Summary

The article discusses the author's experience and reasons for enjoying life in Trinidad & Tobago, highlighting aspects such as the people, island life, culture, beaches, food, unique cuisine, liming, and other miscellaneous attractions.

Abstract

The author of the article, who never imagined living outside their home country, shares a personal account of adapting to life in Trinidad & Tobago. They outline eight compelling reasons why the move has been positive, including the friendliness of the locals, the laid-back island lifestyle, the rich cultural tapestry, the natural beauty of the beaches, the availability of fresh local produce, the unique and varied local cuisine, the social tradition of 'liming' (relaxing and socializing), and the diverse attractions ranging from architectural marvels to natural wonders like the Caroni Swamp and Bird Sanctuary. Despite the challenges of adjusting to a new country, the author emphasizes the refreshing change and the joy of embracing the island's way of life.

Opinions

The author is pleasantly surprised by the friendliness of Trinidadians, who are quick to engage in conversation and treat newcomers with kindness and respect.
The concept of 'island time' is acknowledged as a slower pace of life that initially requires adjustment but ultimately contributes to a more peaceful existence.
Trinidad's cultural diversity and the celebration of various religious and cultural holidays are seen as enriching experiences, with the author particularly fond of Divali and looking forward to participating in Carnival.
Beaches in Trinidad, particularly Maracas Bay and Las Cuevas, are highly praised for their beauty and leisure opportunities.
The abundance of fresh, local food, including fruit, vegetables, and seafood, is a significant highlight, with the author expressing a particular love for fresh pineapple and the local fish man's offerings.
Trinidadian cuisine is celebrated for its unique dishes, with the author listing favorites like doubles and buss up shut, while also noting personal least favorites such as callaloo and curry duck.
'Liming', the Trinidadian tradition of social gatherings filled with food, music, and drink, is regarded as an enjoyable aspect of island life.
The author expresses an eagerness to explore more of Trinidad's hidden gems, including the savannah, botanical gardens, zoo, and the northern rainforest, and encourages readers to visit the official tourism website for more information.
The article concludes with recommendations for further reading on Caribbean travel and a call to action for readers to subscribe to the author's stories on Medium.

Writing — Travel

Eight Reasons to Move to a Caribbean Island

What I love most about living in the beautiful country of Trinidad & Tobago

Trinidad Las Cuevas Beach — Photo by JoAnn Ryan

When people think of the Caribbean islands, they tend to think first of Jamaica, The Bahamas, Barbados and other such popular destinations. Less well known is the country of Trinidad and Tobago.

Never in a million years would I have thought I’d be living here— always said I didn’t want to live anywhere else other than my home country.

Never say never because here I am. Getting used to living in a new country has its ups and downs — here’s my prerogative on the ups of living on the island of Trinidad. Also, check out my post Eight Reasons Not to Move to a Caribbean Island to get a scoop on the downside of things.

1. People

When I first moved here, one of the first that amazed me most was how quickly a person could strike up a conversation with a random person. This was a bit jarring at first. When my husband would strike up conversations with random people, I always braced myself.

What is he doing? I figured the person would respond like how many people do in the U.S. Look at him like he was crazy and then just ignore him.

Not so in Trinidad. People seem happy to strike up random conversations with just about anyone. Remarkable how noticeable this difference is!

The U.S. might have been more like this at one long-ago point, but not so much anymore. So many people seem stuck in their own world. Sad really.

Additionally, everyone I’ve met from my husband’s extended circle of family and friends has always treated me with kindness and respect, almost as though I was just another member of the family.

All this has really been refreshing to get used to. I feel like I’m slowly becoming more sociable than I ever was in the U.S.

2. The island life

The island life is just different. It’s not for everyone. Peaceful, mostly unhurried and fun-loving. Maybe it’s because I’m older now, but at 48 I love this way of life.

Island time is a real thing here though, and one has to be prepared for it. Let’s say you order a piece of furniture to be delivered later today, don’t be surprised if today becomes tomorrow or the next day.

No worries, it will get there eventually. All things in time. Just be patient and enjoy a drink or something. By the way, isn’t it time for my Rude Boy now?

3. Culture

Divali painted pots decoration — TT, Photo by JoAnn Ryan

Trinidad has a rich cultural history. People of mixed race are extremely common and many different kinds of religious and cultural holidays are observed. I used to think the U.S. had a lot of holidays, but really it’s nothing compared to here.

Experiencing the culture of Trinidad has been somewhat hindered due to COVID, although things are slowly getting back to normal. Last year I celebrated Divali for the first time, even though it was a small private gathering.

Hoping in the future to be able to participate in more cultural-rich endeavors.

Trinidad’s baby, the infamous Carnival, has not been held since crappy COVID began. This next year will be the first celebration in quite some time. I can and can’t wait — they say the island goes absolutely crazy with excitement.

The Statue of The Runaway Slave and a Rainforest Spring

Exploring hidden gems in Trinidad & Tobago

medium.com

4. Beaches

A no-brainer. One of the best reasons to live on any Caribbean island is the beach… and I do love the beach… and I mean I looove the beach… no seriously I mean I looooove the beach — relaxing in a lounge chair, feeling the ocean breeze tease my skin, eating great food, drinking a few libations, playing in the sand and splashing through the ocean — I just love it all.

The most popular beaches here in Trinidad are Maracas Bay and Las Cuevas, been to both and I can say they are indeed awesome. There are plenty of other beaches though and some that are much more secluded. We are in the process of planning road trips for the very near future.

5. An abundance of fresh fruit and other foods

Fresh cut pineapple — TT, Photo by JoAnn Ryan

My favorite is fresh pineapple — we purchase one at least once per week, cut it up and store it in the fridge to have as a delicious, sweet snack or add to smoothies.

Of course, there’s plenty of other fresh fruit and vegetables like bananas, coconuts, papayas, mangos, watermelon, peppers, pumpkin, etc.

My husband buys fresh fish from the fish man down the street. That’s really what they call him. The fish man. In Trinidad, such a title is considered an honor, and an acknowledgment of a person’s unique expertise.

My husband’s nephew is known as the chow man. His notoriety for this is an important elevation of distinction. Chow is a popular Trini dish typically made of mango or pineapple slices seasoned with hot peppers, garlic, shado beni and other spices.

6. Unique cuisine

Trinidad has many unique and delicious dishes, many of which I’ve been able to try since moving here. By no means is this an exhaustive list, but these are the most memorable anyway:

My favorites: Doubles, many types of roti (including the infamous buss up shut), aloo pies, pelau, pholourie, corn soup, kurma, coconut cakes and breads and of course a variety of curries and rice dishes.

Least favorite: Callaloo, oil down, curry duck, chow, Trinidad-style dumplings and bake and shark (as a Trini himself, my husband loves most all of these things though!)

You can read more about many of these dishes here:

Top 25 Foods in Trinidad and Tobago (With Pictures!) - Chef's Pencil

One needs to know where the people came from to truly appreciate and understand what makes up the cuisine of Trinidad…

www.chefspencil.com

7. Liming

The all-day parties filled with people, food, music, drink, etc. They are always enjoyable and a great way to enjoy island life.

8. Miscellaneous

The President’s House, aka “The White House” — Trinidad — Photo by JoAnn Ryan

The above is by no means an exhaustive list. The savannah and the nearby downtown area of Port of Spain are lovely places where events are held and enjoyed. There are botanical gardens and a zoo as well as many buildings featuring amazing architecture.

The Caroni Swamp and Bird Sanctuary, which I have yet to visit, is one of the highlights of the islands. Of course, there is the beautiful northern rainforest to experience and amazing waterfalls throughout the island to visit as well.

Here’s the full scoop on visiting Trinidad: Visit Trinidad | Things to Do, Tours, Travel Guide | Official Tourism Website