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Schools in Trinidad
Posted: Sun Nov 18, 2012 8:36 pm
by yolo
Now that someone has asked in a previous post about 'schools near beaches', can anyone share any information about int'l schools in Trinidad (Port of Spain)?
Also, I'm a bit concerned about the high crime rate in Port of Spain, so I'd love to hear any information from teachers who have worked there.
Do they speak Spanish?
Posted: Tue Nov 20, 2012 12:27 pm
by sfbrayuk
I was interested in this area as well but my primary focus is to go somewhere where the people speak Spanish. I don't think they do here.
Posted: Tue Nov 20, 2012 1:42 pm
by yelsol
I don't know much about the international schools. They don't seem to have gotten rave reviews on the review site. I did live in Trinidad about 8 years ago. I would imagine that things have changed significantly since that time although I'm not sure if they have changed for the better or for the worse.
When I was there there were definitely incidences of crime and some that were violent and very tragic. That being said, I don't think the country is inhabitable or so dangerous that it's not worth considering taking a position there. I didn't encounter any problems while there and I used public transportation and travelled pretty extensively around the country. I did however take certain precautions that I think anyone would take in a place where you don't know:
1. Don't walk around alone at night. I rarely went anywhere alone in the evening.
2. Don't get caught up in the ex-pat culture. A lot of times people will go to a country and quickly jump into an expat clique where they have very little interaction with anyone who was born in the country. I found that Trinidadians had a much better understanding of the violence in the country including extensive knowledge about which places were safe and which to avoid.
3. Avoid making yourself a target by flashing valuable items. I live in an urban area in the states and I do this at home.
I personally found Trinidad to be an exciting country and there are definitely problems with violence and crime but I think some good common sense, won't make you immune, but could minimize your chances of coming into contact with it.