yesterday

Was an ordinary day.

Some of us made it through

Some of us didnt.

The fat lady always eventually comes.

updates

Well its the end of October. I have not writteb anything at all down since June and so much has happened!

Beginning of August I went to Tobago to sort out some land in an insanely expensive way (20K in 6hrs)

Mid - August,.viewed a house in Trinidad. Put in offer and we're closing on Monday! 5 days away!

Now, on Nov 1, I have two separate tenants taking up occupancy in each apartment as I figure that there'll be no carnival for quite some time :/ but it will really help out with the mortgage.

By end of December I hope to clear the mortgage on the first house so I will have cleared the mortgage in about 4 years! 

covid madness again

June 11 I said I would be wary because of our porous borders to the south and west of the island.

I would be wary because we have greedy and selfish people who would do anything for a dollar.

Well.Tdad went from 6 imported cases. 0 community spread to 2 cases because of community spread.

No idea who patient 0 is...os it's circulating amongst us.

Not all fun and games at all

back to a not normal

Sooo Trinidad has more or less managed its cases and we are a point of all businesses reopening.

Traffic has restarted and more or less you can get what you need fairly easily.

Black Lives Matter protests in the US has sparked a healthy and collective opening up of thine eyes of the Afro-Trinis locally and I'm here for ALL of that!

However although things are reopening I am VERY prudent about how I go out and conduct business.

We do have porous borders..and the virus doesn't necessarily need to enter via plane.

and this is where we reach.

Masks are usually associated with bandits.

Now we cant even buy bread without them..

I am cookiiiinnngg

Well..Trinidad and Tobago is coming out of its covid lockdown.

As of today we now have 0 active cases...reported.

I am not ready to jump up and down yet. The borders may be closed but they are Hella porous.

One boat from Tucapita and we press the "reset" button on our efforts. It is mildly terrifying.

So.I continue to be a homebody but I enjoy my outdoor sejourns for exercise and/or a quick walkabout

And boy oh boy am I cooking!

Chinese, soups, blue berry bread, mango bread, pancakes, beef! Im doing it! And im.not halfway bad! 

keeping connected during COVID - lit like litmus

Yes yes..the pandemic is still here.

Yes yes I'm still stuck indoors with little to do. It is indeed a miracle that I enjoy my own company, a good book and a decent movie/tv series as these are in abundance these days.

I've lagged on my dance classes with Alvin Ailey :(, but I hope next week that I find my inspiration again.

One of the challenges of an extroverted introvert like me, is to not forget those connections during this period where it's sooo easy to isolate yourself...friends...family..remember that?

Well...DRAIN IT!  The COVID edition to the rescue!!! The peeps thought it unforgivable if I did not call a DRAIN IT during this unique period..and I am.not one to disappoint!

So last nite we all gathered...(after resolving some technical difficulties as we quickly realised that Houseparty can only hold 7 at a time and we had people outside the event and had to make an impromptu switch over to zoom...sponsored by CARPHA (thanks Sketchkosi) ..from all corners including Cayman and NYC to old talk, shit talk for a couple of hours and effectively get plastered off of our own liquor all the way to 1:30am this morning.

Result..a good time was had and I literally got drunk off my own liquor...shame.

Couldn't get up till 2pm when I embarked on.an epic fry fest to try to recreate hangover food - and seeing that kfc and royal castle are still closed. Cue - Royal Nikki!

who would've thought

That a global pandemic would have me dancing like crazy.

Alvin Ailey extension has been a godsend.

After 8yrs off the dance floor I realised that I STILL sweat like bullets when doing ballet. How am.I supposed to suck in so many things and STILL breathe!!!

another day, another SIQ

It's April whatever the date is, and it's another day indoors.

I've established a pretty om routine of yoga in the nmorning 3-4 times per week, african dance class twice per week and eating all the quarantine snacks in an epic way.

I've managed to surpass my usual laziness and I can't even muster the effort to put the dirty laundry in the washing machine...

Yeah..that bad.

However, the days are indeed beautiful.

quarantine dance class...a new normal?

April 3 2020. Trinidad is now at 97 cases (49 from the ill fated cruise) and 6 dead. It's getting heated. 

Supposedly the partial shut down should last until April 15th with schools reopening April 20th.

Year right.

New York is now at the epicentre. More than 1,000,000 people infected globally. 

We are in this for the long haul.

So what's "this" you may ask? Virtual EVERYTHING. The Trinidad courts have FINALLY switched to virtual hearings, 3hr staff meetings are now via Skype (ugh..don't ask) and dance classes!! Dance classes via zoom!

I took my first class yesterday. African! Got the heart pumping and the feet moving - it's been a while!

Let's see how long this new normal lasts for! 

oooh gotta keep this one for posterity - COVID 19

It occured to me yesterday, while rushing around to run errands before the national stay at home order, that I am living in a unique time and that I should record this period to come back in 20years...hopefully we're still here.

A global pandemic that has shut borders and people inside their homes (or shelters) is something definitely unique and novel. This is not your typical war where there are fights to increase borders and resources. Nope this is a war battling an unseen enemy and that has forced us to collapse on ourselves - economically and socially.

The US has announced a trillion bail out package...trinidad 1 billion over the next TWO weeks - which starts today.

It's amazing how we in the globe are all intrinsically linked. Some guy/gal eating bad bat soup in Wuhan China has resulted in a global showdown against flu like symptoms ... wow.

Let's tack back to Ash Wednesday, Keishan and I are leaving Trinidad and the "bubble" that is Trinidad Carnival to head back to Sint Maarten. The day is February 26 2020. Iwer George has finally won soca monarch AND road march - we should've known that something was going to the shits.

As soon as the bubble is burst, I am attuned to international and soon to be regional reports of cruise ships being denied entry to port due to suspicious symptoms on board. By March 3/4, around the Sint Maarten Heineken Regatta, I've already made up my.mind to voluntary self isolate at home. This is because SXM took the view to STILL host an international regatta full of Europeans - whilst the virus was making a foothold in Italy. The borders are still open, cruise ships are still coming. Clearly the almighty US dollar is king. So with the influx of people, I begin my isolation on my birthday...March 6th and monitor the news.

Thanks to a what I may call hyperactively doomsdayish type of co-worker, I'm kept abreast every time there's some seemingly morbid development on the island. However, I keep my eyes and ears focused on TnT. The TnT goverment since mid January, placed several travel restrictions and bans for persons travelling from affected countries are with recent travel from there -it felt that we were ahead of the curve, Trinidad and Tobago carnival is a resounding success.

By March 13/14 however the government has started a series of press conferences, urging against non- essential travel as well as advising persons not to have large events or huge limes. We have realised our first COVID patient now.

Further border restrictions are put in place - non- nationals and non residents cannot enter or transit through Trinidad. This spells a huge deal for guyanese and other caricom nations who use Trinidad as a transit hub. Thereafter Suriname and Guyana shut borders completely. Venezuela is soon to follow.

Shift to Tuesday 17 March 2020, I am home in self isolation, having a work call, where doom and gloom alerts that there was a restriction placed at the borders for Sint Maarten and there'll be an update at 7pm by the government. Planes carrying non residents will not be allowed to land.

My gut tells me - this is only going to get worse. sxm has all of 4 isolation beds, get the hell out. I get on to my girl Tani who is a flight attendant with CAL to try to help me get out as my original flight back to tdad was March 25th. I want to leave on the 18th..the next day. She whatsapps some people, and gets on the CAL telephone hotline...she is caller 101. 

I get on right behind her and snag 121. Damn

She's unsuccessful on the phone but they let her know as an employee they'll give her a bligh to come into the airport to pay for the change for me if it comes to that. Ok Plan B in place.

Its now 5.30pm and I am inching up the line. 5:55pm and I finally talk to someone after 1.5hrs.

Me: hi, id like to change my tkt to the flight tomorrow

Lady: ok, what kind of tkt is this... french?

Me: its a CAL.tkt. a french travel agency that bought the tickets. The company originally bought it but I am the traveller and I need to leave here

Lady: well you need to go back to the travel agent to change it

Me: there's noone to go back to everything is shut down, the agency is located in france. Nobody is working there's noone to email!! Earth is closing!

Lady: oh...ok

Me: the only thing standing between me and the next zombie apocalypse is you

Lady: please hold let me check

*hold for 5 minutes*

Lady: what dates?

Me: fly out tomorrow. Come back in April 25 - hopefully this blows over by then

Lady: ticket changed, I wouldnt charge you..safe flight.

6:10pm new flight ticket in hand

7pm update in SXM - after midnight Sunday 22nd there'll be no flights in or out of SXM..nationals, non-nationals hard luck..stay outside.

Me: whew...

March 18 2020 I fly in and do my best to isolate - of course - Calvin.isnt having any of that. I get scared shitless because I develop a dry cough but I'm home. By March 29 cold is gone..although I did call 877 WELL, the local COVID hotline number in the wee hours (like 4:30am) on the 26th to let them know my symptoms. However 3 doses of some hot , fresh lemon tea with honey and I am right as rain. Thanks Dr Ali and, the CMO who followed up with me after.

March 25 2020 Trinidad gov't also bans any incoming flights. No nationals, citizens nobody is allowed in as our covid numbers steadily but slowly begin to climb...

Until the Cruise 70

The cruise 70 is a bunch of irresponsible reitirees who in the midst of a global pandemic decided to board the MSC Costa ship on March 5 to do a caribbean cruise. As expected by everyone except them, they are not allowed to port and clamour for the govt to bring them home.

These bastions of responsibility drive our numbers up as 49 are tested positive for COVID. They are the stimulus behind govt shutting borders.

Persons are stuck in Barbados, Margarita etc...and.Stuart Young says..hard luck comrades...ride it out but we need to protect who inside.

Near 20,000 ppl flew in the days before the closure announcement (including myself) and the country holds its breath hoping that persons are responsible enough to self isolate during this time. However the national clowns betray this trust. Ian Alleyne who went galavanting after returning from two days in Miami tests positive prompting banks, media houses etc to send home staff and sanitise - numbers continue to climb.

Today March 30th 2020 - a holiday in Trinidad - begins the stay at home order. We are now at 78 cases and 3 deaths. 49 of those cases belonging to the cruise 70...

So we wait inside and check the numbers at every 10am and 4pm update given by the minister of health.

We compare our Orders with other caribbean nations like neighbouring Grenada - who has put supermarkets on a schedule and has forbidden the sale of alcohol.

We sit and wait...inside.

Oh what a time to be alive..and inside.

a lot of the caribbean

As part of my new...I.dont know what to call it...perhaps...sentence..I have been lucky enough to travel to the caribbean territories of the EU.

Aruba, Montserrat, Statia, Bonaire, Curacao, BVI, TCI and now I'm in anguilla

It's been a good run..but for how long again? 

sint eustatius...not a church

One thing that I must admit is that this job is taking me places. Yes the pace is hectic - the reporting a bit bulky but wow o wow talk about new experiences!

So after leaving Aruba, I had a ONE night layover in Trinidad before heading to Sint Maarten to go to my next location.

Sint Eustatius. Never heard of it, had to look on a map for it and realised that it's the next door neighbor of St Kitts and Nevis...buuut Dutch.

Oh colonisers...sigh.

Anyways Sunday lunchtime, myself and two other work colleagues set off on the adventure of getting.to Sint Eustatius..on an 18 seater airplane (whaaaaaaat!!) that ALSO made a stop in Saba which boasts the shortest intl runway in.the world.

A princely length of 400METRES!! It was shitting terrifying (excuse my french) as the runway is surrounded by SHARP CLIFF!!

Anyways, the fact that I am.writing this means that ive made it to and from safely but if there's a boat option to Saba, I'll be first in line to be honest.

So.we get to Statia and wow..the airport immigration is a line by a table outside the airport, a panel van dropps off the luggage on a wooden table.and.you're in in about 10 minutes. Customs, immigration. Done!

So we meet our driver Bobby (sweet little ole man) and he takes us through what can only be described as virgin, untouched, quaint and.romantic town centre and hotel area at the harbour.

Really beautiful. I'll let the pics speak for themselves.

So we had 3 days of intense consultations and site visits as part of the programme..but the island is so small we probably drove around it 3 times!

Funnily enough I met two Jamaicans (an invasive species - inside joke) working in.Statia in.very senior positions in government! Normally we say you can find a trini anywhere, but I believe these two have us beat!

It was gorgeous. Not the sun, sea, sand (no sand for sure) gorgeous but the untouched and untainted. I look forward to returning.

development

There is deep-seated corruption in this development agenda / practice

"Consultants" lining their pockets is the real goal it seems.