This week was back to school and classes. Pretty normal week, but on Friday we had another NSE event where we did a paint and taste. We tried traditional Caribbean foods and made Carnival inspired paintings. The food was amazing -- they brought tortilla-like chicken wraps, coconut and mango tarts, and tamarinds, a local fruit that is chewy and sweet. We also had gooseberry ice cream (another local fruit) from Armstrong Ice Cream. Armstrong Ice Cream is famously known as the best ice cream in the world in the Virgin Islands and I got to visit the actual shop on St. Croix during spring break. It lives up to the hype for sure! We also got to learn more about the traditions of Carnival, a cultural celebration that happens at different times on each of the islands. For St. Thomas, it happens in April - May. For my painting, I painted a scene of two Moko Jumbies, stilted figures that are a staple of the visual and cultural customs during Carnival. In the background is a scene of the blue water and lush green islands. Here's a picture:
