Bucknell in the Caribbean: Student Memories
Student: Kareen George '22. Major: English Literature Minor: Legal Studies
1. Why did you decide to go on the trip?
I went on this trip because I am an international student from the island of Dominica in the Caribbean and I have a vested interest in Caribbean literature.
2. What was your favorite part?
My favorite part of the trip was being given the opportunity to visit so many interesting places rich in African history and culture.
3. What was the most significant thing you learned?
The most interesting thing that I learned a lot about is how members of the African diaspora treat African history and heritage. We were in the presence of so many blatant vestiges of the legacy of African slavery that the locals didn’t seem to think anything of. It was such an inherent part of the culture that it was almost unremarkable. It was so easy for people to detach themselves from the implications of these slave plantations and commercialise them to appeal to an often unsympathetic audience.
4. Where there any challenges for you, or the group?
My greatest challenge was being faced with the fact that I too was a contributor to this depreciation of African culture and the legacy of slavery as a Caribbean national myself. I never thought about how harmful my apathy towards the evidence of slavery even in my home country could have on the global perception of African culture.
5. Could you share a funny memory or story?
My funniest memory from the trip had to have been the moment when Carmen and I tried to teach the other students how to “whine” in the traditional Caribbean way. Most were unsuccessful in their attempts to keep up with us.
6. Anything else?
Overall, this was a very exciting trip that invoked feelings of introspection in all attendees. I think even the White and American students found something from this trip that struck them and made them think in a way they never had before.