Caribbean Living Lifestyle Blog - Dominica

Dominica’s 30th Year of Independence

nospam@example.com (Terri Henry - Contributor) — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 00:36:27 -0500

Dominica is in the midst of the ‘Reunion’ activities to celebrate its 30th year of Independence. In the last few months, the usually quiet island has seen a deluge of overseas visitors and in these past couple of weeks there has been non-stop party action! The official opening of the Independence season on 27th September was a spectacular event that filled the national stadium.

This Friday was a Creole Day where the public were encouraged to dress in the national wear – a colourful blend of bright Madras fabric in various designs, the most traditional of which is the Wob Dwiyet. The National Wob Dwiyet pageant was held Thursday night where seven young women vied for this cultural title by showcasing their talents and creativity. Later in the month there will be another display of the Wob Dwiyet with participants coming from the Caribbean & Dominican Diaspora.

There has also been plenty of music from Calypso shows, Reggae jams and Bouyon Jump ups. For 4 days this week, the botanical gardens were alive with music as the ‘Creole in the Park’ event showcased a number of local artists. And the music continues…as I write, I am up late listening to the 12th Annual World Creole Music festival being broadcast on the radio. It’s an event that grows bigger each year and boasts an impressive line-up of artists.
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Escape from America: An American Girl’s Adventures in the Caribbean Part 2

nospam@example.com (Tabrechai Washington - Contributor) — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 13:25:41 -0500

From Melville Hall Airport in the North of the island of Dominica I had to catch a taxi into Roseau in the South. My taxi driver Frank was from Loubiere which is the village I am staying. On our long drive into Roseau he told me about some of the history of the island. To pay my driver I had to stop into town to use an ATM, because the Melville Hall airport did not have a cash machine. I did not know ahead of time, so here’s another small tip - get cash in exchange currency before you arrive.

After my bumpy but beautiful ride along the coast, the taxi driver helped me tote my oversize luggage out the car and left. My first destination was to pick up my keys. In Dominica, there are no numbered street grids but street signs, so if you are not from the island it can be a challenge at first to find your way around.

I arrived in the rental agency office sweaty and exhausted but with a big smile on my face. I was really tired, but had to go through the paperwork and other management details. As a new tenant and resident of Dominica I needed information about my apartment, banks and all that jazz. After being there for over an hour I was just about still listening and eagerly anticipating seeing my new place. I started daydreaming about what I would do when I opened the door. My plan was simple: throw down my luggage, blow up my air mattress and fall asleep, the rest would have to wait until tomorrow.
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Escape from America - An American Girl’s Adventures in the Caribbean

nospam@example.com (Tabrechai Washington - Contributor) — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 07:00:00 -0500

It is 6:32 am and I find myself rained in, not to complain, it is lovely to actually have a view of the Caribbean Sea despite the heavy rain. Of course moving to the greenest island in the eastern Caribbean, you would expect monsoons of rain right? At least that’s what I was informed, “We get lots of rain throughout the day, so it's best you carry an umbrella.”

Like most expats, I am a traveller on a budget, so flying during the hurricane season is a natural choice it you want to find cheaper flights. However, as much as I prepared for my trip and budgeted, my good intentions seemed to go out the window, as soon as I left my front door.

In my effort to get to the Caribbean as cheaply as possible, I over-packed my suitcase with every little thing I could find. I had other options of shipping my provisions like a barrel, but I figured I could use the extra 150 bucks for other fun stuff when I got to the island. However when I checked in my baggage at La Guardia, I realized I should have bought a barrel, because the overweight fee with US Airways was a whopping 80 bucks, plus the 40 checked baggage fee. Plus another overweight charge of $40 on my connection from St. Martin to Dominica!!! A bit of advice if you are planning on staying abroad for 6 months or more - compare the cost of shipping items before you go.
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