Penn Charter Martinique

March 25, 2018

The day was great. We ate breakfast first and I had chocolate croissants and cereals. Then we hiked down to the beach to learn about creole using a instruction sign. I thought it was really cool how the language is phonetic. After the beach, we went to the château Dubuc and learnt about plantations. We learnt a lot about the sugar cane. It’s actually really devastating how tiring and punishing the work was. Sometimes slaves got their arm stuck in the sugar cane contraptor.

-Zion

After learning about the sugar extractor we went further down the hill into a swamp like area called a mangrove which is inhabited by many wildlife on the island. We then went to the beach and had a great time. We met a local young girl and I attempted communicating with her. We ate food and got ice cream. After the beach we went to dinner which was absolutely amazing ! The food and the service was great. The evening was wrapped up extremely well, besides the loud frogs of course. Ha ha ha !!

-Eli

March 26, 2018

Today we boarded the bus and went to Fort de France, the unofficial capital of Martinique. On the bus we talked about gas prices and learnt there is one price for the whole island ! When we arrived in Fort de France we saw a library. I loved the library because of the many beautiful colors. After we saw a cathedral and mango trees, my favorite. Unfortunately it is not mango season ☹. After that, we met à man selling jewelry made from local seeds. They were so beautiful and vibrant. After that we went to the Spice market which was so colorful and alive ! There were so many vendors. We had a scavenger Hunt and my group learnt a very important lesson: you have to ask before doing things. This seems like common sense but we should have asked the vendor Lady before writing down the menu. After this, we boarded the ferry.

-Hailey

After 2 hours in Fort de France, we walked to the docks and boarded a ferry to another part of Martinique. I sat in the back of the boat and had a beautiful view of fort de France. The water was a beautiful blue. The occasional mist from the water felt amazing. I sat across from two men and a woman. They asked me where I was from, how long I was staying and if I was enjoying myself. Of course I said yes ! The ride on the boat was short but not too short. The views we had were impeccable. We then pulled into a dock and got off the boat. We hopped the bus and travelled to a museum that focuses on People of Martinique during post slavery. It was very interesting. After the museum we went to the beach. Although the water was a little chilly the view we had of fort de France was awesome. After about 1h we went to dinner. While some had local fish, I enjoyed a nice rack of ribs. After dinner we boarded the bus for what seems like a long ride. It was a very nice day.

– Ciara

March 27, 2018

On Tuesday morning, we boarded the bus and drove over to the cooking class in Fort-de-France. At the cooking class, we split into two groups: a group of 6 and a group of 10. The ladies instructing us were so nice and would ask us how to say things in English. We made chicken colombo and coconut flan. The two most popular meals in the island. We learned that you have to add ‘grains a roussir’ to make certain it’s colombo chicken! The chicken took a while to cook but it smelled so good. While the chicken was cooking, we made the flan. We used vanilla bean in the mixture and learned the best way to store it is in rum. Once we finished the flan, we put everything in tins so we could take them back to the hotel. We took the bus to Fort-de-France.

By Nieve

After the fun cooking class, we made our way back to Fort-de-France. We sectioned off into small groups to walk around and find anything we needed. While trying to practice our french, we were constantly demanded by locals to just speak english. Instead of giving up, we continued to make conversation so that we could buy and look for food and souvenirs. After almost two hours walking in the sun, we deserved some quality time on the beach. We had the best time tanning, snorkeling, and jumping off the dock with Madame Simon. Ciara found a conch near the reef while snorkeling and in this beautiful conch, there was a dying, purple starfish. We forgot to name it, but we later saved it’s life since we put it back in the water. Haley says she found Dory from Finding Nemo which is hard to believe, but very true. Then, some of us decided to play ultimate frisbee on the grass field. Shoutout to my team,we won the game and ended the beach day off with some sorbet and and ice cream. It was so delicious and well needed especially in this heat. Dinner was back at the hotel with the chicken we made at the cooking class. Our side choices for our meal were pasta, rice, salad and green beans. Aside from eating food, the best part was making the sides. We sectioned off into small groups again and using our outdoor kitchens, we all made a side. Then, we all ate together as a group sharing laughs, memories, and stories. Last to end the night off, some of us participated in game night while others decided  swimming and  sleeping were in their best interest.

By India

March 28, 2018

Bonjour!
After we finished climbing up and down Mt. Pele, we had lunch at the mountain restaurant. It was great food! After that, we took a bus ride to the ruins of the former capital of Martinique prior to the eruption. We visited the remains of an old theater and the prison. We also learned how everyone died. The power of the volcano’s shock wave was so strong that it made the majority of the St. Pierre citizens implode. Anyone that did survive that was killed by the toxic fog that swept through the town. The ocean was a boiling temperature. There was three survivors. A ship captain, a securely isolated prisoner, and a factory owner.
– Lala

Bonjour!
After we finished climbing up and down Mt. Pele, we had lunch at the mountain restaurant. It was great food! After that, we took a bus ride to the ruins of the former capital of Martinique prior to the eruption. We visited the remains of an old theater and the prison. We also learned how everyone died. The power of the volcano’s shock wave was so strong that it made the majority of the St. Pierre citizens implode. Anyone that did survive that was killed by the toxic fog that swept through the town. The ocean was a boiling temperature. There was three survivors. A ship captain, a securely isolated prisoner, and a factory owner.
– Lala

Bonjour mes amies. Today was a breathtaking day. We visited such beautiful places such as beaches and mountains, and volcanos. In the morning we went to a rare occurring event. There was a sand bridge in the middle of the ocean! It was very beautiful and everyone was amazed. After that, we went to a beach that had only black sand. It was incredible! The sand felt regular but looked so different. The ocean looked so blue and tropical. I was in love.  Next we went to a mountain called Mount Pelee a live volcano in Martinique which we hiked up and you could see everything, but there was lots of fog.

By Amanda

March, 29, 2018

Today we went to the banana museum. We learned many facts about bananas and observed different banana plants. After we observed the plants, we were able to try delicious banana ketchup and jam. I was really happy because I got to buy plantain chips so I can share my experience with my family when I get home. I really enjoyed the banana museum and I believe I learned a lot.

By Alyssa

In the afternoon, we learned a type of dance called bele. Bele has 5 roles: the person keeping the beat, a drummer, the singer, the chorus and the dancers. Bele is taught early on in schools to assess a child’s development. Using this dance, parents and teachers can look at things like listening skills and how lazy a kid is. Learning this dance was challenging, but it was really fun!

by Diane

March 30, 2018

Today we visited Jardin Creole. We learned about the different types of herbs and their uses. We were also able to try coconut, sugar cane, apricot and a local nut!
After our visit, we went to a nearby white sand beach. We spent a few hours swimming and soaking up the sun. Then we got chichis (local type of doughnut) and we were on our way back to the hotel for dinner.  We were able to celebrate Amanda’s birthday chocolate pear cake.

By Destiny and Seniyah