By Gael Thomas
I had originally found out about Create Caribbean the previous year when attending a history week seminar with my former high school. That morning, during the seminar, I only got to view the products of all the hard work that takes place behind the scenes of the institute but after receiving an email of acceptance, I became part of the production team and was on my way to learn the tricks of the trade to becoming a successful part of the Create team.
The Create Caribbea
n Center is located in a beautiful oasis; the perfect getaway from the noise, traffic and the harsh heat of the rest of the college campus. The peaceful ecosystem and the cool, relaxed atmosphere are a nature enthusiasts dream. To add to my excitement about the serene ambiance, the Create Caribbean Center is located near the band room providing the occasional serenading; two of my favorite things, nature and music, combined.
On my first day at Create Caribbean, due to technical difficulties, I was unable to immediately begin researching for my first project which provided me with an opportunity to get to know my Create family. Kelly-Anne, Mia, and Jodine are just three of the older siblings of the Create family, overseeing the proceedings at the Create Caribbean Center while offering both guidance and comic relief.
I wanted my first project at Create Caribbean to be of a college standard so admittedly, putting it together was a bit daunting. I was instructed to write an exhibit on Dr. John Imray and his impact and contribution to the island of Dominica for the 2016 History Week Project. Collecting the information, extracting the relevant data, grouping similar facts and compiling the report provided a perfect learning experience.
My first Create Caribbean group outing was a Children’s Workshop. The Dominica Reading Association had invited the members of Create Caribbean to the workshop at the St. John’s Primary School in Portsmouth. The workshop was intended to encourage students to engage in leisure reading and I got an opportunity to embrace my more childish side and I had so much fun dancing, singing, drawing, writing & reading stories to the younger children.
Most recently, the first intern workshop for the semester was held which presented the opportunity for me to meet the rest of the Create family. Everyone was very welcoming and friendly and by the end of the meeting we were laughing and joking around like we had known each other for years. The workshop sought to present the projects and tasks that needed to be completed and to present new projects that interns could choose to begin working on. Dr. Esprit and some of the senior interns also expounded on what Digital Humanities is and how it is important as well as information on intellectual property and time, resource and project management. After the workshop, I had a clear idea of what I was getting into.
Regardless of the fact that I was initially unsure, my experience at Create Caribbean thus far has proven that by joining the institute I made not only a good decision in terms of an extracurricular program but also in choosing an environment to grow as an individual.