St. Lawrence University -- in conjunction with Pacific Lutheran University
-- offers students a program that introduces them to the culture, history
and complexity of Trinidad
and Tobago. This spring semester program provides about five SLU students an
opportunity to join PLU students in studying the rich and varied culture
of
the two-island nation. The program includes a one-month course taught by the
site director, a field study course in Caribbean culture and society that
runs the entire semester, and direct enrollment in two courses of their choice
at the St. Augustine Campus of the University of the West Indies in Port
of Spain, Trinidad.
Trinidad and Tobago are the southernmost islands of the Caribbean archipelago and, because they are geologically an extension of the South American continent, they have rainforests rich in tropical species. The country offers a unique experience because of its blend of African, Indian, European, Chinese, and Lebanese cultures. The program is especially beneficial in exposing students to complex and open discourses on race and ethnicity.