Justin Mitchell of Mays Landing Spends Spring Break Studying in Trinidad and Tobago with Widener University

2014 Apr 1

Justin Mitchell, a freshman majoring in early childhood and special education at Widener University from Mays Landing, N.J., ventured to the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago over Spring Break for a week-long exploration of Trinidadian culture and ecology. The goal of the trip was to expose students to the many "faces" of Trinidad-not only the faces most visitors see when they vacation there as tourists, but the faces that remain known only to the island's "sufferers," the chronically poor, politically marginalized residents.

Mitchell and the Widener group visited Grand Riviere beach in the village of Toco, a primary nesting ground for massive leatherback turtles, and the Asa Wright Nature Center before heading to the southern city of San Fernando to witness the spectacular Carnival celebration held annually to mark the beginning of Lent. Mitchell then spent the last two days of the trip touring some of the most impoverished regions of the island and "grounding," or talking and spending time with the local residents there.

Mitchell walked away with a new understanding of the complexity of the Caribbean region, one not based on the images of pristine resorts featured in travel brochures, but on the real concrete experiences they had as they were exposed to the island's unspeakable natural beauty and unfathomable environmental destruction and to its people's capacity for joyous celebration and pitiable suffering.

Widener University is a metropolitan university that connects curricula to social issues through civic engagement. Dynamic teaching, active scholarship, personal attention, leadership development and experiential learning are key components of the Widener experience. A comprehensive doctorate-granting university, Widener is comprised of eight schools and colleges that offer liberal arts and sciences, professional and pre-professional curricula leading to associate, baccalaureate, master's, and doctoral degrees. The university's campuses in Chester, Exton and Harrisburg, Pa., and Wilmington, Del., serve more than 6,300 students. Widener is proud to be a tobacco-free campus. Visit the university's website, www.widener.edu.