Interview with a West Indian College Student

From Seminar 2: The Peopling of New York City

Jean: What encouraged you to come to America?

Student: A change of environment and the opportunity to experience a different culture while pursuing my education.

Jean: Do you plan to live here permanently, or do you wish to move back to Trinidad eventually?

Student: My plan is to return to Trinidad and Tobago and put my knowledge and experience to work for the betterment of my home nation.

Jean: Do you have close relatives here or other people you know from your hometown in Trinidad?

Student: My only sister resides in the U.S. I have many friends who are in the U.S., mostly in other states, to pursue their education.

Jean: How do you stay connected to your loved ones?

Student: The telephone is my main way of communicating with my parents. Friends, I keep in touch with through online chat and internet social communities – Facebook.

Jean: How do you feel about the news coverage of Trinidad in newspapers and on television?

Student: (Declined to answer)

Jean: How do you connect to other people you consider to be part of your ethnic/national community?

Student: I don’t connect at all with people outside of my social groups. However, there are the occasions when I engage in conversations with people on the bus or train because they recognize the accent.

Jean: Is there anything else you can tell me about how you communicate with other Trinidadians or West Indians in New York?

Student: When I go to church sometimes, it’s filled with mostly Caribbean people.