The Trinidad culture is a mix of Old Europe, Africa, and Asia. The islands were originally under Spanish rule until 1797 at which point they were absorbed into the British Empire. The islands attracted a diverse mix of peoples: free Black, Spanish, Portuguese, French and others. Under the hegemony of the United Kingdom, Asians, including Chinese and East Indians made their way to the island. My own heritage is a mix of free Black (West African); European including Spanish, Portuguese, French, Slavic and others; and East Indian. Generally, Trinidadians exhibit ethnic and nurture traits of all of these diverse cultures. The citizens are beautiful, well-educated, and friendly. All in all, Trinidadians are among the most open-minded in the world.

Though Trinidad and Tobago became independent of the United Kingdom in 1962, three years before my birth, the nation continued to acknowledge the Monarch of England as the Chief of State until 1976. In that year the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago adopted a Constitution and replaced Queen Elizabeth with a President elected by Parliament. The island is a member of the Commonwealth of The United Kingdom. Some of my cousins have availed themselves of that status and pursued higher education in other Commonwealth countries including Australia, Canada, The United Kingdom, and elsewhere. I have not been to the island in several years - since a birthday visit I made to my grandparents when I turned thirty. At that time, I had just applied to business school.

The U.S. beaches cannot compare to the pristine splendor of the Trinidad shoreline. Islanders take beach retreats often, sometimes weekly. And vacationers often avail themselves of water sports and fishing. During my last trip, I accompanied uncles to the shore to buy fish in the early morning, directly off the boat. We grilled it for lunch with a little lemon and pepper. This is a photograph of Bird of Paradise Island.