Friday afternoon thoughts
The German embassy in Port of Spain has granted travel visas to 2,500 Trinidad and Tobago citizens for the World Cup, according to the papers today. But that doesn't include Trinis living elsewhere who would have got visas from other embassies. I figure that could be another 2,500. -- Last night I went looking for my old-school Strike Squad jersey, worn just once in 1989 and put away safely ever since. Can you believe I couldn't find it? I thought I knew exactly which cupboard shelf it was folded away on. I found my old St. Bernadette's Prep. and St. Mary's College school shirts, extravagantly autographed by schoolmates on two separate last days of school, and even the old green t-shirt I was wearing when I first heard news of the coup on 27 July, 1990 (why did I keep that?); but not the Strike Squad relic I was planning to resurrect to wear tomorrow. -- These last two weeks, it seems every other car on the roads is flying a little T&T flag clipped to one of the windows. I couldn't figure out where these things were coming from, then someone told me Hi-Lo was selling them. Sometimes when I'm on my way to the office in the morning I see five or six cars all in a row flying these little flags on their little white plastic flagpoles. I wonder if it's just in Port of Spain, or if it's the same thing all over the country? -- And at least two buildings, one in St. Clair and one in Woodbrook, have been repainted in red, white, and black--not to mention the poor Port of Spain lighthouse which got "decorated" on a patriotic football theme a few months back. I'm surprised they haven't broken out the Independence Day bunting on government buildings. -- No, I can't really say I feel any excitement about the whole thing, but maybe that will change when the first whistle blows tomorrow. Yes, this time around I'll be watching. Missing these three matches would be like missing Minshall crossing the Savannah.
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Who is Nicholas Laughlin?
I am a writer (read some of my reviews, essays, etc. at Choosing My Confessions), editor of The Caribbean Review of Books and Caribbean Beat, and programme director of the Bocas Lit Fest. Visit my home page for more details. I’m a bit more active on Twitter: @nplaughlin.
I’m a co-director of Alice Yard, an experimental creative space and network in Port of Spain.
I co-edit Town, a modest literary magazine published in two formats: broadsides posted in public locations around Port of Spain, and online.
See photos at my Flickr page.
See my collaboration with artist Christopher Cozier, Tropical Night.
Amours de voyage; or, notes from an occasional traveller.
Some poems.
Email me at:
nicholaslaughlin[at]gmail[dot]com
My second book of poems, Enemy Luck, was published in 2019 by Peepal Tree Press.
My first book of poems, The Strange Years of My Life, was published in 2015 by Peepal Tree Press.
I’m a co-director of Alice Yard, an experimental creative space and network in Port of Spain.
I co-edit Town, a modest literary magazine published in two formats: broadsides posted in public locations around Port of Spain, and online.
See photos at my Flickr page.
See my collaboration with artist Christopher Cozier, Tropical Night.
Amours de voyage; or, notes from an occasional traveller.
Some poems.
Email me at:
nicholaslaughlin[at]gmail[dot]com
Blogs I read oftenish
Caribbean magazines, journals, newspapers
Literary magazines, websites, and blogs around the world
Other people, places, things that interest me (in no particular order)
1 comment:
The first game already gave me the fever. I'm never one for nationalism, but the world cup does seem like a decidedly benign expression of national chauvinism.
And I think it's hilarious that you still have your autographed prep and college shirts.
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