I was born on the beautiful island of St Lucia (Im not just saying that it really is beautiful). for those who don't know much or anything about St Lucia here are some key facts.
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| A view of The Pitons |
- The population is around 170,650
- The capital is Castries
- The official language is English but the local dialect is French patois
- It is the second largest of the windward islands
- It is an ex British colony and has been independent since February 22nd 1979
- St Lucia is considered the most romantic island in the Caribbean
- Britain and France was at war for the island 14 times and the rule of the island changed frequently (it was seven times each ruled by France and Britain) the British eventually took definitive control of the island in 1814.
- Because it switched hands so often between French and British control it was known as Helen Of The West
- Saint Lucia has 2 Nobel prize winners. Sir Arthur Lewis won the the Nobel Prize in economies in 1979 and Derek Walcott received the Nobel prize in Literature in 1992
- It has the only drive through volcano in the world
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| Drive in volcano: Sulphur Springs |
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| National Flag |
I was born in the Anse-La-Raye quarter of St Lucia.The English translation for Anse-La-Raye means Bays of Rays. Two rivers flow into the bay. Every Friday night there is a beach party called Fish Fry, the local fishermen, and residents of Anse-La-Raye sell food and drink and play music which caters to tourist and the locals.
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| View of Anse-La-Raye |
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| Fish Fry |
As a child my favourite place was the river, i absolutely loved going there. I also loved the the sea but i was banned from going to sea by my mother (of course at any given opportunity i was in the sea without my mothers knowledge).One of my earliest memories of the river was with my father, he took me to the river to have a swim i remember him emerging from the water with his locks following him, when he reached land which was filled with pebbles, rocks and stones he shook his head vigorously to get the water out of his locks. I remember having so much fun it was a perfect father daughter moment.
The way I learnt how to swim was a very distressing and traumatizing and some how proud moment for me. I was 5 maybe 6 years old and was on the beach with my friend, I saw all the older kids swimming, splashing, jumping off the jetty and having fun. I was determined to have that kind of fun. I saw one of my older brother's friend on the jetty. I took my little five year old self to the jetty and asked my brother's friend if I could saddle on his back while he is in the water. He said YES! I was so excited I was finally going be in the water at the end of the jetty. So in we went.
For the first few seconds it was exhilarating but suddenly my brother's friend decided to go under the water, he swam off leaving me in the deep now very frightening sea. I remember fighting against the waves, gulping a huge amount of salty water, I thought I was going to die.There were voices around me children and adults alike swimming and playing care freely in the water.As a five year old I told myself I'm not going to drown in this water, I remained calm and one stroke at a time I swam to shore, the strokes were clumsy and to a spectator would seem like a young child splashing in the water. I finally reached the shore coughing gasping for breath, my friend ran towards,I said to her "I ALMOST DROWNED" I said it very animatedly, a small smile on my face, I was proud of myself proud that I didn't drown proud that I could finally swim, however clumsy it may have been. That moment is so fresh in my head I don't think I could ever for get it.
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| The river |
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| Anse-La-Raye falls |
I haven't been back to the island for 16 years. Its the lover I wished I never left behind. I think about it all the time, pine for it and the family I left behind. I will return there, explore the places I have yet to explore, revisit moments and relish in it.
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| The jetty |
*Want to know why I left this beautiful island? KEEP TRACK OF MY BLOG.
Peace and love
