Book Club

When people here I’m in a book club they often thing of this highly sophisticated setup where we are all sipping wine and expounding on the hidden literary meaning that the pages of the books we read contain.

The truth is, it’s a bunch of people who meet every month and usually talk about everything except the book for most of the two hours. We can’t help it! Books spark very interesting discussions especially the ones with sex inside.

I often tell people, if you want to join come see if you comfortable first! (Even if you havent read the book as yet.) Things can get crazy for people who are not used to it. One person says what they think then everyone chimes in. There isn’t a set order to how we discuss the books.

Forming a book club isn’t hard. Find a bunch of people who like to read. First, plan when you will meet, pick your books and you have a book club.

For us, a member will choose a book. They must have a copy they are willing to lend, that book is then loaned around to the members who read it. Sometimes we might pick a book based on the fact that some of us have copies. I find that books that have a PDF or are online are good because you don’t have to circulate the copy.

You don’t have to be literature graduate or professional critics. Once you love reading, you can have a book club, or join ours! 

Drop everything and Read

While the Ministry of Education is lauding Monday’s drop everything and read exercise, as a teacher I was sorely disappointed in what I saw.

Almost all of the students had to be forced to take out something and read. And very few had reading material; they simply took out their exercise books and revised for the fifteen minutes.

The book distribution in Georgetown was also a nice idea, however, it would have been nice if it could have also been done in rural areas, or at least to send the books to school where those children unable to travel to the pick-up locations could have had access to books as well. I would have loved to get my hands on some new reading material, but that was not possible as I had to go to work on the day. 

I myself was unable to read for the fifteen minutes because I had to be supervising the children so they would behave and try and read instead of playing or fighting.

As an avid reader, I am very sad that very few youths love to read. English literature as a subject appears to them to be something to be endured rather than enjoyed. Often the students that study it either because it’s a “make up” subject , that is, a subject to add to the number they are writing at CXC, or because it is compulsory as in the case of the lower forms.

I know this is not all students hate reading. Hidden among the masses are still the few that love to read. I just wish there could be more of them.

Never again, with Caribbean Airlines.

At the time we booked our flights to the U.S.A , Caribbean Airlines seemed the best bet. We were told we could check in online, but were unable to due to problems with the site. Might I add that we had to be there at 2:30 AM for a 5:30 AM flight? Customs was ok. Most of the time was spend shivering in the waiting lounge.

After take off they served breakfast. However at Trinidad, we were made to come out of the plane , with our hand luggage and go thru customs. All jewellery had to be taken off even our watch, and my hairclip because it was metal. No other airport security has this rule - they just tell you to remove metal stuff like your belt and coins.

Nothing, even a handkerchief could be left in your pocket. All electronics including laptops, kindles, dvd players etc also had to be removed and placed in a seperate bin. No shoes or bags in the tray. Then when you get out of the scan area you got to hurry and move you stuff , to get out of the way. Lesson learned you want to smuggle something make your child keep it., They dont make children take off stuff.

We also got a light snack on the way from T&T to U.S.A. But the long wait between trinidad and U.S.A added to the long travelling time.

The way back was worse. We were told at the desk we did not have to come off the plane. However once we were in Trinidad we were told we had to change planes. We came off had to go all the way downstairs , to the transit desk. Then up back. Through the check points again. We asked to change seats and were told that they couldnt do that. We just moved to the empty seat once we were on the plane as it was practially empty on the way back. We got a snack - a bag of chips and a bag of cookies from Miami but they did not even serve us a snack from Trinidad to Guyana only a beverage. Then again, they never give you anything when your coming into Guyana. Next time i walking with me damm curry to eat and not relying on these people to feed me.

The flying and service itself is not bad. However, having to come out at Trinidad is too much of a hassel to travel with them again unless I have no choice.