in the full blown independence celebrations on Saturday.

I wasn’t able to attend the main parade in Bridgetown because I was working on preparing Never on Sunday for book form publication (Currently available only on Kindle). My friend had generously offered to help me to understand the process.

We created a back cover, and by the evening had eventually worked our way through to the point where final approval was all we awaited.

A word of warning to anyone thinking of publishing through Amazon’s Createspace. Although it allows you independence of content you still have to conform to a technical standard.

Unless you are very competent on the computer, including with graphics programmes, I suggest you go with their paid option. Fortunately for me my friend is extremely competent and…

Tuesday 26^th November 2013

Yesterday I had to choose between going to the museum and going to watch my friend perform some of his poems at a primary school. I choose the latter as the museum will always be there for another day, and school is still very much in my blood since my Cameroon experience.

It was difficult not to make comparisons. Here was a proper building with a fully functioning staff team, and children who know the resources they need for their education will be there. Basic resources like books, paper, pencils, and rubbers.

Ellerton Primary School, in the parish of St George, had planned an outdoor assembly as part of the island’s 47^th independence celebrations. When we arrived the stage was set. Microphones and speakers were in place but I noticed there was no seating under the two large gazebos.

This was because the children…

Monday 25^th November 2013

Today I visited a school to participate in their independence assembly (more about that in a later blog as I have to agree the picture content with the head teacher).

On the way home my friend Kemmerick who was an invited performer took me to get fresh moninga leaves.

He harvested a few branches in time for me to dry them out, as i can’t take them back to the UK fresh.

For such an amazing tree the moringa is very modest in appearance.

Sunday 24^th November 2013

After an intense week and before the start of another my friend and I went for a what I thought would be a relaxing Sunday afternoon drink.

We arrived at happy hour. Maybe it was the two for the price of one, or maybe it was the fantastic music they played  that  encouraged me to get on the dance floor in broad daylight.

Exhausted after some particularly energetic soca dancing I sat for a brief respite. I immediately noticed a lizard on a wall opposite. My dreams are becoming more vivid, and I’m remembering them more. They are all, however, of people at home in the UK.

Someone told me that lizards also represent the spirits of loved ones who want to make themselves known to you. I assumed the lizard was expressing approval so I got back on the floor.

If you’re ever in…

Saturday 23^rd November 2013

Friday night is ‘Fish Fry’ night at Oistens, Christhurch, in Barbados. The air is filled with the scent of snapper, marlin, tuna, and many other local fish being BBQed. Music calls hungry revellers from near and far to satisfy their craving for food and dance.

All this usually happens on a Friday, but this week as part of the Food, Wine and Rum Festival it happened on Thursday. There was karaoke at Lexie’s Bar and a steel band on the main stage.

https://www.youtube.com/my_videos?o=U

I soaked up the atmosphere, wandering past the many vendors and restaurants before settling on one who, as well as serving delicious fish, also cooks up wicked Ital food.

Shame I had to work on Friday. I could have danced all night.

Friday 22^nd November 2013

I arrived on the beach at 7 a.m. this morning after a 40 minute walk. I was happy to see the fruit and vegetable vendor as I was beginning to have withdrawal symptoms from plantains and pumpkin, and I know he has particularly luscious ones.

I made my purchases and threw in a paw-paw and some figs, (local small bananas). I was later to rue the spontaneous buys as my 40 minute walk back home is mostly uphill. I munched my way through a rather large golden apple to take my mind off the steepness of the hill, and the intense workout I’d just done.

My mind was also still full of the clarity of the sea and my delight at the sight of the slivers of silver light that flew out of the water, and in a blink of an eye disappeared into it…

Wednesday 20^th November 2013

I managed to get down to some serious writing yesterday before meeting a friend on the beach for a two- year catch-up.

What amazed me was that as I walked onto the beach one of the women who helps to keep the beach clean hailed me ‘Hey Predencia, how you doing?’ like she’d only seen me yesterday.

I went over, held one of her hands in both of mine and said I was honoured that she remembered me.

‘Why wouldn’t I?’ she replied surprised.

I didn’t answer that it was because I’d forgotten hers. ‘It’s been two years,’ I said instead.

‘I know,’ she replied and I felt humbled again.

Later I reflected on why my memory had been so much worse than hers. I came to the conclusion that her life had continued pretty much the same since I left, but mine had been…

Monday 18^th November 2013

So I’m safely in Barbados. I arrived here after a 13 hour journey door to door. It seemed incredible short compared to the 28 hour Cameroonian one.

The main thing of note was that I sat next to someone who was very interested in shamanism and had recently participated in an Ayahausca ceremony. That was enough to grab my attention, and she held it for the 9 hour journey.

The thick heavy book on parenting I’d brought to get me in the mood for completing the parenting course got scant attention, but I raised the issue of the course with my friend within an hour of getting home.

The thing is, I’ve been giving myself a hard time because I’ve been struggling to fit Caribbean parenting needs into the straight jacket of an academic course. After talking it through with her she also admitted that…

Sunday 10^th November 2013

I discovered today what the real cause of my writing block was. I have been trying to write something that would be academically acceptable but would be out of step with my own beliefs. After discussing it with my friend who commissioned the piece she said ‘write what feels right for you and we’ll see whether it can be adapted to suit our needs.’

You may be wondering what the ‘piece’ is. It’s a parenting course for Caribbean parents and I’ve been struggling to write anything prescriptive because I recognise and accept that parenting comes from one’s beliefs.

If you believe that children are born as empty vessels to be filled up by the adults around them, then there are many books that will tell you how to do that.

If on the other hand you believe, as I do, that children are born with…