I am officially a trinidadian people. This blog is dedicated to my father. This man overcame all obstacles to get the information I needed to play on the national team. I was thinking to myself, even if I didn't get the paperwork done in time, my dad did everything he could and it means so much to me. My dad is not a man of many words when it comes to expressing his emotions but there is no doubt in my mind that he loves me. Unfortunately, not many people can say that these days. Some people don't have fathers around, or their fathers that are around are just sources of money. My dad has supported me in every aspect of my life and I don't take it for granted. Even though my father and I had our rough times, I always knew that he loved me and wanted what was best for me. My dad is the ONLY man that will have my heart and I wanted the world to know that I love him.
One funny thing that did happen yesterday was that my teammates, Shakira and Chenel, hacked my facebook and said I was having explosive diarrhea. Those of you who know me, know that I am lactose intolerant so they went on a rant about how I didn't take my lactaid pills and how I'm just messing up myself. So two hours later after they posted it, I read it and said I am going to get them back. I was going to buy some kind of laxative the next day and put it in their food but that same day they have Roti with goat curry. Apparently the goat curry was not prepared properly and Shakira and Chenel had explosive diarrhea for the entire day yesterday. They thought I cursed them, which I didn't, but like I always say if you think your funny, my Father (God) is hilarious. God don't like ugly and that's what they get for hacking me. Also yesterday, Chenel and I went on the news to talk about the basketball team. There is a 15 minute segment on the morning news and we spoke about being foreign based players and what it meant to us to play for the team. My aunt who I haven't spoken to in years saw me on TV and she called my dad and told him. I'm famous people. People were talking to us in the street. It was so cool. Tonight, my teammates and I are going to a club to see Jah Cure and Lady Saw, two big artists, and we are going to be apart of some bacchanal (foolishness). I will be sure to inform you of the foolishness. To be completely honest, I am kind of nervous because of my sexual orientation going to a club but I'll be with my teammates and we are larger than most females around here so I don't think the guys will mess with us. Pray for us. Until next time...live, love, laugh, and don't eat poorly cooked curry.
Saturday 16 July 2011
Friday 8 July 2011
Not looking good
Hey yall,
It was Thursday, and my passport debacle continues. So the paper work that I was told to get by the boss finally came, BY PLANE, so I am under the assumption that I am finally going to get my passport. We have had two a day practices all week so I went to my morning practice. It went well but we were rushed to go take head shot pictures for something. We have no idea where to get these pictures were just told to go walk out into chaguanas Indian town and find a place that takes head shots for $20. We just had a long practice, it was hot, and people are not in a great mood. We find somewhere and we need the pictures on a jump drive. Here is the conversation:
Jo: Do you sell jump-drives
Sales Lady: Yes we do
Jo: Can you put our pictures on it? (The machine that people use at CVS or Walgreens to get pictures is right next to the lady)
Sales Lady: No we can't
Jo: Why not?
Sales Lady: We don't know how to re-adjust the size
Clearly she should not be working in this establishment. So we had to walk three other places and we finally found a place. We took our pictures and I had to walk back to the gym to meet my coach who was going to take me to the passport place. All I have is basketball shorts and a shirt and as y'all already know these people are slightly homophobic. Before I get into the passport place, I have to make copies of all my documents. There is a store across the street that has a copy machine but apparently men don't use copy machines in Trinidad. The women work the stores in the morning and in the afternoon the men work the counter. So I walk into the store and they tell me that the machine is down. This happened to me four times in a three block radius of the passport office, in the poring rain. So I walk pass the first store where the man told me that his machine was broken and I see him let his friend use the "broken" machine (fuckery). So I walk my soaking wet ass inside, conversation:
me: Can I make a copy with your machine?
man: no it's broken remember
me: But I just saw you let your friend use it
man: (kisses his teeth) Fine
This is after a hour of searching. These people are so lucky my momma taught me manners cause I wanted to cuss two bad word in that place. So I get inside to see the an officer and we sit down and she looks at me with disdain of course. Conversation:
woman: (she looks over my paper work) When did your father get his nationalization certificate, when did he become a united states citizen
me: I don't know
woman: Why don't you know?
me: It was before I was born
woman: When do think it was?
me: Maybe mid 80's to early 90's some where in there
woman: Oh well if it was before 1988 you are not eligible to be trinidadian by descent.
me: So how am I suppose to find this information?
woman: Your father should have it and we need the original copy mailed here.
So no one else got asked for this information but me. My family and I are trying to get things in order because I don't get this information I can not go on the trip and I have to come home.
Today, Friday the whatever (I have lost all concept of time in this place) we were suppose to have morning practice and then go to the beach, yayy!!!. Morning practice went well but of course there is a thunderstorm. So I am in the hotel and about to start studying or sleeping or both. I have perfected the art of study sleeping. Anyway, until next time live, love, laugh, and eat good food, this too is essential.
It was Thursday, and my passport debacle continues. So the paper work that I was told to get by the boss finally came, BY PLANE, so I am under the assumption that I am finally going to get my passport. We have had two a day practices all week so I went to my morning practice. It went well but we were rushed to go take head shot pictures for something. We have no idea where to get these pictures were just told to go walk out into chaguanas Indian town and find a place that takes head shots for $20. We just had a long practice, it was hot, and people are not in a great mood. We find somewhere and we need the pictures on a jump drive. Here is the conversation:
Jo: Do you sell jump-drives
Sales Lady: Yes we do
Jo: Can you put our pictures on it? (The machine that people use at CVS or Walgreens to get pictures is right next to the lady)
Sales Lady: No we can't
Jo: Why not?
Sales Lady: We don't know how to re-adjust the size
Clearly she should not be working in this establishment. So we had to walk three other places and we finally found a place. We took our pictures and I had to walk back to the gym to meet my coach who was going to take me to the passport place. All I have is basketball shorts and a shirt and as y'all already know these people are slightly homophobic. Before I get into the passport place, I have to make copies of all my documents. There is a store across the street that has a copy machine but apparently men don't use copy machines in Trinidad. The women work the stores in the morning and in the afternoon the men work the counter. So I walk into the store and they tell me that the machine is down. This happened to me four times in a three block radius of the passport office, in the poring rain. So I walk pass the first store where the man told me that his machine was broken and I see him let his friend use the "broken" machine (fuckery). So I walk my soaking wet ass inside, conversation:
me: Can I make a copy with your machine?
man: no it's broken remember
me: But I just saw you let your friend use it
man: (kisses his teeth) Fine
This is after a hour of searching. These people are so lucky my momma taught me manners cause I wanted to cuss two bad word in that place. So I get inside to see the an officer and we sit down and she looks at me with disdain of course. Conversation:
woman: (she looks over my paper work) When did your father get his nationalization certificate, when did he become a united states citizen
me: I don't know
woman: Why don't you know?
me: It was before I was born
woman: When do think it was?
me: Maybe mid 80's to early 90's some where in there
woman: Oh well if it was before 1988 you are not eligible to be trinidadian by descent.
me: So how am I suppose to find this information?
woman: Your father should have it and we need the original copy mailed here.
So no one else got asked for this information but me. My family and I are trying to get things in order because I don't get this information I can not go on the trip and I have to come home.
Today, Friday the whatever (I have lost all concept of time in this place) we were suppose to have morning practice and then go to the beach, yayy!!!. Morning practice went well but of course there is a thunderstorm. So I am in the hotel and about to start studying or sleeping or both. I have perfected the art of study sleeping. Anyway, until next time live, love, laugh, and eat good food, this too is essential.
Tuesday 5 July 2011
Fuckery part 2: Keep chipping away
Hey yall,
Again, there was a battle with Trinidad's passport office but this time we were at the main headquarters. The flight that contained my needed information did not come in at 5:30am so I got up at 3:30am for no particular reason. So we got up at 3:30am to leave for 4:00 but our ride did not show until about 5:30am. Can you say highly pissed. Anyway we went to the office and I found out that I could not even be assisted so I just sat there and waited for my teammates to get their names called. Went to subway got their breakfast egg and ham which was actually quite tasty with sweet onion sauce. Well one of my teammates is gay, stud like me, and one of the ladies gave her hell because of it. My other teammate got pissed because that same lady was being rude. So we had to talk to the boss lady Ms. Williams. As soon as shaq and I walked in there she looked at us as if we had the plague. Attention World: Gay is not a disease, you can not catch it. So we spoke to her and she told us what we needed and we were polite and shook her hand, I thought she would pull out hand sanitizer and wash her hands before we got out the door. We ran a few more errands and then finally came back to the hotel around noon. I passed out and between noon and 3:30pm was a bit of a blur. Then I went to practice and had the worst practice ever with cramps, food killing my stomach, and sweaty hands equaling dropping the damn ball. So glad this day is over. Hope God blesses me with another day . Until next time yall, live, love, laugh.
Again, there was a battle with Trinidad's passport office but this time we were at the main headquarters. The flight that contained my needed information did not come in at 5:30am so I got up at 3:30am for no particular reason. So we got up at 3:30am to leave for 4:00 but our ride did not show until about 5:30am. Can you say highly pissed. Anyway we went to the office and I found out that I could not even be assisted so I just sat there and waited for my teammates to get their names called. Went to subway got their breakfast egg and ham which was actually quite tasty with sweet onion sauce. Well one of my teammates is gay, stud like me, and one of the ladies gave her hell because of it. My other teammate got pissed because that same lady was being rude. So we had to talk to the boss lady Ms. Williams. As soon as shaq and I walked in there she looked at us as if we had the plague. Attention World: Gay is not a disease, you can not catch it. So we spoke to her and she told us what we needed and we were polite and shook her hand, I thought she would pull out hand sanitizer and wash her hands before we got out the door. We ran a few more errands and then finally came back to the hotel around noon. I passed out and between noon and 3:30pm was a bit of a blur. Then I went to practice and had the worst practice ever with cramps, food killing my stomach, and sweaty hands equaling dropping the damn ball. So glad this day is over. Hope God blesses me with another day . Until next time yall, live, love, laugh.
Monday 4 July 2011
Pardon my french but today was some fuckery
Hey yall,
Woke up this morning at 4:00am to go to the passport place to organize for the trip so I can get into different countries for the tournament. Reached the passport place at 5:00am, it doesn't open till 7:00am. The security guards would not let us in, so we stood outside for two hours and 10 minutes before seven it started to drizzle. We are first in line and we talk to the clerk and he goes through our paper work and come to find out we all are missing information and our applications were filled out incorrectly so even though we were the first people there, we ended up being number 161-164 and the first number was 143. Since none of us had all the info we needed we had to split up. There was four of us, one got to go back home because all she needed was something emailed. The other three of us had to go the head basketball office and make a bunch of calls to get the missing information. There we met the Soca Warriors the national soccer team of trinidad and kicked the soccer ball around with them. That was cool. It is now 12:30pm and we still have not eaten and so we order KFC which happens to be quite tasty in trinidad, a bit spicy but I would eat anything at this point. So after we demolished our food, we stayed for another hour making calls and then my roomie and I had to travel to another passort place to get our parents birth certificates. Then we drove to the Gatorade headquarters and that was another 30 minute ride on the next side of the island. The guy we went to meet couldn't even meet us and they had to reschedule a meeting for Wednesday. Then we had to go pick up information for cocoa back in town, into 4:00pm traffic, and we got her information. Then we finally made it back to the hotel. Four hours of sleep, two more misquito bites, and no passport later I am here writing about my "day off" from training. Even though it was a shitty day, I have to thank God that I got to see another one. Until next time live, love, laugh.
Woke up this morning at 4:00am to go to the passport place to organize for the trip so I can get into different countries for the tournament. Reached the passport place at 5:00am, it doesn't open till 7:00am. The security guards would not let us in, so we stood outside for two hours and 10 minutes before seven it started to drizzle. We are first in line and we talk to the clerk and he goes through our paper work and come to find out we all are missing information and our applications were filled out incorrectly so even though we were the first people there, we ended up being number 161-164 and the first number was 143. Since none of us had all the info we needed we had to split up. There was four of us, one got to go back home because all she needed was something emailed. The other three of us had to go the head basketball office and make a bunch of calls to get the missing information. There we met the Soca Warriors the national soccer team of trinidad and kicked the soccer ball around with them. That was cool. It is now 12:30pm and we still have not eaten and so we order KFC which happens to be quite tasty in trinidad, a bit spicy but I would eat anything at this point. So after we demolished our food, we stayed for another hour making calls and then my roomie and I had to travel to another passort place to get our parents birth certificates. Then we drove to the Gatorade headquarters and that was another 30 minute ride on the next side of the island. The guy we went to meet couldn't even meet us and they had to reschedule a meeting for Wednesday. Then we had to go pick up information for cocoa back in town, into 4:00pm traffic, and we got her information. Then we finally made it back to the hotel. Four hours of sleep, two more misquito bites, and no passport later I am here writing about my "day off" from training. Even though it was a shitty day, I have to thank God that I got to see another one. Until next time live, love, laugh.
Sunday 3 July 2011
Oh boy today was a day
Hey yall,
So last time we spoke, I was about to get a massage. It was really good and I got some of the knots out. So then we got lunch. Let me tell you about this instant "itis" I got. This meal consisted of rice, mac and cheese, potato salad, callilu "American equivalent or artichoke or spinach" and chicken. Carbs, carbs, and more carbs. I know I am an athlete but gosh. So I ate half of it and I went to study at 1:00pm to study until 3. I was reading and then I don't know what happened I heard a bang on my door saying that we were leaving for practice. I don't know what was in that food but I was T.K.O. Then we had practice and everybody was on time today because we did not want to run like we did yesterday. Unfortunately our punctuality did not matter because our new trainer Ronald, who is also our massage therapist, he did our warm up. Warm up is an understatement. We did indian runs, sprints, every stretch known to man, and laps around the gym. Warm up was a burn up but it is getting me prepared for the tournament and for college. So we worked on post moves today and I got my nickname Big T cause I was killing them in the post. I try to tell people I am 6 '2 but they don't believe. Jo called me 4 '12. Anyway we had a good practice and our assistant coach hoped in to help out. P still got a J lol (cocoa got Jayed). So we got fed more bread and whatever for dinner. So many carbs!!!! Its ok as long as I'm fed its whatever. Then we came back to the room and tomorrow we have a day off so that means study, sleep, and eat all day tomorrow. Can't wait. Until next time live, love, laugh.
So last time we spoke, I was about to get a massage. It was really good and I got some of the knots out. So then we got lunch. Let me tell you about this instant "itis" I got. This meal consisted of rice, mac and cheese, potato salad, callilu "American equivalent or artichoke or spinach" and chicken. Carbs, carbs, and more carbs. I know I am an athlete but gosh. So I ate half of it and I went to study at 1:00pm to study until 3. I was reading and then I don't know what happened I heard a bang on my door saying that we were leaving for practice. I don't know what was in that food but I was T.K.O. Then we had practice and everybody was on time today because we did not want to run like we did yesterday. Unfortunately our punctuality did not matter because our new trainer Ronald, who is also our massage therapist, he did our warm up. Warm up is an understatement. We did indian runs, sprints, every stretch known to man, and laps around the gym. Warm up was a burn up but it is getting me prepared for the tournament and for college. So we worked on post moves today and I got my nickname Big T cause I was killing them in the post. I try to tell people I am 6 '2 but they don't believe. Jo called me 4 '12. Anyway we had a good practice and our assistant coach hoped in to help out. P still got a J lol (cocoa got Jayed). So we got fed more bread and whatever for dinner. So many carbs!!!! Its ok as long as I'm fed its whatever. Then we came back to the room and tomorrow we have a day off so that means study, sleep, and eat all day tomorrow. Can't wait. Until next time live, love, laugh.
Day 5: Catch up
Hey,
Well I finally made blog. I got the idea from Meghan. Since I am five days late I will give a summary of what has taken place so far. On Day 1, I arrived in Trinidad and Tobago and Buda, one of our managers, picked me up from the airport and it was raining. It rains every single day in Trinidad. We drove straight from the airport to the gym for my first practice. Unfortunately, we arrived too late and practice was already over. On the flip side, dinner was being served and we had bake and salt fish. OMG it was delicious. Salt fish and anything is my favorite dish so as you can imagine I was thrilled. There I met the foreign girls, aka the Americans because we live in a hotel together and the locals just go home. I met shaq, white cocoa, vanilla dip, melissa, and joe. These are all nicknames of course and I haven't received one yet but I am sure it will be creative. My teammates are so funny. We all get along really well. I am the youngest, of course so I get last pick on everything.
Day 2: We had practice at 8:00 am in the hottest gym on the planet. Seriously, I thought I lost all my water weight. The practices are tough but fun and my teammates helped me out a lot and got me up to speed on the plays. The head coach is Puerto Rican and I used some of my espanol skills and he was very impressed. Thank you Rollins and Mrs. Bay. Our assistant coach Peitra, aka.P, is so funny but she also makes sure we stay in line. Once practice was over we went back to the hotel and relaxed. My roommate left me by myself to go see family so shaq, white cocoa, and I went on an adventure. Two things about Trinidad: It rains every two to three hours and every store closes after 4:30. We left the hotel at 4 without knowing this and once we got to the downtown area everything began closing. And it began to rain so we were stuck in the market. We do not have a driver all the time so we walk to practice when we are practicing at the close gym and we walk to the market and downtown. I am a lesbian and I wear masculine clothes so going out in cargo's, tank, blazers, and yankee hat, I was a little nervous but everyone was really nice and never really bothered me.
Day 3: We had practice at 9:00am at U.W.I, a university in Trinidad, and there was a/c (thank you lord). We had a good practice and I got to know the local players a bit better, like Tova, Anola, Nola, the Anikas, and Chanel. After practice, I just came home and studied for the rest of the day. Then roomie, vanilla dip aka London aka Miriam, and I watched Jump the Broom. It was good movie and a good time. Then we went over to shaq and white cocoa's room to have movie night. We were going to watch For Colored Girls, but it was a fail because of technical difficulties.
Day 4: Yesterday, I studied until practice started at 5:00pm. I keep mentioning study and I haven't told you guys what I am studying for. I am studying for the MCAT because I am going to be a junior in college preparing for medical school. We had a bad practice because everybody was late and coach was pissed so we ran a majority of the practice. Got to come focused and take my game to the next level.
Day 5: Well today, at 10:23 am roomie and I are up waiting for our massage therapist to come and give us a massage. He was suppose to be here at 9:00am. In the Caribbean, everybody is never on time. Oh he is here now. Well I hope your all caught up so until next time, live, love, laugh.
Well I finally made blog. I got the idea from Meghan. Since I am five days late I will give a summary of what has taken place so far. On Day 1, I arrived in Trinidad and Tobago and Buda, one of our managers, picked me up from the airport and it was raining. It rains every single day in Trinidad. We drove straight from the airport to the gym for my first practice. Unfortunately, we arrived too late and practice was already over. On the flip side, dinner was being served and we had bake and salt fish. OMG it was delicious. Salt fish and anything is my favorite dish so as you can imagine I was thrilled. There I met the foreign girls, aka the Americans because we live in a hotel together and the locals just go home. I met shaq, white cocoa, vanilla dip, melissa, and joe. These are all nicknames of course and I haven't received one yet but I am sure it will be creative. My teammates are so funny. We all get along really well. I am the youngest, of course so I get last pick on everything.
Day 2: We had practice at 8:00 am in the hottest gym on the planet. Seriously, I thought I lost all my water weight. The practices are tough but fun and my teammates helped me out a lot and got me up to speed on the plays. The head coach is Puerto Rican and I used some of my espanol skills and he was very impressed. Thank you Rollins and Mrs. Bay. Our assistant coach Peitra, aka.P, is so funny but she also makes sure we stay in line. Once practice was over we went back to the hotel and relaxed. My roommate left me by myself to go see family so shaq, white cocoa, and I went on an adventure. Two things about Trinidad: It rains every two to three hours and every store closes after 4:30. We left the hotel at 4 without knowing this and once we got to the downtown area everything began closing. And it began to rain so we were stuck in the market. We do not have a driver all the time so we walk to practice when we are practicing at the close gym and we walk to the market and downtown. I am a lesbian and I wear masculine clothes so going out in cargo's, tank, blazers, and yankee hat, I was a little nervous but everyone was really nice and never really bothered me.
Day 3: We had practice at 9:00am at U.W.I, a university in Trinidad, and there was a/c (thank you lord). We had a good practice and I got to know the local players a bit better, like Tova, Anola, Nola, the Anikas, and Chanel. After practice, I just came home and studied for the rest of the day. Then roomie, vanilla dip aka London aka Miriam, and I watched Jump the Broom. It was good movie and a good time. Then we went over to shaq and white cocoa's room to have movie night. We were going to watch For Colored Girls, but it was a fail because of technical difficulties.
Day 4: Yesterday, I studied until practice started at 5:00pm. I keep mentioning study and I haven't told you guys what I am studying for. I am studying for the MCAT because I am going to be a junior in college preparing for medical school. We had a bad practice because everybody was late and coach was pissed so we ran a majority of the practice. Got to come focused and take my game to the next level.
Day 5: Well today, at 10:23 am roomie and I are up waiting for our massage therapist to come and give us a massage. He was suppose to be here at 9:00am. In the Caribbean, everybody is never on time. Oh he is here now. Well I hope your all caught up so until next time, live, love, laugh.
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