The T&T Guardian is pleased to introduce UWI Life Abroad, a column written by T&T students that will shine a light into university life at UWI campuses in Cave Hill, Barbados and Mona, Jamaica. Today, Kyle Cox advises prospective T&T students heading for Cave Hill.
Congratulations! You applied and have been accepted to pursue tertiary education at the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, Barbados. You are ecstatic! The sacrifices made at secondary school are paying off in full.
Take a moment and enjoy the feeling of accomplishment. Enjoy the looks of satisfaction and pride on your parents' faces.
This is truly an occasion to celebrate. Higher education is one of the important steps on your journey to higher paying employment and an overall successful life. Your acceptance letter is in hand, you have registered, bought a ticket and have already started saying goodbye to family and friends.
Wait, you have never been to Barbados. Further, you have not been away from your support base for more than a week. The once ecstatic feeling is now turning to nausea because questions are outweighing answers. Not to mention your parents' seeming inability to allow you to be the adult they trained you to be for all these years.
Take a breath, calm down and go through this checklist of requirements for a T&T student in Barbados:
Acceptance Letter: This is as essential as your passport. Immigration officers need to see your acceptance letter to allow access to the island. In addition to this, also have a contact number for the university or halls of residence.
Green seasoning: Yes, green seasoning. Barbados does not have pimento peppers or chadon beni. Many T&T students have found it difficult to adapt to the taste of Barbadian food on campus. This is not an insult to Barbadian cooking but rather a warning that the cafeteria's food is not the best. To be honest I prefer meals cooked by friends' parents.
Food is also very expensive and in some cases dollar-for-dollar to prices in T&T, even though, may I remind you, the T&T dollar is valued at approximately $3.14 to one Barbadian dollar.
Also be advised, Barbados does not have powdered milk!
Medication: There are items that are over-the-counter at home but need a prescription in Barbados. Hence, be sure to pack all necessary medication.
Housing: Be sure of exactly where you are staying when you arrive in Barbados.
Inquire which hall you were accepted to reside at or have the address of your off-campus residence written down.
Campus Life: Bring vibes! Buy a national flag, red t-shirt and any other item that shows your national pride. The Cave Hill campus is a true Caribbean campus with a rich diversity in nationalities and cultures.
There are multiple island associations striving to showcase their culture in the best, most creative way possible, and T&T Student Association (TTSA) is no different. We are all unofficial ambassadors for our country. As a result everything you do on campus does not only reflect your upbringing but also represents your country.
We have the difficult but rewarding task of disassociating our country from the status of a "crime country." Instead it is our task to enlighten the campus about the richness of our culture. Allow that to sink it. No pressure.
Love: Studying abroad would get emotionally and mentally taxing. In these difficult times it helps to have a picture of your parents and or siblings to look at.
The checklist has some essentials, not all. Where it falls short the TTSA is there to fill the gap. We are eager to see and welcome you. See you in Barbados.
�2 Kyle Cox is the president of the T&T Student Association, UWI, Cave Hill campus.