The Caribbean Examiner • Vol 9 • No 1 • May 2011

The Caribbean Examiner
Turks and Caicos:
Awardees’ Island Experience
Sharlayne Waller
As I stepped from the tarmac into
the immigration and customs room of the
Providenciales International Airport, lively
traditional music from a local band welcomed
me. After, began the CXC’s well executed plan
to get us from the airport to the resort; a quick
and comfortable trip including sweet treats,
souvenirs, and cool water to beat the warm
temperature. At the Beaches Resort in ‘Provo’, we
were seated in the lap of luxury, with numerous
pools, restaurants, and beautiful greenery. I had
a feeling that the next two days would be a bit
out of the ordinary.
Due to academic obligations, I had missed
the initial meeting and dinner for the awardees, as
well as the first island tour. So when I joined the
group, I met all sixteen fellow awardees at once.
Matching the names to the faces, countries and
the awards received was a little overwhelming
to say the least. Over dinner and conversations,
however, I became acquainted with several
interesting personalities from all over the
Caribbean. After a night of pool, table-tennis,
Jacuzzi hopping and a rousing game of dominoes
with new-found friends, I could hardly sleep,
since I was filled with anticipation for the next
day’s activities.
Literally at the crack of dawn the next
morning, we were awoken to catch the ferry to
North Caicos. There, we visited a set of caves,
an absolutely breath-taking beach, and a sugar
plantation; all before lunch. Then, at a high
school on the island, we were offered a meal of
home-made patties and even a small bag of salt
from the nearby salt farm. I was amazed that in
just a few hours I was introduced to so much
of the island’s rich culture. The tour guides and
student guides were warm, friendly and eager
to share facts and answer any question we had
about their homeland.
Finally came the formal event; the CXC
Opening Ceremony. The dancing, singing
and instrumental performances were quite
entertaining. I felt proud to be a member of the
Caribbean family as I heard the improvements
and achievements that CXC had made in the past
year. We received our awards, and took many
pictures with friends and family; then the long
awaited ceremony came to a close. Equipped
with only a few hours left before having to go
our separate ways, we vowed not to waste them
sleeping. Needless to say, I slept during the entire
flight back to Yale, where the reality of final
examinations awaited my return.
38 MAY 2011 www.CXC.org