I had the unique experience of growing up in other countries besides Trinidad and Tobago. With these experiences, it has always been important to integrate myself into the way of living as well as finding a piece of home wherever in the world I lived. Whether by making friends from the Caribbean, finding Caribbean food spots, or hearing Soca in public, the small things are what makes a place a home away from home.
Coming to Toronto, especially as a young adult moving alone, finding places that reminded me of Trinidad was crucial. Toronto is known to be one of the most multicultural and diverse cities in the world and after living here for 3 years, that is definitely not an understatement. Trinidad is also known for its multiculturalism so seeing the city welcome people from all walks of life and celebrate each other feels familiar to what I grew up with. In high school, we would celebrate all of the holidays of the different ethnic groups that were in Trinidad. Some of my best memories were when we would take the entire afternoon to have a Diwali showcase where students would dress in saris and traditional Indian snacks and food would be sold. My favourite part of those days would be that everyone no matter the ethnicity or religion would take part in the celebration and learn about another culture’s tradition.