*NOTE: READ USING YOUR BEST TRINIDADIAN ACCENT ;-)
August
Richmond we reach!!!!!!!!
We number seven and we are anxious but even more than that……..excited about the
next ten months of our professional lives! What a great group!!!!!!!!!!!!! An opthamologist, a psychiatrist, not one but two social workers, a police
officer, a teacher and a toxicologist. Nice mix 'ent?!?!!!!
Most of us got here on
August 7th and spent two weeks with Crystal, who by the way should
be the campaign person for the energizer battery, in a hectic orientation
program aimed in getting us settled in and equipped with the basic needs to
live in a foreign country with habits and customs different from our own cultures.
Week
1
We shopped!!!!!!!,
turned generic apartments into homes, opened bank accounts, learnt the
transportation system, got our office spaces and VCU ID’s, shopped some more,
toured the campus and yes people we………………activated our gym memberships ……… I
guess Fitness should be one of our personal goals!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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| Poolside at our Welcome Bar B Que |
Virginia Museum of Fine Arts was our first taste of Richmond culture.
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| Waterfall at VMFA |
Week 2
Ok so we had more
orientation sessions covering the expectations of Humphrey fellows, academic
courses, meetings with individual advisors, everything we need to know about
remaining healthy and the assistance that can be provided by the GEO office.
We visited the
State Capitol and learnt the history of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Now honestly, I’m not a history buff but that
tour guide was so passionate and his delivery was so great even I learnt
something.
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| On our tour of the Virginia State Capitol just steps away from our offices |
For the rest of August we got deeper
into our professional activities aided by field visits to institutions with the
aim to increase our knowledge base and make professional connections.
The General Assembly
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| Visiting the General Assembly |
Substance Abuse and Addiction Recovery Alliance (SAARA) Center - Virginia’s
only statewide Recovery Community Organization
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| Field Trip at the SAARA Center |
Virginia State University
This University
is meant to be our collaborative institution.
This collaboration gives us an opportunity for us to pass on our
knowledge to other graduate students, expose them about our individual
countries, traditions, customs, culture and language.
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| Initial meeting at VSU |
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| Dr. Mary Loos and Fellows discussing our collaboration this year |
As I write there is so much we did in
such a short space of time, wow!!!! So we did have some fun as well it wasn’t
ALL WORK!!!!!
D best way to do this is a Picture Gallery!!!!!!
Let's
se we………………Danced – ‘Balia
Baila’
Leslie, took us dancing people!!!!!!!!!!
Boy did we have fun. Thanks Leslie
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| Suzan and Bola cutting a rug |
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| Leslie and Kouame stayed in step |
Cruised the Richmond Canal...............................................................................
Had a TRINI LIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
"Cause we Trinis like we belly and show love with food"
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| Trini Lime! |
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| D bartender (togo) and D cook from Trinidad and Tobago!!! |
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| Suzan enjoying the Trini feast |
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| Rosie enjoying the Trini Lime, in the style of Mynmar! |
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| D bellyful Fellows! |
SEPTEMBER
So when you hear Pony Pasture what do you think?????? Check
it out………….No Ponies, horses or anything of the sort, at least not any
more. Now it’s just the most gorgeous
view of the James River and an opportunity to just get in a tire and relax in
the water.
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| Marcel, Bola and Kouame at Pony Pasture! |
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| Diane at the James River with us |
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| The beautiful James River |
Sunset Hills Vineyard -- Wine anyone?!?!?!?!
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| Our group with the Winemaker himself; a VCU alumnus! |
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| Some of us enjoyed a 'tasting'! |
Maymont Park - It was a gorgeous day!!!!!!!!
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| The Duck Pond at Maymont Park |
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| Friends strolling in the park |
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| There is always time for a photo op! |
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| ...and another. |
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| ...and another! :-) |
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| The mansion at Maymont Park |
And finally, "Happy Birthday to you (pretend we singing) to Aunty Diane!!!" Randy helped us make sure it was a surprise. It was a nice way to end the very busy and eventful first two months here in Richmond, VA.
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| Birthday Presentation to Aunty Diane! |
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| Our card, signed by the group of course. |
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| A token of our appreciation |
